End of year: 1985; Jock and ownership moves

December 29, 1985 | Seattle Times – VICTOR STREDICKE
“A Sentimental Journey” begins at 9 p.m. New Year’s Eve on KBRD, 103.9 mHz. Hosts will be Bob Cochran and Steve Schilling, with best-loved recordings of the past and including a midnight countdown.
A special edition of the nightly show, “Lights-Out,” begins at 9 p.m. New Year’s Eve on KLSY, 92.5 mHz. Delilah-Rene will conduct the program, with an assist from Dave Scott, from the observation deck of the Space Needle where special features are planned, including a balloon release and a needle light-up during the midnight countdown.
KNBQ, 97.3 mHz., has a record countdown and reports from a New Year’ Eve concert at the Tacoma Dome, from 6 p.m. to midnight. . . .
KISW, 99.9 mHz., is counting down the top 1,000 listener favorite rock-and-roll songs concluding at midnight. “Stairway to Heaven” is a perennial winner in rock tabulations. . . . KIXI-AM has a New Year’s countdown, “The Songs That Came Alive in ’85.” . . . KIXI-AM, 880 kHz., has a New Year’s Eve dance party and, the following day, will feature “The Top 30 Songs of All Time,” as selected by listeners.
KSEA, 100.9 mHz., plays big-band and dance records from 9 to 1 a.m. New Year’s Eve . . . KBRD, 103.9 mHz., plays big-band and dance records from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. New Year’s Eve . . . Andy Barber will present his “Barber Awards” during his show Monday morning on KHIT, 106.9 mHz. Barber reports this as his “15th annual list of the best of everything,” but Seattle listeners are likely to remember only the three he offered between 1970 and ’73 while at KING-AM . . . . Gary Vance came in right away at KMPS-AM, 1300 hHz., not Jan. 16 as announced incorrectly by the station. He is working the after-midnight shift on KMPS-AM, 1300 kHz. Vance originally joined KMPS in 1977, but is also remembered for his 10 years at KAYO. Vance left KMPS in 1984 to go into a nonbroadcast business.
Sparky Taft is back as general manager of KBAE, 1380 kHz. in Everett. He says he will seek a name change for the station. After a lawsuit against other stockholders in First Pacific Broadcsting, Taft gained new stock. Transfers of ownership are subject to approval by the Federal Communications Commission.
New station manager of KIXI-FM is John Lake, from the sales department; he previously had been manager of KRKO. Jim Hawkins remains KIXI-AM manager and general sales manager.