WABC New York heard in Hawaii

[radioman148]

I remember the time I was in Hawaii in the late 70s Ron Jacobs was PD and hosting mornings on KORL and he called it "coral". That was the trip where I heard both WBBM & WLS in the clear. There was nothing else on 780 or 890 late at night even in the late 70s.

 

[davideduardo]

KORL, "Radio Pacific"? Wonder when and where did they come up with that one? When I was living out there it was "KORL (pronounced "coral") Honolulu, Channel 65" and a bunch of PAMS sonovox jingles. What they did say sometimes at TOH for the legal ID was. "K-O-R-L Honolulu. For Hawaii....and the Pacific...Number 1". Which was basically untrue because K-POI was routinely beating them.

By 1970, though, it was all over for KPOI. For the next 45 years it would be KGMB-590 and KSSK 92.3 (a renamed KGMB) well in the lead. There were a few moments where another station briefly held #1 such as the 76-77 period when the KORL calls were on 690 (the old KULA), and a couple of times in the 90's when KIKI FM hit the top, but it was Aku, KGMB and KSSK overwhelmingly at the top.

 

[cyberdad]

By 1970, though, it was all over for KPOI. For the next 45 years it would be KGMB-590 and KSSK 92.3 (a renamed KGMB) well in the lead. There were a few moments where another station briefly held #1 such as the 76-77 period when the KORL calls were on 690 (the old KULA), and a couple of times in the 90's when KIKI FM hit the top, but it was Aku, KGMB and KSSK overwhelmingly at the top.

Interesting update, David. Thanks for posting. I know K-POI's glory days only lasted for a few years after I left in mid 1965, but I presumed that it had something to do with Ron Jacobs, Tom Rounds, and company leaving. I don't think it had anything to do with the signal. 5kw at 1380 certainly was strong enough to cover the area where most of the Oahu population was (at least at that time).

I didn't know that the KORL call letters where on 690 for a brief time. When I was there it was still KULA. KULA was mostly known then as the home of Sam Fisk who hosted a nighttime talk show host. AFAIK, the first one in Hawaii, unless you count what Aku was doing on KGU at the time. The only music Fisk ever played was his "dial dance" when he played a record so he could take transmitter readings. KULA flipped to top 40 about a year or so after I left....first as KKUA. A friend of mine used to send me tapes, and I thought it sounded pretty good. Certainly a "tighter" and higher energy presentation than what Ted Sachs (later Sax) was doing on the "original" KORL.

As for KGMB, I knew that it was the "forerunner" of KSSK. When I was in Honolulu, 590 was just another spot on the AM dial. Noting distinguishing or in any way noteable about it that I can recall. No FM then. I remember a conversation with one of their engineers basically saying management's attention was focused elsewhere. I presume that meant KGMB-TV, Ch 9.

(Apologies for the veer)

 

[davideduardo]

I know K-POI's glory days only lasted for a few years after I left in mid 1965, but I presumed that it had something to do with Ron Jacobs, Tom Rounds, and company leaving. I don't think it had anything to do with the signal. 5kw at 1380 certainly was strong enough to cover the area where most of the Oahu population was (at least at that time)

Jacobs left in around 63 for the Fresno / San Bernardino gig, and even spent some time in Hong Kong. Rounds soon followed, being recruited to do KFRC. Also recruited by RKO was the promotions guy, Mel Lawrence, who went to KFRC where he helped TR put together what is recognized as the first big multi-label, multi-artist outdoor music festival. Mel went on to be the director of the 1969 Woodstock Festival. So KPOI lost some valuable talent before 1965 even.

As for KGMB, I knew that it was the "forerunner" of KSSK. When I was in Honolulu, 590 was just another spot on the AM dial. Noting distinguishing or in any way noteable about it that I can recall. No FM then. I remember a conversation with one of their engineers basically saying management's attention was focused elsewhere. I presume that meant KGMB-TV, Ch 9.

KGMB came into its own when Cecil Heftel (later a member of Congress and much later my "haku") bought it in 1973. Cecil was a big supporter of talent, reportedly saying that the talent should drive Cadillacs but the sellers could drive Chevys. It was that period when the station became the dominant force in radio in Hawai'i.

 

[davideduardo]

I didn't know that the KORL call letters where on 690 for a brief time.

And I should have known that they were not on 690 in that period. They were KKUA, one of several sets of calls after they retired the venerable KULA call letters.

 

[cyberdad]

Jacobs left in around 63 for the Fresno / San Bernardino gig, and even spent some time in Hong Kong. Rounds soon followed, being recruited to do KFRC.

TR was still at KPOI during my stay, which basically was my junior year in high school (at McKinley). 1964-65. He was the PD and doing morning drive. Jacobs had left. I'm not familiar with Mel Lawrence, although KPOI was constantly doing some high-visibility promotions, so I suspect he may have still been around. I remember a big box discount store opening which KPOI made sound like a branch of the Vatican was coming to town.

I lived in an apartment two blocks from the station, and a couple of jocks lived in the same apartment complex as me. Getting to hang with these guys....even on a very occasional basis....was very instrumental in developing my interest in radio. They were very gracious and supportive. Especially Steve Nicollet, who was doing evenings and a weekend day shift. I never met TR, however.

 

[davideduardo]

TR was still at KPOI during my stay, which basically was my junior year in high school (at McKinley). 1964-65. He was the PD and doing morning drive. Jacobs had left. I'm not familiar with Mel Lawrence, although KPOI was constantly doing some high-visibility promotions, so I suspect he may have still been around. I remember a big box discount store opening which KPOI made sound like a branch of the Vatican was coming to town.

I lived in an apartment two blocks from the station, and a couple of jocks lived in the same apartment complex as me. Getting to hang with these guys....even on a very occasional basis....was very instrumental in developing my interest in radio. They were very gracious and supportive. Especially Steve Nicollet, who was doing evenings and a weekend day shift. I never met TR, however.

TR left KPOI sometime in late '65 for launch of KFRC as a Drake consulted Top 40. He went in as PD there, with the format hitting in February of '66.

I worked for TR for 20 years up until his death. It is just amazing to work with someone who was among your idols and who also became a friend. I also briefly worked with RJ on a Radio Express project (that being TR's company after Watermark) and met Mel a couple of times and got all the Woodstock stories first hand.

KPOI was a really great radio station.

 

[hm insulators]

I remember the time I was in Hawaii in the late 70s Ron Jacobs was PD and hosting mornings on KORL and he called it "coral". That was the trip where I heard both WBBM & WLS in the clear. There was nothing else on 780 or 890 late at night even in the late 70s.

I remember KORL, sometime about 1980, becoming a "Big Band" station. Needless to say, my parents (who grew up in that era) loved it!