it-registrationsstlmediahistory

When a group of local businessmen got together to build St. Louis’ “superstation” in 1925, their agreement included a chance for some corporate self-promotion.

That superstation went on the air December 24, 1925 with the call letters KMOX, but this wasn’t the set of call letters the organizers had wanted. Their group was called “The Voice of St. Louis, Incorporated,” so they sought KVSL. This request was turned down by the federal government. The group responded with a second request, this for KMO. The government had already assigned those letters to a West Coast maritime station. Finally, on the third attempt, the local group got what they sought, and KMOX was assigned to St. Louis in early December.

This group of men realized the promotional power of radio in that era. There were already several stations operating in St. Louis: KSD, KFUO, WEW, WSBF, WIL, KFQA, WMAY, KFVE and KFWF. Of these, WEW was owned by St. Louis University, KFWF by the St. Louis Truth Center, KFUO by the Lutheran Church, WMAY by the Kingshighway Presbyterian Church and KFQA by The Principia, all of which were non-profit institutions. Although some people felt the use of the public radio waves for advertising was not appropriate, many stations had been doing it since 1922 when WEAF in New York set the precedent.

So the new radio station, KMOX, would have the power to reach large audiences throughout the Midwest during the day and across the nation at night. While the investors were portrayed as civic-minded folks who wanted to put St. Louis on the map with the new station, a second motivation became obvious early in 1926. It was then that the regular program schedule of KMOX was announced.

Beginning January 4, entire program blocks were allocated to the companies that had invested in the Voice of St. Louis. The Merchants Exchange provided live reports throughout the broadcast day, with live coverage of the closing. The St. Louis Globe-Democrat provided news updates from the Associated Press. Brown Shoe Company had a program for children Monday and Friday nights at 7:00, featuring Buster Brown and his dog Tige. This was followed by F.C. Taylor Fur Company’s program of “interesting features.”

A Globe-Democrat article also told of an afternoon show “of particular interest to women” presented by the C.F. Blanke Tea and Coffee and Candy companies. “There will be short talks on problems peculiar to the housewife and the care of the household. These talks will be interspersed with musical numbers.”

Another investing corporation, Stark Brothers Nurseries and Orchards, tried to apply a weekly program revolving around a schoolhouse theme to their business. “The schoolmaster will discuss with his ‘class’ problems that relate to the planting of fruit trees, the planting of gardens, the care of the lawn and landscaping of yards and estates. Messages from Luther Burbank and other nationally known figures will be incorporated into the work of the ‘school.’ Many interesting romances of the fruit world will be discussed.”

The concept of sponsored hours proved successful. A year later, program listings indicated many of the same shows were still running. The early investors in KMOX really got their money’s worth, with their advertising messages broadcast to the masses.

(Reprinted with permission of the St. Louis Journalism Review. Originally published 12/00)

WIL-AM will be remembered for many things. It was the second station on the air in St. Louis (ed. note: Not true), going on the air in 1922. It was the first station west of the Mississippi River to air commercials for businesses. It had the first “man on the street” broadcasts with someone with a microphone outside, talking to people on the sidewalk about events of the day. They were the first station to carry the St. Louis Cardinals Baseball games (ed. note: Not true).And at one time they were the number one rock ‘n’ roll station. WIL-AM also has a rich history in St. Louis country music. In the early days they presented shows by many of the best bands and singers in the area on regular programs. Then came the time that they changed the face of country music in St. Louis.

In early 1968 WIL-AM was broadcasting an all-news format competing with KMOX. Tom Perryman, the manager at the time, convinced the owners to switch to a full-time country music format. He hired the most prominent program director in the nation, Chris Lane of WJJD in Chicago. Chris was also a great DJ, now a member of the Country DJ Hall of Fame. Perryman gave Chris a free rein to assemble the best DJs in the business to staff the station. It was a search that started in January of 1968 and took until June of that year. Chris was quoted as saying, “I took my time finding just the right guys until I felt I had the cream of the crop in DJs to really make an impact on the market!” All the DJs but one were rated number one in their respective markets.

The first was Davie Lee from Dallas, who was also named music director. That meant he was responsible for all the music to be played on the station. For about a year, Davie did the overnight show before moving to the 10 to 2 slot for the next 20 years. Next was Dick Byrd from San Diego, the morning man from 5 – 9 a.m. Chris did the 9 to 11 a.m. slot.

Then there was Dan Daily from Charlotte, N.C., to handle 11 to 3 p.m. Walter Vaughn from Dallas was a late addition to do the 3 to 7 p.m. show. Mike Haines from Knoxville, TN. was chosen to do the 7 p.m. to midnight shift. Today these guys are still close friends and admit it was the most fun they’ve ever had in radio.

WIL-AM immediately became the number one country music station in St. Louis and was named the number one country music station in America in 1969. After leaving WIL to buy into a radio station in San Jose, CA., Chris Lane was replaced by Larry Scott  from WLAC in Los Angeles. He is also a member of the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame. After him the following men were program directors at WIL: Tom Allen, Walt Turner and Mike Carta. Under their leadership the station continued to prosper.

There came a time that FM radio became more and more popular, and WIL-FM also became a full-time country music station.

After some time, the ownership decided to go with only WIL-FM and bought out the AM DJs, changed the call letters to WRTH and became the “middle of the road” format station that it is today. WIL-FM was a huge success and became the number one rated station in St. Louis, which it still is today (ed note: Not true).

Although it no longer is playing country music, the “old” WIL-AM with its dream team line up of DJs with their great visibility in the area, the Shower of Stars at Kiel Auditorium with all the great stars from Nashville, is still fondly remembered as the best thing to have ever happened for country music in St. Louis.

(From Gateway Country Music Association Who’s Who).

If you’re tired of hearing the same old thing on the radio, even if it is your favorite tunes, or if you would like to take a breather from commercials, you might want to check out radio station KDNA-FM at 102.5 on the FM dial.

KDNA is a non-commercial, listener supported station that plays just about every kind of music imaginable, mixed with talk about a variety of topics.

On KDNA you will hear country and bluegrass music mixed with Beethoven, the Beatles, jazz and folk singers from foreign countries. Of special interest might be Jeff Cook’s Bluegrass Show where you often will catch local groups playing live in the KDNA studios.

KDNA is supported entirely by its listeners, one of only eight stations in the country that operate that way. They are also interested in listeners’ ideas for programs. So tune them in, give a listen, and give them a call about what you think. It will certainly be radio like you have never heard before.

(Originally published in C&W Music 7/5/1972).

Ed Wilson was big in St. Louis radio for a number of years. And he was very big in person too, tipping 300 pounds at several points in his life.

When he joined KWK radio May 25, 1942, the country was involved in a far-away war. He had been heard previously over one of the NBC networks broadcasting from WLS in Chicago. His friendly, folksy patter kept his listeners in the St. Louis area company as he broadcast from the KWK studios in the Chase Hotel. Spinning records was always an integral part of his radio shows, but Wilson’s signature trait was his ability to talk with his listeners, just as though they were sitting across the kitchen table from him. Under the ownership of the Convey family, KWK had long been a radio staple in the market, providing a variety of entertainment. Wilson’s personal approach was a perfect fit.

And in the pre-rock-and-roll days, his popular music had its share of young listeners, as well as housewives. In 1957, that appeal to youth was instrumental in his being hired as the first host of KSD-TV’s “St. Louis Hop.” His TV career was short-lived, but it was a stepping stone to his next radio gig, KSD, which he joined in August of 1958.

And then something happened. Ed Wilson was bitten by the wandering bug. It’s not known why he came to the conclusion he did, but Wilson decided it was time to make his move in 1960 to head for Hollywood. He and KSD reached an agreement whereby Ed would record his program in California and put the tapes on a plane, assuring St. Louis delivery in time to be aired the following day. It was an arrangement that was bound to fail, and when it did, Ed Wilson’s voice left the St. Louis airwaves.

As Globe-Democrat TV-Radio editor Pete Rahn wrote, “Personally, I’m sorry to hear that the familiar voice of Ed Wilson will no longer be coming into our homes and autos…Like him or not, you must agree that Wilson’s shows were always high class. Pleasant music and chatter. Maybe a bit old hat at times, but always clean.”

Within a couple years the Wilson family was back in St. Louis, the California effort having failed. He joined WIL in 1962, quitting two years later when management changed, making a move to WEW. After six years there he returned to WIL, a job he held until his death from a heart attack in February of 1975.

In his nearly 30 years in St. Louis radio, Ed Wilson wisely cultivated a lucrative side income stream doing voiceover work for commercials. He also tried his hand at early syndication of radio features, but the reality was that Ed was appreciated for what he did in St. Louis radio and never caught on outside of the market.

At one point while at KWK, he received over 16,000 listener letters in one week. His local programs produced direct results for his advertisers, and in the business of radio, that is what really mattered.

Newsman by heritage as well as training and experience is John McCutcheon Raleigh, author, foreign correspondent, and new KMOX news reporter and analyst. Raleigh is heard on KMOX’s “Headline Highlights” broadcast Monday through Saturday, 7:45-8:00 a.m., and Sunday through Friday at 12 noon. The former is sponsored by the Griffin Manufacturing Company and Bond Clothing Company while the noon commentary is presented in behalf of Planter’s Peanuts and Peter Paul, Inc.

Born in Helena, Montana, Raleigh attended Purdue and Columbia Universities, after which he did free-lance magazine articles, short stories and radio scripts, later joining the foreign staff of several prominent newspapers.

When the war broke out, Raleigh went to the front with the German armies, presenting international broadcasts as well as continuing his newspaper reporting. He made a careful study of the German army, its organization, its guarded military secrets, and its weaknesses. One of the reports he later made regarding this military machine was used as a supplementary textbook in military courses in this country.

Raleigh also delved deep into the home life of the German people, learning their problems, the truth about the food stored away, the graft and cruelty, the deeds of the SS, its creed and code in Poland, Czechoslovakia, and in Germany itself. This intensive study resulted in the keen insight into Germany revealed in his book, “Behind the Nazi Front,” and in such magazine articles as the Saturday Evening Post’s “Your Son Will Not Return! Heil Hitler!” and Readers Digest’s “Eye Witness Brutality.” A similar study of events in the Pacific led to another book about that area, “Pacific Blackout,” when Raleigh later went to that theater of operations.

Raleigh was CBS correspondent in Bavaria, Java, as well as head of the United Press Bureau in the Netherlands East Indies. Early in January, 1942, he was assigned to Darwin, Australia, and as the war progressed, his reports emanated regularly from Sidney, Melbourne, and from General MacArthur’s headquarters, to which he was attached.

Raleigh’s news career has carried him to the exciting, event-packed areas of the world. In Europe, he watched the ebb and flow of the battle for Gydnia, entered Warsaw where he met and talked with Hitler, was one of two American correspondents detained by the Gestapo in Munich the day after the Burger Kraukeller (beer hall) explosion there. In Shanghai, he served as a member of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps when the Japanese were starting their pre-war “bombing incidents,” was in Hongkong and Amoy, China; in Manila; in Tarakan, Borneo; Palembang, Sumatra; Singapore, Surabaya, and countless other centers of news activity.

Raleigh’s postwar career centers around an intense study of world developments, built upon the intimate knowledge he has of countries. He is a man who lives his work and consequently is in great demand as a public speaker. In 1945, he spoke before 23 groups ranging from 25,000 people gathered at Wold Chamberlain Field for Army ATC ceremonies, to Rotary Clubs and school graduation exercises.

(Originally published in KMOX Mike 12/1946)

One of KMOX’ newest and most versatile personalities is Rex Davis, news reporter and analyst on the regular evening edition of “KMOX World News,” Monday through Saturday, 5:00 – 5:15 p.m., and the late evening commentary, “Rex Davis Views the News,” 10:05 – 10:20 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday versions of the former are sponsored by Studebaker Corp. while the nighttime commentary is presented in behalf of Standard Oil Dealers.

A veteran of fifteen years in radio, 35-year-old Rex Davis began his career as a singer and eventually his vocal talents were heard on the Columbia Network. Prior to his entry into radio in 1931, he had studied at both the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and the Cincinnati College of Music, occasionally appearing on musical programs over Cincinnati stations.

During one of these engagements a friend suggested that he take up announcing, which he did, starting on Station WCPO where his duties included everything from spinning records, to news shows.

It was during the great flood of 1937 that Rex Davis’ career as a newsman really began. During this emergency, WCPO, because of its good fortune in being on an emergency power loop, was for quite a time the only station in Cincinnati on the air. For two weeks he lived in the editorial rooms of the Cincinnati Post, broadcasting flood bulletins of every nature. This work won for him a position on the news staff of WCKY, where he remained from January, 1937, until joining KMOX in February, 1946. During his stay at WCKY, he was Chief Announcer and Program Director for two years – and News Editor for the remaining six. For eight straight years, in addition to other news shows, Rex Davis broadcast a daily quarter-hour news program at 8 a.m.

(Originally published in KMOX Mike 3/1946).