October 1978 – KLAY FM (AOR) Music Director Michael Fox mentioned in Radio & Records magazine. Conversation with R&R columnist Jeff Gelb. Fox states he is out to prove that freeform rock is alive and well in the Pacific Northwest and KLAY is leading the way.
December 14, 1979 – Vivian Phillips back on air at KYAC/Seattle with Carole Carper middays, replacing Ray Curry. Evening jock
Mike Vance leaves, with Bill Murry of KLAY/Tacoma, WA filling the void. (Radio & Records)
October 1961 – Martin Tobin, formerly with KXA, appointed director of news and public affairs for Heritage stations: KGMI – FM Bellingham,
KGMJ -FM Seattle, KVOS -AM -TV Bellingham; KFMU FM Los Angeles, KFMW -FM San Bernardino; and KGMG FM Portland, Ore.
June 1964 – Martin Tobin joins KOL as newscaster.
April 1962 – Norm Bobrow, former program director, KXA Seattle, joins WBFM (FM) New York as program director. (In the 1950s, Norm Bobrow had been with KRSC 1150. 1950- Hal Davis and Norm Bobrow did a 24 -hour marathon to raise money for the Seattle Symphony over KRSC Seattle. The effort did save the symphony for that year and was the “first” radio marathon without records. (Hal Davis quote/Broadcasting Magazine – March 1974) Norm Bobrow had joined announcing staff at KVI Seattle, in August 1949, then moved to KRSC.
December 1964 (Broadcasting Magazine major market format review) John R. DiMeo, general manager, says the KAYO Seattle format of “country & western music 24 hours a day with five minutes of Mutual and five minutes of local news each hour is ‘exclusive in our market’.” At KETO Seattle, the format is a “sweet album sound.” KING Seattle is “personality oriented middle -of- the -road music with heavy emphasis on news, sports and community involvement.” Art Kulman, sales manager of KJR Seattle, refers to the format as “popular contemporary. KJR introduced con- temporary music to Seattle in 1954, went middle of the road in 1958 and returned to the present format in 1959.” KMCS(FM) Seattle gears its format to the “25 -55 -year bracket with strictly standard instrumental, the emphasis placed on cafe -society type music,” L. E. Collins, manager, says. At KTW Seattle, the format is “tight top 40 and rhythm and blues; no unnecessary talk.” Buddy Webber, KVI Seattle program director, says “we are a nonrock ‘n’roller featuring strong personalities and modern, happy familiar music; news on the hour, headlines on the half -hour,plus sports news. We have been using this format successfully for many years.” KXA Seattle programs “good music with all programs uninterrupted except four times hourly.” The music format is primarily “concert music and short works and Broadway show music.” KMO Tacoma, Wash., programs “upbeat middle -road music, news in depth and variety discussion.” James L. Blaine, vice president and general manager, finds “it provides an excellent balance between the listener quotient and the commercial acceptability while perfectly satisfying our public and community service roles.”
June -1963 – Jack Morton, of KMO Tacoma, joins KVI Seattle as air personality. — Jim Hawkins named sales manager of KXA Seattle. Mr. Hawkins, formerly on sales staff, replaces John Croghan, who joins Feltis /Dove /Cannon Inc., station representatives.
October 1961 – Chris Lane and Don Hughes join KAYO Seattle as director of program operations and news operations chief, respectively. Mr. Lane was formerly with WLS Chicago. Mr. Hughes was former director of WOKY Milwaukee news department.
November 1961 – The FCC last week…Was asked by KXA Seattle to reconsider its order changing the call letters of KUDY Seattle (Renton) to KIXI. KXA said there has been confusion on the part of listeners between the call letters and added that program names, format announcements and musical interludes by KIXI were similar to those previously established by KXA. It said that KIXI did not make clear in newspaper advertisements that it is the former KUDY.
