KOMO’s Del Olney voicing IGM’s “Sovereign” format on KSBY FM/San Luis Obispo – 1970 (1:39:01)
(BROADCASTING – June 9, 1969) IGM was founded 10 years ago by Rogan Jones Sr. when he and his associates ran into programming problems for the old Heritage FM network that operated on the West Coast from Los Angeles to Portland, Ore., as well as for their still-owned KGMI -AM -FM in Bellingham, Wash. KPQ Wenatchee, Wash., is owned privately by Mr. Jones Sr. IGM started mastering tapes for the five-station network. And at the same time it began designing and later manufacturing automation equipment for those stations and others. Today, IGM serves 350 stations with its bulk-cued music tape programming.
Three years ago it was a scant 200. The music service accounts for about one-third of IGM’s total revenues which have been increasing at about 30% a year for the last few years. IGM has about 16,000 hours of music on master tapes. Each tape reel contains up to three hours of programming. The Bellingham company offers a series of packages, divided into “announced” and “unannounced” productions. By “announced,” the company means that one of its own announcers introduces each number and in many cases closes the selection with comments. The monthly packages include “Sovereign,” contemporary and traditional popular tunes; “Premier,” bright, medium, quiet music, ranging from traditional pop to conservative good music; “Concert Overtures and Encores,” good music to light classics, and “Heritage,” straight classical selections. To the unannounced series, IGM supplies “Downbeat,” principally traditional pop; “XL Stereo,” ranging from traditional pop to conservative good music; “Music Theater,” utilizing Broadway and movie show tunes; “Spectrum,” a melange of dance bands, pop vocals, smooth orchestra, plain orchestra, selected vocals, concert orchestra, light classical, and “Jazz Quartet,” which runs the gamut of tempos from “robust” to “satin” to “vocal.” On a weekly basis, also unannounced and also unformatted, is IGM’s “Spotlight” package, designed to provide the latest hit tunes for customers who can intermix them with their regular series or mix them with other program sources at the studio. For the unannounced series, stations usually use their own announcers. These programs are put together under the direction of Donald Hedman, a former Seattle disc jockey, who joined IGM nine years ago. The announced series principally carry the identified voices of Del Olney, an ex-Seattle disc jockey, and of Don McMaster, a former Portland and Seattle disc jockey. IGM also uses other announcers whose identities are not made known. IGM also provides customized services to individual stations that desire their own personalized programs, and it also syndicates programs developed by individual stations or groups. At the present time IGM is offering “Americana,” produced by Plough Broadcasting Co., which is headquartered in Memphis, a center for this idiom, and which consists of an announced stereo library service of country- and -western music. Also a part of the “Americana” series is “Spotlight,” a tape of 20 to 30 new selections, sent to subscribers twice a month. Rogan Jones Jr., who runs the firm, has a special view of the burgeoning automated programing field. “I think the hardest thing to do when you automate,” he said the other day, “is to understand your equipment. To make it do what you want it to do.” When Mr. Jones sells automation he sells not only dollar savings, but he tries to impress his prospect with a higher purpose: “By freeing your staff so it can be used more efficiently, you can make the station consistently better all through the week. Your station becomes a more valuable property.”
But Mr. Jones argues that without his saying so, seven out of 10 prospects immediately think of how they can re- shuffle their staff more effectively. “The broadcaster realizes,” Mr. Jones em- phasizes, “that he can use his best announcers and personalities over a greater number of programs.” Mr. Jones cites another reason for the movement toward automation: “Many stations, especially in the smaller cities, can’t get the right kind of people for programing or engineering,” he says. “What they get is marginal people. Or, if they get a good man, he doesn’t stay long: he wants to move up to the big city.”
Part 1 (32:48)
Part 2 (33:06)
aircheck courtesy of Rockwell Smith, Radio Engineering Manager, Journal Broadcast Group – Idaho, KJOT, KQXR, KRVB, KTHI, KGEM-AM, KCID-AM.
(1) Easy listening music. News at 9am President Nixon’s Watergate issues; Tito visits West Germany; Puget Sound grocery clerks strike ends; commercial for Montgomery Ward.
Easy listening music. Traffic reports. Buy Swap and Sell Show. Announcer reads ads sent in by listeners.
News at 10am Trident submarine; Grocery strike; Alaska ferry; weather
Easy listening music. Job availabilities in the area.
KBRO Easy Listening (27:26)
(2) Easy listening music continues. News at 11:29am. Earl Nightengale and Our Changing World about 15 minutes of commentary. 12 noon Station ID and news; Mike Bentley reads; Nixon watergate; Trident submarine and environmental impacts; grocery clerk strike; electrical workers labor issues; US Supreme Court issues decency decision in the case of the film Carnal Knowledge; other local and area news; comment by listeners;
The Quarterdeck Show- Hosted by Steve Schilling interviews beauty pageant contestants. About 15 minutes of the broadcast.
KBRO Easy Listening (48:58)
These KETO-FM jingles (2:40) were shared from a broadcast friend. I would think they date back to the early mid 70’s, but I really don’t know. Mr. Music Man, Duane Smart
KGAA Jingles AM 1460 Kirkland 1979 (1:34). Owned at the time by Wes Monroe, owner of KGA Spokane.
KGHO “You” jingle montage – (10:26)
KGY jingle package
The Kerry family sold KGY AM 1240 to Sacred Heart Radio in 2014, ending family operation of the station held since 1939. Call letters changed to KBUP November 2014.
1250 KKFX-Robert L. Scott/Brandi Walker (9:07)
View Comments
January 30, 2023 at QZVX
Dick Ellingson says:
On the KXA 11/22/63, 13:26 in, who did the Rhodes Frozen Bread spot?
January 30, 2023 at QZVX
Jason Remington says:
I can’t place it. Is this a trick question? Was it Dick Ellingson?
January 31, 2023 at QZVX
Dick Ellingson says:
No, I was never that good. Great warm and friendly delivery. The voice is familiar, kind of reminds me of Bob Elliott.
January 31, 2023 at QZVX
Jason Remington says:
Among the KXA personalities back in those days: Del Olney, Bill O’Mara, Bill Apple, John Sherman, Rudy Perez, Chuck Bras, Lloyd Allen ?, Dick Stokke (Norm Bobrow left to program a NYC FM station in 1961, I don’t know if he returned to KXA years later but did come back to Seattle.)
February 2, 2023 at QZVX
Steven Smith says:
Add to that list “Don the Horseless Hedman” at KXA approx 1951 to 1955. Then he moved to KJR.
Obit
October 9, 2025 at QZVX
Jason Remington says:
2009—-Donald E. Hedman, age 89 of Bellingham, passed away November 18, 2009, surrounded by his family. He was born March 25, 1920 in Hoquiam, WA to Hjalmar & Elsa Hedman. He graduated from Hoquiam High School, served in the US Navy, and attended Columbia School of Broadcasting. Don married Mary Helen Bonneville in 1942 and they had a daughter Karen. He married Patricia Hill in 1951 and they had Janet, Linda and Don, Jr.
February 2, 2023 at QZVX
Jason Remington says:
1961/1962 John Sherman, prog dir; Bob Concie, news dir (replaced by William Taylor in 1963)