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Thirty Years of Country on 92.9 Lexington

R

radiorob2.0

It was fourth of July weekend (Midnight July 3rd ) 1982 that WVLK-FM changed format from Beautiful Music to Country. Weekday mornings were live assist with Lee Sherwood while the rest of the day was Drake Chenault "Great American Country" with Bob Kingsley announcing currents and liners.

The format change was pretty uneventful. A prerecorded announcement by Sherwood stated that the Beautiful Music format had ended and it was a start of a new format. Then a jingle "Stereo Country-K93" into "So Fine" by the Oak Ridge Boys (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a-KpGauwN0). The song's only significance was it was the first song on the current reel.

Beautiful music fans were upset with complaints to the station and letters to the editors. Someone went as far as attaching a note to station manager Ralph Hacker's dog that said, "I hate K93". The complaints were daily until about Labor Day. It was during that time the station was heavily marketed with TV, outdoor and a cash prize if K93 didn't play four in a row. When the fall book was released K93 was solid number one while the other country stations WTKC-AM and WAXU AM/FM lost listeners. By the end of 1982 WAXU-AM became WBBE as an early SMN "Stardust" affiliate. WAXU-FM kept country for a couple of years until Warm 103 (WRMA), then Magic 103, then "The Kat" then rock. WTKC held onto country in AM stereo (audio sounded great by the way) until 1986 when it became WLXG and oldies followed by talk and then sports.

K93 was a powerhouse until about ten years ago when things changed.
 
Losing the home of the wildcats was a bad loss... but when they dropped K93 for the horrible name of the bear was even worse.
 
jb_ky said:
Losing the home of the wildcats was a bad loss... but when they dropped K93 for the horrible name of the bear was even worse.
Click to expand...

Ironic isn't it how these titans of broadcasting don't under one, simple, basic precept. That is, when something is working, leave it the hell alone!
 
Not only has local-live programming gone by the wayside but so has the concept of a full service station. I like hearing air personalities talking about pot holes in the streets, the mayor’s latest foibles and whatever else might by happening in town. You could request a song or be a contest winner in a single phone call. Top 40: soft in the morning, sped up in the afternoon and rocking at night. Saturday morning was country. Church services on Sunday. College & high school sports when they happened. You listened because the programming was about you, your town & your neighbors. Community service indeed.

Artie Kay sipped coffee in the morning; Ted Grizzard hung around in front of the Ben Ali; Claude Sullivan did UK play-by-play and Bill Stakelin rocked on WAXU before joining Bluegrass Broadcasting.

Keeping on the FM topic: Originally the FM transmitter was located at the AM site. When there was a temperature inversion between there and town the signal could not be picked up downtown. Relocating the transmitter to the higher WKYT tower along with a power increase resulted in the station covering more square miles in the state than any other FM station in the Kentucky.

-Walt
 
ADAMKY said:
Keeping on the FM topic: Originally the FM transmitter was located at the AM site. When there was a temperature inversion between there and town the signal could not be picked up downtown. Relocating the transmitter to the higher WKYT tower along with a power increase resulted in the station covering more square miles in the state than any other FM station in the Kentucky.

-Walt
Click to expand...

The AM site was kept as an "all else fails" back up for the FM. The transmitter was located in a shed next to tower one and still 32kw horizontal. When the FM was on that back up it was obvious as the main was fed with the toys the back up was fed by an Optimod 8000.
 
jb_ky said:
Losing the home of the wildcats was a bad loss... but when they dropped K93 for the horrible name of the bear was even worse.
Click to expand...

Actually losing UK wasn't their idea. Clear Channel (might have still been Jacor at the time) put a wad of money on the line to receive the UK broadcast rights. Also, the FM wasn't the full time home of UK sports. The AM aired all the games while the FM aired the basketball games and night football games to overcome the AM's poor night time signal.

The whole dropping of "K93" was a disaster of many levels. This is especially true when you pick a name that is similar to your competition. It was amusing to read Duncan Radio's synopsis of the Lexington radio market regarding 92.9 as even they were shocked on how a top rated and top billing station could fall from grace.
 
ADAMKY said:
Relocating the transmitter to the higher WKYT tower along with a power increase resulted in the station covering more square miles in the state than any other FM station in the Kentucky.
Click to expand...
More than WSGS 101.1 Hazard? That one's a full class C whereas I think everything in Lexington is less than half the HAAT of WSGS.
 
BobOnTheJob said:
ADAMKY said:
Relocating the transmitter to the higher WKYT tower along with a power increase resulted in the station covering more square miles in the state than any other FM station in the Kentucky.
Click to expand...
More than WSGS 101.1 Hazard? That one's a full class C whereas I think everything in Lexington is less than half the HAAT of WSGS.
Click to expand...

WSGS is located is far southeastern KY, so its coverage inside KY itself, is limited with much of its signal going to TN, VA and WV. Lexington's 92.9 is located in a more "central" area of the state, thus probably covering more square miles of KY rather than shooting much of their signal in other states like WSGS. FWIW, WSGS has been a "no show" on my car radio in Lexington for a few years now. I keep hearing they are about to get things fixed up, but it must not be a priority.
 
"In the state" may be the qualifier that makes the statement correct. When I read it I took it to mean the transmitter was in the state vs the coverage being confined to the state. They have recently been granted a CP for 100KW and 1535' HAAT which would (if built) make them the most far reaching FM in Kentucky. That would also cement them as a full Class C incapable of being forced to downgrade to a C0--I believe they would be the only station in that esteemed class in KY. The fact that they are thinking big rather than dropping to a lower (cheaper to operate) class should be viewed as a plus. But you're right on when you say that it doesn't seem to be a priority. WSGS used to be somewhat common on my car radio in the driveway 80 miles north of Louisville...but that was before Cincinnati moved to 101.1 and 100.9 in Indy added IBOC. I sure hope they build that one...it was a great barometer for band conditions 200 miles SE of me.
 
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