Studios

[salemjedi54]

So has CBS totally abandoned the old KLRD studios on 183 and Metromedia Place.

 

[dfaulkner]

Along time ago, I think. They've had studios at The Ballpark in Arlington & in the CBS building at Fitzugh & Central since they were at 183 & Metromedia Place.

 

[salemjedi54]

So what are they doing with the Metromedia Place studios. I worked at those studios when KHVN, KRBV and KOAI were in that building. I had some good times there.

 

[charles123]

So has CBS totally abandoned the old KLRD studios on 183 and Metromedia Place.

I think so

 

[James Burleson]

As of end of last year they moved 105.3 to Fitzhugh.

So currently it is not being used that I know. So all 6 stations are now off Fitzhugh.

 

[Chuck]

So has CBS totally abandoned the old KLRD studios on 183 and Metromedia Place.

For DFW broadcasting history buffs, that Carpenter Freeway building was originally the studios of KMEC-TV, Channel 33. The TV station only lasted a year, but I helped build that one.... KAAM and KAFM moved in some time after the TV station went dark.

 

[FlyOnWall]

And Chuck and I are probably the only ones on here old enough to remember what the "MEC" in KMEC stood for: Maxwell Electronics Corporation. This disproves the supposed correlation to aging being tied to memory loss!

 

[Chuck]

And Chuck and I are probably the only ones on here old enough to remember what the "MEC" in KMEC stood for: Maxwell Electronics Corporation. This disproves the supposed correlation to aging being tied to memory loss!

It was Jim and Caroll Maxwell, as well as their father, whose first name I can't remember at the moment. Maybe that negates the memory test… On the other hand, I remember that their "real" address was on Garland Road.

Almost everything in the station was homemade, or custom built, expanding on existing commercial equipment. It was quite an interesting place.

 

[dismuke]

For DFW broadcasting history buffs, that Carpenter Freeway building was originally the studios of KMEC-TV, Channel 33. The TV station only lasted a year, but I helped build that one.... KAAM and KAFM moved in some time after the TV station went dark.

When was KAAM there? KAAM came about when the old WRR-AM was sold and changed its call letters in 1978. I am quite sure KRLD was in the building long before then and remained there well afterwards. I don't believe that KAAM and KRLD have ever had common ownership.

Mike Shannon's website suggests that KAFM was there - but it doesn't say for how long.

 

[unclepudd]

KAAM was never at 7901 Carpenter Freeway. WRR-AM 1310 became KAAM circa the mid '70's after Bonneville bought it and combined it with KAFM (the old KRLD-FM) hence KAAM & KAFM. KRLD AM/FM moved from the Times Herald Building about 1970 to 1080 Metromedia Place (then 7901 Carpenter Freeway). Metromedia Place was previously Currency Drive. You guys might even know who installed the "Concept 70's" boards. TSN moved in '84 from their previous location at 8585 Stemmons #901 North Tower. After several years and many modifications the cable and wire in the ceiling was almost 2 feet deep. Every time renovations were made the cables were cut on both ends leaving the rest in the ceiling. There was always concern that the weight could someday bring the entire ceiling down.

KRLD had a Master Control which included a large horseshoe shaped floating control panel which could be raised and lowered by the engineer on duty. This allowed Master Control a view of all studios. The panel controlled the transmitters, pattern changes, etc. and was usually lowered for xtmr. readings and adjustments. Early one morning in 1975 Ray Glover was on duty and, after making the necessary readings, raised the panel to get it out of the way. Problem was the very powerful wench motor developed a problem and wouldn't stop when it got to the top. It kept pulling until a lot of the ceiling structure was damaged. A lot of the roof was damaged also and everyone involved was lucky it didn't pull down the entire roof. There was a lot of damage but the show went on.

 

[MikeShannon914]

Uncle, I think you about nailed it. KDFW had to spin off KRLD AM/FM when Times Mirror bought them in July 1970, IIRC, hence the move to Carpenter Fwy. (BTW, Jim and Carroll Maxwell are still alive and well, and I have a standing lunch date with them sometime to discuss KMEC! Also, they or someone told me that KRLD-A/F didn't move into Carpenter until 1971...possibly due to the lag in time to find a buyer.) When KAAM came along, they were temporarily housed with WRR-FM at Fair Park until their studios were complete at 12750 Park Central #512 on 6/12/1978. (If anyone has Lynn Woolley's book about his radio career, this is detailed there.) Apparently Bonneville bought WRR-AM and KAFM-FM at the same time; all I can find is that the FM side stayed at Carpenter until 6/12/1978, although the sales were completed the prior January (so there's one answer, KAFM stayed at Carpenter from 1/78 to 6/78.)

KMEC has an interesting history: (snipped from my TV page) KMEC, Dallas. Station established 10/1/1967 (second area UHF station; on air just after KFWT-Channel 21 signed on.) Owner: Carroll Maxwell dba Maxwell Electronics Corporation. Station went dark after one year. Programs: “Dallas Speaks,” "Bozo's Big Top" (franchised local show; began 7/1/1968,) “Colonel Pembroke’s Funtime” (children’s show featuring Pembroke, a hobo clown.) Notables: Carroll Maxwell (GM,) Jesse “Buddy” Ragan (PD,) Jim Underwood (host of “Dallas Speaks;” Underwood was a longtime reporter for KRLD-TV Channel 4.) Maxwell Electronics was located in the 7901 Carpenter Frwy (aka 1080 Metromedia Place) building in Dallas; later was home to KRLD-AM (1971-1995,) KRLD-FM/KAFM (1971-1978,) KHVN/KOAI/KRBV (1995-2002) and KRBV/KLLI (2002-present.) [of course, this part's out of date] Station was sold to Evans Co. on 4/2/1969; they paid for demolition and construction of a tower but never signed back on. CP was sold to Berean (see above.) Station was dark 10/1968-2/21/1972.

Wish I could attach a photo here; I have an old Dallas News article showing the erecting of the giant K-M-E-C letter panels vertically on the tower!

I've heard numerous complaints over recent years about the lack of 'air quality' inside the Carpenter building. I'd bet there's some serious asbestos issues there, let alone 40+ years of dust! Might be time to plow the sucker down. Sure, the newer facade's nice, but it's covering up an old and well-used building. Me, I only ever saw the inside of it a couple of times--once when it was KRLD and I was applying for a job, and when KJMZ moved there from 545 Carpenter Fwy in Irving...it was one of my courier company accounts way back when.

Concept 70s boards? What's that? Mixer boards, or are you talking about the former dated decor on the outside of the building? ???

 

[unclepudd]

The "Concept 70" 's were control boards apparently designed for KRLD but only an old engineer could confirm that. They were the first boards I had seen with slides instead of pods. They were monsters however they worked most of the time. They utilized non muted monitors later known as a "mix minus" feature. You didn't need earphones because all sound except the mike came out of the speakers. At first it was a little strange to get accustomed to. When KRLD-TV and KRLD AM/FM had to separate due to the Nixon bust up of conglomerates Channel 4 told the radio people to get new call letters since Channel 4 would remain KRLD. Someone remembered a seldom used FCC rule that whoever gets them first keeps them longest. The radio people told the TV people "we got ours in 1926, how about you?" KDFW-TV was born and the KRLD legend continued on 1080. In case anyone who has seen the two KRLD towers in Garland has wondered why they appear different it's because the south tower still has the KRLD-FM 92.5 antenna on it. After 92.5 moved to Cedar Hill the old antenna stayed in Garland since it made no difference. The entire Garland antenna system would have to have been rebuilt just to remove it.

In the mid '70 John C. Butler (a wild man) was KRLD Manager. He approved the purchase of a new 50K transmitter. The transmitter was purchased and delivered to the Garland site. The old transmitter was to remain as a back-up. Some time later (I want to say about a year) KRLD went off the air due to a lightning strike at the transmitter and couldn't be turned back on from the studio on Carpenter Freeway. Butler went screaming down the halls to "switch to the back-up, switch to the back-up". This continued until some one finally told him that we had been on the back-up because the new transmitter was still in the box and hadn't yet been installed. Bad day, bad day.

 

[unclepudd]

I've heard numerous complaints over recent years about the lack of 'air quality' inside the Carpenter building. I'd bet there's some serious asbestos issues there, let alone 40+ years of dust! Might be time to plow the sucker down.

It's not a rumor Mike. I worked in that building from '73-'76 and again from '83-'91 and had breathing difficulties most of the time. A lot of folks who worked all over the building stayed sick with runny noses, coughs, sneezes and difficulty breathing. It was never so bad that it was an emergency but something was obviously wrong.

The in person telling of this story is hilarious and loses a little in writing. One morning about 4 circa 1974 the morning news crew were preparing for the morning news block. The building was hot so the crew decided to prop open the newsroom door to the parking lot where the temp was about 50. It wasn't long before Pepé Le Pew strolled in and changed life for everyone. He casually walked around the news room while everyone quietly evacuated. Everyone except the ND who was in his office with the lights out preparing for air time by taking a nap. When Pepé wandered into his office a certain employee gently closed the door to isolate him. The ND came alive wanting to know "who the hell closed my door" and charged around his desk in the dark to uncover the door closing culprit. He apparently kicked Pepé who fired back and the rest is history. Pepé apparently had extra clips because he kept firing. That day the bad air in the building was the least of problems. By 8 a.m. EVERYTHING in the newsroom had been dragged to the parking lot and GM John Butler called Orkin since he had trade with them. Anyone who saw the show will never forget John screaming at the Orkin man that skunks were just big bugs and he had better do something about the smell or the trade was off.

 

[unclepudd]

Also, they or someone told me that KRLD-A/F didn't move into Carpenter until 1971...possibly due to the lag in time to find a buyer.) When KAAM came along, they were temporarily housed with WRR-FM at Fair Park until their studios were complete at 12750 Park Central #512 on 6/12/1978. (If anyone has Lynn Woolley's book about his radio career, this is detailed there.) Apparently Bonneville bought WRR-AM and KAFM-FM at the same time; all I can find is that the FM side stayed at Carpenter until 6/12/1978, although the sales were completed the prior January (so there's one answer, KAFM stayed at Carpenter from 1/78 to 6/78.)

Phillip Johnson , son of Dallas Mayor Erik Johnson, bought KRLD in the early '70's about the time they moved from the Times Herald Building.

WRR AM/FM remained at Fair Park in the studios at the South end of the World Exhibits Building until early '74 (the trains were directly out the back door on Washington Street). The old studios were home of the stage and auditorium from the days of live radio. They were built in the days when studio walls were designed two feet thick to insure sound proofing. The AM towers (2) were on Flagpole hill while the FM was on the tower at the south end of the Cotton Bowl in the city radio building beneath it which was once either a fire station or an installation area for mobile radios.

The new studios in the Health and Science Museum were finished in early '74. The plan for the new studios allowed a clearance space of less than 3 ft. in the basement in which to run all utilities and wiring which caused a real pain for engineering.

 

[dfaulkner]

In case anyone who has seen the two KRLD towers in Garland has wondered why they appear different it's because the south tower still has the KRLD-FM 92.5 antenna on it. After 92.5 moved to Cedar Hill the old antenna stayed in Garland since it made no difference. The entire Garland antenna system would have to have been rebuilt just to remove it.

I've always wondered if that was or used to be 92.5's antenna up there. From the ground it looks like an FM.
I pass by there sometimes enroute to (or from) the Beef House at Saturn & Kingsley.

 

[Lancer]

Now this is a cool thread

 

[Bubbadad]

KAAM has the worst reputation of any Christian station in Dallas.

 

[unclepudd]

I've always wondered if that was or used to be 92.5's antenna up there. From the ground it looks like an FM.
I pass by there sometimes enroute to (or from) the Beef House at Saturn & Kingsley.

In '74 a couple of tower painters came through town offering to 'hand paint' towers at a cheap rate. GM John Butler of KRLD decided to save money so he hired them for the Garland towers. They painted, they were paid, they left town then the phones started ringing. There had been a 25-30 MPH wind blowing that day and KRLD ended up paying for the re-painting of a couple dozen cars which were parked in the area and took a good amount of white and aviation orange paint..

When the "Towers Apartments" were build on the east side of the Garland towers the neon lights in the bathrooms had to be replaced with incandescent bulbs. At night the neon bulbs wouldn't cut completely off but glowed due to the RF from the KRLD towers. Walking between the towers you once could planely hear KRLD due to the RF in the air.

For those who have never seen inside the Garland Transmitter building, you can tell where the water lines once were mounted to water cool the old transmitters.

 

[unclepudd]

KAAM has the worst reputation of any Christian station in Dallas.

I wasn't aware they were still Christian. Donald Crawford wasn't a broadcaster but the son of once famous evangelist Percy B. Crawford (hence KPBC). Long ago the 1040 frequency was the home of KRLD and later KIXL-AM which was sold to Crawford Broadcasting circa 1973. Crawford had the opportunity to also buy KIXL-FM at 104.1 but passed it up because it was too much money for him and he believed FM would be too much trouble. They were known as "KIXL-104 on both dials"... Those were in the days when a lot of people didn't know what the other dial was and had not heard of FM. It was in the early '80's that Crawford applied for, and was granted, a license for the 770 frequency in Texas. That was a coveted frequency having once been the 50,000 clear channel class 1-A for WABC New York. He applied for, and was granted, the KAAM call letters which I believe were on 620 for a short time. Crawford had a bad reputation with Christian KPBC (later KAAM) about the same time as KLTY was penetrating the market with Christian radio on FM at 94.9...

 

[dfaulkner]

the KAAM call letters which I believe were on 620 for a short time.

When 620 moved down from Wichita Falls in the mid to late 90's, it was KAAM for a few years. 1310 (the first home of KAAM) had become The Ticket. I recently found a little promotional piece that they distributed with the "Unforgettable KAAM 620" Air Personalities (pictures of most of them) listed on it while I was going through my storage unit.