Who wants to be WKRP?

[K.M. Richards]

They do that in Mexico, as well as in Canada with the CBC's French-language TV stations. I think it'd actually work out well if the FCC were to try it out, since it would allow for more available callsigns for stations.

Except, as has been pointed out already, stations no longer care about their call letters. They bury the legal ID in a stopset before the top of the hour, and don't use them otherwise.

This is a solution in search of an actual problem.

 

[davideduardo]

They do that in Mexico,

They do that in Mexico because they only have use of several "X" plus a second letter... they use XE for radio, XH for FM. So, initially they were limited to just two letters in a four letter call. Then they expanded to 5 letters... the two fixed ones plus three others. Now they opened it beyond five letters.

as well as in Canada with the CBC's French-language TV stations. I think it'd actually work out well if the FCC were to try it out, since it would allow for more available callsigns for stations.

There is no shortage of 4-letter combinations using either K or W as the first one. That gives about 35,000 combinations. Consider that FM's and TV's can have the same letters as an AM along with -FM or -TV, that triples the number to about 100,000 possible calls.

 

[TexasTom]

You may already know this, but the administration at University of North Texas, in our own neck o' the woods, didn't have their own front porch lights burning very brightly when they requested the first call set for KNTU, either.

I'm pretty sure that story isn't true.

The KNTU call letters go back to when the University of North Texas was still called North Texas State University. When the school changed its name to the University of North Texas, I already lived in the Dallas area and I had a subscription to Broadcasting magazine. Back then, Broadcasting listed call letter requests and actions each week so if UNT had made that particular call letter request I would have expected it to show up in those listings. It didn't, so that means that is almost certainly never did happen.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

I'm pretty sure that story isn't true.

The KNTU call letters go back to when the University of North Texas was still called North Texas State University. When the school changed its name to the University of North Texas, I already lived in the Dallas area and I had a subscription to Broadcasting magazine. Back then, Broadcasting listed call letter requests and actions each week so if UNT had made that particular call letter request I would have expected it to show up in those listings. It didn't, so that means that is almost certainly never did happen.

So, this legend came from another legend, Bill Mercer, who was North Texas's first radio station manager. Direct from the horse's mouth, if you will. As the story goes, Reg Holland approach Mercer about teaching communications classes at the school. Mercer obliged and began looking at ways to give those 100 or so students some real world, hands-on, broadcasting experience.

They went to work, applying for a license, gathering and setting up the equipment and a studio in the basement of the old Curry Hall. When the time drew near, an initial call sign was requested by the administration, wanting a call sign that would pay homage to the university itself. Now, keep in mind that this was in 1969, and North Texas State would not become University of North Texas until 1988. Regardless, the administration, apparently requested KNTS for 88.1, but it was already in use. So, the second option for the regents was U-N-T, representative of University at North Texas. The call sign was requested, but then withdrawn because of Bill Mercer explaining the furor this would cause, because it was 1969 after all, once you put the K prefix in front of the letters they originally wanted.

I mean, Tom, you can doubt it and question it all you want, and I guess I wouldn't blame you, but the story was told to me by Mercer himself.

I doubt he was blowing smoke. He had a ton of fantastic stories to tell, both from his radio and TV days, as well as from his many years working for the Ed McLemore wrestling promotion based in the Sportatorium. Unfortunately, he passed away last year. The great stories have gone silent, now, but that particular one always gathered a heap of laughter.
.
I mean, even in '69, how could they not realize what they nearly asked to have assigned to the facility? I've often wondered if the Commission would've even allowed it and given the grant.

 

[K.M. Richards]

It is also possible, given that it was 1969, that the FCC simply refused to assign the requested calls due to the unfortunate double enténdre, and Mercer just took the credit for seeing that. The FCC did that back then; there was even a prohibition on using the initials of any President, and the Johnson family had to get a waiver to use KLBJ on the grounds that it was the former President himself who owned the station.

 

[cc333]

It is also possible, given that it was 1969, that the FCC simply refused to assign the requested calls due to the unfortunate double enténdre, and Mercer just took the credit for seeing that. The FCC did that back then; there was even a prohibition on using the initials of any President, and the Johnson family had to get a waiver to use KLBJ on the grounds that it was the former President himself who owned the station.

Does that prohibition still exist?

If not, what's to stop someone from applying for, say, KDJT, other than poor taste?

c

 

[K.M. Richards]

Does that prohibition still exist?

No. WJFK-AM/FM in D.C., for one example. And KLBJ-AM/FM still exists under those calls in Austin.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

If not, what's to stop someone from applying for, say, KDJT, other than poor taste?

c

Better take a gander at Entravision, who has a TV station with that very call in, of all places, California.

To answer your question, what's stopping them is that any MAGA owner, who has that level of loyalty to, and trust in, the current Commander-in-Chief, would've already had a KFJB application on file, when that particular NASCAR-fueled sentiment was all the craze to the base. Didn't happen then. Likely not to happen now. At least not for the reason you pontificate.

KFJB already exists, too. Graveyard AM radio station in Iowa. No idea what their thoughts on Joe Biden might be, but they hold the calls.

 

[KilowattKat]

When you say the letters JFK and LBJ, it's a well known nickname for those two presidents. Calls like KDJT and KFJB, to me, have no relevance to either president. Maybe it's me, but I'm still not sure about what the KFJB is supposed to stand for.

Is the "F" for...the F word?

 

[K.M. Richards]

When you say the letters JFK and LBJ, it's a well known nickname for those two presidents. Calls like KDJT and KFJB, to me, have no relevance to either president. Maybe it's me, but I'm still not sure about what the KFJB is supposed to stand for.

Is the "F" for...the F word?

Your guess is as good as mine. His name is Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., so that would be KJRB or WJRB.

 

[Deleted member 108832]

When you say the letters JFK and LBJ, it's a well known nickname for those two presidents. Calls like KDJT and KFJB, to me, have no relevance to either president. Maybe it's me, but I'm still not sure about what the KFJB is supposed to stand for.

Is the "F" for...the F word?

It is. I would attach an accompanying video of the Genesis of the chant, but that would likely just stir up a hornet's nest around here.

There were several songs recorded, as well, using that "war cry" during this rather interesting period. Maybe it's more recognized as "Let's Go Brandon", which were the words the sideline reporter tried to mask the actual phrase being changed in the stands.

 

[cc333]

@rosecitymedia I remember all that. If I'm not mistaken, it started sometime during 2021 or 2022 (perhaps earlier).

I'm just glad my name's not Brandon, and I feel kind of sad for all the people with that name.

c