by
Vince Santarelli

vinceapple2002@yahoo.com

Internet Volume 11 - No. 2  Spring 2012

3-Letter Call Letters

This time around, I thought we’d look at stations that still maintain the three letter call letters. Of course, right here in New York we have WOR. We’ve also had WHN, WJZ, WGL and WOV. WHN is now WEPN, WJZ is now WABC, WGL became WOV and WOV is now WADO. So let’s take a look around the country at those stations who still  hold on to those captivating three call letter call signs.

In alphabetical order starting with the AM stations.

KEX (1190 AM) - Portland, Or. - Originally went on the air in 1926 and is currently a news / talk station owned by Clear Channel. They put out 50,000 watts with a directional night time only signal. Back in 1933, Mel Blanc hosted a show here called “Cobwebs and Nuts.”

KFH (1240 AM) - Wichita, Ks. - First broadcast in 1922. Currently running a sports format. Their power is 630 watts with a non-directional signal. They originally went on the air as WEAH. In 1925, the station was sold to the Rigby Gray Hotel Company. They changed the call letters to KFH, which stood for Kansas’ Finest Hotel.

KFI (640 AM) - Los Angeles, Ca. - The station first went on the air in 1922. They are currently a talk radio station that is mostly live and local except for carrying Rush Limbaugh from 9 Am to Noon. They have a non-directional pattern at 50,000 watts. In the spring, 2006 ARB’s. they were the most listened-to radio station in Los Angeles. They were also the most listened-to AM radio station in the country and the most listened-to news/talk radio station in the country.

KGA (1510 AM) - Spokane, Wa. - The station debuted in 1927. It started out as a country music station, changed to Top 40 for a short time in 1968 and then became a news / talk station in 1994. In 2008, they went to a sports format and that’s what they do today mostly syndicated. They put out 50,000 watts at night, 15,000 watts at night with two different directional patterns.

KGO (810 AM) - San Francisco, Ca. - First going on the air in 1928, KGO is currently a news / talk, mostly news station. Cumulus went to a more news format in December, 2011, sparking outrage throughout the Bay Area. KGO for years had been a talk station with live and local hosts. Most of those hosts were fired and replaced with newscasters. KGO is a 50,000-watter with a directional pattern.

KGU (760 AM) - Honolulu, Hi. - This was Hawaii’s first radio station, first signing-on in 1922. They currently are a business news station, with most of the programming coming from Bloomberg Radio. They are a non-directional station with 10,000 watts.

KGY (1240 AM) - Olympia, Wa. - Licensed in 1922, KGY is one of the oldest radio stations in the state of Washington. They are an adult contemporary station with a lot of sports programming including the Mariners and Seahawks. They put out 1000 watts with a non-directional pattern.

KHJ (930 AM) - Los Angeles, Ca.  - They first went on the air in 1922. From 1965 to 1980 they were one of the premiere Top 40 radio stations in the country. In 1989 they became a Spanish language station and changed their call letters to KKHJ. This, however proved to be a problem when they ID’d in Spanish. KKHJ in Spanish is Ka-Ka-Hache-Jota. So, they changed back to KHJ. They are still a Spanish station calling themselves “La Ranchera 930.” KHJ is a 5000 watt station with a directional night-time only pattern.

KID (590 AM) - Idaho Falls, Id. - They first went on the air in 1928 as KGIO. In 1929, the calls were changed to KID. They are a news / talk station with a mixture of live and local and syndication. KID puts out 5000 watts day and 1000 watts night with a night time only directional pattern.

KIT (1280 AM) - Yakima, Wa. - They first went on the air in 1929. They have a news / talk format with mostly syndication. They’re non-directional with 5000 watts days and 1000 watts nights.

KJR (950 AM) - Seattle, Wa. - They went on the air in 1922 and are the oldest radio station in Seattle. They do a mostly live and local sports radio format. From the mid 50’s until 1984, they were the Top 40 station in Seattle and they were owned by entertainer Danny Kaye. They have two different directional patterns with 50,000 watts.

KLO (1430 AM) - Ogden, Ut.  - KLO first hit the airwaves in 1924 as KFUR. The calls were changed in the 1930’s. They currently run a talk format with mostly syndicated programs. KLO has two separate directional patters and they put out 25,000 watts during the day and 5000 watts at night.

KLZ (560 AM) - Denver, Co. - KLZ began broadcasting in 1922. They are currently a talk station with mostly syndication. They put out 5000 watts with two separate directional patterns.

KMA (960 AM) - Shenandoah, Ia. - The station was founded in 1925 and is best known for being the station that everyone listened to in the book “The Bridges of Madison County.” The station was, however, not mentioned in the movie. They are a talk station, mostly local with some syndication. They are a 5000 watt station with a night time directional pattern.

KMJ (580 AM) - Fresno, Ca. - They first went on the air in 1922. They are a talk station, a mix of live and syndication. They are a 50,000 watt station with a directional pattern.

KNX (1070 AM) -  Los Angeles, Ca. - They first went on the air in 1920 as 6ADZ. They officially became KNX on May 4, 1922. They are currently an all news station, much the same as WCBS. They’ve been doing the news format for some 43 years now. While they were a music station, Bob Crane of Hogan’s Heroes fame, was their morning man from 1957 to 1965. They are a 50,000 watt, non-directional blow torch.

KOA (850 AM) - Denver, Co. - The first went on the air in 1924. They are a news / talk station with mostly live and local hosts. Some syndication, but not much. They, too, are a 50,000 watt non-directional station. Alan Berg hosted a talk show here. He was shot and killed by a white supremacist group on June 18, 1984.

KOY (1230 AM) Phoenix, Az. - They first signed on in 1921 as 6BBH. In 1922, they received the call sign KFCB. On February 28, 1929 they became KOY. As it says on their Web site, they are oldies by day, jazz at night. They put out a 1000 watt, non-directional signal.

KPQ (560 AM) - Wenatchee, Wa. - They first went on the air in 1928. They do a news / talk format that is mostly syndicated. They put out 5000 watts with a night-time directional pattern.

KQV (1410 AM) - Pittsburgh, Pa. - They first signed on in 1919 as 8ZAE. They, however, did not received their commercial license until 1922. At one time they were a Top 40 station. In 1975 they went all news, carrying the NBC News and Information Service. When that ended in 1977, KQV kept the all-news format. They’ve been doing it now for some 36 years. They put out 5000 watts with separate day and night time directional patterns.

KSL (1160 AM) - Salt Lake City, Ut. - They first went on the air in 1922. They are a news / talk station, mostly live and local. Their most famous program is “Music and the Spoken Word with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir” which airs each Sunday morning at 9:30 local time. They were also known for “Herb Jepko’s Nitecaps” which aired from 1964 to 1978. They are a non-directional 50,000 watt station.

KUJ (1420 AM) - Walla Walla, Wa. - Their first broadcast was in 1926. From 6 AM to 6 PM each day they carry syndicated talk programs. From 6 PM to 6 AM and all weekend long they carry Scott Shannon’s True Oldies Channel. They are a non-directional station putting out 5000 watts during the day and 900 watts at night.

KVI (570 AM) - Seattle, Wa. - They debuted in 1926, originally located in Tacoma, Wa. They relocated to Seattle in 1949. They are a talk station with a mix of local and syndicated. They are a non-directional 1000 watt station.

KWG (1230 AM) - Stockton, Ca. - First hitting the air in 1921, they are one of the oldest station in the U.S. In 1999 they became an affiliate of Immaculate Heart Radio, broadcasting Catholic religious programming. They are non-directional putting out 900 watts.

KXO (1230 AM) - El Centro, Ca.  - The first went on the air in 1927. They broadcast an oldies format calling themselves “Best Oldies on the Radio.” They are non-directional, putting out 830 watts in the day and 1000 watts at night.

KYW (1060 AM) - Philadelphia, Pa. - They actually began in 1921 in Chicago. In 1934 Westinghouse moved the station to Philadelphia. In June, 1955, Westinghouse and NBC swapped their Philadelphia and Cleveland stations and the KYW calls moved to Cleveland. KYW in Philadelphia became WRCV. On June 9, 1965, Westinghouse regained control of WRCV and changed the calls back to KYW. On September 21, 1965, Westinghouse installed the all-news format on KYW that they put on WINS a few months earlier. KYW is still an all-news radio station, consistently finished at or near the top in the Philadelphia ratings. They put out 50,000 watts with one directional pattern.

WBT (1110 AM) - Charlotte, NC - They originally went on the air as an experimental station with the call sign 4XD. In 1922, the owner went commercial and took the call letters WBT. They are currently a talk station with a mix of local and syndication. They had been an adult contemporary station in the 70’s. Those of us who used to DX will remember the Sunday night oldies program with Mike Ivers and then with “Rockin’” Ray Gooding. They put out 50,000 watts with a directional night time pattern.

WBZ (1030 AM) - Boston, Ma. - They first hit the air waves in 1921. WBZ programmed adult contemporary music with a brief foray in Top 40 in the sixties. Some of the best known personalities on WBZ were Dave Maynard, Carl DeSuze, Jerry Williams and Larry Glick. They currently do all-news from 5 AM to 8 PM and live and local talk shows at night. In January, 2009, WBZ fired long time overnight host Steve LeVeille. This sparked listener outrage with on-line petitions to rehire him popping up all over the Internet. A few weeks later, WBZ bowed to the public pressure and rehired LeVeille. They are a 50,000 watt station with one directional pattern.

WDZ (1050 AM) - Decatur, Il. - They first went on the air in 1921. They are currently a sports station with most, if not all, of their programming coming from ESPN. They are non-directional putting out 1000 watts in the daytime and 250 watts at night.

WEW (770 AM) - St. Louis, Mo. - They debuted in 1922. They play a mixture of big band and adult standards and Hispanic music. As you can imagine, being on 770 Khz, they are a day time only station, non directional, putting out 1000 watts. They currently have a construction permit to up their daytime power to 10,000 watts and introduce night time operation with 200 watts,

WGH (1310 AM) - Newport News, Va. - They first went on the air in 1927 as WSEA. In 1928, the calls were changed to WNEW, signifying their city of license - Newport News. These calls lasted only a few weeks and were then changed to WGH (Word’s Greatest Harbor). In 1959 they became a Top 40 station and they hit it big. One of the deejays of that era was a guy named Dean Collins who went on to WPGC in Washington, DC as Dean Griffith and later moved to New York and WMCA as Dean Anthony. Today they are a Black Gospel station. They have two separate directional patterns and put out 20,000 watts in the daytime and 5000 watts at night.

WGL (1250 AM) - Fort Wayne, In. - They signed on in 1921 as WCWK. In 1928 the calls were changed to WGL (What God Loves). The WGL call letters were originally used by what is now WADO. They gave them up in 1928 to change to WOV. They currently call themselves “The River” and they play adult contemporary oldies with a couple of talk shows. They have separate day and night time directional patters and they put out 2300 watts in the day and 1000 watts at night.

WGN (720 AM) - Chicago, Il. - They first went on the air in 1922 as WDAP. They changed calls to WGN in 1924. WGN is a rare animal in today’s radio landscape. They are one of the few talk stations in the country that is 100% live and local. No syndication. They are a non-directional 50,000 watt station.

WGR (550 AM) - Buffalo, NY - They first went on the air in 1922. For a while the station was adult Top 40 and rock oldies. The eventually moved to news/talk in the 80’s. In 2000 they became a sports talk station and that’s what they do today. They do some live stuff, but some programming does come from ESPN. They’ll also probably one of the few ESPN stations that does not carry Mike & Mike in the Morning. They are a 5000 watt station with a night time only directional pattern.

WGY (810 AM) - Schenectady, NY - They debuted in 1922. They’re currently a talk station, mostly syndicated with only a live show in the morning. The put out 50,000 watts and are non-directional.

WHA (970 AM) - Madison, Wi. - This station dates back to 1922. They are the flagship station of Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Ideas Network.” They discuss everything from state politics to the concept of being middle-aged in America. They are non-directional with 5000 watts during the day and 51 watts at night.

WHB (810 AM) - Kansas City, Mo. - The first hit the air in 1922. In 1954, the station was purchased by Todd Storz who promptly turned the station into a Top 40 rocker, presumably the first full time Top 40 station in America. They became an instant hit. Ruth Meyer worked here right before coming to New York and becoming program director at WMCA. Today they are a sports station, mostly live and local. They do fairly well in the ratings, pulling a 3.9 in the last book. They are directional night time only with 50,000 watts in the day and 5000 watts at night.

WHK (1420 AM) - Cleveland, Oh. - They actually went on the air in 1921 using the call sign 8ACS. The actual license for the station came on February 21, 1922 and the call sign WHK came into existence. In 1958, the station was purchased by Metropolitan Broadcasting, which would become Metromedia. They became a Top 40 powerhouse. It was here that Pete “Mad Daddy” Myers worked before coming to New York. Today they are a conservative talk station owned by Salem Broadcasting and airing most of their programs. They put out 5000 watts with a directional night-time only pattern.

WHO (1040 AM) - Des Moines, Ia. - They first went on the air in 1924. President Ronald Reagan worked here as a sportscaster back in the 30’s. This was always a good DX catch back in the day. Today they are a talk station with mostly live and local hosts, but some syndication. They are a non-directional, 50,000 watter.

WHP (580 AM) - Harrisburg, Pa. - They first hit the air in 1948. They’re currently a talk station with mostly syndicated programming, however, they are live and local in the morning and afternoon. One of the morning hosts is a guy named R.J. Harris who worked at WAPP and WYNY back in the mid 80’s, doing mornings at both stations. They put out 5000 watts with a 6-tower directional pattern at night. You can actually see the six towers here: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=40.30306,+-76.95194+(WHP-AM)&om=1

WIP (610 AM) - Philadelphia, Pa. - They went on the air in 1922. They tinkered with a Top 40 format to no success and eventually went with an MOR format in the early 60’s. The station was pretty much the WNEW of Philadelphia for a good long time doing very well in the ratings. Some of the hosts of those days included Ken Garland, who went there right after WINS switched to all-news, Bill “Wee Willie” Webber, Tom Moran, Dick Clatyon, and Bill St. James right before he came to New York. As the 70’s rolled around, WIP tinkered with various other formats until eventually becoming an all sports station in 1988. That’s what they do today, essentially sounding very much like the WFAN of Philadelphia. Very live and local all day and night. They put out 5000 watts with one directional pattern day and night.

WJR (760 AM) - Detroit, Mi. - 1922 was the year this station first hit the air waves. They actually started out as WCX and didn’t become WJR until 1928. For a good long time, they were a middle of the road and adult contemporary music station. Today they are a talk station with a mix of live and local and syndication. They are a 50,000 watt, non-directional powerhouse.

WJZ (1300 AM) - Baltimore, Md. - Of course, the WJZ call letters originated in New York on what is now WABC. The station first went on the air in the early 1920’s with the call letters WEAR. Later that same decade they became WFBR and that’s what this frequency is know for primarily. In the 60’s they wee a fairly decent Top 40 station. In 1980 they became more of an adult contemporary format. In 1988 they became WLIF with an oldies format. Eventually the calls were changed to WJFK with a talk format. In 2008, they changed their call letters to WJZ. They are now the ESPN sports affiliate in Baltimore. They put out 5000 watts with separate day and night directional patterns.

WKY (930 AM) - Oklahoma City, Ok. - WKY first hit the air in 1922. The are the oldest station in Oklahoma and third oldest west of the Mississippi. In 1958 they became a Top 40 station and proceeded to head to the top of the ratings. In the 80’s they became a country station and for a time simulcast the Grand Ole Opry with WSM in Nashville. In 2000 they became a talk station. The list of alumni from this station includes Walter Cronkite, Frank McGee, Mike Douglas, Phil Boyce and Kevin Metheny. Today they are owned by Cumulus Media and they are a Spanish station, calling themselves “La Indomable 930 AM.” That, by the way means “The untamable one.” They are a 5000 watt station with a directional night only pattern.

WLS (890 AM) - Chicago, Il. - They first went on the air in 1924. Owned and operated by the American Broadcasting Co., they were the WABC of Chicago. This is the first long distance radio station I ever heard, tuning around my radio dial one night. They were great. John Records Landecker, Fred Winston, Art Roberts, Larry Lujack, Yvonne Daniels, Tommy Edwards and Clark Weber just a few of the great personalities that passed by the microphones of WLS. The Top 40 format began on May 2, 1960 and lasted until 1987 when they became more of an adult contemporary station. And finally on August 23, 1989, they dropped music altogether and became a talk station. The last song played was “Just You and Me” by Chicago. They are today still a talk station, much the same as WABC, however, they do have live and local shows in the morning and afternoon. Of course, they are a 50,000 watt non-directional blow torch.

WLW (700 AM) - Cincinnati, Oh. - They first went on the air in 1922. For a good long time, WLW was an MOR, full service station. Once again, there is a very impressive list of alumni: Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney, Wally Phillips, Chris Colllinsworth, Al Michaels, Bob Trumpy, Randy Michaels and Rod Serling. In fact, Randy Michaels is generally credited with taking WLW from the MOR format to the talk format they now run in the early 80’s. WLW’s talk format is almost completely live and local. Their morning host is a guy by the name of Jim Scott who worked on WNBC here back in 1972. He came here from WSAI in Cincinnati and he went back to Cincinnati. WLW is also a 50,000 watt non directional station.

WMC (790 AM) - Memphis, Tn. - They first hit the air waves in 1923. During the 1960’s, WMC was an MOR station, switching to country in 1973. They were very successful here, rapidly becoming Memphis’ number one station. In 1983 they got completion on the FM side and by 1989 they switched to a talk format. In 2001 they switched to a sports talk format and in 2005 they became a classic country format with satellite-delivered programming. Just this past October, 2011, they switched back to a sports talk format, taking most of their programming from Fox Sports Radio. They are directional night time only putting out 5000 watts.

WMT (600 AM) - Cedar Rapids, Ia. - They first went on the air in 1922 as WJAM. In 1928, they changed calls to WMT, supposedly for the now defunct Waterloo Morning Tribune. They are currently a talk station with a mixture of live and local and syndication. They put out 5000 watts and are directional night only.

WOC (1420 AM) - Davenport, Ia. - They actually went on the air in 1907 as an experimental station using the call letters 9BC, 9XR and 9BY. In 1922, they got their commercial license and the WOC call letters. In 1933, Ronald Reagan got his first broadcasting job here as a sportscaster. Since the 1950’s, the station has had several different formats. The latest is as a news / talk station which started in 1979. News Talk 1420 currently has a mix of local and syndicated talk hosts. They are putting out 5000 watts with two different directional patters day and night time.

WOI (640 AM) - Des Moines, Ia. - They actually got their broadcast license in 1922, having started out in 1911 as an experimental station. They are the oldest non-commercial radio station west of the Mississippi. Today the programming is a mixture of NPR and locally produced programs. WOI is the flagship station of Iowa Public Radio. The put out 5000 watts during the day and 1000 watts at night. They are directional night time only.

WOL (1450 AM) - Washington, D.C. - They first went on the air in 1928. In the 60’s and 70’s, they were Washington’s number one-rated R&B station. The have slowly evolved into a Black based talk station. For many years they were owned by Sonderling Broadcasting who also owned WWRL here. Today they are primarily a Black talk station with mostly syndicated shows. They are a non-directional station putting out 370 watts.

WOR (710 AM) - New York, NY - They began broadcasting on February 22, 1922 from Newark, NJ. In 1924 they moved to New York City In 1926 they moved to 1440 Broadway. For years WOR was a full service station with heavy emphasis on news - 15 minute newscasts at the top of each hour. There was some music, usually pop standards and adult contemporary, but for the most part, they were a talk station. It was here that Jean Shepherd used to work his magic every night. Other notable hosts were Ed & Pegeen Fitzgerald, Arlene Francis, Patricia McCann, Long John Nebel, Bernard Meltzer, Barry Farber and Jack O’Brian. WOR also introduced live traffic reports from Helicopter 710 with Fred Feldman and George Meade. And let us not forget “Rambling With Gambling” which graced the morning airwaves from March, 1925 through September, 2000. The show was hosted by John B., John A. and John R. Gambling. John R. returned to the morning show in May, 2008. Today, WOR is still a talk station, although much of its programming is now syndicated. They are still live and local in the mornings and they still do very well in the ratings during that time period. They are a 50,000 watter with two different directional patterns day and night. By the way, theirs are the oldest call letters still in use in New York City.

WSB (750 AM) - Atlanta, Ga. - 1922 is the year that WSB first came about. For years they were a station that played adult standards with heavy emphasis on news. Then in the late 80’s they evolved into a news / talk format. Today they are primarily syndicated with a few local shows. They are non-directional putting out 50,000 watts.

WSM (650 AM) - Nashville, Tn. - They first went on the air in 1925. They are best known for the Grand Ole Opry which debuted as “The Barn Dance” in 1925. It started out as a one-hour show but expanded to four hours in the 1930’s. December 10, 1927 is generally regarded as the day the Barn Dance became known as the Grand Ole Opry. Of course, WSM itself was a country music station and it still is today. That gives this station the distinction of being the only AM Clear Channel station in the eastern United States to still broadcast music. A couple of notable alumni from WSM include Ralph Emery, who was the overnight host for years and went on to hosting syndicated radio and tv country music shows. Pat Sajak of Wheel Of Fortune fame was the afternoon personality here during most of the 70’s. They are a non-directional 50,000 watter.

WWJ (950 AM) - Detroit, Mi. - They first hit the airwaves in August, 1920 as experimental station 8MK. They actually went on the air commercially in 1921 with the calls WBL. In 1922, the obtained the WWJ calls. They were a middle of the road station up until 1971 when they phased out the music and went to a news / talk format, however they continued to run beautiful music in the overnight hours. Eventually they moved to an all-news format. And that’s what they do today, much in the spirit of WINS and WCBS. They are the only all-news station in Detroit, however, lately they have backed off on saying “all news, all the time” because of occasional sporting events broadcasts. They put out 50,000 watts with two different directional patterns day and night.

WWL (870 AM) - New Orleans, La. - They first went on the air in 1922. They were originally owned by the Jesuits at Loyola University. In the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s WWL became well known for their live broadcasts of the local Dixieland jazz bands. On October 21, 1960, the station actually got mentioned on the TV show “Route 66” when Todd and Buzz were driving along and heard the announcer on the radio mention the call letters. Today they are a talk station that is mostly live and local. They put out 50,000 watts and are directional night time only.

FM Stations

KDB FM (93.7 FM) - Santa Barbara, Ca. - First hit the air in 1960. They are a classical station and are listener-supported. They are a class B FM station putting out 12,500 watts.

KFH FM (98.7 FM) - Wichita, Ks. - They first went on the air in 1995 as KPMG, Country. Then they became KAYY, Hot AC, In 2000, they became KWSJ, Smooth Jazz. In 2002 they switched to a talk format and simulcast sister KFH AM. They are now a sports station, still simulcasting with the AM and programming mostly ESPN. They put out 50,000 watts. They are a class C2.

KGB FM (101.5 FM) - San Diego, Ca. - They first broadcast in 1972 and were one of the early players in the AOR field. They are still a rock station today calling themselves “101KGB World Class Rock.”  Currently working there is Bryan Schock who once worked at WRXP here. Also there doing mid-days is Marc Coppola. They put out 50,000 watts as a class B station.

KGY FM (96.9 FM) - Seattle, Wa. - They first went on the air in 1992. They were an adult contemporary station billing themselves as “The Sound - Cool Classics and Hot Hits.” They recently switched to a country format. They are a class C2 FM with an effective radiated power of  11,000 watts.

KID FM (96.1 FM) - Idaho Falls, Id. - 1965 was when they first hit the airwaves. They are currently a country station calling themselves “River Country.” Their effective radiated power is 100,000 watts. They are a class C station.

KJR FM (95.7 FM) - Seattle, Wa. - They first hit the air in 1960 doing beautiful music with the call letters KGMJ. In 1978 they became KIXI In 1980 they became and adult contemporary station. In 1986 the calls were changed again to KLTX and became known as “Seattle’s K-Lite.” In 1994, they took the KJR calls and became the home of the “Lost 45’s.” In 1998, the changed yet again to a hot AC format and the calls changed to KMBX in 2000. In 2001 they adopted a rhythmic AC format and changed the calls, yet again, to KBTB, calling themselves “The Beat.” In 2002, they changed again to a classic hits format and changed the calls back to KJR FM. And that’s what they do today, putting out 98,000 watts as a class C station.

KPQ FM (102.1 FM) - Wenatchee, Wa. - Calling themselves “The Quake,” they are a classic rock station putting out 35,000 watts. They are licensed as a class C station.

KSD FM (93.7 FM) - St. Louis, Mo. - They came to be in the mid 60’s as KCFM an easy-listening station. In the late 70’s they went to an adult contemporary format. The calls changed to KSD in 1980. They then went from classic rock to Hot AC and then to country. That’s what they do today calling themselves “The Bull.” As a class C1 station the put out 74,000 watts.

KUJ FM (99.1) - Burbank, Wa. - They first went on the air in 1996 with a rhythmic CHR format. They then went mainstream CHR and then back to the rhythmic format. In 2007, they went back to mainstream CHR and retain that format today as “Power 99.1. They are licensed as a class C1 station with an effective radiated power of 52,000 watts.

KXL FM (101.1 FM) - Portland, Or.  - They went on the air in 1948 as KOIN FM airing classical music. In 1977 they changed format to Top 40 and call letters to KYTE FM. In 1979 they changed to country and call letters to KLLB. They later changed back to Top 40 and then to oldies. In 1983 they became a rock station and changed their call letters KRCK. Changing formats yet again, they eventually became KYTE again, then to KKCY, and then to KUFO. Last March, they changed to KXL FM and simulcast their AM sister station. Last May they dropped the simulcast and became “FM News 101.” They are a class C station putting out an ERP of 97,000 watts.

KXO FM (107.5 FM) - El Centro, Ca. - Calling themselves “FM 107 Today‘s Hits,” they do an adult contemporary format. They are a Class B putting out 50,000 watts.

WBT FM (99.3 FM) - Chester, SC - They first went on the air in 1969 as WDZX and then WBZK. In 1995, the owner of WBT AM in Charlotte, NC, bought the station and turned them into, in essence, a translator. The calls were changed to WBT FM and they began to simulcast WBT AM. They are a class C3 and put out an ERP of 7700 watts.

WBZ FM (98.5 FM) - Boston, Ma. - These call letters actually belonged to three different radio stations in the Boston area. The first was on from 1943 to 1954. The second was on from 1957 to 1981. The third and current one came on in 2009 as “98.5 The Sports Hub.” That’s what they are today, primarily live and local. They are a class B putting out 9000 watts.

WGH FM (97.3 FM) - Newport News, Va. - They call themselves “97.3 The Eagle” and they are a country station. They are a class B putting out 74,000 watts.

WIL FM (92.3 FM) - St. Louis, Mo. - They first went on the air in the early 70’s and by the middle of that decade, they were a country music station. And they are still doing it today. They are licensed as a class C0 station with an ERP of 99,000 watts.

WJZ FM (105.7 FM) - Catonsville, Md. - WJZ FM, of course, originally belonged to WABC FM. This WJZ FM first signed on in 1961 as WBMD. In the 70’s, the station was hard rock at night and country during the day. In 1971 they changed calls to WKTK and played progressive rock. In 1977 they went with the disco fad and in 1979 they went with oldies. In 1982 they became WQSR and were all ready to go with ABC’s new Super Radio. When that fell through, they continued with oldies. In 2001 they became WXYV with a hip hop format. Eventually they evolved into a talk format, simulcasting Howard Stern in the morning. They station eventually became WHFS and eventually moved to a sports talk format. In 2008, the WJZ FM calls premiered. They are now known as “105.7 The Fan” with a mostly live and local sports format. They put out 50,000 watts as a class B station.

WMC FM (99.7 FM) - Memphis, Tn. - They first went on the air in 1947. Beginning in 1967 they were first radio station in Tennessee to go with the progressive rock format. Today they are known as “FM 100” with a Hot AC format. They are a class C station putting out 290,000 watts horizontal and 96,000 watts vertical.

WOI FM (90.1 FM) - Des Moines, Ia. - They first went on the air in 1949. They are owned by Iowa State University and an affiliate of Iowa Public Radio. They mostly carry the network’s “Classical Network” service. They are a class C station putting out 100,000 watts.

WRR (101.1 FM) - Dallas, Tx. - They first went on the air in 1948 and are owned by the city of Dallas and they broadcast a classical music format. Although they are publicly owned, they are a commercial station. They put out 98,000 watts as a class C station.

WSB FM (98.5 FM) - Atlanta, Ga. - They first went on the air in 1948. They have been an adult contemporary station since 1980. They call themselves “B985.” They put out 100,000 watts as a class C0 station.

WSM FM (95.5 FM) - Nashville, Tn. - They first went on the air in 1962 as WLWM with a soft rock format. In 1983, the changed to WSM FM and went with a country music format. And that’s what they do today, very successfully, thank you. They are a class C station with a power output of 100,000 watts,

WWL FM (105.3 FM) - New Orleans, La. - They first hit the air in the early 1960’s. Today they simulcast with WWL AM. They are a class C1 station with an ERP of 96,000 watts.

TV STATIONS

KGO TV (Channel 7) - San Francisco, Ca. - 1949 was when they first hit the air. They are an ABC affiliate.

KGW TV (Channel 8) - Portland, Or. - They first went on the air in 1956. Affiliated with NBC.

KHQ TV (Channel 6) - Spokane, Wa. - They first hit the airwaves in 1952. They are an NBC affiliate.

KOB TV (Channel 4) - 1948 was the year that they first went on the air. They are an NBC  affiliate.

KSL TV (Channel 5) - Salt Lake City, Ut. - They first went on the air in 1949. They are affiliated with NBC.

KYW TV (Channel 3) - Philadelphia, Pa. - They first hit the air in 1941 as WPTZ. NBC bought the station in 1956 and changed the call letters to WRCV TV. Westinghouse Broadcasting regained control of the station in 1965 and changed the call letters to KYW TV. They started out as an NBC affiliate. On September 10, 1995, following the merger of Westinghouse and CBS, KYW and WCAU TV Channel 10 swapped network affiliations. Channel 10 went with NBC and KYW took the CBS affiliation.

WBZ TV (Channel 4) - Boston, Ma. - They first went on the air in 1948. They are a CBS affiliate.

WGN TV (Channel 9) - Chicago, Il. - They first went on the air in 1948. Owned by the Tribune Company which also publishes the Chicago Tribune, their call letters come from the company’s slogan, “World’s Greatest Newspaper.” The are currently affiliated with the CW Network.

WHA TV (Channel 20) - Madison, Wi. - They first went on the air in 1954. They are the flagship station for Wisconsin Public Television.

WHO TV (Channel 13) - Des Moines, Ia. - They first hit the air in 1954. They are affiliated with NBC.

 WHP TV (Channel 21) - Harrisburg, Pa. - Their first air date was in 1953. They are a CBS affiliate.

 WIS TV (Channel 10) - Columbia, SC - They premiered in 1953. They are affiliated with NBC.

WJW TV (Channel 8) - Cleveland, Oh. - They first hit the air in 1949 as WXEL. In 1956, the calls were changed to WJW. In 1977, the calls were again changed to WJKW. The WJW calls returned to the station in 1985. They were for a long time a CBS affiliate. They are now affiliated with FOX.

WJZ TV (Channel 13) - Baltimore, Md. - They started operations in 1948 as WAAM TV. It was originally an ABC affiliate with a secondary affiliation with DuMont. In 1957, Westinghouse took control of the station and changed the call letters to WJZ TV. Westinghouse was the original owner of WJZ radio in New York City. So, in essence, they just took back their own call letters. They are now affiliated with the CBS Network.

WLS TV (Channel 7) - Chicago, Il. - They first took to the air in 1948. Their call letters mean “World’s Largest Store,” which was the slogan of Sears, original owners of WLS AM. They are an ABC affiliate.

WMC TV (Channel 5) - Memphis, Tn. - They started out in 1948 as WMCT TV. For the first several years of their operation, they were the only TV station in Memphis, so they carried programming from all four networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and DuMont. They are now affiliated with NBC.

WOI TV (Channel 5) - Ames, Ia. - They first began broadcasting in 1950. They are an ABC affiliate.

WRC TV (Channel 4) - Washington, DC - They first hit the air in 1947. They are an NBC affiliate. In fact, WRC is the home of NBC’s Washington bureau. Some of NBC’s biggest names broadcast from here including David Gregory, Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell and Pete Williams.

WSB TV (Channel 2) - Atlanta, Ga. - 1948 was the year that this station first began broadcasting. The call letters mean “Welcome South, Brother.” They are affiliated with ABC.

WWJ TV (Channel 62) - Detroit, Mi. - The first went on the air in 1975 as WGPR. The call letters came from “Where God’s Presence Radiates.” They were the first African-American owned television station in the country. In 1995, CBS bought the station and changed the calls to WWJ. They are, of course, a CBS affiliate.

WWL TV (Channel 4) - New Orleans, La. - They first went on the air in 1957. They affiliated with CBS.

That’s the list of AM, FM and TV three letter calls. There is, however, one more station in the United States with a three call letter sign. And that station is:

WWV (2, 5, 10, 15, 20 Mhz) - Fort Collins, Co. - They are the short wave station of the United States National Institute of Standard and Technology. They continuously broadcast frequency and time signals. They are controlled by NIST’s local atomic clock. Time checks are given in Coordinated Universal Time, which used to be known as Greenwich Mean Time. New York time would be Coordinated Universal Time minus 5 hours during standard time.

APPLE BITES CALENDAR FOR

APRIL

BIRTHDAYS

  3 - Bob Lewis - WMGM, WABC, WABC FM, WCBS FM, WNEW FM

  4 - Sam Rosen - Rangers announcer

  5 - Gary Stevens - WMCA

  5 - Bryan Wilson - WABC, WHTZ

  7 - Freddie Colon  - WKTU, WRKS, WQHT, WQEW, WKTU, WSKQ, WTJM,                                                                     WNEW FM

  8 - J.J. Jackson - WABC FM, MTV

  8 - John R. Gambling - WOR, WABC

  9 - John B. Gambling - WOR

11 - Gil Gross - WPLJ/WABC

12 - Dan Neer - WNEW FM, WAXQ, WFNY

15 - Art Ford - WINS, WNBC, WNEW, WNTA, WPIX FM

15 - Jerry Marshall - WNEW, WMGM, WCBS

15 - Shelli Sonstein - WPLJ, WAXQ

15 - Ron Parker - WCBS FM

16 - Milton J. Cross - Voice of the Metropolitan Opera (1931 - 1973)

16 - Anita Bonita - WHTZ, WNEW, CBS Sports, WDBZ, WYNY

17 - Boomer Esiason, WFAN

17 - Steve Somers - WFAN

17 - Alipio Coco Cabrera - WCAA, WADO

18 - Todd Pettengill - WPLJ

18 - Alix Quintero - WXNY (PD)

19 - Cipha Sounds - WQHT

20 - Richard Neer - WNEW FM, WFAN

20 - Ed Osborne - WCBS FM

22 - Alex Sensation - WSKQ

25 - Edward R. Murrow - CBS Radio News

25 - Robert Q. Lewis - WNEW

26 - Jim Nettleton - WABC, WPIX FM

26 - Maria Milito - WAXQ

27 - Les Keiter - WMGM Sports, Yankees, Giants, Knicks, Rangers announcer

27 - Charlie Burger - WKTU, WCBS FM

27 - Herb Barry - WLTW

27 - Lenny Bloch - WCBS FM (APD)

28 - Rosemary Daniel (Size 9) Wife of WCBS FM's Dan Daniel

29 - Dick Lynch - Giants announcer

29 - Marc Coppola - WPLJ, WAPP, WXRK, WAXQ

30 - Bea Wain - WMCA, WABC

30 - Ted David - WPIX FM, ABC Radio Network, WNSR, CNBC TV, WINS

DEATHS

  5 - Howard Clark - WWDJ - 2009

  7 - Cleo Rowe - WBLS, WPLJ - 2010

  7 - Jim Branch - WABC, WPIX FM, WRFM - 2011

  8 - Gene Klavan - WNEW - 2004

  9 - Sandy Becker - WWRL, WNEW - 1996

10 - Long John Nebel - WNBC - 1978

10 - Eddie O’Jay - WLIB, WWRL - 1998

13 - Fred Facey - NBC announcer - 2003

14 - Les Keiter - WMGM - 2009

15 - Merle Harmon - New York Jets Broadcaster - 2009

19 - Russ Hodges - Yankees and Giants (baseball) announcer - 1971

20 - Tedd Lawrence - WINS, WMGM, WMCA, WABC, WABC FM - 1999

20 - Jim Donnelly - WNEW, WCBS - 2002

22 - Gene Edwards - WMGM, WTFM, WQEW - 2001

23 - Howard Cosell - ABC Radio Sports - 1995

24 - Steve Lundy - WNBC - 1999

25 - Roger Troutman - WRKS - 1999

26 - Bob Dayton - WABC - 1995

27 - Edward R. Murrow - CBS Radio News - 1965

27 - Ron O’Brien - WXLO, WNBC - 2008

28 - Enoch Gregory (The Dixie Drifter) - WWRL - 2000

RADIO ANNIVERSARIES

  1 - WMCA debuts rock format - 1958

  1 - WWDJ switches from rock to religious - 1974

  2 - CBS becomes first 24-hour radio network - 1973

  2 - Joey Reynolds does last show at WOR - 2010

  3 - Murray the K leaves WNBC - 1974

  3 - WSKQ (620 AM) changes call letters to WXLX - 1995

  7 - WNEW FM plays 2-millionth song (God Gave Rock & Roll To You - Argent) - 1986

  8 - Gary Stevens starts at WMCA - 1965

  9 - Pat St. John starts at WPLJ - 1973

  9 - WBGO (88.3 FM) changes format to Jazz - 1979

  9 - WDBZ becomes WBIX (105.1) - 1998

10 - AFTRA strike ends - 1967

10 - The short-lived “Blink” format debuts on WNEW FM (102.7) - 2003

11 - Norm N. Nite starts at WCBS FM - 1973

11 - Scott Shannon starts at WPLJ - 1991

12 - WTJM (105.1 FM) switches call letters to WWPR - 2002

12 - Don Imus does last show at WFAN - 2007

13 - Music ‘Til Dawn with host Bob Hall premiers on WCBS (880 AM) - 1953

14 - WPIX FM switches from new wave back to pop - 1980

17 - Bob Sheppard debuts as Yankee Stadium announcer - 1951

17 - WRFM (105.1) switches from beautiful music to soft rock WNSR - 1986

17 - Bob Grant does last show at WABC - 1996

17 - Last broadcast of the Mutual Broadcasting System - 1999

19 - WINS drops Top 40 and goes all news - 1965

22 - Soupy Sales starts at WNBC - 1985

22 - Paul “Cubby” Bryant starts at Z-100 (WHTZ 100.3 FM) - 1996

27 - Meteorologist Craig Allen starts at WCBS - 1981

28 - Herb Oscar Anderson starts at WMCA - 1958

28 - WEVD (1050 AM) changes call letters to WEPN - 2003

30 - First “Arthur Godfrey Time” on CBS Radio - 1945

30 - Last “Arthur Godfrey Time” on CBS Radio - 1972

30 - WOR moves to 111 Broadway - 2005

APPLE BITES CALENDAR FOR

MAY

BIRTHDAYS

  1 - Mike Fitzgerald - WHN, WCBS FM, WLTW

  1 - Al Meredith - WCBS FM ND

  2 - Sam DeLuca - Jets announcer

  2 - Bernard Meltzer - WMCA, WOR

  2 - Steve O'Brien  - WABC, WYNY and elsewhere!

  4 - Gene Klavan - WNEW, WOR

  4 - Ed Baer - WMCA, WHN, WYNY, WCBS FM

  5 - Ted Brown - WOR, WNEW, WMGM, WNBC

  5 - Al Derogatis - Giants football announcer

  5 - Steve Clark - WMCA, WOR FM, WCBS FM, WPIX FM, WWDJ

  6 - Sandy Jackson - WLTW

  7 - Cheryl Santarelli - wife of APPLE BITES editor Vince Santarelli

  7 - Win Elliot - Voice of New York Rangers

  7 - Jim Lowe - WNEW, WNBC

  7 - Tony Mascaro - WPLJ MD

  8 - Bill Lee - WKTU, WCBS FM

  9 - Ken Dashow - WAPP, WNEW FM, WAXQ

10 - Scott Muni - WMCA, WABC, WOR FM, WNEW FM, WAXQ

10 - Pat Summerall - WCBS

10 - George Taylor Morris - WWDJ, WPIX FM

10 - Bob Buchmann- WAXQ (PD)

13 - Rob Miller - WKTU (PD)

16 - Bobby Konders - WBLS, WQHT

19 - Michael and Patrick Harrison - sons of Harry Harrison

20 - Stan Lomax - WOR sports

20 - Bobby Murcer - Yankees announcer

21 - Jack Kratoville - WLTW

22 - Mike Breen - radio voice of New York Knicks

23 - Arch McDonald - Giants baseball & Yankees announcer

23 - Ed Salamon president of Unistar (former PD of WHN)

24 - Valerie Smaldone - WLTW

25 - Champaine - WBLS

25 - Lindsey Nelson - voice of the Mets 1962 - 1978

25 - Rosko - WNEW FM, WQIV, WBLS, WKTU

29 - Frank Morano - producer of WABC’s Curtis & Kuby & Sat. Nite Oldies

30 - Herb Oscar Anderson - WABC

31 - Ross Britain - WABC, WHTZ

DEATHS

 3 - Robert Alda - WEVD (Father of Alan Alda) - 1986

 4 - Ernie Harwell - Giants baseball announcer - 2010

 9 - Graham McNamee - WEAF - 1942

 7 - Don McNeill - ABC Radio Breakfast Club - 1996

 9 - Paul Sherman, WINS - 1983

10 - Ed Jordan - WABC staff announcer - 2004

17 - Long John Wade - WCBS FM - 2006

19 - Henry Morgan - WMCA, WOR, WNBC - 1994

20 - “Pretty” Patti Harrison - wife of Harry Harrison - 2003

24 - Bernice Judis - WNEW (GM) - 1983

25 - John Scott - WCBS FM - 2005

31 - Scott Vincent - ABC Staff Announcer - 1979

31 - Arlene Francis - WOR - 2001

RADIO ANNIVERSARIES

  1 - WBBR changes call letters to WPOW - 1957

  3 -  Beautiful music WTFM changes to Album WAPP - 1982

  5 - John R. Gambling rejoins WOR - 2008

  7 - Dan Ingram does his last show at WABC - 1982

  7 - WYNY (107.1 FM) drops country format - 2002

  8 - Top 20 Countdown debuts on WCBS FM - 1982 (year was 1963)

  8 - Rhumba 107.1 debuts on 107.1 FM - 2002

  9 - Alan Freed does last show at WINS - 1958

  9 - Start of automation on WRFM (105.1) - 1967

10 - The music dies at WABC - 1982

14 - Ron Lundy starts at WCBS FM - 1984

15 - WJZ moves to New York City - 1923

15 - Peter Tripp of WMGM found guilty of 35 counts of “commercial bribery” - 1961

17 - WJRZ Country becomes WWDJ Top 40 - 1971

18 - Bobby Jay starts full time at WCBS FM - 1986

19 - Alan Freed, Mel Leeds and Tommy Smalls indicted on payola charges - 1960

20 - WRCA becomes WNBC (660 AM) - 1960

20 - Dennis Quinn starts at WPIX FM (101.9) - 1971

22 - Dave Herman starts at WNEW FM (“Hello It’s Me” - Nazz) - 1972

24 - K-Rock returns to 92.3 - 2007

25 - Champaine starts at WBLS - 1983

26 - Dan Daniel starts at WCBS FM - 1996

26 - WNWK (105.9) changes from multicultural to Spanish - 1998

27 - WCAA switches to “Reggaeton” format as “La Kalle 105.9 - 2005

28 - WINS (1010 AM) - WMGM (1050 AM) Charles DeGaulle prank - 1958

29 - Jack Spector starts at WMCA - 1961

29 - NBC’s “News & Information Service” signs off - 1977

31 - WFNY changes call letters back to WXRK - 2007

APPLE BITES CALENDAR FOR

JUNE

BIRTHDAYS

  1 - Paul “Cubby” Bryant- WHTZ, WKTU

  5 - Dennis O’Mara former WCBS FM Afternoon Traffic Reporter

  5 - Eric Wellman - WAXQ (PD/MD)

  6 - Larry Berger - WPLJ (PD)

  6 - Kevin Metheny - WNBC (PD)

  7 - Quincy McCoy - WKTU, WXRK, WNEW, WQCD, WBLS

  8 - Dave Jennings - Jets, Giants football announcer

  9 - Jessica Ettinger - WYNY, WWPR, WPLJ, WLTW, WBBR, WINS

10 - B. Mitchell Reed - WMCA

11 - Peter Tripp  - WMGM

11 - Long John Nebel - WOR, WNBC, WMCA

11 - Jeff Miles - WPLJ

12 - Marv Albert - THE Voice Of The Knicks And Rangers and now the Nets

14 - Gus Gossert - WCBS FM, WPIX FM

16 - Jay Sorensen - WNBC

16 - Alan Ross - WPIX FM, WPAT, WNSR, WMXV, WYNY (Y-107)

17 - Joe Persek - WXLO (MD)

18 - Russ Hodges - Yankees & Giants baseball announcer

20 - Victor Sosa - WLTW

21 - Merle Harmon - Jets announcer

21 - Moire Mason - WCBS FM (GM), WNEW FM (GM)

22 - Lee Arnold - WJRZ, WHN, WQEW, WNSW

24 - Jack Sterling - WCBS, WHN

24 - Don Davis - WMCA (Don Baldwin - WINS)

25 - Ron Lundy - WABC, WCBS FM

26 - Rick Sommers - WLTW, WNEW FM

26 - Tanya Simpson - WRKS

26 - Diana King - WBLS, WTJM, WRKS

29 - Bob Fass - WBAI

30 - Lori Jordan - WCBS FM Afternoon Traffic Reporter

DEATHS

  4 - Carol Reed - WCBS - 1970

  4 - Bob Fitzsimmons - WHN, WNBC, WNEW - 1993

  9 - Jack Lacy - WINS - 1996

10 - Lindsey Nelson - Voice Of The Mets - 1995

12 - Ted Cott - WNYC, WNEW (PD), WNBC (GM) - 1973

15 - Ronnie Grant - WWDJ - 1985

16 - Mel Allen - Voice Of The Yankees - 1996

18 - Nick Charles - WPIX FM - 2006

19 - Bill Martin - CBS Staff Announcer - 2011

22 - Rick Sklar - WABC PD - 1992

22 - Rick Shaw - WXLO - 1998

23 - Freddie Robbins - WOV, WHN, WINS, WABC, WNEW - 1992

26 - Stan Lomax - WOR - 1987

28 - Howard the Cab Driver - WPLJ - 2010

29 - Bob Ortiz - WPLJ - 2010

30 - Galen Drake - WJZ, WCBS, WOR - 1989

RADIO ANNIVERSARIES

  1 - WRCA Changes call letters back to WNBC - 1960

  1 - Don Imus starts in radio at KUTY (Palmdale, Ca) - 1968

  2 - Alan Freed starts at WABC - 1958

  2 - Bobby Jay starts the “New York Oldies Party” on WCBS FM (later known as   “Juke Box Saturday Night”) - 1995

  3 - WCBS FM (101.1) changes to the “Jack” format - 2005

  4 - WNBC FM (97.1) switches format to “The Rock Pile” - 1973

  4 - WNWK changes call letters to WCAA - 1998

  4 - WPAT (930 AM) sold to Multicultural Broadcasting - 1998

  5 - WHOM (Spanish) becomes WKTU (Mellow) - 1975

  7 - Last Radio Greats show on WCBS FM (Dick Heatherton) - 2009

  8 - Dan Ingram does last show at WCBS FM - 2003

12 - Monitor debuts on the NBC Radio Network - 1955

12 - Citadel takes control of Disney/ABC radio stations - 2007

13 - WBAM becomes WOR FM - 1948

14 - WNJR changes call letters to WNSW - 1999

15 - NBC Blue Network becomes ABC - 1945

16 - Bob-A-Loo joins WABC - 1962

17 - Joe McCoy’s leaves as PD at WCBS FM - 2004

18 - NBC’s Monitor program expands to 8 AM Saturday to Midnight Sunday -                    1955

18 - WNBC FM becomes WNWS - 1975

19 - WMCA begins using “The Good Guys” - 1962

23 - Don McNeill debuts as host of The Breakfast Club - 1933

29 - Wolfman Jack does last show at WNBC - 1974

29 - Joe McCoy starts as WCBS FM PD - 1981

30 - WPLJ switches from AOR To Top 40 - 1983

EDITOR'S NOTE

Well, we made it through the winter. Probably one of the mildest winters I can  ever remember. Only used the snow blower once. And now it’s spring, flowers are blooming, my grass is growing again and baseball is back. I love baseball. Out of all the sports, that’s the one I could never do without. So here we go again. Go Yankees! I am now entering my 51^st year as a Yankee fan. Yanks on WCBS, Mets on WFAN. Let’s hope it’s a good season for everyone.

Vince Santarelli

Editor

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