Back in 1989 I had decided that maybe I would be able to enlarge my collection of KFXM and K/men surveys. At this point I didn't have many surveys from before 1965 and a lot of gaps in surveys after 1973. One of the first steps I took was writing to radio station KRSO (sadly no longer KFXM) and received this response. I ran into this letter today while looking through some old files, so I thought I would share it. It was nice to get a response, but not the one I wanted. The blocked out section was my address at the time. Did not want whoever lives there now to get correspndence meant for me.
6 comments:
Terrible crime of sorts, having these giant multi-state corporations come in, buy a radio station and then simply dump everything from the previous station's incarnation into the trash!
You ought to have seen what Disney/ABC, Inc., did to KMEN when they bought it up. Following the failure of next phase KMRZ to make any saleable ratings, Dizzy came in with a bulldozer and leveled the remaining studios and offices, and left EVERYTHING from the old station's era -- files, records, tapes, carts, equipment, furniture, etc. It was all smashed up and left there for a very long time before they had the debris picked up for disposal. I know because I was there to witness how little the mega-corp. Disney/ABC thought of the station they had just purchased at that time. They only wanted (1) the transmitter, (2) the antenna radiating system, (3) the lease for the land, and of course, (4) the station license to broadcast what eventually became Dizzy kiddie radio by satellite, using the remaining hardware to broadcast that sugar-coated stuff locally.
A sad sad ending to an Inland Empire radio legend!
I agree with what the poster said about new owners trashing everything related from the previous station's operations they have purchased.
Taking it a step further, I witnessed an abrupt change in management from one time (in the 1970's) at a Northern Californian radio outlet (now defunct). I recall the new management came in one night and made a big effort to throw out all things from the previous mgr. and program director, including valuable awards, documents, plaques, records, surveys, pictures, you name it!
I later rescued some of valued items from the dumpster seeing they would be lost forever.
All we have are misty colored
memories of the way we were.
Luckily, they can't destroy that.
It's forever in our heads and
how great IE radio was at one time.
A mental treasure that will be obliterated on your last breath.
I'll smile till then.
I'll appreciate we have this website to remind us of the way we were.
Go Doug !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You said it man, great radio poet, thanks. And to Doug too for keeping some of those "misty colored memories" alive.
I'm amazed anyone remembers KMRZ. I try daily to forget it.
I air-checked KMRZ right after it's call sign turned from K-M-E-N. I had previously been able to capture one of the final broadcasts of K/men before their ID changed. The station's signal came booming up the Western coast around 0200 hours one early morning and I happen to catch it on my shortwave set. It was kind of like picking up XERB/XPRS back in the old days of border broadcasting that I'd enjoyed listening to so much. I remember phoning the DJ on duty to report how I DX'd radio 1290 that night.
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