HERE COMES THE BIG SPLIT
When I was a DJ at KILT FM, plus a little on KILT-610, the second
time (1992-96), Westinghouse was the landlord. Viacom owned KIKK FM and KIKK-650. In all the ratings, KILT FM was a solid
#1 with the younger demographics and KIKK FM was just as staunch with the upper demos at #2. KILT FM played New Music.
KIKK FM aired a general mix of Current Hits, plus Recent Gold tunes. Westinghouse bragged about how many
millions of greenback dollars were on hand. In the meantime, Viacom reached out for cash. Untold millions were paid by Westinghouse
for the acquisition of the KIKK properties.
All the fine KIKK FM DJs were promply sent on their way, probably
with the anticipation those listeners would turn to KILT FM. Not so. KIKK FM and KIKK-650 were long time Country music fixtures
in Houston. Country music fans are very loyal, but enough was enough. Their listeners became desserters, but not to KILT FM.
They went elsewhere. KIKK FM immediately dropped out of the Top 10 radio stations in Houston. The most logical thing to have
done was to keep KILT FM with its New Music, but ease KIKK FM into Country Gold. That way, Houston's total
Country music audience would be locked in by Group W - Westinghouse.
KULF-790 and its sister, KYND FM had been sold and transformed
into KKBQ FM and KKBQ-790 as simulcast partners with a Top 40 format. This was very successful for a few years. Then, the
KKBQ duo were sold again. All the DJs were asked to move out of the building. Lite Country became the new agenda
with a new DJ staff. Many TV and newspaper ads followed, but it did not bring an audience.
All the KKBQ DJs were sent out the door with yet another new
batch behind the mic. This time KKBQ FM took on KILT FM head-to-head with an even Newer Country music format. KKBQ
FM added selections from new LPs with lots and lots of promotion. The race was on. Both KILT FM and KKBQ FM closed
the gap while KIKK FM struggled to make ends meet. One of the formats tried on KIKK FM to win back its listeners was Young
Country. What a terrible idea. Now KIKK FM was in direct competition with its blood kin KILT FM with KKBQ FM just a breath
away.
KIKK FM finally gave up the fight and became KHJZ FM
with Smooth Jazz and another new group of DJs entered its doorways. KIKK-650 turned away its Country Classics
DJs in favor of All Talk. Now, in 2005, it's Hot Talk. In 1996, KILT-610 let all of its Country Oldies
DJs go so it could become All Sports. Both KIKK-650 and KILT-610 have spent much dinero on their new direction as
talk radio but remain in the lower ratings ranks.
While all of this was going on, Westinghouse bought CBS and Group
W's new moniker became CBS. Later, Viacom re-entered the picture and bought CBS with Infinity as the new name for its radio
stations. Now in 2005, yet another split has been decided upon and approved. Viacom will become two separate companies. CBS
retains Infinity, CBS, UPN, Viacom TV stations and the Viacom Outdoor unit. This new CBS Corporation will be headed by LES
MOONVES. SUMMER REDSTONE is the largest stock holder and will continue to be chairman of both CBS Corporation and Viacom,
which is headed by TOM FRESTON. The new Viacom consists of MTV, VH1, CMT, BET and Paramount Pictures.
This massive split takes place during the first quarter of 2006.
Oh, there's more. SUMMER REDSTONE's daughter, SHARI, has been approved by the board as the new Non-Executive Vice Chairman.
Can anybody tell me exactly what that title means? So goes it in today's radioland.
WHO WAS THE OTHER FAMOUS
SINGER ON BILLY JOEL'S 1978 TUNE "MY LIFE"?
(Find
out at the bottom of this column)
JOE FORD (Houston-Spring, TX)
Joefordsho@aol.com Jim, I have another address for business up in the studio and I use this one for personal stuff. My busiest time
around here is after 4 in the afternoon when all my TV stations want their bumpers updated for 5, 6 & 10 pm newscasts.
It's crazy but I love it. I have one large client that owns 16 TV stations and I do all their work. Pretty much a full time
gig but I still control my own pace and it beats the **** out of working for the idiots running radio stations today. Plus,
I get to work with people I like and that's even better.
I know what you mean about
doing any kind of radio gig. If it's fun, bring it on. I'm not sure that's ever going to happen again. When Dan Mason talked
me into coming back on the air at the old KFMK in 1987, it was an incredible offer. Too tempting to pass...the first oldies
station in Houston on FM, number 1 in all the demos, play anything you wanted, and all the jocks were hired for their ability
to know the music and just let it rip. That was Dan's philosophy and it worked.
Then KLDE came on the air
and the guy went absolutely bonkers! He panicked and came in one weekend and cut our library down to 350 songs! Tightened
up all the liners, stopped the request line, and in no time at all we went from king o' the hill to the keeper of the oldies
sewer. Dan bailed out and went on to become President of CBS Radio and we got a series of lame executives who had no clue,
format switch city and you know the rest of the drill. I had to work out my contract through the changeover to the Box days
and as soon as that little piece of paper ended, I jumped ship. All this time I kept up with my production work, so I never
felt the heat, thank God!
You're right about ol'
Dave being a tight-***. That next raise was always right over the next hill. He always told me: "Well, quit livin' so ****
high on the hawg and you might be able to save some money." High on the hog to Dave was being able to buy groceries for your
family every now and then!
I've seen too many radio
stations in this town fold because of lousy management, KIKK panicked when KILT went country. I was there, not a pretty sight.
KFMK dumped when KLDE hit the air, and when Clear Channel flipped 94.5 to 107.5 with Cox, I knew this was the last time I
ever wanted to have anything to do with radio. As long as the inmates are running the asylum, I'm content to keep loading
my ipod with the stuff only an ex-jock could love.
I've got to head back,
try to get my Great Pyrenees, Beau, to eat this spectacular lunch I just fixed for him. Joey
KEI-KOU, my precious Akita
doggie, and I are mad about lime sherbet. Panic has set in because we are out of that fabulous delight.
New York Oldies fans are going
rise up and protest WCBS FM's switch to JACK FM, which is geared toward a younger audience. The New York Daily News says the
rally begins at 11:30 am Tuesday morning (June 21, 2005), in front of WCBS FM's studios.
JEFF MCCLAIN (Cleveland, TX)
hmcclain1@houston.rr.com Subject: jocks. Jim, Dr. Bruce is absolutely right on about the Gilly story & Loretta Lynn. It took awhile to
recover. It was all in fun and I never forgot it. I don't think radio could have ever been more fun than in those days. Joe
Ladd, Dr. Bruce Nelson, Arch Yancey, Bill Bailey, Hal McClain, Mike Cannon, Sean O'Neal and others made Houston country radio
really exciting to listen to. Everyone of those guys were not only great on the air, but very involved with their radio audience
in the Houston. Great Memories! Jeff McClain
KENR-1070 and KULF-790 had
the nicest set-ups I ever saw in all of radio. Both with studios high up in skyscrapers with full view windows in the control
rooms. Really gave you a sense of where you were. Absolutely magnificent.
GENTLEMAN JIM CARTER (San Antonio,
TX) JCarter536@aol.com James: The KNIT frequency was 1280. The equipment was bush league but the employees were all top shelf. Great engineer
by the name of John E. Turner, affectionately known as JET. Jim Carter, San Antonio, Texas
KNIT-1280 in Abeline reminds
me of GEORGE HAMILTON IV'S #15 hit from the summer of 1963. Abilene, Abilene. The prettiest town you've
ever seen. The people there don't treat you mean in Abilene. My Abeline.
LARRY TODD (Austin, TX) larrytodd@juno.com Subject: KXOL Story. When Larry Fitzgerald, a bud of mine, was the News Director or news hound at KXOL. He was driving
to work fairly early one Saturday morning. He noticed a bunch of military vehicles and army convoys headed to the south from
downtown Fort Worth. He thought that was odd.. seeing all those military jeeps and trucks that early on a weekend morning
or any morning for that matter. Of course, knowing that Larry was even up that early is a surprise. Larry was in the news
unit driving to the station when suddenly, the Emergency Broadcast Test sounded. Larry, in his quick thinking wit and wisdom,
put two and two together. He surmised we were at war and were being invaded. Thus, all the military vehicles and the EBS alarm.
The excited Larry got on the two way radio and called for help and got everyone, both reporters, to arise and prepare for
war. About ten minutes later, he learned it was the Texas National Guard going to Summer camp at Fort Hood and the EBS was
routine. Good show, our Alert and always on top of the news, Larry Fitzgerald, One of the finest!. Larry Todd
In 1972, at KITE-930, JOHN
RHODES described us as News Bulldawgs. We really sink our teeth into news. Ruff-ruff!
DR. BRUCE NELSON (Corpus Christi,
TX) BStratton@wbhq.com Jim, Kinda sad about "My Cousin Brucie" !! When I was 22 and working in the DC area, if I could get a signal on
WABC, I would just park my car wherever I was and run my battery down listening to Bruce Morrow. I could mimic him so well
that I did "Cousin Brucie" on WEER in Warrenton, Virginia and folks asked how I could be at both stations. I told "Brucie"
about doing that in the 80's when I was talking to him and he thought it was funny and had me do "Him" for him and sent me
an autographed copy of his book. GREAT Jock Great talent, he'll find a home I'm sure. Dr. Bruce
Every single time I see a picture
of Country warbler TOBY KEITH, it reminds me of my best buddy in Dallas high school, JIMMY LEE GRUBB. They could pass for
identical twins. Haven't seen JIMMY since about 1973 when he ventured into the KFJZ studios one night when we had some kind
of promotion going on. The GRUBBs lived directly across the street from us.
One Friday night on my birthday,
November 16, 1962, I was riding shotgun in JIMMY's brown 1958 Ford with a 352 cubic inch V8 and stick shift. GRUBB had just
recently installed a floor shifter. We had eased away from the traffic light and were discussing what come across teeagers'
minds. Both of us were 1962 grads of JUSTIN F. KIMBALL high school in Dallas. Next thing which happened, we were involved
in a head-on car crash.
A fella who was three sheets
to the wind motored his 1952 Mercury at least 60-70 mph directly into the left front bumper of our car. This sent our vehicle
on a triple spin and slung my head through the windshield. Well, not exactly through it, but my noggin certainly shattered
it into thousands of pieces of glass. Fragments opened up a portion of my forehead just above and below the left eye. Not
all of that comes to mind when I see TOBY KEITH pictured, but it does sometimes flash before my eyes.
TOBY's hotter than red steel.
The fine folks at HARRAH's are fully aware of his drawing power. To coincide with his recent hit, HARRAH's Las Vegas Casino
and Hotel is going to open up TOBY KEITH's I Love This Bar & Grill on Wednesday, June 29, 2005. This new establishment
will feature a bar, lounge, restaurant, live music and a store. Like I said, TOBY KEITH is mighty hot. Watch for an upcoming
CBS Early Show when TOBY sings his latest tune, Good As I Once Was.
FRANK HALEY (Albuquerque, NM)
fhaley@qwest.net Jim, Are you old enough to remember the WFAA radio show or puppet character "Webster Webfoot?" and his creator Jimmy
Weldon.??? If you do, I've got some stories about him and me. Frank
Remember the name WEBSTER WEBFOOT.
When I was growing up in Dallas, listened mostly to KLIF, like most everybody else. Do remember KGKO. It was one of Dallas'
early Rock stations, too. KGKO-1480 came on Dallas' airwaves in 1953. Was only ten years old but radio was already in
my blood. Scanned the dial to find all the radio stations. Have a KGKO record survey around here in a box somewhere. We
lived in Oak Cliff and KGKO began its broadcasts in the huge beautiful Cliff Towers Hotel on Colorado Boulevard.
KGKO's transmitter and towers were at 9900 McCree Road in far northeast Big D. This was legendary DON KEYES first appearance
on Dallas radio. In 1956, KGKO's studios were moved to its transmitter site on McCree Road.
On July 14, 1958, JOHN F. BOX
JR. President of Balaban bought KGKO and promptly changed its call letters to KBOX. There is where Wonderful KBOX
was born and became a powerhouse Top 40 radio station. Dug JIM LOWE's fantastic Kat's Karavan show late at nights
on WRR-1310, too. Even bought a copy of one of LOWE's Kat's Karavan LPs. Still have that treasured LP in mint
condition. How many years ago? That fantastic LP must be 45 years old. Radio memories run rampant and bring back a time when
things seemed to be much less hectic.
BLAKE LINDSAY (Dallas, TX)
blazin_blake@iqmail.net Hello Jim! I am certainly happy, that Johnny Shannon told me about your enjoyable column a few months ago. I absolutely
appreciate the good things in life, I can have fun looking forward to, such as your interesting radio stories, and the people
who share their own contributions through your cool column. I want to ask you, about another fun memory. There once was a
loud, abrasive jock on the air in the city I still enjoy referring to as home, San Antonio. I think. It was in the mid to
late 60's. His air name was Joe Rotten. People would call in for requests and he would insult them, call them names and hang
up on them, on the air. It was an act to be different. I know about him because someone where I worked, had an aircheck and
it was hilarious, even in that more conservative era of radio. It has been many years, since I have heard anything about him.
Wondered if you knew the station he worked in SA, and where he might be, if he is still with us. I figure if anyone knew,
you would. I wish I had an aircheck of him. I will go to Real Radio, and try and find one. Keep up your great work Jim. Please
do your best, to have a Blazin Good Day! Blake Lindsay
The name JOE ROTTEN is familiar,
but never heard him on the radio or know where he might be today. His was a unique approach to broadcasting. Today's radio
is owned by a handful of corporate suits in conference rooms whose only true love is the greenback dollar. There is no more
unique DJ or radio station to be found. The JACK, BOB, TOM, DICK or HARRY formats are a flash in a pan. Those are not really
formats, only stacks of wax with no support. We used to do that in the Fabulous Fifties with our multi-play 45 rpm
record changers.
How many people in present
day radio were even born in the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s? Those were the good times in American radio, music and life in general.
Everything was much more simple. We never had to make sure our doors were locked and windows were shut. If we left the keys
in our car, it would still be right where we left it, untouched. We had no air conditiong at home, in our cars or in
school, but no one complained. We had nothing to compare it with. If you've never experienced refrigerated air, you don't miss it. Guess every generation
looks back on their youth as the good ole days, but the Fabulous Fifties really were the epitome the good ole
days. Those were fun times never to be forgotten.
PETER CETERA OF THE GROUP CHICAGO SANG BACK-UP VOCAL WITH BILLY JOEL ON
HIS 1978 SMASH "My Life".
Jim Rose
Houston, Texas
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