Courting Country

August 10, 1986 Ray Court probably still is most familiar as a genial KVI personality of the ’60s and early ’70s. But he’s very much in the radio listener’s ear, a booming bass voice on many radio commercials. He was also the owner of KRPM-FM, Tacoma country-music station, during its most dynamic growth
Court, under his full name, Ray Courtmanche, has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to purchase KJUN from Wes Monroe.
KJUN, a modest country-music station licensed to Puyallup, once was named KRPM-AM (way before the new owners of KRPM-FM got a different AM frequency and activated the name again).
Little more than two years ago, Ray and Cheri Courtmanche sold the AM station to Monroe and then focused on their two-year-old acquisition: KRPM-FM. A year ago, the Courts sold KRPM to Olympic Broadcasters, and it looked like they would retire.
In a month or two, he’s likely to be back in the business. “It’s a nice little radio station,” Court said. “I think I could make it better if I pumped a little money into it.”
Speaking of radio sales: Last week, Shamrock Broadcasting Co. Inc. said it had agreed to buy KQKT, Seattle, from Seattle Radio Ltd. Partnership for $7.5 million. Principal owner of KQKT had been Dennis Behan, owner of a Tucson, Ariz., radio station. He is retaining the Tucson station.
Behan had owned KQKT less than two years.
Steve Jacobs, a shareholder and general manager at KQKT, said there’s a good time to sell anything: “When someone offers a reasonable price, you sell.”
Behan acquired the frequency for $4.5 million, sold it for $7.5 million, but had limited income from commercials in the two years.
Shamrock Broadcasting is a subsidiary of Shamrock Holdings Inc., an investment concern owned by the family of Roy Disney, a relative of the late Walt Disney.
Also on the sales front: As KHIT management firms up an agreement for rented tower space on Capitol Hill, it is expected that the new owners, Gannett Broadcasting, may take over operation of the Bremerton-Seattle station Aug. 20.
Programming news
A new call-in talk show is scheduled to begin this weekend on KING-AM, 1090 kHz. Bob Brinker’s “Moneytalk,” airing from 1 to 4 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays, is live from New York City.
“Music from the Hearts of Space” is in reruns now, so if you check listings on Fridays and Saturdays, you can anticipate the mood that might be set with the new-age music. Themes range from feelings, such as one would encounter in the icy-cold North Country, to adventurous “Arabesque” themes. The program series is produced in San Francisco.
“Hearts” airs at 11 p.m. Fridays on KUOW, 94.9 mHz., and at 6 p.m. Saturdays on KPLU, 88.5 mHz.
Across the dial…
When Andy Barber packs it in, the dust doesn’t settle. Barber left KHIT last week for a new job in Jacksonville, Fla. Barber’s career has bounced him through dozens of cities, but after a seven-year absence, Barber returned to morning-show work in Seattle with a full-year commitment. The year was up July 4. Barber was gone July 27. . . .
George Harris, KING-AM assignment editor, has been named news director, working with Greg Tantum, now program operations manager. Harris will continue some reporting. . . . Joey Randall, formerly with KIXI-FM, has taken weekend work at KLSY-AM-FM. . . . Robert O’Brien, former personality on such stations as KKMI and KRKO, has taken weekend work on KVI. . . . Becky Brenner has returned to KMPS midmornings, from maternity leave. . . . Colleen Robbins, KMPS’s nighttime disc jockey, is due to take her maternity leave in midmonth. . . . Beth Albert has joined KMPS as a production assistant.