Once in a while on RD, you’ll see a burst of nostalgia for how radio stations used to be. Such nostalgia overlooks the fact that, in format changes and/or ownership changes, the entire staff would turn over. That meant the previous staff was fired. Didn’t matter whether it was a corporate owner or a smaller operation, except that the smaller operations may not even have paid severance.
Yes, indeed! Superfox 103 was owned by Bill Payne (who either still owns or is still involved with a handful of smaller stations in Oklahoma). Radio has had its share of problems keeping people, always has, but programming has definitely been more stable since 1996. I've also said that, while radio is known for high turnover, it's not that much different from most other places I've worked. Most places go through people at a pretty good clip, and I was working in telecommunications when we got a new boss who said, "Nothing against any of you, but I want my own people," which is what almost everyone in radio has heard at least once. Luckily for us, he came from another department on the other side of the floor and cleaned out that department to replace us. So, most of us just went down the hall. The two departments passed each other in the hall with boxes moving to each other's previous desks.
Once in a while, Tulsa FMs in the late 1970s and early 1980s would make it up to Columbia, Mo., managing to get past Joplin and Springfield. I remember KWEN, KMOD (a stalwart AOR station), and KCMA. KCMA was a head-scratcher: as I understood it, it was owned by a guy from New York who wanted to emulate WQXR…but in Tulsa. Nothing against Tulsa, but really?
I suppose you bloom where you're planted. He probably took the license he could get, and that was the one. Not TOO surprised that one visited you once-in-awhile. Until the 106.1 in Ashland signed on, there wasn't really anything around 106.1 between Tulsa and Columbia.. It's also arguably the worst full-power FM in Tulsa in terms of market coverage. It was a rimshot before anyone knew what a rimshot was. Its tower is probably a good 40 miles north/northeast of downtown on Oologah Lake. It does really well to the north and east. Coming from KC or Northwest Arkansas, it's almost always the first Tulsa FM you'll pick up, but, depending on where you are, it can be mediocre in and around town. It used to have a fill-in translator at the fairgrounds because the main signal was awful in the Midtown area due to the hills and being near the edge of the primary signal contour.
I grew up in Tulsa and by 1979 I was away at college. I don’t remember KAKC flipping, but admit I hadn’t listened to AM other than sports in many years. KELI stayed around longer because they started an FM simulcast, branded “14K/92K”.
I believe that happened in the 82-84 range. Broadcast Associates started to run into trouble in its markets since it never adopted FM. In addition to Tulsa, it had Fayetteville/Springdale, Wichita Falls, and Amarillo. All of them were Top-40, at least until some point in the 80's. Seems like Amarillo was the first to go (to Mel Tillis, who flipped it to country), and KHOG in Arkansas was the last. I'm thinking Broadcast Associates was out of radio by 1985. Seems like the first person to buy KELI from Broadcast Associates got Roy Clark's old FM at 92.1, which was a Class A out of Broken Arrow. For what it was, it wasn't bad; the problem was what it was. Even from Shadow Mountain, you can only do so much with 3,000 watts. It had trouble competing with the newly signed on KAY 107 and, to a lesser degree, KRAV. Another owner fanagled the deal to get 106.1 from KCMA in exchange for 92.1 and money, and KELI died in the changeover.
My memory is not as good as it used to be but I believe the KREK listed was 1550 in Sapulpa. At some point it became KXOJ (simulcast on 100.9). The Bristow station must’ve picked up the KREK calls after that.
That would make sense. I was once told KREK stood for "Creek County." At least most of Sapulpa is in Creek County. Also makes sense that 104.9 in Bristow would pick up those calls since Bristow is the seat of Creek County. Thanks for the information!
If I recall correctly from visiting my parents' friends in the 70's KONO was the other San Antonio top 40 AM station. Until recently, KONO was still playing oldies (lots of the same music I heard on there in the 70's).
San Antonio had several AM Top-40 stations in the 70's. WOAI even tried it for a year or two. KTSA and KONO were the big Top-40's of the era, and 1150 was a simulcast of 100.3, which aired Top-40 as KSAQ. I know KTSA was airing CHR/Top-40 until at least 1983, possibly a little longer. Can't remember when KONO switched, but it seems like KONO went to AC before transitioning to oldies in the mid-80's. My dad always said KONO was the more gold-heavy Top-40 in the 70's. Can't remember exactly when it happened, but 1150 was divested, and KSAQ became "Buzzard Rock" for a brief spell before becoming AC "Class 100." It became country KCYY "Y100" around 1987, which, of course, it remains today.
