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Since nothing else is going on...
- Thread starter wpiv926
- Start date
> Since the board is dead right now, maybe it's time for
> another Arkansas radio history question. Here goes:
>
> Can you name the oldest, legally licensed FM station in the
> state?
>
Not a clue. What about AM? My grandfather had something to do with KLCN Blytheville in or near 1922. It was funny to hear him tell it...they had this newfangled device called an 'audion'.<P ID="signature">______________
Never hold a cat and a dustbuster at the same time.</P>
> another Arkansas radio history question. Here goes:
>
> Can you name the oldest, legally licensed FM station in the
> state?
>
Not a clue. What about AM? My grandfather had something to do with KLCN Blytheville in or near 1922. It was funny to hear him tell it...they had this newfangled device called an 'audion'.<P ID="signature">______________
Never hold a cat and a dustbuster at the same time.</P>
A
arklatexradioguy
Guest
AM was 590 KBHS Hot Springs. I remember back in the 70's I used to hear a jingle First on the dial in Arkansas 590 KBHS
> > Since the board is dead right now, maybe it's time for
> > another Arkansas radio history question. Here goes:
> >
> > Can you name the oldest, legally licensed FM station in
> the
> > state?
> >
>
> Not a clue. What about AM? My grandfather had something to
> do with KLCN Blytheville in or near 1922. It was funny to
> hear him tell it...they had this newfangled device called an
> 'audion'.
>
> > Since the board is dead right now, maybe it's time for
> > another Arkansas radio history question. Here goes:
> >
> > Can you name the oldest, legally licensed FM station in
> the
> > state?
> >
>
> Not a clue. What about AM? My grandfather had something to
> do with KLCN Blytheville in or near 1922. It was funny to
> hear him tell it...they had this newfangled device called an
> 'audion'.
>
M
MediaMogul
Guest
> AM was 590 KBHS Hot Springs. I remember back in the 70's I
> used to hear a jingle First on the dial in Arkansas 590 KBHS
>
Did not know that... I had always assumed that "First on the Dial in Arkansas" meant that there was nothing on your radio dial left of 590....
I know that the Horne family had a chance to put a 100,000 watt FM on Mount Nebo back in 1953 and passed on it because they thought "FM will never make it..."
I honestly have no idea...
> used to hear a jingle First on the dial in Arkansas 590 KBHS
>
Did not know that... I had always assumed that "First on the Dial in Arkansas" meant that there was nothing on your radio dial left of 590....
I know that the Horne family had a chance to put a 100,000 watt FM on Mount Nebo back in 1953 and passed on it because they thought "FM will never make it..."
I honestly have no idea...
A
arklatexradioguy
Guest
Hmmmm never thought of it that way. so I don't know if it was the first or not.
> > AM was 590 KBHS Hot Springs. I remember back in the 70's I
>
> > used to hear a jingle First on the dial in Arkansas 590
> KBHS
> >
>
>
> Did not know that... I had always assumed that "First on the
> Dial in Arkansas" meant that there was nothing on your radio
> dial left of 590....
>
> I know that the Horne family had a chance to put a 100,000
> watt FM on Mount Nebo back in 1953 and passed on it because
> they thought "FM will never make it..."
>
> I honestly have no idea...
>
> > AM was 590 KBHS Hot Springs. I remember back in the 70's I
>
> > used to hear a jingle First on the dial in Arkansas 590
> KBHS
> >
>
>
> Did not know that... I had always assumed that "First on the
> Dial in Arkansas" meant that there was nothing on your radio
> dial left of 590....
>
> I know that the Horne family had a chance to put a 100,000
> watt FM on Mount Nebo back in 1953 and passed on it because
> they thought "FM will never make it..."
>
> I honestly have no idea...
>
G
genXdxerLR
Guest
> > AM was 590 KBHS Hot Springs. I remember back in the 70's I
>
> > used to hear a jingle First on the dial in Arkansas 590
> KBHS
> >
>
>
> Did not know that... I had always assumed that "First on the
> Dial in Arkansas" meant that there was nothing on your radio
> dial left of 590....
>
> I know that the Horne family had a chance to put a 100,000
> watt FM on Mount Nebo back in 1953 and passed on it because
> they thought "FM will never make it..."
>
> I honestly have no idea...
>
Here is my (maybe flawed)history of FM in Central Arkansas.
According to Ray Poindexter's Arkansas Airwaves, KVLC-FM went on the air somewhere about 1949-50 on 94.1 FM. It went silent about 1951 due to lack of listernership. KMMK took over the old 94.1 frequency in 1960 with an FM station in Little Rock. It was what would be considered today a "standards" station. It has since had several other calls including KEZQ, KLPQ, and the present day KKPT (since 1994).
Oh, and sorry for being off topic, but what was the first days of TV like here. I understand that Memphis stations were seen here and in eastern Arkansas prior to local Little Rock TV. Same quesiton goes to those in NWA?
>
> > used to hear a jingle First on the dial in Arkansas 590
> KBHS
> >
>
>
> Did not know that... I had always assumed that "First on the
> Dial in Arkansas" meant that there was nothing on your radio
> dial left of 590....
>
> I know that the Horne family had a chance to put a 100,000
> watt FM on Mount Nebo back in 1953 and passed on it because
> they thought "FM will never make it..."
>
> I honestly have no idea...
>
Here is my (maybe flawed)history of FM in Central Arkansas.
According to Ray Poindexter's Arkansas Airwaves, KVLC-FM went on the air somewhere about 1949-50 on 94.1 FM. It went silent about 1951 due to lack of listernership. KMMK took over the old 94.1 frequency in 1960 with an FM station in Little Rock. It was what would be considered today a "standards" station. It has since had several other calls including KEZQ, KLPQ, and the present day KKPT (since 1994).
Oh, and sorry for being off topic, but what was the first days of TV like here. I understand that Memphis stations were seen here and in eastern Arkansas prior to local Little Rock TV. Same quesiton goes to those in NWA?
Question of the day revealed
FM radio first made it's way to the state the way alot of the older FMs did - as a sister station to an existing AM station which was originally put on by the publishers of newspapers:
The owners of the Jonesboro Sun had put KBTM-1230 on the air in 1930. Seeing the potential for the new FM service, they followed by putting KBTM-FM 101.9 on the air in 1946, making what is now KIYS-101.9 FM (Kiss 101.9) Jonesboro the oldest continous FM station in the state. KHLS-96.1 FM Blytheville came to life in 1948, as a sister station to KLCN-910 AM (which goes back to 1922.) And KUOA-1290 AM Siloam Springs, which first appeared in 1923, added an FM station at 105.7 in 1947.
And - If you want to get technical about it and count a station in Texarkana that is licensed over on the Texas side, then KCMC-98.1 FM (98 rocks) would win out by coming on the air back in 1944!! The station, which has since changed to KTAL-98.1 FM, still broadcasts from atop the KTAL-TV Channel 6 tower in Vivian, LA, covering both Texarkana and Shreveport with a city grade signal, and having the widest coverage area in the Ark-La-Tex, much like KMSX-94.9 FM at Redfield. 98 rocks was put on by newspaper publisher Walter E. Hussman, who already had KCMC-740 AM at Texarkana in 1932, making it the 1st AM station in the market. He also started the Texarkana Gazette, many years before that. He later put KTAL-TV 6 on the air in 1952, making it the first TV station in that area.
I have a few more good ones which I'll save to later on.
FM radio first made it's way to the state the way alot of the older FMs did - as a sister station to an existing AM station which was originally put on by the publishers of newspapers:
The owners of the Jonesboro Sun had put KBTM-1230 on the air in 1930. Seeing the potential for the new FM service, they followed by putting KBTM-FM 101.9 on the air in 1946, making what is now KIYS-101.9 FM (Kiss 101.9) Jonesboro the oldest continous FM station in the state. KHLS-96.1 FM Blytheville came to life in 1948, as a sister station to KLCN-910 AM (which goes back to 1922.) And KUOA-1290 AM Siloam Springs, which first appeared in 1923, added an FM station at 105.7 in 1947.
And - If you want to get technical about it and count a station in Texarkana that is licensed over on the Texas side, then KCMC-98.1 FM (98 rocks) would win out by coming on the air back in 1944!! The station, which has since changed to KTAL-98.1 FM, still broadcasts from atop the KTAL-TV Channel 6 tower in Vivian, LA, covering both Texarkana and Shreveport with a city grade signal, and having the widest coverage area in the Ark-La-Tex, much like KMSX-94.9 FM at Redfield. 98 rocks was put on by newspaper publisher Walter E. Hussman, who already had KCMC-740 AM at Texarkana in 1932, making it the 1st AM station in the market. He also started the Texarkana Gazette, many years before that. He later put KTAL-TV 6 on the air in 1952, making it the first TV station in that area.
I have a few more good ones which I'll save to later on.
Re: Question of the day revealed
> KHLS-96.1 FM Blytheville
> came to life in 1948, as a sister station to KLCN-910 AM
> (which goes back to 1922.)
Regarding my previous post concerning KLCN if anyone has any early info on that station, and may have run across the name Julius Shide please let me know. I have only his stories about the new audio tube someone bought and how they built a radio station out of it. If any of those old records exist, I'd love to see them.
I've wanted to take a road trip up there one day and see if the station has anything.
<P ID="signature">______________
Never hold a cat and a dustbuster at the same time.</P>
> KHLS-96.1 FM Blytheville
> came to life in 1948, as a sister station to KLCN-910 AM
> (which goes back to 1922.)
Regarding my previous post concerning KLCN if anyone has any early info on that station, and may have run across the name Julius Shide please let me know. I have only his stories about the new audio tube someone bought and how they built a radio station out of it. If any of those old records exist, I'd love to see them.
I've wanted to take a road trip up there one day and see if the station has anything.
<P ID="signature">______________
Never hold a cat and a dustbuster at the same time.</P>
A
ArkyinTN
Guest
Re: Question of the day revealed
>
> And - If you want to get technical about it and count a
> station in Texarkana that is licensed over on the Texas
> side, then KCMC-98.1 FM (98 rocks) would win out by coming
> on the air back in 1944!! The station, which has since
> changed to KTAL-98.1 FM, still broadcasts from atop the
> KTAL-TV Channel 6 tower in Vivian, LA, covering both
> Texarkana and Shreveport with a city grade signal, and
> having the widest coverage area in the Ark-La-Tex, much like
> KMSX-94.9 FM at Redfield. 98 rocks was put on by newspaper
> publisher Walter E. Hussman, who already had KCMC-740 AM at
> Texarkana in 1932, making it the 1st AM station in the
> market. He also started the Texarkana Gazette, many years
> before that. He later put KTAL-TV 6 on the air in 1952,
> making it the first TV station in that area.
>
> I have a few more good ones which I'll save to later on.
>
Actually the owner of KCMC-98 and KTAL along with the T-Gaz would have been Clyde Palmer of the Palmer Group. He was Mr. Hussman's father-in-law and the company was taken over by Mr. Hussman following Mr. Palmer's death in the late '50s. Hussman did have a station that he started and named after himself: KWEH-FM 97.1, started Dec. 1, 1968 in Camden, which is where the Hussman's made their home and office.
>
> And - If you want to get technical about it and count a
> station in Texarkana that is licensed over on the Texas
> side, then KCMC-98.1 FM (98 rocks) would win out by coming
> on the air back in 1944!! The station, which has since
> changed to KTAL-98.1 FM, still broadcasts from atop the
> KTAL-TV Channel 6 tower in Vivian, LA, covering both
> Texarkana and Shreveport with a city grade signal, and
> having the widest coverage area in the Ark-La-Tex, much like
> KMSX-94.9 FM at Redfield. 98 rocks was put on by newspaper
> publisher Walter E. Hussman, who already had KCMC-740 AM at
> Texarkana in 1932, making it the 1st AM station in the
> market. He also started the Texarkana Gazette, many years
> before that. He later put KTAL-TV 6 on the air in 1952,
> making it the first TV station in that area.
>
> I have a few more good ones which I'll save to later on.
>
Actually the owner of KCMC-98 and KTAL along with the T-Gaz would have been Clyde Palmer of the Palmer Group. He was Mr. Hussman's father-in-law and the company was taken over by Mr. Hussman following Mr. Palmer's death in the late '50s. Hussman did have a station that he started and named after himself: KWEH-FM 97.1, started Dec. 1, 1968 in Camden, which is where the Hussman's made their home and office.
I was told... (and you know how those things go) that KELD-AM (El Dorado) is the oldest continuous running radio station in Arkansas. I guess that is to imply that others have stopped broadcasting at some point? Again, I don't know how accurate that is.
I do know that KELD-AM celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2004.
Somewhere around here we have a recording of Paul Harvey doing his show from the studios of KELD-AM back in the 50's. He talks about Col. Barton and landing the airplane at night with the head lights of cars to light the runway... He also talked about having a BBQ out back of the station. Pretty cool stuff.
I do know that KELD-AM celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2004.
Somewhere around here we have a recording of Paul Harvey doing his show from the studios of KELD-AM back in the 50's. He talks about Col. Barton and landing the airplane at night with the head lights of cars to light the runway... He also talked about having a BBQ out back of the station. Pretty cool stuff.
I think at the El Dorado Downtown Airport they still use the headlights of passing cars as a guide. At least that was the case when I had to drop off Coach Ron Crawford on behalf of KELD-AM! ;D
Since my old topic from over 2 years ago has been brought back to life, I'll bring forth abother question: Did you know that a station in Arkansas (which is now dark), was put on the air with the assistance of Elliott Roosevelt, son of FDR the former president? Which station was it and where?
Regarding the first AM in Arkansas...from the book "Arkansas Airwaves" by Ray Poindexter, the U.S. Department of Commerce granted a license on Thursday, February 16th, 1922 for the Arkansas Light and Power Company's station, which the licensee was, actually, the local division of the power firm, the Pine Bluff Company. The license authorized power of 500w at 833 kilocycles. The VP of A,L&P got the honor of selecting the call letters for the station. He decided on WOK, "Workers of Kilowatts". The station officially went on-the-air on Saturday, February 18th, 1922. It is said that the station was heard in many parts of the nation. A letter was received from a man that was listening at a hotel in Mazomine, Wisconsin (about 25 miles northwest of Madison. One of the announcements that night was the result of the Pine Bluff - Little Rock basketball game. The station racked up several 'firsts' in Arkansas radio history. It appears the station ceased broadcasting in June of 1924.
If anyone is interested in the history of radio in Arkansas, "Arkansas Airwaves" is one great book. It was copyrighted in 1974 and written by Ray Poindexter of North Little Rock. He put a lot of time and effort into researching the information for the book. I'm not usre if the book is still around. There's no publisher listed on the copy I have. It may be available at a library.
If anyone is interested in the history of radio in Arkansas, "Arkansas Airwaves" is one great book. It was copyrighted in 1974 and written by Ray Poindexter of North Little Rock. He put a lot of time and effort into researching the information for the book. I'm not usre if the book is still around. There's no publisher listed on the copy I have. It may be available at a library.
I was curious and did a quick Google search - it was self-published and appears to be available from several on-line dealers for less than $25.
Well, since there has been no takers on the above question, I'll go ahead and give the answer. In 1945, after returning from the war, Walter E. Hussman, Sr. and Eliott Roosevelt, yes the former presidents son, made effort to get a station on the air in Camden. On June 19, 1946, station KAMD-1450 AM came on the air with 1000 watts. In 1961, Hussman upgraded the station to 5000 watts day/500 watts night utilizing a 4 tower directional array on the banks of the Ouachita River at the intersection of Highway 79B and Highway 7 North. The station moved to 910 AM. On Auguat 31, 1995, KAMD-910 AM signed off for the last time. KAMD's sister station, 97.1 FM KWEH (for Walter E. Hussman), changed it's calls to KAMD-FM in February of 1995 in anticipation of the move. KWEH came on the air Dec. 1, 1968, making it one of the older FM stations in South Ark. KELD-FM and KDMS-FM (KRIL) El Dorado both came on in 1963. At that time, KWEH was the most powerful FM station south of LR, with 39,000 watts of beautiful elevator music. KAMD-910 AM was the 2nd station to come on the air in area in 1946. KELD-1400 AM El Dorado is the oldest, having come on the air in 1935. KVMA-630 AM Magnolia was a close 3rd, having come on the air in 1948.
In 1949 or '50, my grandfather handled the legal work for a group of Osceola businessmen (including my uncle, Allen) to put KOSE on the air, primarily so they could broadcast Cardinals baseball. Since AM 860 was a daytimer, they also put on KOSE-FM. As I remember it, the only
time the FM even signed on, was when the Cards had a night game. Fast forward to sometime in the past ten years--almost swallowed my
coffee, cup and all, when I read that KOSE-FM had been either sold or bought by my 1969 WABB boss, the legendary Bernie Dittman, for
5.4-MILLION. No, as a matter of fact, neither Granddaddy nor Unc' Allen was still in the mix for one damn penny of that. Me, too.
time the FM even signed on, was when the Cards had a night game. Fast forward to sometime in the past ten years--almost swallowed my
coffee, cup and all, when I read that KOSE-FM had been either sold or bought by my 1969 WABB boss, the legendary Bernie Dittman, for
5.4-MILLION. No, as a matter of fact, neither Granddaddy nor Unc' Allen was still in the mix for one damn penny of that. Me, too.
wpiv926 said:
Wow...KRIL is a set of call letters I have not thought about in a long time. I remember it being country format in the early and mid 70's. But somewhere around 1974 the format would change when KDMS am had to sign off at sun down and K-RIL Country would become Rock 99 until sign off at 12:00am (they were still at 99.3 at that time). Then I guess it was the summer of 1979 that John Lowery bought El Dorado Broadcasting from Sonny West. They flipped the formats and KLBQ Q-99 was born (It was a rip off of KLPQ in LR with the LB standing for Lowery Broadcasting). Rosh then bought the stations in 87 I think and changed the name back to El Dorado Broadcasting with the permision of West. Does all of that sound about right?
Sorry...didn't mean to hijack the tread
kudzooter said:In 1949 or '50, my grandfather handled the legal work for a group of Osceola businessmen (including my uncle, Allen) to put KOSE on the air, primarily so they could broadcast Cardinals baseball. Since AM 860 was a daytimer, they also put on KOSE-FM. As I remember it, the only
time the FM even signed on, was when the Cards had a night game. Fast forward to sometime in the past ten years--almost swallowed my
coffee, cup and all, when I read that KOSE-FM had been either sold or bought by my 1969 WABB boss, the legendary Bernie Dittman, for
5.4-MILLION. No, as a matter of fact, neither Granddaddy nor Unc' Allen was still in the mix for one damn penny of that. Me, too.
It is amazing the effect that Cards baseball has had on listeners over the years. They always tell the story of how when KBOA in Kennett was daytime only on 830, that they installed a loudspeaker outside the studios and the townspeople would gather every night to listen to the phone feed.
It is a damn shame that they took those games off of KMOX.
T
Tenn Radio Boy
Guest
There's a reason nothing is going on right now. There is nothing going on. I trying to think of a market other than Little Rock that has something going on and cant come with anything. Maybe that's a good thing.
- Status