July 6, 1986 – Bob Bingham, the man most responsible for churning up Puget Sound radio, is at it again.
Bingham acquired and sold within a five year period, four radio stations in Alaska and acquired two years ago and just last month agreed to sell, stations KBRO and KHIT.
Even before completing the transfer of those two stations, Bingham, as principal investor in BSB, Inc., is seeking control of KKFX, operating forlornly under orphan like control of a bankruptcy receiver for the past two years.
Bingham said “all the T’s were not crossed” for a quick transfer. Bingham said, however, that if transfer does go through he would retain the KKFX format, “just try and make it better.”
Larry Adams, general manager at KSEA, leaves this week to become chief operating officer of Renaissance Broadcasting, a new firm which has no radio properties now but expects to have a dozen or so AM and FM combinations within the next two years.
Kevin Cooney, station manager at KJR, becomes vice president and general manager of KSEA. Cooney previously worked at KSEA’s sister station, KIRO TV, in sales. Interim manager at KJR will be Dan Hern, a vice president of Ackerley Communications, who is manager of Portland stations.
Harold Greenberg, general manager of KTAC and KBRD since the K-Bird format took flight in the mid-1970s, is gone. Peggy Dempsey, who was sales manager at the station in 1983, is the new manager.
Stephen Rabow says goodbye; he’s off to tackle “the job of his dreams.” After dabbling in radio, most notably the Sunday night “House Party” on such stations as KYYX, KHIT, KNHC, Rabow has signed up with a Sarasota, Fl., firm operating restaurants/clubs and a professional basketball team.
Rabows job title alone is enough to cause envy among the dozen radio program directors he has encountered: Corporate Director of Creative Development and Programming.
The staff at KPLZ has been told that a morning team from Portland, going by the name Kent and Alan, will join the station July 14.
By far the most impactful part of Victor’s piece, and he missed the mark sometimes, is Kent And Alan joining 101.5. They would go on to make many millions for Golden West, Fisher, and Sinclair. Hope to have some early airchecks for you soon..Alan is on San Juan Island, enjoying life.
Bob Bingham’s company did acquire 1250 “K-Fox” KKFX which probably saved this station from it’s demise & true to his word, did keep the R&B/urban format in place on the station which I quite liked. Peggy Dempsey was brought in to manage 98.9 KEZX after the the soft rock/AAA/eclectic format got ejected in 1991 after owner Roy Park discovered the station was NOT airing an easy listening format. Under her management the station went back to airing easy listening for a short while was was not a success & brought further change becoming smooth jazz KWJZ.