Old Everett Station Gets A New name

February 3, 1985
There’s a new name for KRKO, 1380 kHz., Everett, one of the oldest broadcast facilities in the state. The new name is KBAE, which the owners hope will be pronounced “K-Bay.”
Niles Fowler, chairman of the board of First Pacific Broadcasting, licensee of KBAE, said the call-letter change was the first of many changes to take place at the station.

Changes include a new location for the disc-jockey studios and administrative offices in the Cascade Savings and Loan building at Hewitt and Colby Avenues.

As KRKO, the radio station was most often a property of the Taft family, pioneer broadcasters in the Puget Sound area. The station has gone through a series of owners in the past five years.

Fowler said the name change was made “on the recommendation of our friends in the business community and with the consultation of several community leaders and the local Chamber of Commerce.”

New managers at stations

Veteran managers bit the dust as ratings week rolled by.

Wally Nelskog, principal owner of KIXI, Inc., took over general-manager duties at KIXI-FM, and shook hands goodbye to Dean Smith, 47, who has had 30 years in broadcasting, including 23 years with KIXI.

Smith might be remembered best for his daily exposure as news anchor in 1969-70, when KIXI-AM-FM had a “News 90” format in morning drive time. Or, regrettably, he might be remembered for dressing as a Sasquatch for TV commercials promoting the “KIXI-Light” format.

His voice is heard frequently in commercials on KIXI and other stations. “I’ve never really gone out seeking voice work,” Smith said. “I will now.”

Nelskog, apparently concerned with low ratings for KIXI-FM, also sacked Bill Norton, program director and announcer, and introduced a syndicated music service which will return the station’s format closer to the contemporary soft-rock of “KIXI-Light” again. Jim Hawkins, KIXI-AM station manager and local sales manager, has been named manager of both KIXI-AM-FM and general sales manager.

Ron Norwood and KMPS parted company last week. Norwood had been program director for eight years, only occasionally doing fill-in air work. He plans to merchandise a computer software program for radio stations. The program, in place at KMPS-AM-FM, helps a program director scatter songs throughout the broadcast week, avoiding duplication, forestalling burnout. Norwood also plans a program for controlling stock in music shops and video stores.

Norwood is married to Patti Par, morning co-host on KMPS-AM.

Norwood said he was told “you can go, but Patti stays,” by Jim McGovern, KMPS general manager.

Program-director duties will be assumed by another member of the Affiliated Broadcasting chain.

Kevin Cooney, 32, has been named new manager of KJR, replacing Mac Steen, who held the post only a year. Steen had been absent for two months, and Lloyd Cooney, Kevin Cooney’s father and broadcasting consultant for Ackerley Communications, KJR licensee, had been filling in.

The younger Cooney has been in sales at KJR for eight years, including a recent appointment as sales manager. He expects little change in music programming but hopes to build a better understanding of the kind of station KJR is.

Twisting the dial

Gary Johnson, former announcer of University of Washington football at KOMO, has begun live sports commentary Mondays, airing within the morning “Bruce Murdock Show” on KLSY, and with repeats during Larry Snider’s afternoon segment . . .

Whatever became of Niles Fowler? KBAE /KRKO quickly restores programming after equipment heist, 1985