Post by rico on Mar 24, 2007 15:29:44 GMT -5
I was in St. George radio in the 1980s. I had the distinction of working AM drive for all three AM radio stations at some time between 1984-1989.
The history that was posted earlier is not quite complete. Let me see if I can fill in some blanks in the earlier posts:
Original call KCLG. Started by Glen Gardner and Willard Monroe "Tommy" Tucker. Callsign stood for initials of Gardner's wife, Connie Lynn Gardner. For many years, a decent classic country outlet. Programmed by Larry Masco, it's main draw was Kent McGregor doing news. As an employee, I attempted to buy KCLG in 1985, but Tucker would not sell to me, as he was afraid I would take the station "rock and roll." Too bad, because I had worked out a deal with the owner of the Old Washington Cotton Mill to build new studios on the second floor of the historic building. Tucker declared bankruptcy shortly thereafter, and that's when Carl Lamar entered the picture. Calls were changed to KONY very shortly after that.
1956 was the first year.
L. John and Julie Miner, to be exact. Julie passed away about a year ago, AFAIK, John is still alive.
1985 is correct. They were playing a format from Far West Communications in Los Angeles called Gold Plus. Mornings were held down by a guy calling himself Bill Western, his real first name was Jerry, never got his last name. Western was apparently on the run from the Feds for counterfeiting, and was eventually caught and taken away. It was then I started doing mornings, and was the first voice heard on the new 890 the morning it began regular broadcasting.
That's Double "L" on the end. J-E-W-E-L-L. Larry passed away several years ago from a brain tumor. The consultant, president of the abovementioned Far WEst Communications, still maintains that Larry was the most perfect midday personality he had ever heard.
The abovementioned Kent McGregor. I finally persuaded Brent Miner to hire him away from KCLG - and Kent really shone on DXU. Maybe someday I'll post some stories about our hijinks on and off the air. We're still great friends - have breakfast or lunch at least once a month.
Ray Carpenter bought 1450 when KDXU moved. He changed the calls to KATJ. In late 1986, Joe Kjar, Don Bybee and Blaine Whipple bought the station and hired me as their new program director and AM drive personality. The call was changed to KDLX on January 1, 1987. Music was an adult contemporary mix, no automation, all live. Personalities included Mike Williams, Jim Prince, Amy Parkes, Mason Wilde, and Charlie Griffith.
In late 1988 Skinner bought the station and immediately trashed everything I'd built, including relations with sponsors. He changed all the music to an MOR hybrid format, demanded that all the sponsors immediately sign year contracts for advertising (those that didn't got dropped), and fired many of the above personalities, myself included. The firings happened on December 18, 1988.
On New Year's Eve, the Quail Creek Reservoir broke, causing all sorts of damage, and washing the 1450 transmitter and antenna down the river. My first thought, of course, was "Ain't karma a bi**h!" Then common sense took over. I phoned Skinner the Monday after the tragedy and offered my services. I knew someone who had a 50 watt AM transmitter, we could have run a long-wire antenna, and had him back on the air in hours. But he turned me down, and ultimately took over 6 months to return to the air. It was then his financial troubles took hold and he started bouncing the checks.
Any questions, feel free to ask. I have other reminisces of southern Utah Radio, and will share more later.
Ric Stratton
The history that was posted earlier is not quite complete. Let me see if I can fill in some blanks in the earlier posts:
KUNF 1210 AM - The original KONY and the first "non-Miner" station started out in Washington by Tommy Tucker (?name?). Struggled on a shoestring for years until Hal Hickman bought it out of bankruptcy in the mid-80's and gave us Carl Lamar who still to this day will throw on a tuxedo and emcee the opening of a letter. When Hickman bought 103.1 the AM became a simulcast and hasn't done much since.
Original call KCLG. Started by Glen Gardner and Willard Monroe "Tommy" Tucker. Callsign stood for initials of Gardner's wife, Connie Lynn Gardner. For many years, a decent classic country outlet. Programmed by Larry Masco, it's main draw was Kent McGregor doing news. As an employee, I attempted to buy KCLG in 1985, but Tucker would not sell to me, as he was afraid I would take the station "rock and roll." Too bad, because I had worked out a deal with the owner of the Old Washington Cotton Mill to build new studios on the second floor of the historic building. Tucker declared bankruptcy shortly thereafter, and that's when Carl Lamar entered the picture. Calls were changed to KONY very shortly after that.
KDXU 890 AM - KDXU was St. George's first radio station starting out on 1450 in the 40's or 50's.
1956 was the first year.
It was started by the Winkleman family and bought by the Miners (as in Brent Miner's father) in the 60's.
L. John and Julie Miner, to be exact. Julie passed away about a year ago, AFAIK, John is still alive.
It moved from 1450 to 890 somewhere in the 80's...'85 I think?
1985 is correct. They were playing a format from Far West Communications in Los Angeles called Gold Plus. Mornings were held down by a guy calling himself Bill Western, his real first name was Jerry, never got his last name. Western was apparently on the run from the Feds for counterfeiting, and was eventually caught and taken away. It was then I started doing mornings, and was the first voice heard on the new 890 the morning it began regular broadcasting.
Always a local station it carried Dixie College sports and had a great sports announcer named Larry J-e-w-e-l. (Had to spell it out because the naughty word filter thought I was referring to the Hebrew persuasion. LOL)
That's Double "L" on the end. J-E-W-E-L-L. Larry passed away several years ago from a brain tumor. The consultant, president of the abovementioned Far WEst Communications, still maintains that Larry was the most perfect midday personality he had ever heard.
Also had a blind newsman. No I'm not making that up.
The abovementioned Kent McGregor. I finally persuaded Brent Miner to hire him away from KCLG - and Kent really shone on DXU. Maybe someday I'll post some stories about our hijinks on and off the air. We're still great friends - have breakfast or lunch at least once a month.
KZNU 1450 - The original KDXU frequency it stayed on the air under a different name after KDXU's move to 890. Someone from KSL or Bonneville or somewhere in Salt Lake bought it after the move then sold it to a crook named Morgan Skinner. Some of Skinner's highlights included being arrested for bouncing employee's paychecks and running the station on a portable generator when St. George shut his power off. The Quail Creek flood wiped the station out but the payout gave Skinner enough money to build...
Ray Carpenter bought 1450 when KDXU moved. He changed the calls to KATJ. In late 1986, Joe Kjar, Don Bybee and Blaine Whipple bought the station and hired me as their new program director and AM drive personality. The call was changed to KDLX on January 1, 1987. Music was an adult contemporary mix, no automation, all live. Personalities included Mike Williams, Jim Prince, Amy Parkes, Mason Wilde, and Charlie Griffith.
In late 1988 Skinner bought the station and immediately trashed everything I'd built, including relations with sponsors. He changed all the music to an MOR hybrid format, demanded that all the sponsors immediately sign year contracts for advertising (those that didn't got dropped), and fired many of the above personalities, myself included. The firings happened on December 18, 1988.
On New Year's Eve, the Quail Creek Reservoir broke, causing all sorts of damage, and washing the 1450 transmitter and antenna down the river. My first thought, of course, was "Ain't karma a bi**h!" Then common sense took over. I phoned Skinner the Monday after the tragedy and offered my services. I knew someone who had a 50 watt AM transmitter, we could have run a long-wire antenna, and had him back on the air in hours. But he turned me down, and ultimately took over 6 months to return to the air. It was then his financial troubles took hold and he started bouncing the checks.
Any questions, feel free to ask. I have other reminisces of southern Utah Radio, and will share more later.
Ric Stratton