D
DennisJohnson
Guest
How long have they been called "Sunny" and what is their history?<P ID="signature">______________
Dennis</P>
Dennis</P>
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KOMA, I mean KODA
> How long have they been called "Sunny" and what is their
> history?
>
I know somebody else can give a better history.
It was pretty much an easy-listening, adult standard station for the longest time. I called it KOMA. it would put me to sleep. pretty much an elevator music station or a doctor's office station.
I think CC has shifted it more to an older Mix-type AC station. now it really is a doctor's office station. <P ID="signature">______________
"I'll see you Left of the Dial!"</P>
> How long have they been called "Sunny" and what is their
> history?
>
I know somebody else can give a better history.
It was pretty much an easy-listening, adult standard station for the longest time. I called it KOMA. it would put me to sleep. pretty much an elevator music station or a doctor's office station.
I think CC has shifted it more to an older Mix-type AC station. now it really is a doctor's office station. <P ID="signature">______________
"I'll see you Left of the Dial!"</P>
I can tell you about the history of Sunny 99.1 as I was the PD who launched it, stayed on as PD until May 1995, was involved from a corporate level until SFX sold it in 1998 and consulted it until 2000.
KODA debuted as Sunny 99.1 on February 13, 1991 at 3 PM. Brent Clanton was the first voice heard on Sunny. Our original line up includedDan Sheldon, Weaver Morrow, Loni Taylor, Ross Barrington and Zoe Bonet. Ray Schillens was the production director. Ross resigned and was replaced by Marc Sherman who joined in July 1991. Marc progressed through the MD and APD/MD ranks to become PD in May 1995. In its' almost 15 year history, Sunny had only 2 PDs. My SFX colleague, Buddy Scott, is now OM for both CC AC stations in Houston and Marc's direct supervisor.
Our GM was Dusty Black until he became a corporate guy(replaced by Mike Crusham as GM). Dusty still had oversight of the market until the sale in 1998. Dusty and I were headquartered in Houston. Sunny had very little employee turnover in virtually all departments because Dusty made the working environment at Sunny and all the SFX/Houston stations an unbelievably enjoyable experience. Revenue went from around $6 million in the pre-Sunny days to about $26 million (#1 in the market) in 1995.
Prior to the flip, the station was called "KODA 99.1, The Soft Touch". It was the end of a long line of Group W (previous owner to Command which was merged with the original Capstar to form SFX in 1993) format adjustments in which Group W was desperately trying to re-make the beautiful music format by adding instrumental cover versions of hit songs while integrating new age, smooth jazz, and a very few AC titles.
In September 1990, KHMX launched as a Hot AC. Prior to that the AC world in Houston was owned by KLTR. When Mix challenged K-Lite for their 25-34 females, K-Lite battled for them rather than build a constituancy in the 35-54 arena. That allowed us to launch Sunny targeted at the 35-54 females and to dominate that demo early on. When CBS decided they were going to flip KLTR to Arrow, Sunny rose to the number one position in the market 25-54 and 12+. We were there for a very long time.
Sunny is a great source of pride for those of us who launched it and worked there. Almost 15 years later, it's still dominant and always mentioned by national people in the same vein as KOST, WLTW, KOIT, KYXY, WBEB and others.
There are so many more details, but this should at least give you an idea of where Sunny came from.
> How long have they been called "Sunny" and what is their
> history?
>
KODA debuted as Sunny 99.1 on February 13, 1991 at 3 PM. Brent Clanton was the first voice heard on Sunny. Our original line up includedDan Sheldon, Weaver Morrow, Loni Taylor, Ross Barrington and Zoe Bonet. Ray Schillens was the production director. Ross resigned and was replaced by Marc Sherman who joined in July 1991. Marc progressed through the MD and APD/MD ranks to become PD in May 1995. In its' almost 15 year history, Sunny had only 2 PDs. My SFX colleague, Buddy Scott, is now OM for both CC AC stations in Houston and Marc's direct supervisor.
Our GM was Dusty Black until he became a corporate guy(replaced by Mike Crusham as GM). Dusty still had oversight of the market until the sale in 1998. Dusty and I were headquartered in Houston. Sunny had very little employee turnover in virtually all departments because Dusty made the working environment at Sunny and all the SFX/Houston stations an unbelievably enjoyable experience. Revenue went from around $6 million in the pre-Sunny days to about $26 million (#1 in the market) in 1995.
Prior to the flip, the station was called "KODA 99.1, The Soft Touch". It was the end of a long line of Group W (previous owner to Command which was merged with the original Capstar to form SFX in 1993) format adjustments in which Group W was desperately trying to re-make the beautiful music format by adding instrumental cover versions of hit songs while integrating new age, smooth jazz, and a very few AC titles.
In September 1990, KHMX launched as a Hot AC. Prior to that the AC world in Houston was owned by KLTR. When Mix challenged K-Lite for their 25-34 females, K-Lite battled for them rather than build a constituancy in the 35-54 arena. That allowed us to launch Sunny targeted at the 35-54 females and to dominate that demo early on. When CBS decided they were going to flip KLTR to Arrow, Sunny rose to the number one position in the market 25-54 and 12+. We were there for a very long time.
Sunny is a great source of pride for those of us who launched it and worked there. Almost 15 years later, it's still dominant and always mentioned by national people in the same vein as KOST, WLTW, KOIT, KYXY, WBEB and others.
There are so many more details, but this should at least give you an idea of where Sunny came from.
> How long have they been called "Sunny" and what is their
> history?
>
> I can tell you about the history of Sunny 99.1 as I was the
> PD who launched it, stayed on as PD until May 1995, was
> involved from a corporate level until SFX sold it in 1998
> and consulted it until 2000.
>
> KODA debuted as Sunny 99.1 on February 13, 1991 at 3 PM.
> Brent Clanton was the first voice heard on Sunny. Our
> original line up includedDan Sheldon, Weaver Morrow, Loni
> Taylor, Ross Barrington and Zoe Bonet. Ray Schillens was
> the production director. Ross resigned and was replaced by
> Marc Sherman who joined in July 1991. Marc progressed
> through the MD and APD/MD ranks to become PD in May 1995.
> In its' almost 15 year history, Sunny had only 2 PDs. My
> SFX colleague, Buddy Scott, is now OM for both CC AC
> stations in Houston and Marc's direct supervisor.
>
> Our GM was Dusty Black until he became a corporate
> guy(replaced by Mike Crusham as GM). Dusty still had
> oversight of the market until the sale in 1998. Dusty and I
> were headquartered in Houston. Sunny had very little
> employee turnover in virtually all departments because Dusty
> made the working environment at Sunny and all the
> SFX/Houston stations an unbelievably enjoyable experience.
> Revenue went from around $6 million in the pre-Sunny days to
> about $26 million (#1 in the market) in 1995.
>
Dave--
Nice to see your name in a posting.
Those were the Golden Years at "the mighty ninety-nine-point-one!"
Hope you and your family are all well.
Yours in radio,
Brent
> PD who launched it, stayed on as PD until May 1995, was
> involved from a corporate level until SFX sold it in 1998
> and consulted it until 2000.
>
> KODA debuted as Sunny 99.1 on February 13, 1991 at 3 PM.
> Brent Clanton was the first voice heard on Sunny. Our
> original line up includedDan Sheldon, Weaver Morrow, Loni
> Taylor, Ross Barrington and Zoe Bonet. Ray Schillens was
> the production director. Ross resigned and was replaced by
> Marc Sherman who joined in July 1991. Marc progressed
> through the MD and APD/MD ranks to become PD in May 1995.
> In its' almost 15 year history, Sunny had only 2 PDs. My
> SFX colleague, Buddy Scott, is now OM for both CC AC
> stations in Houston and Marc's direct supervisor.
>
> Our GM was Dusty Black until he became a corporate
> guy(replaced by Mike Crusham as GM). Dusty still had
> oversight of the market until the sale in 1998. Dusty and I
> were headquartered in Houston. Sunny had very little
> employee turnover in virtually all departments because Dusty
> made the working environment at Sunny and all the
> SFX/Houston stations an unbelievably enjoyable experience.
> Revenue went from around $6 million in the pre-Sunny days to
> about $26 million (#1 in the market) in 1995.
>
Dave--
Nice to see your name in a posting.
Those were the Golden Years at "the mighty ninety-nine-point-one!"
Hope you and your family are all well.
Yours in radio,
Brent
Re: KOMA, I mean KODA
> > How long have they been called "Sunny" and what is their
> > history?
> >
> I know somebody else can give a better history.
>
> It was pretty much an easy-listening, adult standard station
> for the longest time. I called it KOMA. it would put me to
> sleep. pretty much an elevator music station or a doctor's
> office station.
> I think CC has shifted it more to an older Mix-type AC
> station. now it really is a doctor's office station.
>
Blasphemy! KOMA was a great AM station out of Oklahoma City. Its ghost is now KOMA-FM in Oklahoma City, an oldies station.
> > How long have they been called "Sunny" and what is their
> > history?
> >
> I know somebody else can give a better history.
>
> It was pretty much an easy-listening, adult standard station
> for the longest time. I called it KOMA. it would put me to
> sleep. pretty much an elevator music station or a doctor's
> office station.
> I think CC has shifted it more to an older Mix-type AC
> station. now it really is a doctor's office station.
>
Blasphemy! KOMA was a great AM station out of Oklahoma City. Its ghost is now KOMA-FM in Oklahoma City, an oldies station.
C
CW
Guest
Re: KOMA, I mean KODA
> Blasphemy! KOMA was a great AM station out of Oklahoma
> City. Its ghost is now KOMA-FM in Oklahoma City, an oldies
> station.
And a great story on its history is at:
http://www.komaradio.com/stationinfo.html
Funny how KOMA was automated for 3 years in the 60s but dropped it for LIVE because the station had lost it's connection with the listeners and the impersonal feeling of the automation (HA!! If only the bean counters would realize that today!)
BUT I know a lot of people (even former employees that where there during Group W's days and later as CC took over) have called 99.1 "Koma" though the years.
> Blasphemy! KOMA was a great AM station out of Oklahoma
> City. Its ghost is now KOMA-FM in Oklahoma City, an oldies
> station.
And a great story on its history is at:
http://www.komaradio.com/stationinfo.html
Funny how KOMA was automated for 3 years in the 60s but dropped it for LIVE because the station had lost it's connection with the listeners and the impersonal feeling of the automation (HA!! If only the bean counters would realize that today!)
BUT I know a lot of people (even former employees that where there during Group W's days and later as CC took over) have called 99.1 "Koma" though the years.
Re: KOMA, I mean KODA
> > Blasphemy! KOMA was a great AM station out of Oklahoma
> > City. Its ghost is now KOMA-FM in Oklahoma City, an
> oldies
> > station.
>
> And a great story on its history is at:
> http://www.komaradio.com/stationinfo.html
>
> Funny how KOMA was automated for 3 years in the 60s but
> dropped it for LIVE because the station had lost it's
> connection with the listeners and the impersonal feeling of
> the automation (HA!! If only the bean counters would realize
> that today!)
>
Great link. I lived in OK in the early 60s and listened to both KOMA and WKY. I never realized KOMA was automated, had no idea what automation was, but I did like WKY better. I always understood WKY was the ratings leader. I had never hear of Storz back then and didn't realize I had listened to one of his stations.
OKC top 40 was not as good as KILT but the music in the early 60s wasn't as good as the mid and late 50s anyway and I was getting into other genres so I didn't listen all that much.
Years later when living in Central TX I could regularly pull in KOMA at night.
It's also interesting they dropped their network affiliation; most stations held on to their network affils for dear life I think.
> > Blasphemy! KOMA was a great AM station out of Oklahoma
> > City. Its ghost is now KOMA-FM in Oklahoma City, an
> oldies
> > station.
>
> And a great story on its history is at:
> http://www.komaradio.com/stationinfo.html
>
> Funny how KOMA was automated for 3 years in the 60s but
> dropped it for LIVE because the station had lost it's
> connection with the listeners and the impersonal feeling of
> the automation (HA!! If only the bean counters would realize
> that today!)
>
Great link. I lived in OK in the early 60s and listened to both KOMA and WKY. I never realized KOMA was automated, had no idea what automation was, but I did like WKY better. I always understood WKY was the ratings leader. I had never hear of Storz back then and didn't realize I had listened to one of his stations.
OKC top 40 was not as good as KILT but the music in the early 60s wasn't as good as the mid and late 50s anyway and I was getting into other genres so I didn't listen all that much.
Years later when living in Central TX I could regularly pull in KOMA at night.
It's also interesting they dropped their network affiliation; most stations held on to their network affils for dear life I think.
H
hougrabby
Guest
Re: KOMA, I mean KODA
> Blasphemy! KOMA was a great AM station out of Oklahoma
> City. Its ghost is now KOMA-FM in Oklahoma City, an oldies
> station.
Used to listed to KOMA in the late 60's-early 70's. Great Top 40 playlist.
Went to country, I believe...are they still?
> Blasphemy! KOMA was a great AM station out of Oklahoma
> City. Its ghost is now KOMA-FM in Oklahoma City, an oldies
> station.
Used to listed to KOMA in the late 60's-early 70's. Great Top 40 playlist.
Went to country, I believe...are they still?
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