INCLUDING A FEW
FRINGE / RIMSHOT STATIONS IN A 100-MILE RADIUS
WEBSITE
ORIGINALLY FOUNDED AS KNUS99.COM IN NOVEMBER, 1999 INITIAL
RESEARCH AND CATALOGING BEGAN OCTOBER, 1984
A
COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT EACH DALLAS-FORT WORTH RADIO & TELEVISION STATION,
INCLUDING CALL LETTER HISTORIES,
OWNERSHIP, PERSONALITIES AND STAFF, FORMATS, DATES OF OPERATION AND STATION
LOGOS
PRESENTED
BY NORTH TEXAS HISTORIAN AND RADIO-HEAD MIKE
SHANNON
DISPLAYED
IN GLORIOUS .HTML BUILT
WITH, AND STILL MAINTAINED BY, NETSCAPE COMPOSER AND
MS OFFICE 2003 ON WINDOWS 95/98/XP
SYSTEMS
WEBSITE
PROFESSIONALLY HOSTED AND SECURED BY VIRTBIZ
Now
hosting the archives of "JIM
ROSE REMEMBERS RADIO" a
daily e-newsletter, blog and Q&A, 2004-2014, by
late Texas radio pro JIM ROSE Click
here
NEW!
Soon hosting the archives of "THROUGH
THE EARPHONES" a
weekly local radio/TV column in the Hurst-Mid Cities News-Texan,
1967-1969, by the late JAY WEAVER (Joe Fuchs) of
KBUY, KPCN and many other DFW-area stations
Who
is this website designed for? Click here
to find out!
INDEX
Station
histories:
All
Dallas-Fort Worth AM stations (1920-date:) Click here.(UPDATED
2024)
All
Dallas-Fort Worth FM stations (1946-date:) Click here.(UPDATED
2024)
All
Dallas-Fort Worth TV stations (1948-date:) Click here.(UPDATED
2024)
Station
tributes:
KBOX,
Top 40 & later a popular country station: Click
here KBOX
was one of the unsung heroes in DFW radio: First, as the only worthy
competitor to powerhouse KLIF from 1958-67, KBOX managed to carve a respectable
dent in KLIF's phenomenal ratings. By 1967, KBOX gave up the fight
and changed formats to country...becoming the first station in DFW to play
C&W 24 hours a day, and with a signal strong enough to penetrate the
entire Metroplex (during the day, at least!) ALLAN PECK, CHUCK DUNAWAY,
CHARLIE VAN DYKE, BOB WHITNEY, the late BILL WARD and a host of others
share their reflections of KBOX in the most intense station history undertaking
on this site! A history of predecessor KGKO is provided as well.
(UPDATED
2005; MORE TO COME EVENTUALLY)
KCPA,
first Texas radio station to lose its license: Click here KCPA-FM
was the first station in Texas to have its FCC license revoked. Former
jocks BOB FOX, BOB JOHNSTON, FRANK HALEY and JOHN LEMBURG provide insight
into the rise and fall of KCPA in a special report for DFWretroplex.com.
KDNT,
Denton's first station & springboard for future jocks: Click
here KDNT
was the first station to exclusively serve Denton County, just north of
Dallas. Read about radio vet GEORGE GIMARC's first professional radio
gig, and see where legendary country singer WILLIE NELSON used to work!
A complete timeline of the station's background from 1938-1993 is included,
along with stories, employee lists and historic photographs. MIKE
EHRLE, the late JAY WEAVER (JOE FUCHS) and the late LEE WOODWARD, along
with webmaster MIKE SHANNON and others, recall their time at KDNT, with
reflections and rare photos provided by late owner HARWELL SHEPARD and
by his son SANDY. (UPDATED 2014; MORE TO COME
EVENTUALLY)
The
"Death Roll" of local broadcasters, station management, staff, etc:
NORTH
TEXAS RADIO/TV DEATH ROLL: Click here A
directory of the late greats of north Texas radio and TV. More than
a staggering 1,800 names are included, along with each person's station
list, date of death, age and other information when known.
RUSS
BLOXOM, KXAS news anchor and reporter: Click here Former
news anchor/reporter RUSS BLOXOM reflects on his career in DFW radio and
TV...based on an unaired piece written for KXAS-TV's 50th anniversary in
1998, RUSS shares his memories of the radical changes that occurred in
local TV in the 1960s and 70s, along with recollections of covering major
news events such as the T. CULLEN DAVIS murder trials and the 1976 Republican
Convention. A photo tribute to RUSS's early days in radio is also
included.
DICK
RISENHOOVER, KDFW sports anchor & baseball announcer: Click
here A
tribute to the late DICK RISENHOOVER, who was a KDFW sports anchor and
voice of the Texas Rangers throughout most of the 1970s. RISENHOOVER's
exclamation of "Goodbyyyyye, baseball!!" after a home run is legendary
and fondly remembered by devoted Rangers fans. DICK'S long career
in Texas sports is explored, from his earliest days as a high school basketball
coach in Childress, to his first TV sports anchor position in Amarillo,
and to the height of his broadcast career at KDFW-TV and the Texas Rangers.
SUZIE
HUMPHREYS AND "NEWS 8 ETC...": Click
here The
quintessential "First Lady" of DFW radio and TV provides her memories of
Channel 8's live morning program, "News 8 etc..." SUZIE, also known
as RON CHAPMAN's longtime sidekick on KVIL, co-hosted "News 8 etc..." from
1970-74, and shares her photographs & recollections of the show and
her co-hosts, including the late DON HARRIS and GENE THOMAS.
CHIP
MOODY, news anchor for all seasons: Click here As
part of the RUSS BLOXOM section, a comprehensive biography of CHIP's years
in Texas television is included. CHIP was the first news anchor to
work at all three major TV stations in the DFW area. Follow the story
of CHIP's rise to the top of the local ratings, to a brief stay in Houston
television, and to a heralded return to DFW at WFAA-TV. Track Chip's
illness from its onset in 1986 to his untimely passing in 2001 at age 54.
BOB
SCHIEFFER, CBS news correspondent & former WBAP-TV anchor: Click here As
part of the RUSS BLOXOM section, read about BOB SCHIEFFER's earliest days
in broadcasting as a news reporter and anchor for local KXOL-AM and WBAP-TV.
RUSS BLOXOM recalls some tense moments when BOB was caught at the wrong
place at the wrong time--in a secured area of the Dallas Police Station,
escorting the mother of accused JFK assassin LEE HARVEY OSWALD!
HAROLD
TAFT, "The World's Greatest Weatherman": Click here As
part of the RUSS BLOXOM section, a tribute to the late HAROLD TAFT includes
a brief history of his 42-year tenure at WBAP-AM/TV/KXAS-TV, and some choice
remembrances of the respected weathercaster. Find out how HAROLD
was given the title of "World's Greatest Weatherman."
Newsgroups,
quick links to other pertinent DFW radio history sites:
GUIDE
TO PUBLICATIONS, RESOURCES AND OTHER DFW RADIO/TV-RELATED WEBSITES:
Click
here. Links
to other local radio/TV websites, along with personal sites of current
and former local broadcasters, and links to local broadcast publications
and other resources.
Photos,
memorabilia:
RADIO
& TV MEMORABILIA, PHOTOS AND RADIO STATION PLAYLISTS (RETURNING
EVENTUALLY)
Airchecks:
AIRCHECKS
FOR SALE OR TRADE: SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY...sorry! Over
14,000 minutes of broadcasts available from DFW and beyond.
Webmaster
and contact info:
ABOUT
THE WEBMASTER AND THIS SITE, PLUS MY "CELEBRITY ENCOUNTERS:" Click
here
TELEVISION:
CHIP MOODY 1947-2001 RADIO:
MICHAEL SELDEN 1945-1997
DFWRETROPLEX.COM
is dedicated to the memory of two DFW media notables, whose contributions
and dedication to local radio/TV will not be forgotten, nor will the flair
and zest for life that each brought to their respective on-air roles.
For
the Television section, CHIP MOODY,
longtime anchor at WBAP/KXAS, KDFW and WFAA-TV in Dallas-Fort Worth: Chip
passed away December 26, 2001 after a 15-year battle with Hodgkin's disease
and the effects of cancer. He is sorely missed. See Russ Bloxom's
profile
for a tribute to Chip's career. Chip was a longtime supporter of
the Children's Medical Center with his annual Pro-Am Classic Golf Tournament,
and backed the Children's Cancer Fund. Contributions can be made
to the Chip Moody Child Care Fund, c/o Children's Medical Center of Dallas,
2777 Stemmons Freeway, Suite 1025, Dallas, 75207.
For
the Radio section, MICHAEL SELDEN,
disc jockey extraordinaire for KLIF-AM, KNUS-FM, KVIL-FM, KXOL-AM, KPLX-AM
and KIXK-FM: "Old Weird Michael" died March 11, 1997 from an asthma
attack. He is sorely missed as well. Selden was best known
for his "shuck-and-jive" technique, and for being a master of double-entendre
and riding the fine line of blue humor. He was a master of "theater-of-the-mind,"
painting aural pictures with his melliflous voice and going beyond the
listener's ears to make one think. Selden was posthumously inducted
to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2006.
.
AWARDS,
AFFILIATIONS
..
August, 2000
Associate Member #12; Hall of Honor inductee, 2012; Board of Directors
2010-2019
"Radio Person of the Day," 9/21/2006
.
SHOW
YOUR APPRECIATION TO THE BROADCAST COMMUNITY
. Here's
an organization that’s doing some good for radio vets. The Broadcasters
Foundation of America provides emergency assistance (grants) to the less-fortunate
and financially-devastated in our broadcast family. Over the last
few years, it has doled out over $15 million to recipients in 40 states
and US territories. This includes those who have had a catastrophic
illness and no insurance, have lost a loved one from a devastating (and
costly) disease, and even those who were affected by natural disasters.
The Foundation has been around since 1956, and needs your help NOW more
than ever. The organization is non-profit, so donations are tax-deductible.
There's also a way to leave a legacy that will benefit the Foundation after
one's passing. Go to broadcastersfoundation.org
for all the details.
.
A
LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE WEBSITE
This
site is the culmination of years of tracking radio station formats and
call letter changes that I began in 1984. It is a labor of love and
its continued growth is a direct result of the many people who have written
in with additional information, clarifications, and identifying errors
in my research. ALL are appreciated, and if you see any mistakes,
need for clarification, or have anything to share that would complement
the site, please write me anytime at mike@dfwretroplex.com.
Hats off to the many media folks who have become friends and regular contributors
to the site, including Russ Bloxom, Steve Eberhart, Jim Cumbie, Chip Kelley,
Robert Bass, John Lewis Puff, Chuck Mohnkern, Mike Ehrle, Gary McBrayer,
Bob Fox and Chris Huff, along with the late Jay Weaver (Joe Fuchs,) Larry
Shannon, Lee Brumm and Steve Farrington, to name a very few. Thanks to
each of you for all of your help! And thanks to all who have visited the
site; it surpassed 200,000 hits in 2023!
.
.
TERMS
AND CONDITIONS OF USE
This
entire website and its contents are copyright 1984-2025 Mike
Shannon. Images are copyright of their respective owners. If you feel
your copyright is being infringed upon by its appearance in this website,
please email me and it will
be removed or credited properly. I am not responsible for errors,
omissions, incomplete information, misrepresentations or dead links.
Information was gleaned from newspapers, broadcasting yearbooks, magazines,
personal recollection, recollections of others and the like. Copying
of any or all information or images for use on other websites, in print
or for other purposes, is prohibited without permission. Links are
provided for the user's convenience; I claim no responsibility for the
contents, accuracy or relevance of other sites that may be linked to from
this site. This entire website is considered a not-for-profit "fan
site," to be enjoyed for entertainment and informational purposes only.
Usage of this site and/or any sites, sub-sites or pages or images contained
within, however accessed, constitutes your agreement to these Terms and
Conditions. If you do not agree to these Terms and Conditions, click
here
and you will be taken elsewhere. Proceeds from advertising are directly
used for site maintenance, hosting fees and research costs.
.
