KKMS (AM)
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|
Christian talk and teaching | |
Affiliations | Salem Radio Network SRN News |
---|---|
Ownership | |
Owner |
|
KDIZ, KYCR, WWTC | |
History | |
First air date | October 18, 1949 | (as WPBC)
Former call signs | WPBC (1949-1972) WYOO (1972-1976) WAYL (1976-1982) KKSS (1982-1984) KMFY (1984-1988) WAYL (1988-1990) KMZZ (1990-1993) KRXX (1993-1994) KEGE (1994-1996) |
Call sign meaning | Minneapolis-St. Paul |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 18518 |
Class | B |
Power | 5,000 watts |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live! |
Website | am980themission.com |
KKMS (980
The station uses a
. The station produces a local afternoon show, "Crosswalk with Lee Michaels."History
WPBC
The People's Broadcasting Company, founded by former
The Stewarts took a rather conservative approach in programming the station. They shied away from performers such as Elvis Presley and most early rock and roll music, which they described as "junky music with morally degrading lyrics." Their philosophy extended to commercials as well, to the point that they rejected advertising from beer and tobacco companies. Allegedly, the Stewarts would go so far as to use the sharp end of a compass to scratch away the grooves of tracks on albums that didn't meet their standards of "nice" music, in order to prevent rebellious DJs from playing them.
The daytime-only station expanded to FM when
In 1969, the AM and FM stopped simulcasting. The FM retained the "good music" format, while the AM shifted even further to adult standards.[6]
WYOO
The Stewarts, citing increased competition from larger companies, sold WPBC-AM-FM in 1972 to Fairchild Industries for $1.5 million. Fairchild subsequently dismissed the entire staff and overhauled both stations. On November 3, 1972, WPBC became WYOO, airing an oldies format, while WPBC-FM went off the air for technical adjustments, to emerge as album-oriented rock station WRAH.[7][8] One unusual program feature was newscasts that consisted of four and a half minutes of sports and a handful of news headlines—the opposite of most radio newscasts.[9]
After debuting to middling ratings that later declined, WYOO went in a new direction in April 1974, spearheaded by new general manager Mike Sigelman, the former sales manager of Top 40 outlet
WAYL and the Entercom years
In early 1976, Fairchild Industries decided to put both stations up for sale, and the pair were broken up. In February, the owners of KDWB (630 AM) purchased the FM facility for $850,000.[13] The AM station was then sold for $625,000 to Entertainment Communications, Inc. (which later became Entercom, now Audacy), owners of beautiful music/easy listening outlet WAYL (93.7 FM).[14] It was WAYL's interest in the AM frequency—sewn up first, but announced second—that led to a search for a buyer for the FM facility.[12] WYOO-FM became KDWB-FM on September 16, 1976, and WYOO (AM) became WAYL on September 20.[15]
WAYL (whose mascot was a
Hard rock
As the 1980s progressed, the easy listening format was fading in popularity. While it had long been a strong ratings draw across the country, advertisers began to shun the older
In December 1990, the AM station branched off from its FM sister again when the station picked up the satellite-delivered
When Entercom sold KRXX-FM to
Sale to Salem
After more than two years on the market, the AM station was finally sold in December 1996 to the
On January 18, 2015, KKMS rebranded as "The Mission".[21] Salem's Christian talk and teaching station in New York City, WMCA 570 AM, also calls itself "The Mission."
See also
Previous logo
References
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/KKMS
- ^ a b FCC History Cards for KKMS
- ^ "New City Station Broadcasts Today". Minneapolis Morning Tribune. October 18, 1949. p. 16. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Jones, Will (July 18, 1960). "More FM on the Way". Minneapolis Morning Tribune. p. 34.
- ^ "A new FM radio station..." The Minneapolis Star. July 14, 1960. p. 13B. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "WPBC Adult Radio Expands Programming Services". The Minneapolis Tribune. August 29, 1969. p. 19. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "'Scrapbook' shut by 'Golden Oldies' for WPBC radio". Minneapolis Tribune. November 4, 1972. pp. 1A, 7A. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "Twin Cities' AM-er Points To Nostalgia" (PDF). Billboard. November 18, 1972. p. 48. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Powers, Forrest (November 9, 1972). "WYOO Fills 'Gap' With Nostalgia". Minneapolis Star. p. 23B. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Letofsky, Irv (April 10, 1974). "WYOO to make nostalgia craze only a memory". Minneapolis Tribune. p. 10B. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Powers, Forrest (October 17, 1974). "Ear tuggers dabble in art". Minneapolis Star. p. 23B. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ a b Dave Hill (May 27, 1976). "Playing The Lame Duck Boogie At U100 Radio" (PDF). Sun. pp. 9, 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
- ^ "WYOO-FM is sold to KDWB owner". February 16, 1976. p. 9B. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. May 17, 1976. p. 34. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "WYOO signals taken over by KDWB on FM and by WAYL on AM". Minneapolis Star. September 16, 1976. p. 4C. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "WAYL changes format; Allard out". Minneapolis Tribune. March 2, 1982. p. 7B. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "Radio talk-show host commits suicide". Winona Daily News. Associated Press. June 2, 1982. p. 2. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Matheny, Dave (June 2, 1987). "'Adjustment' at KMFY leaves staff out of work". Minneapolis Star and Tribune. p. 5B. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Holston, Noel (June 30, 1988). "Some WAYL fans not ready to rock 'n' roll". Star-Tribune. pp. 1E, 2E. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Roe, Jon (June 17, 1988). "Stars choose WAYL". Star-Tribune. p. 4C. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ Venta, Lance (January 18, 2015). "Mission Accomplished for Salem's WMCA & KKMS". RadioInsight. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
External links
- Official website
- KKMS in the FCC AM station database
- KKMS in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Right on Super U! Recalling U100
- Rob Sherwood's reflections of U100
- Radiotapes.com, featuring historic airchecks of WPBC, WYOO and other Twin Cities stations
- Pavek Museum of Broadcasting page on WPBC