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KROQ-FM

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KROQ-FM
File:Kroq 2004.png
Broadcast areaGreater Los Angeles
Frequency106.7 (MHz)
(HD Radio)
Branding106.7 K-Rock
Programming
FormatModern rock
Ownership
Owner
KCBS-FM, KFWB, KLSX, KNX, KRTH, KTWV
part of CBS Corp. cluster w/ TV stations KCBS-TV & KCAL-TV
History
First air date
November 1962
Call sign meaning
KROQ = K-Rock
Technical information
ClassB
ERP5,500 watts
HAAT423 meters
Links
WebcastListen Live (96 kbit/s)
Websitewww.kroq.com

KROQ-FM is a commercial radio station located in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting on 106.7 FM to the greater Los Angeles area. KROQ-FM airs a modern rock music format branded as "106.7 K-Rock". The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of the popular, long running nationally syndicated show Loveline with Dr. Drew Pinsky and Stryker.

History

KPPC

Main article: KPPC (defunct)

Originally, 106.7 FM was KPPC-FM, owned by the Pasadena Presbyterian Church. They broadcast religious programming with a co-owned AM station. As the church encountered difficulties operating the stations, they sold the two stations to an outside company, Crosby-Avery Broadcasting, with the church retaining the right to broadcast its services over both stations. Until 1969, the station still broadcasted from the basement of the church.

In 1967, Tom and Raechel Donahue created a freeform progressive rock format at co-owned KMPX in San Francisco. KMPX became a big success, and in 1968, the Donahues were sent to Pasadena to introduce the format to the ailing KPPC-FM.

The following year, after a few bounced paychecks, dress code regulations and other rules changes, The Donahues and the disc jockeys at both KMPX and KPPC walked out on the stations in what was called by some at the time as "The Great Hippie Strike." The former KMPX and KPPC staffers were later hired at Metromedia-owned KSAN in San Francisco and KMET in Los Angeles. KPPC hired new staffers and kept the freeform format, though they floundered for several years following the strike. In 1969, the two stations were sold to the National Science Network.[citation needed]

In April 1970, the studios were moved out of the church basement. In September of that year, the FM transmitter was moved to Flint Peak, a mountaintop adjacent to Pasadena, and the station's power was significantly upgraded.

KROQ-AM and KROQ-FM

Country music station KBBQ (1500 AM) in Burbank became KROQ in September 1972, changing its format to Top-40 and hiring established disc jockeys from other stations1. The new KROQ called itself the "ROQ of Los Angeles". In 1973 KROQ's owners bought the struggling KPPC-FM from National Science Network, which was forced by the FCC to sell their stations due to compliance issues, changed the calls to KROQ-FM and hired Shadoe Stevens to create a new rock format described as high energy "all-cutting-edge-rock-all-the-time" and began simulcasting as "The ROQs of L.A.: Mother Rock!" (KPPC (AM) was sold to Universal Broadcasting, and remained on the air with its limited-schedule of Wednesday evening and Sunday operation until subsequent owners took the station — by then, KBLV — off the air permanently in 1996.)

The two stations were wildly successful initially with the new format, but poor money management by the general managers resulted in more bounced paychecks, and in 1974, Shadoe quit and the entire staff walked out, shutting the stations down. In 1976, the FCC ordered KROQ to return to the airwaves or surrender the stations' licenses. With barebones equipment, KROQ returned to the airwaves, broadcasting initially from the transmitter location, followed by a penthouse suite in the Pasadena Hilton Hotel, then across the street from the Hilton (117 S. Los Robles). At that time, Shadoe Stevens was re-hired as a programming consultant and air personality with others like Los Angeles radio legends "The Obscene" Steven Clean and Frazer Smith. At this time Rodney Bingenheimer also joined the station introducing many new and local bands, including The Sex Pistols, The Ramones and The Runaways on his Sunday night show.

The management of KROQ once again had problems maintaining payroll, and the staffers again quit, taking all of the station's records with them. Bingenheimer was the only one who stayed. KROQ scrambled to find new air personalities. One of the new on-air talents was Jed Gould, aka Jed the Fish, who is still with the station. Around this time, the owners pared down to one station when they sold the weak-signalled KROQ-AM, which switched to an ethnic format briefly, then went off the air in 1986 when the new owners lost their lease on the property where the transmitting towers were located.

By 1978, new wave and punk rock were becoming increasingly popular, and KROQ started adding more of it to their freeform format. Shadoe Stevens once again left the station and Rick Carroll took over as Program director in late 1979 and took the new music and combined it with a Top 40 formatic structure. Subsequently, KROQ became an even greater success. The "Rock of the Eighties" was born.

The station still mixed the new music of the Talking Heads and Blondie with established artists such as The Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Lynyrd Skynyrd, but by 1982, the station was full-fledged modern rock.

The station's proximity to Hollywood and the Los Angeles punk rock scene gave it a unique place in the development of the new wave and alternative rock genres, and KROQ quickly became one of the most influential radio stations in broadcast history, particularly when Carroll, as a consultant, took the "Rock of the 80s" format to other stations, including 91X in San Diego and The Quake in San Francisco.

In 1986, KROQ was purchased at a then record $45 million by Infinity Broadcasting, which merged with CBS in 1997, and is now owned by CBS Radio.

KROQ today

Originally located at 117 S. Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena, the station moved to 3500 W. Olive Avenue in Burbank in 1987 as part of the purchase agreement and to be closer to the music industry. In 2002, the station was moved to a facility at 5901 Venice Blvd. in Los Angeles to consolidate operations with Jack-FM.

Unlike most other (Class B, but with grandfathered greater than B facilities) FM stations in Los Angeles whose transmitters are atop Mount Wilson, KROQ's (Class B) transmitter is located on Tongva Peak (which replaced Flint Peak in Glendale at an altitude of 2500 ft), which results in somewhat weaker signal coverage.

In 2004, KROQ began broadcasting in HD Radio for a higher quality broadcast. On February 20 2006, KROQ added streaming music from the radio station to their website. On June 9, 2006, KROQ launched an HD sub-carrier, KROQ HD Channel 2, which now replicates the original Roq of the Eighties format. This somewhat justified the dropping of the long-running Flashback Lunch, until then nearly the sole remnant of the new wave and '90s modern rock days.

Personalities

The early success of the radio station can be attributed to the station's almost anarchic beginnings, playing music that was not being aired anywhere else. The personalities and their willingness to explore and take risks led to the station's success among the young and burgeoning punk and new wave scene of the late-1970s and early-1980s. Rodney on the Roq was the original new music guru, while Richard Blade, Freddy Snakeskin, Dusty Street and Jed the Fish championed the burgeoning UK music scene. The promotion of the Poorman from local surf reporter to full-time air personality reflected KROQ's tradition of occasionally giving airshifts to fans of the radio station.

Awards

In 2007, the station was nominated for the top 25 markets Alternative station of the year award by Radio & Records magazine. Other nominees included WBCN in Boston, Massachusetts, KTBZ-FM in Houston, Texas, KITS, in San Francisco, KNDD in Seattle, Washington, and WWDC in Washington, DC. [1]

Past DJs

  • "Lawyer Lee" Albert - Provided legal perspective on "Loveline" (1986-89)
  • Roberto Angotti host of Reggae Revolution (1989)
  • Raymond Banister aka Raymondo (1980-2000, but left his airshift in the mid-1990s) He is now at Magic 99.1 KTMG in Arizona.
  • Dave Baxter aka Big Dave the KROQ Van Driver (1989-93)
  • Richard Blade (1982-2000)
  • Jack Blades (Weekends)
  • Adam Carolla Loveline, "Mr Birchum" on the morning show (1995-2005)
  • Christy Carter (1996 - 2001)
  • "The Obscene" Steven Clean (1976-80)
  • Carson Daly (1996)
  • Michael Dare (1981-85)
  • Dr. Demento (1970-71)
  • Gia DeSantis (1994-95)
  • Raechel Donahue (1984-86)
  • Eddie X (1985)
  • Mike Evans (1980-82, 1984-89)
  • Sam Freeze (1979-85)
  • John Frost (1987-99)
  • Don Fujiyama "Don Kohihuluhulu" also drove van before Dave (1984-89)
  • Ken Fusion (Ken Schneider) (1982-90)
  • Thomas "Guide" Gaither - Late nights / weekend afternoons (1992-96)
  • Artie "The Pain" Garcia (The Van Man)(2006)
  • Mark Goodman (1990s)
  • Mike Halloran (mid-1980s)
  • Quay Hays (1981-1985)
  • Tami Heide (1991-2004)
  • John "On the Roq" Hughes (1993)
  • J. J. Jackson (1987)
  • Wayne Jobson "Native Wayne" host of Reggae Revolution (mid-1990s)
  • Christopher "Van" Johnson (1986-91)
  • Brent Kahlen (1978)
  • Kennedy (1991-92)
  • Jimmy Kimmel "Jimmy the Sports Guy" on the morning show (1994-99)
  • Jack Koff (At Night)
  • Lewis Largent - Air Personality & (later) Music Director (1986-93)
  • Bobby Logan (1980-81) Wrote & performed comedy for Larry Woodside's morning show
  • John Logic (1982-86)
  • Alan K. Lohr (1979-81) Hosted the "International Experience" & "Rock & Roll Profile"
  • Katy Manor (1983-89)
  • Frank Martin (1980-1984) Director of Engineering and on air as "Jim Panzee" as a fill in personality and "Johnny Flannelmouth" on "Newsrag"
  • "Spacin'" Scott Mason (1979-2000), now Director or Engineering; West Coast at CBS Radio
  • Mr. Hand (1991)
  • Cindy Paulos (1979)
  • Cassandra Peterson "Elvira Mistress of the ROQ" (1982-83)
  • Tazy Phyllipz (1993-95) Promotions Assistant & occasional "Man On The Street" for Kevin & Bean.
  • Zeke Piestrup | Zeke (??-??)
  • Jimmy Rabbitt AKA Eddy Payne (1972-73, 1976-78)
  • Riki Rachtman Loveline (1993-96)
  • Sam Riddle (1970s)
  • Michael Ritto aka "Mike Raphone" (1978-79) Mid-day host on AM and FM, "The KROQ Lunch Special" program; Produced Rodney Bigenheimer's "Rodney on the Roq", and also worked as production director (wrote and produced the commercials and many of the station ID’s)
  • Robert Roll "Three Guys from Hollywood" "NEWSRAG" (1981-85)
  • Shana (1980)
  • Mark Silverman (1986-90) Did prank calls and impersonations on the Richard and Poorman Morning Drive show.
  • Lee Baby Sims (1960s/1970s)
  • China Smith (1973-74)
  • Frazer Smith (1976-80)
  • Matt "Money" Smith "KROQ Sports Guy" (1994-2005)
  • Freddy Snakeskin (1980-90, 1992-94)
  • Shadoe Stevens (1973-80) First air personality and founding program director.
  • Sly Stone (1970s)
  • Dusty Street (1979-86, 1987-89)
  • Swedish Egil (Egil Aalvik) (1983-90)
  • Jim Trenton ("The Poorman") (1982-93)
  • "Insane" Darryl Wayne (Darryl Wayne Wampler) (1976-81)
  • Pat Welsh also General Manager (1979-84)
  • Denise Westwood (1980-82)
  • Ian Whitcomb (Weekends - early 1980s)
  • April Whitney (1978-87, 1990-94)
  • Larry Woodside (1980-81, 1984-87)
  • The Young Marquis and Stanley (1977-83)
  • Dave Johnson (1070s)
  • Big Jim Wood

Concerts and communities

  • KROQ Calendar & New Music, a compilation of new singles that premiered in the subsequent year. (1995-present)
  • Rodney on the ROQ, Vol. 1 a classic punk compilation from KROQ's Rodney Bingenheimer.
  • Rodney on the ROQ, Vol. 2 more good punk from KROQ's Rodney Bingenheimer.
  • Rodney on the ROQ, Vol. 3 even more punk from KROQ's Rodney Bingenheimer.
  • At KROQ, a CD-single by Morrissey.
  • On KROQ's Loveline, CD by Hagfish
  • The Best of KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas, a compilation of concerts recorded at the Acoustic Christmas.
  • Time Bomb Recordings Kroq: B.O. Acoustic Christmas
  • Kevin & Bean's Super Christmas (2006)
  • Kevin & Bean's Christmastime In The 909 (2004)
  • Kevin and Bean: The Year They Recalled Santa Claus (2003)
  • Kevin and Bean: Fo' Shizzle St. Nizzle (2002)
  • Kevin and Bean: Swallow My Eggnog (2001)
  • Kevin and Bean: The Real Slim Santa (2000)
  • Kevin and Bean: Last Christmas (1999)
  • Kevin and Bean: Santa's Swingin' Sack (1998)
  • Kevin and Bean: A Family Christmas in Your Ass (1997)
  • Kevin and Bean: Christmastime in the LBC (1996)
  • Kevin and Bean: How the Juice Stole Christmas (1995)
  • Kevin and Bean: No Toys for OJ (1994)
  • Kevin and Bean: Santa Claus, Schamanta Claus (1993)
  • Kevin and Bean: We've Got Your Yule Logs Hangin' (1992)
  • Kevin and Bean: Bogus Christmas (1991)
  • Kevin and Bean: Feel the Warmth of Kevin and Bean's Wonderful World of Christmas (The White Album) (1990)
  • Kroqing in Pasadena, a single from XTC (198?)
  • Richard Blade's Flashback Favorites, Volumes 1-6 (1993)

References

  1. ^ "2007 Industry Achievement Awards". Radio and Records. September 28, 2008. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
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