WFMU Unearthes Lost Eastern Washington Radio Jingles/Ads From The '50s

[Bongwater]

http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2013/...n-and-advertising-jingles-audition-tape-.html

You gotta love WFMU. Their blog, while filled with obscure and indie music also has lost radio chestnuts.

On the tape featured here, there are jingles for KZUN Spokane, KRLC Lewiston and KIMA Yakima. As well as commercial spots from that era.... Enjoy!

 

[crainbebo]

Thanks for finding this! I know that KIMA-AM 980 turned into KUTI which is now 1460 and sports, and now 980 is KBBO, one of 2138 different talk stations on the AM radio in the United States...

-crainbebo

 

[Grounded Grid]

Thanks for finding this! I know that KIMA-AM 980 turned into KUTI which is now 1460 and sports, and now 980 is KBBO, -crainbebo

Actually, I'm not sure that's correct, though I'd accept some definitive info that might adjust my own memory.

I worked in Yakima during the early '70s. At the time, KIMA was a TV station (still is, I think). On the tv property was their AM station, KMWX 1460 ("Double-you Exxx Ray dee ohhh"), which could have carried their TV call sign at some point earlier. Around '73, they put in new dual transmitters and remoted the studio. They might have sold the station then, or at least started the process that would make it possible. The station transmits from a different site now.

KUTI, the station I worked for, was a country music daytimer on 980 ("Top Gun 98, Country Cutie"). KQOT ("Quote Radio), top 40, was down the street from our Butterfield studios, at 930. KBBO (don't recall the frequency then) was a directional daytimer, running a Christian format. I don't remember, but the directional transmitter in Union Gap might be where they operated from back then. The Butterfield tower is gone now, and 980 operates from near the Union Gap transmitting site of area's current country outlet, 1390 AM, "Thuhhhh Tractor"! Finally, KIT AM-FM were the adult standards stations, very stable and well-supported in the market.

Don Heinen, then the manager (part owner?) of KUTI, picked up KAAR-FM, a standalone in the market that was having trouble finding an audience (not many FM car radios in the early '70s. After the purchase, the station was moved to Butterfield Road and automated. At that point, all of the local FM stations were automated. AM was king back then, and they were all live and spinning vinyl.

The Mercy (theatre) family would eventually purchase KMWX and its FM. KBBO would get an FM, though that was after I left. I have no idea how KMWX and KUTI swapped frequencies, but the KUTI call sign went to 1460 until recently, when it went sports.

In 1972, country was #1 in the market, from the time KUTI signed on with its pre-sunrise power of 87 watts until it shut off at sunset. Radios around the area really jumped when we kicked that big old Collins into high power!

A real interesting mix of studio and transmitter gear in Yakima back then. Nothing was really new, but it was all pretty good stuff. KQOT kind of brought up the rear, running a mix of Tapecaster cart machines, Mackenzie repeaters and a worn-out Sparta console, but nobody seemed to mind much.

Today, the Butterfield studios are still being used for Radio. The Adelante group operates out of there. I recently stopped by, to see if I could get a tour, and was amazed that the huge old Collins 1kW standby transmitter (sister to the original 5kW rig) and the "newer" Power Rock transmitters are still sitting in the back room, where they were when they were last used.

 

[crainbebo]

Thanks for finding this! I know that KIMA-AM 980 turned into KUTI which is now 1460 and sports, and now 980 is KBBO, -crainbebo

Actually, I'm not sure that's correct, though I'd accept some definitive info that might adjust my own memory.

I worked in Yakima during the early '70s. At the time, KIMA was a TV station (still is, I think). On the tv property was their AM station, KMWX 1460 ("Double-you Exxx Ray dee ohhh"), which could have carried their TV call sign at some point earlier. Around '73, they put in new dual transmitters and remoted the studio. They might have sold the station then, or at least started the process that would make it possible. The station transmits from a different site now.

KUTI, the station I worked for, was a country music daytimer on 980 ("Top Gun 98, Country Cutie"). KQOT ("Quote Radio), top 40, was down the street from our Butterfield studios, at 930. KBBO (don't recall the frequency then) was a directional daytimer, running a Christian format. I don't remember, but the directional transmitter in Union Gap might be where they operated from back then. The Butterfield tower is gone now, and 980 operates from near the Union Gap transmitting site of area's current country outlet, 1390 AM, "Thuhhhh Tractor"! Finally, KIT AM-FM were the adult standards stations, very stable and well-supported in the market.

Don Heinen, then the manager (part owner?) of KUTI, picked up KAAR-FM, a standalone in the market that was having trouble finding an audience (not many FM car radios in the early '70s. After the purchase, the station was moved to Butterfield Road and automated. At that point, all of the local FM stations were automated. AM was king back then, and they were all live and spinning vinyl.

The Mercy (theatre) family would eventually purchase KMWX and its FM. KBBO would get an FM, though that was after I left. I have no idea how KMWX and KUTI swapped frequencies, but the KUTI call sign went to 1460 until recently, when it went sports.

In 1972, country was #1 in the market, from the time KUTI signed on with its pre-sunrise power of 87 watts until it shut off at sunset. Radios around the area really jumped when we kicked that big old Collins into high power!

A real interesting mix of studio and transmitter gear in Yakima back then. Nothing was really new, but it was all pretty good stuff. KQOT kind of brought up the rear, running a mix of Tapecaster cart machines, Mackenzie repeaters and a worn-out Sparta console, but nobody seemed to mind much.

Today, the Butterfield studios are still being used for Radio. The Adelante group operates out of there. I recently stopped by, to see if I could get a tour, and was amazed that the huge old Collins 1kW standby transmitter (sister to the original 5kW rig) and the "newer" Power Rock transmitters are still sitting in the back room, where they were when they were last used.

If I recall, KBBO was on 1390. Then it was turned into KJOX (Sports) before flipping to "The Tractor" a year or two ago.

KMWX was 1460 then KUTI took over. I forgot all about that! But what did KMWX have in the 1970s? Country? Another Top 40?

And what frequency was KAAR? I wonder if that was what was on 104.1 before "KX-Double-D"...

-crainbebo

 

[Grounded Grid]

I think you'd call KMWX an "adult contemporary" station. The KQOT jocks were all in their early 20s, and the format reflected it.

Your recollection of 1390 is probably right on. They were a 1kW daytimer back then. They still are directional, but have more power and night operations now. One of their announcers was a roommate of mine, but I only saw their studios a couple of times. The building is only used as a transmitter site for 1390 and 1020 now.

Another wierdness about the area... that KBBO, once 1390, is now the 980 call. Wish I knew what kind of sense that all made.

I think you're right about KXDD. The Wikipedia listing for the station shows it was KAAR until '74, KUTI-FM from '74 to '77, and KUEZ from '77 to '82. KXDD after that.

You might think that KAAR would stand for "Car Radio"... and it probably did, but not during its last years. They had someone at Disney drum up a Dixieland-style jingle package. It was a catchy tune, but they relabeled themselves "Kay All-American Radio".

KFFM always followed KMWX (the 1460 version). It ran for a couple of years as KMWX-FM, but was switched back.

KIT-FM became KATS. Pun intended, I suppose. On this side of the state, we once had KITN and KITI under one ownership.

The '70s were great years to be in radio. It amazed me that you could roll an old Corvair van up to an auto parts store, put your morning jock in there, selling wiper blades and fill the place up, just because you were there. Amazing times.

 

[crainbebo]

KAAR is now used in Butte MT on 92.5. Country format.

-crainbebo

 

[Bongwater]

KAAR is now used in Butte MT on 92.5. Country format.

-crainbebo

The KAAR calls have been EVERYWHERE. In Mountlake Terrace, WA (on the 1510 daytimer that became KURB/KKNW/KKZU), they were used at an AM rock station in Vancouver, WA (1480, now KBMS). They were also used in the Spokane area.....