Radio Vet looks back on a career

My name is Larry Bern. I worked at the “original” KISW from 1968 until 1971 on 92nd & Roosevelt Wy. NE. when we played classical music before there was a KING-FM.

At the end of my time there, I had the unfortunate experience of meeting Lester Smith and, then, KJR manager Pat O’Day (Paul Berg) when former owner Elwood Lippincott let the station go for a mere $75,000 (I saw the documents.)

After that, I moved to KLSN in the University Village Shopping Center until it was sold in 1972 to the former owners of KYAC. Minority formats do not work in Seattle.

After three years with the American Forces Radio & Television Service in what was then called “West” Germany, I came back to Seattle, spent three years in Christian radio (KBLE), which was later sold, and became the operations manager of KEZX, the former KBBX which birthed Bill Yeend of KIRO and now KOMO.

After that, I spent Sunday mornings playing country music at KWYZ in Everett.

In 1986, it was time to go. It wasn’t fun anymore.

Larry