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The History of Radio Station
KETR 88.9 FM
in Commerce, Texas
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Northeast Texas college radio station was training ground for noted DFW broadcasters
Willis Johnson (KKDA,) Freda Ross (WBAP,) John Mark Dempsey (TSN, KLUV,)
Dan Lewis (KLLI, WBAP) and Donovan Lewis (KTCK, KDBN)

by Mike Shannon
for dfwRetroplex.com
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The format, then and now, can be best described as "diversified."  While National Public Radio broadcasts have been a staple since 1975, the on-air product has included news/talk, rock, adult contemporary, classical, jazz, oldies, public affairs, etc, usually arranged as block programming.  Initially a laboratory for aspiring degree-seeking broadcasters, KETR has weathered major changes over the last 50 years, including the loss of the university's Radio-TV-Film and Journalism departments in the early 2020s.  Today, the station is operated by a crew of four salaried adults, with limited student involvement and minimal local programming outside of sports broadcasts (which are staffed separately.)  In keeping with modern industry trends, KETR also broadcasts terrestrially in digital (HD1; also available in conventional stereo/mono,) with two additional HD subchannels:  HD2 (on-air July, 2023,) featuring an adult album alternative (AAA) format originating from XPoNential Radio (a simulcast of WXPN-Philadelphia;) and HD3 (on-air June, 2024,) airing a Spanish variety format known as "Radio Bilingue."  All three formats can also be accessed via online streaming, while the HD2 and HD3 broadcasts require a receiver capable of decoding digital broadcasts.

KETR is owned by the East Texas A&M University Board of Regents, although the ownership (and school) was known as East Texas State University through 1996; soon after the 1996 name change, new call letters were proposed [KTAM-FM,] but were never formally requested.  (A commercial station in Bryan/College Station, TX, bears the KTAM-AM calls [in honor of "their" Texas A&M University,] but the FCC allows for duplication if the same call letters are in use on a different band--including TV--so, such a change could have been possible if the KTAM-FM calls were available.)

The "KETR" call letters are an abbreviation for "East Texas Radio," and the station has used the nicknames "The Lion" (the school's mascot; station later called itself "The New Lion," starting in 2003;) "Your Station," "The Mint" (a nickname that started in February, 1992, after the station flipped from Adult Contemporary music to become the very first non-commercial Oldies-formatted station in the US,) and "Public Radio for Northeast Texas."

The station has grown from an abysmal 7,500w signal in 1975, to a 100kw null-less [a near-perfect circle of signal 'reach'] "full stick" in early 1983...reaching the Red River to the north, Hugo OK to the northeast, Mount Pleasant to the east, Mineola to the southeast, Canton to the south, Dallas to the southwest, Frisco to the west, and Sherman to the northwest...serving nearly 250,000 homes.  Originally, KETR was aired in mono, but upgraded to stereo in February, 1977.  The broadcast day has ranged from 17-18 hours (beginning April, 1975,) to 24 hours a day (starting in April, 1983.)

KETR has relocated studios multiple times over the years.  It began broadcasting from the university's Journalism Building (Room 111) on April 7, 1975.  On January 18, 1977, the station moved to fresh facilities at the school's brand-new Performing Arts Center.  In 2008, KETR was transplanted to much smaller digs at Binnion Hall, a renovated former dormitory, and remains there today.  A new $55m special events center on the south side of campus is under construction as of 2024, and is rumored to be the future home of the station after completion in late 2026.

Northeast Texas's version of "Friday Night Lights" remains alive and well, and KETR has been the longtime flagship radio station for the "Lions" of East Texas State University/Texas A&M-Commerce/East Texas A&M football since fall, 1975.  The station also carries collegiate men's and women's basketball games, as well as football and basketball matchups for the "Tigers" of nearby Commerce High School.  The CHS football games were announced by student-turned-professor John Mark Dempsey (from 1975 to 2022,) while college football contests were originally called by Phil Wayne (AKA Phil Ebensberger, KETR's general manager,) Sam McCord and, in more recent years, by Gentry Little.  (Initially, Lions football games were also sent remotely by KETR to regional commercial radio stations KSST-Sulphur Springs, KGVL-Greenville, KPXI-Mt Pleasant and KMMK-McKinney.)  While the school's football program has never achieved big-name status in the collegiate sports world, the team was once home to Dallas Cowboys stars Kevin Mathis and the late Harvey Martin, and longtime Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback Wade Wilson (the late Wilson, who grew up in Commerce, also QB'ed the Commerce High School team in the mid-1970s, the NFL's Falcons/Saints/Raiders at various times between 1992-99, the Cowboys from 1995-97, and was the quarterbacks coach for the Cowboys from 2000-02 and 2007-17.)  Wilson's father, Charlie, once played football for the Lions as well, and later coached at several east Texas public schools.  He finished his career in education as the longtime principal at Commerce High School.  Charlie died in 2022.

[Webmaster note:  Wade's grandfather, Garnett "Donk" Wade, and my grandfather, Wayne Henderson, were best friends and next-door neighbors in Quinlan TX for many years.  Little Wade and family even appear in some of our old home movies!]

Local community affairs were not ignored by the station, as it aired Commerce City Commission meetings, as well as weekly services from the First Baptist Church of Commerce, in KETR's earlier days.

• Ajun Mallik
• Alexxus Mills
• Amanda Scott
• B. J. Laudermilk
• Bart Stevens
• Beverly Nanos (GSM, ca. 2000s)
• Bill Gilmer (morning show host; began 2/1979)
• Bill Oellermann (GM; began 10/1980)
• Bill Ogden AKA “Railroad Bill” Ogden (host of "Bluegrass Special;" began 1990)
• Bill Oliver (GM, ca. 1986-2008; PD, ca. 2007; ND, ca. 1984-86; SD, 8/1984-7/1987)
• Bill Powers (SD, ca. 1989)
• Bo Aughtry
• Bob Smith Lewis AKA “Tumbleweed” Smith (host of “Sound of Texas”)
• Bonifacio Fraustro (CE, to 1979)
• Brad Kellar (later a revered reporter for the nearby Greenville Herald-Banner newspaper; died 2023)
• Brazil Buchanan
• Brock Callaway
• Bruce Tater (co-host of "The Art of Sound;" also the longtime co-host of a similar program on KERA-FM in the 1970s and 80s; died 2011)
• Cameron Justice
• Carolyn Philpet (PM)
• Carolyn Redwine (Traffic Dept secretary; Billing/Promotions; maintained Community Bulletin Board)
• Cathy Carey (ND, ca. 1994)
• Cecil Savage
• Charlie Chitwood (sports)
• Cherie Bell
• Cheyne Mayes
• Cooper Welch
• Courtney Hitt
• Cynthia Ashley
• Dakota Brewer
• Dallas Millin
• Dan Lewis (show host, 1979-81)
• Daniel Starks (5/2012-9/2014)
• Danny Kambel
• Dave Heath (host, "Bluegrass Special," 7/1979-11/1981; and "Bluegrass Express," ca. 1984)
• Dave Sloan (CE, ca. 1989-1994)
• David Bush
• David Herring
• David Owsley
• David Rhodes (MD; began 4/1975)
• David Ritner (faculty member who co-conceived the idea for KETR)
• David Robertson
• Debbie Black
• Debbie West (began 4/1975)
• Deborah Smith (Traffic Manager, ca. 2000s)
• Debra Crowell (Traffic/Continuity, ca. 1981)
• Derald Bulls
• Donovan Lewis (later with KDBN-"The Bone" in DFW, then a long stint as co-host at sports talk KTCK-"The Ticket" in Dallas)
• Drew Ivery
• Ed Myrick
• Ehsan Azad (sports)
• Elizabeth Rodriguez (began 9/2016; host of “Lions After Dark”)
• Eric Meza
• Esmeralda Galvan
• Evans Dennis
• Fabian Bowen
• Freda Ross (Findley) (student ND at ETSU; later a longtime news anchor and assistant news director with WBAP-AM/Fort Worth)
• Gaby Estrada (9/2010-6/2012; host of “Lions After Dark”)
• Gentry Little (sports)
• George Hale
• Gerald Johnson
• Gerald Smith (began 4/1975)
• Gerry Clubine AKA Gerald Clubine (CE, ca. 1986-88)
• Gideon James (faculty member who co-conceived the idea for KETR)
• Haylee Hezlep
• Heather Hutchens
• J. M. Baker
• Jalinna James
• James Jarrell (host of “Freeform”)
• Jared Taylor (began 8/2016)
• Jasmine Baker (sports, 2016-19)
• Jason Neal
• Jason Osai
• Jay P. Kyle (ca. 1982-83)
• Jennifer Yorio (News Director, began 5/1999)
• Jenny Kinsey
• Jeric Griffin
• Jerome Erickson AKA Jerry Erickson (CE and Billing/Promotions)
• Jerrod Knight AKA Jerrod Edelhauser (SM, 2010-date; PD, 12/2008-2010; began as PD with sister station KKOM)
• Jessica Christian
• Jessica Rush
• Jesus Flores (8/2010-5/2013)
• Jim Brashears (CE, ca. 1984)
• Jim Waltral (hosted opera broadcasts, 9/1975-12/1976)
• Jo Ellen Rasmussen (Traffic Manager)
• John Butler (III) (1975-78,) host of “Freeform” (not of KRLD-AM or KWJB-FM)
• John Hendry (SD)
• John Mark Dempsey (4/1975-2022; PD, sports; began as student; continued as faculty member at ETSU/TAMUC; concurrently a newscaster for TSN; retired 2022)
• John McCormick AKA “The Janitor” (began 4/1975)
• Johnny Struck
• Jordan Brooks
• Joshua Yotter
• Judy Tomlinson (Sales Director and Promotions Director, ca. 1992)
• Justin Joseph
• Katherine Oates (interim ND, ca. 1985)
• Katie London (5/2008-3/2011)
• Kayla Massey
• Keith Whirley (CE, ca. 1980)
• Kelly Amis
• Kelly Fulton
• Kevin Jefferies (Operations Manager)
• Kevin Morris
• Kimberly Thompson
• Kip Martin AKA C. H. Martin
• Kris Miller (PD, began 4/1975)
• Lee Buhr (Operations and Production Director, began 11/1981)
• Leroy Hudson (MD, left 5/1978)
• LeRoy Ramsey (SD, began 1976)
• Linda Rutherford (PM)
• Lisa Martinez
• Liz Carr (Traffic Manager, ca. 1985)
• Luis Camacho (ND, ca. 2001)
• Malcolm Hornsby
• Marguerite Van Ness (ND, began 4/1975)
• Mark Burt
• Mark Chapman (host of “Montage” beginning in 1989; later MD; co-host of "The Art of Sound" with Bruce Tater)
• Mark Haslett (ND, 2013-24)
• Matt Meinke
• Max Herron (MD and host of “Freeform;” concurrently MD for sister station “Radio ETSU;” began 10/1975)
• Max Rudolph (began 3/1976)
• Megan Epley
• Micah Nichols
• Mike Crosswhite (began 4/1975)
• Mike Mhoon (weather, began 4/1975)
• Mike Pride
• Mike Woodall AKA “Woodchuck” (began 4/1975)
• Mike Young (SD; died 2023)
• Monique Benson (Traffic Manager, ca. 1984)
• Nathan Williams
• Nick Long
• Noble Hughes (host of “Indian Country,” ca. 1995)
• Pat Lichty AKA Patricia Lichty (began 4/1975)
• Patricia Laird (began 4/1975)
• Paul Moore (began 4/1975)
• Peggy Scott (PM, ca. 1984)
• Peter Roguz AKA “Cousin Pete” (began 4/1975)
• Phil Arnold (began 4/1975)
• Philip Wayne Ebensberger AKA Phil Wayne (SM and sports, 1974-1979; died 2020)
• Paul LeRoy (began 4/1975)
• Raymond Williams
• Rich Reneau (ND, ca. 1987-88)
• Richard Blake (SM and morning show host, to 2/1979)
• Richard Hutchins (host of “Freeform”)
• Rob Ernest AKA Rob Stanley
• Robert Burgess
• Robert Goodwin (CE, ca. 2000s)
• Robert Raymo
• Robert Sanders
• Robert Spillers (GSM and Promotions Manager, ca. 1991)
• Roni Patterson
• Roy Lamberton (Program Manager, left 1/1978)
• Ross Coil AKA Delmer Coil (began 4/1975)
• Sam McCord (sports)
• Sasha DeHart
• Scott Garner (SD, ca. 2000; later handled play-by-play for Frisco [TX] Roughriders baseball games)
• Scott Harvey (ND, ca. 2011)
• Sherri Busalacchi
• Sidnee Bacy (1/2017-5/2018)
• Steve Merritt
• Sydni Sopha
• Taylor Phelps
• Tim Reed (began 4/1975)
• Tyler McDonough
• Tyrone Carroll
• Vernon Robertson (began 4/1975)
• Vicki Holloway (began as a student [1985-89;] returned as GM [1/23/1995 to 9/2006])
• Vicki Miller (began 4/1975)
• Wallace Crawford AKA Wally Crawford (host of “Freeform,”)
• Willis Johnson (began 4/1975; first started at "Radio ETSU" in 2/1975; later was longtime morning show host at KKDA-AM in DFW)
• Yaw Osei

While station manager Philip Ebensberger and chief engineer Jerry Erickson were appointed in 1974, a year before KETR signed on, the rest of the staff was hired during February-March-April, 1975.  On staff during the April, 1975, inaugural broadcast include Kris Miller (Program Director,) Delmer "Ross" Coil, Mike Crosswhite, John Mark Dempsey, Willis Johnson (both Dempsey and Johnson began first at "Radio ETSU" in 2/1975,) Patricia Laird, Paul LeRoy, Patricia "Pat" Lichty, Paul Moore, Phil Arnold,Tim Reed, David Rhodes, Vernon Robertson, Debbie West, Mike Mhoon (weather,) Peter "Cousin Pete" Roguz, Gerald Smith, Mike "Woodchuck" Woodall (a community volunteer but not a student,) John "The Janitor" MacCormick, Vicki Miller, Max Herron, Leroy Hudson, John Butler [III,] Randy Bullock and DeLanna Reed.  (Once KETR was on the air, a system was put in place where student broadcaster-hopefuls were required to hone their skills at "Radio ETSU" first before moving up to KETR.)
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