KPEN Owner Pens Book About Iconic Station

4-10-15

In 1957, a pair of 21-year-old Stanford University students purchased KLX-FM, a small FM radio station licensed to Atherton, CA. The call letters were changed to KPEN and it went on to become one of the most important radio stations of the 1960s. One of the station's original student owners, Gary Gielow, has written a book about his experiences running this iconic radio station. The recently released, self-published book is entitled "The Story of KPEN - Atherton/San Francisco 1957-1968 - A Concept In Great Radio!"

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle's Ben Fong-Torres, Gielow said he and his business partner wished to work for themselves so they sought out to purchase a radio station. AM licenses were hard to come by, but at that time, FM licenses were plentiful, although within a year, all the FM licenses were also gone.

After creative differences about the station's future direction erupted, Gielow sold his share of KPEN in 1968 to his partner, James Gabbert. Soon after Gabbert changed the call letters of the station to KIOI, bringing an end to KPEN's historic run.

During the station's 11 years, it was the first west of the Mississippi to broadcast in stereo (starting in 1961) and the highest wattage station in the west (blasting out at 125,000 watts, starting in 1964). KPEN also was among the first to not use the FM signal as just a way to simulcast an AM signal, but rather Gielow and Gabbert programmed the station specifically to take advantage of the FM fidelity.

In his book, Gielow gives his memories of operating the station, as well as providing photographs and copies of newspaper articles about KPEN. The book is exclusively available through California Historical Radio Society website. Gielow is donating 100% of the proceeds to the Society. He said he was doing so to help give back for all that radio gave to him.

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Owner Of WHTG in New Jersey Dies

2-2-2015

Faye Gade, the owner of Jersey Shore radio station WHTG-FM has died, according to an article on Diffuser. Gade took over ownership of WHTG in the '80s from her parents and transitioned the signal to alternative rock in 1984. WHTG was one of the earliest alt rockers on the air in the US. According to the New Jersey Broadcasters Association, she died "after a long illness."

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Capital Broadcasting Owner Dies At Age 67

6-29-14

After a short battle with cancer, Capital Broadcasting's John Webb has died. Webb was owner and GM of KLO, KBZN, and KSQN in Salt lake City. A release from the company said, "John?s vision and dream of a family-run business that engaged its employees in a manner and style that was consistent with his personality, made the Capital Broadcasting group of stations a desirable place at which to work and excel. In a post-consolidation era, there are few remaining family-run radio stations. Capital Broadcasting is committed to retaining the independence that John Webb championed."

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(AUDIO) From Rising Star To Station Owner

1-21-14

34-year-old Mark Porter appeared on Radio Ink's list of Radio's Rising Stars back in 2012. He was hosting a show for Natchez Radio Group on WQNZ in Natchez, MS. This past Friday, Porter informed Radio Ink he launched his own company and purchased his first radio station, KIOX in Edna,TX, near Houston. Back in 2012 Porter said, "If you want to become successful in the radio industry you have to build your own brand. We are all our own individual brand and we must grow that brand just like any other company. Most importantly you must find your own way of creating a connection with your listeners or fan base that can stand the test of time. They need to feel like they know you on a personal level, even if you have never met them before in your life. If you can find that special connection with your listeners you will have a long-standing career in radio." Porter is about to put his theory to the test. We spoke to Porter about his move into ownership. LISTEN HERE

Send a congratulatory note to Mark countryboyinc@att.net

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CRC Owner Picks up FM Translator

9-15-13

In what seems to be the continuing trend to fix the sound of AM Radio, CRC Broadcasting in Scottsdale Arizona Company, owners of long time Phoenix area radio station Money Radio 1510, KFNN debuts its simulcast on a translator at 99.3 FM Monday. CRC founder Ron Cohen says, "The addition of an FM translator simulcast not only provides listeners with greater access to hear Money Radio, but also comes at a strategically pivotal time in Phoenix radio. We?ve built our reputation on providing more useful information than just business news, said Cohen." Money Radio 1510 talks about Money.....how to make it, invest it, and how to be smart spenders of it. We will continue to serve the local community with our relevant and informative programing."

Cohen started KFNN 1510 in 1988 as one of the nation?s first radio stations to be programmed exclusively for business, financial, and investment related topics. Now in their 25th year, the Phoenix area's longest locally owned and operated radio station changed it's name in 2010 from  Financial Newsradio to Money Radio, rebranding the station to mirror it's acquisition of moneyradio.com. In March of 2012, CRC debuted Money Radio 1200 KPSF in Palm Springs, California, combining it with another local AM sports station, Team 1010 KXPS, which CRC acquired in November 2011. "Money and sports together provide an ideal and efficient combined reach for a predominant male 35+ audience". said Cohen.

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Long Island Owner Jack Ellsworth Dies

9-15-13

The former radio station owner was 91. According to Newsday he died from renal failure, almost two months after his wife of 61 years passed away. His son told Newsday, "He really died of a broken heart. They were inseparable." The two ran the independent radio station WLIM/1580 AM together from 1981 to 2001. After they sold the station, his show aired on WALK-AM. Ellsworth played big-band music on the Island for over half a century. (picture courtesy Newsday)

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Long-time Owner John Mahaffey Dies

8-6-13

Mahaffey started in radio working at KWTO in Springfield with his uncle Ralph Foster. In the late 1960?s, he branched out on his own purchasing his first station, KJPW in Waynesville. Mahaffey went on to acquire stations in New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana. His son Robert told Radio Ink yesterday his dad was a very demanding but fair leader, his integrity and honor were beyond reproach and he never accepted the status quo." Memorial services are pending.

Robert Mahaffey also said his father was not afraid tochange with the industry. "I would further state that although he was too humble of a man to admit it, he was one of the real radio pioneers starting out in the 50's through to his death. He looked for heritage or well-engineered facilities to operate that had history behind them.  People who knew him will remember him as a hard-nosed and demanding leader but at the end of the day, fairness and truth were two big words for him.  There are fewer and fewer folks like him left in our business. He worked in radio all the way through when all programming was live and often music was originated in the studio up to our current days of digital where everything is on a hard drive. Change is inevitable and he embraced that."

Reach out to Robert at rbmahaffey@sbcglobal.net

(8/6/2013 1:13:06 PM)
I met John when I interviewed with he & Robert back in 2000. He was a visionary, leader and a true operator, who had "been there, done that" for real.
I enjoyed meeting him and am sorry to hear of his passing. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

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Why I Became a Radio Station Owner

6-14-13

John Caracciolo started out in the radio business on the engineering side. He had some great mentoring along the way, a deep love for the radio business and the drive to be successful. Today, he owns nine radio stations, five in Florida and four on Long Island, including heritage Long Island Rocker WRCN, under the company name JVC Media. Caracciolo is a classic example of living the radio dream. And one of his goals is to "make radio local and community friendly once again." And, he's not the kind to sit in a corner office barking orders at employees down the hall. He's on the street with his people and his clients. Caracciolo's has an upbeat attitude and enthusiasm for radio that would make anyone believe radio is booming and only has blue skies ahead and we wanted to bring you his story. Here's our interview with the President/CEO of the JVC Broadcasting Company John Caracciolo. You can reach John to congratulate him on his success at John jcaracciolo@jvcbroadcasting.com

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Former Owner Arrested For Soliciting Prostitute

1-7-2012

77-year-old Tony Welch is the former owner of WROD in  Daytona Beach. The Daytona Beach News Journal is reporting that Welch offered an undercover policewoman $20 and said "I want everything." He didn't exactly get what he wanted. Police charged Welch with solicitation to commit prostitution and took him to jail. He posted $500 bail and was released.

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Owner Tom Anderson Dies at Age 72.

9-28-2012

Long-time radio station owner Tom Anderson died Thursday morning. Anderson was the owner of Eastern Utah Broadcasting.  His son Paul sent the following e-mail to a friend, "For many years my dad would wake up at 4:44 each morning and headed into work at around 5:45.  He passed away this morning surrounded by his family at around that same time.  If there is anything he ever was, it was consistent."

WIXE (Monroe, NC) President Archie Morgan said about Anderson, "He and I were both members of the International Broadcaster's Idea Bank and knew each other through Radio Conventions.  Tom was always helpful and we would always speak at these conventions but I really did not know him well or for many years.  This is why I was surprised when he reached out to me. A few years ago out of the blue Tom called me and said that he would be in Charlotte for a meeting and would I like to get together for dinner? You kidding me?  I jumped at the chance to spend time with Tom who forgot more than I'll ever know about this business. We had a great dinner and shared a lot of information with each other about our operations and about the business in general.  I recall not wanting to leave the restaurant. I often wondered why Tom would reach out to me like he did.  I am just a lowly one-station operator but, you know what,  I wasn't to Tom and I never forgot that. I will really miss him and am truly sorry for his passing."
Anderson owned Eastern Utah Broadcasting. He was adopted and raised by Jack Richards who owned the company before him. He was raised in Price along with a brother and a sister after their father left them. Tom's mother died when he was 17 years of age, leaving him with no place to live and a year of high school left to complete. He moved in with his newly wed sister and brother-in-law to complete high school. Shortly after the beginning of the school year his speech class teacher, Neil Warren told him about a part time job opening at the radio station and encouraged him to apply. Tom got the job and during the course of the year he and the childless Jack Richards became acquainted and they were impressed with his desire to leave to attend the University of Utah. Jack called an acquaintance, Slim Wycoff, who owned a trucking company in Salt Lake and arranged for a job for Tom. Following graduation from the University of Utah with a BS in Marketing, Tom returned to Price to serve as salesman/manager for the Richards.

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(AUDIO) The Extinction of the Independent Owner

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8-13-2012

With the Buckley sale to Clear Channel pending in New York City, another major market will lose an independent operator. It's no easy task trying to succeed in major markets against clusters able to deliver more listeners by bundling stations against you. The outspoken and colorful Saul Levine owns an AM and an FM in Los Angeles. Many of our readers know Levine is vehemently opposed to consolidation. So you may find it surprising that he approves of the Clear Channel purchase of WOR. In our interview, Levine discusses why he likes the deal, his thoughts on being an independent operator in the age of consolidation, and why he will never sell. Here's our interview

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Former Owner Gets Molestation Sentence Reduced

2-3-2012

In exchange for a plea, Judge Michael Barrasse shaved six years off the minimum sentence and 14 years off the maximum, resulting in a sentence of eight to 16 years, not 14 to 30 years for Doug Lane. Lane is the former owner of 3 radio stations in Scranton, WWDL-FM, WICK-AM and WYCK-AM.  

Lane was charged with molesting several teenage boys after befriending them, offering them jobs working at his radio stations. He also gave them alcohol. In a deal worked out with prosecutors,  Lane entered guilty pleas, dropping the claim of innocence he had at the trial that resulted in his conviction on two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and six counts of possession of child pornography.

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WWL Talker Takes Quarter Mil Loan From Landfill Owner

You always have to wonder whether taking money from a local politician has any impact on how you perform your job on the air. This story falls into that category. According to the Times-Picayune of New Orleans WWL's Garland Robinette received a $250,000 loan from the owner of a landfill, after Robinette regularly criticized the reopening of a city landfill to dispose of Hurricane Katrina debris. Robinette is the midday host of "The Think Tank" on WWL Radio in New Orleans. The feds flagged the money and interviewed Robinette several times in 2010 according to the paper. Federal authorities are investigating landfill owner, Fred Heebe, who is a personal friend of Robinette.

The Robinette story is the latest development in a two-year investigation of landfill owner River Birch. The paper says the company "allegedly paid $460,000 in bribes to a former state official to lobby for closing the Old Gentilly landfill. Heebe sought to close the Old Gentilly Landfill and the new Chef Menteur Landfill to increase River Birch's share of more than $175 million in disposal fees for at least 38 million cubic yards of hurricane debris. The paper says "in mid-2006, Robinette began raising environmental concerns about the two landfills in eastern New Orleans, focusing primarily on Old Gentilly, a former city dump that was reopened two months after Katrina to help dispose of storm debris. In a July 2006 show, Robinette implied that River Birch has a superior location because it is "very isolated" from homes and businesses in the Waggaman-Avondale area. But former state Department of Environmental Quality Assistant Secretary Chuck Brown, whom Robinette was interviewing, countered that 10,000 people live within a two-mile radius of River Birch, more than for the two eastern New Orleans landfills."

From mid-2006 through mid-2007, Robinette frequently raised environmental concerns about disposing of debris at Old Gentilly and the new Chef Menteur Landfill in eastern New Orleans on his "Think Tank" talk show. Asked whether the loan created a conflict of interest, Robinette's attorney told the paper Robinette "is certain that he never spoke about River Birch at any time after receiving the loan from Mr. Heebe." The paper says Robinette informed Entercom about the loan last year.

Read the entire story HERE

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WITZ/WQKZ Jasper Owner Earl Metzger Dies

The 69 year old owner and GM of the stations lost his battle with cancer. Earl Metzger owned and was general manager of WITZ and WQKZ and also owned WITY in Danville, Illinois at one time.  He was part-owner and president of the Holiday Liquors Store chain.Metzger was a member of the Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame of which he served as President of the Broadcasters Pioneers.  As a member of the IBA, he had served on the board as Secretary/Treasurer, President elect and President.  He was instrumental in formation of the IBA State-Wide Radio Network. Metzger was a member of the Jasper High School Class of 1960, graduated from the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science and attended Bellarmine College in Louisville, Kentucky.

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First Female African American Radio Owner Dies

Dorothy Brunson bought WEBB-AM in Baltimore in 1979 for $485,000. In 1990 she added WIGO-AM in Atlanta and WBSM-AM in Wilmington, NC. In 1990 Brunson sold WEBB for just under $4 million, WIGO for $3.6 million and WBSM $168,000. She also purchased a TV station in Philadelphia. Brunson died at the age of 72 from ovarian cancer. An excellent timelined article about Brunson's life can be found on the Baltimore Sun website

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Small Market Owner Hit With $15K Fine. Quarterly Issues Missing.

June 20, 2011

WLSW owner Stanley Wall fails to maintain the file and the commission slaps the big fine on the Scottsdale, PA operator. In response to a 2010 inspection Wall told the FCC some of the files were removed and he committed to replacing the files and putting together new files for the items he did not have copies of. The FCC returned for a follow-up inspection early this year and found the station was still missing 17 quarters. Wall told the commission the files were moved to storage and claimed that some of the files were damaged when a roof collapsed at the storage area. The commission didn't buy any of the explanations and hits Wall with a $15,000 fine.

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Station Owner Ends House Arrest. Now, 13 Years Probation

June 17, 2011

The state got its pound of flesh, the judge in the case told the courtroom. 58 year old WELE-AM (Daytona Beach) owner Doug Wilhite completed 14 months of a 2-year sentence for house arrest this week. In 2009, Wilhite was acquitted of charges he had sex with a 15-year-old boy. Then prosecutors filed new charges based on claims Wilhite got a group of teens drunk and encouraged them to engage in lewd acts.

Wilhite made a plea deal with prosecutors and 13 felony charges were dropped. Rather than face more than 60 years in jail Wilhite was sentenced to house arrest and probation for abuse and neglect. He was sentenced to house arrest and probation. The judge ended the house arrest 10 months early. Wilhite has been dealing with poor health having recently had a stroke and seizures. He now walks with a cane.

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KLAY Owner Clay Huntington Dies

Clay Huntington the 89 year old owner of KLAY Radio has passed away. Although Huntington had been hospitalized intermittently over the past seven weeks, his death surprised his family and friends. Huntington was a sports and civic icon in the Tacoma area. ?It?s a sad day for our community,? Tacoma sports historian Marc Blau told the local paper. ?When you think of how many people Clay touched, it?s amazing. He had a hand in politics, sports, broadcasting, civic affairs, you name it. And while there might be somebody who didn?t like him, I can?t think of one.?

Huntington had been hospitalized over the past seven weeks but his death surprised his family and friends.?I?m in shock,? Huntington?s son Ron told the News Tribune. ?I expected him to make a full recovery, because he remained sharp as a tack. But he started hemorrhaging Tuesday night ? he needed two units of blood ? and the doctors were doing tests to determine the cause when he went into cardiac arrest.?

Huntington?s interest in broadcasting began as a child, ?at the age of 10 or 11,? he recalled in ?Playground to the Pros: An Illustrated History of Sports in Tacoma-Pierce County.? By the time the former Lincoln High School student was 19, in the fall of 1941, he was conducting radio interviews on KTBI. Huntington would remain in the broadcasting industry for the next seven decades, working behind the microphone on radio and TV and, later, at KLAY, the Lakewood radio station had he owned since 1991. During the 1950s, Huntington and Rod Belcher re-created wire accounts of big league baseball games for a 14-station radio network in Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

In addition to his son Ron, Huntington is survived by his daughter, Cheryl. Huntington?s youngest son, Mark, died in 1996 after a long illness.

Our thanks to Bruce Bond, KLAY Radio Program Director and the News Tribune for sharing this story.

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