Twisting The Dial: July-August 1985

July 14, 1985 –Michael Fuszner, program director since KQKT went on the air last month, is gone already. His departure was described by Dennis Behan, owner, as a consolidation move. Howie Castle, previous KQKT morning man and group programmer for KQKT’s sister station in Tucson, is the new program director.

Pat O’Day, veteran broadcaster, has been named anchorman on the hydro broadcast team that KPLZ-KVI is assembling for live coverage of the Gold Cup Hydroplane Regatta Aug. 4. Only these two stations will have live radio coverage of the event this year, under a contract with Seafair. Others with O’Day will be Jeff King, KPLZ program director; Tim Edwards, KVI announcer; and Mark Ellis, a former KPLZ announcer.

July 21, 1985 –Annie D’Angelo is back as host of “Woman’s World,” the public-affairs program at 8 a.m. Sunday on KTAC, 850 kHz. She had been on maternity leave…. Larry King is scheduled to broadcast his all-night nationwide talk program from KING-AM studios on August 18 . .
Pam Gardner, previously a KKMI announcer, is leaving KELA, Centralia, next month to teach spoken English in Guongo Cho, China…. Carolyn Tappin is new news director and morning news voice on KHIT, 106.9 mHz. She previously worked in news at KMPS, KJR and KVI . . . KUOW will adjust some program features in August, including an expansion of “Morning Edition” _ until 9 a.m. (instead of 8 a.m.) _ and adding a 4 o’clock local-news segment, modifying the “All Things Considered” wraparound to 3:30-6 p.m. weekdays . . . One of the anchored comedy features on Andy Barber’s morning show on KHIT, 106.9 mHz., “Harry Gross With a Glance at Sports,” at 7:07 a.m.

The Vietnam-message disco record, “19,” by Paul Hardcastle, English singer, will air at 2 p.m. today on KLAY, 1480 kHz. in Tacoma. Tim Blair, general manager and a combat Vietnam veteran, said the song will play each Sunday “until America remembers.”

Art Popham has booked former governor Dixy Lee Ray as guest on the Thursday edition of his nightly interview program, “PM Tacoma,” at 6 p.m. on KAMT, 1360. Jim French, radio personality, is scheduled for Monday, July 29.

KUOW has increased its power to 100,000 watts, and is utilizing its new transmitter and antenna. Reception should be better than the last time you tried.

July 28, 1985 — Jim Trapp, program director, and KAMT, 1360 kHz. in Tacoma, parted company last week. The parting was described as amicable. Trapp had been at the station nine months, developing a somewhat personalized adult-contemporary format. Trapp said he had no immediate plans, “except to go fishing with my dad,” visiting from California. Mike James (“the other Mike James”) has taken over KAMT programming duties, and there are new announcers on staff.

August 25, 1985 — Cara Anderson, with some time in at KTAC and KAMT, is KASY’s new all-night personality…. Stacy Taylor will begin Monday as evening host for information programming on KING-AM, 1090 kHz. He had similar duties at WING, Dayton, Ohio.

Thanks to the station’s super night-time signal, listeners to Jaynie Dillon’s “Overnight Club,” after midnight on KOMO, 1000 kHz., range from Frog Lake, Alberta, to Fresno, Calif. Dillon reports a listener in Fresno leans out of her second-floor apartment window with portable radio in hand to listen to the program.