KSPL shifts staff; KMO adopts new call letters; KIXI increases power

January 1983 – KIRO-AM picks up some NBC TalkNet programming and airs the Bruce Williams and Sally Jesse Raphael talk shows all-night. KIRO remains a CBS affiliate..1150 KSPL, formerly KAYO (until 1982), fires much of the air talent, Jerry Kay, Bill Taylor and Gary Mitchell. Retained are Steve Nicolet, Joe Michaels and Colleen Patrick (News Director)…Patti Payne, formerly with KGAA and KING-AM, has been named anchor/reporter for KOMO AM 1000.

March 1983 – KKNW 1510/Mountlake Terrace, returns to the air after being dark for six months. The format is Urban Contemporary…Jim Baine changes the longtime Country format of KMO/Tacoma to Popular Contemporary, ahead of a change in call letters to KAMT (AM Tacoma)…KELA/Centralia changes call letters to KMNT. An application has been made to increase power from 28,500 watts to 100,000 watts and move the transmitter to Crego Hill, Lewis County, an elevation of 1400 feet…Steve Lloid, formerly with KYUU/San Francisco and KING-AM/Seattle, becomes the new afternoon personality at 850 KTAC/Tacoma…

April 1983 – KOMO AM 1000 begins broadcasting in stereo 24 hours a day…Delilah Rene, formerly of KAYO, begins weekends at KZAM…Robert O. Smith is granted a Canadian work permit and moves to 101.1 CFMI/New Westminster, B.C…B.R. Bradbury, formerly with KJR, moves to CFUN/Vancouver (afternoon news)…

May 1983 – KIXI transferred from 910 kc. to 880 kc. and the city of license was switched from Seattle to Mercer Island. KIXI began operating at 50,000 watts…KSCR 1420/Renton, switched from a Country format to MOR (50’s to 70’s hits)…Lee Rogers leaves KMPS FM to become OM at KGHA/Billings, Montana…Jack Spencer (News Director) exits KVI…KVI moves Gregg Hersholt to the News Director position…Bruce Cannon, formerly with KTAC, is named Operations Manager at KMO Tacoma…