2/14/88-Metro Traffic Debut & Echoes of Humble Harve on KVI

February 14-21, 1988 – — New traffic watch

A new traffic-reporting system is scheduled to begin this week (or next) on several Seattle stations. Metro Traffic Watch has established a service that will watch traffic from two airplanes, with additional automobiles on the road.

Delays may be caused by getting radio crystals set and phone lines installed. Dave Saperstein, company president, said employees had to practice for at least a week.

Depending on a station’s needs and format, Metro Traffic Watch will supply on-the-scene reports, conversation with aircraft observers, or the reassuring voice of an anchorperson on the 73rd floor of the Columbia Center.

Stations with traffic personalities can let them continue to voice the information, or they can introduce new voices such as John Carson, Metro Traffic Watch’s anchor. Stations signed up include KPLZ, KVI, KZOK, KUBE, KING-AM, KBSG and KMPS-AM-FM.

KVI has announced the new service for this week, calling it “The KV-Eye in the Sky.” The KMPS traffic honcho, Patti Par, said that if the service works right, most listeners will hear little change.

“There are `black holes’ we don’t like to talk about,” she said. “Like Interstate 405’s Woodinville interchange. If there’s a tie-up, we hear about it. But we don’t have a way of reporting that it’s doing fine.”

KWYZ, the Everett country-music station at 1230 kHz., has adjusted its staff, squeezing Jack Allen in from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Allen previously worked at KRKO, KSEA and KVI. Also new at KWYZ are sports broadcasters Tom Lafferty and Bill Usler; the station now broadcasts two Snohomish-area high-school basketball games each week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

— “Talkback,” with Bob Larson, has been added to the religious features at KBLE, 1050 kHz. “Talkback” is a national call-in show from Denver that tackles “mature themes” such as political issues, religious controversies and sex. It’s “not quite live,” airing at 3 p.m. with a second hour delayed to 7 p.m. weeknights.

— Every Tuesday, one or two KVI personalities hop into the station’s ’57 Chevy and visit a neighborhood tavern for a little frivolity. Listeners are told which tavern will be visited each week.

— Even though Humble Harve left town to go to KRLA, Los Angeles, he left a legacy. He continues to produce a Saturday-only oldies show, which KVI airs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

— KMPS has announced the date for its Listener Appreciation Picnic, Aug. 14, at King County Fairgrounds in Enumclaw.