PART FOUR:
THE FUTURE OF 1480 & 100.3

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After the switch to KMEZ-AM in late 1982, the 1480 frequency continued with an easy listening format until September 28, 1989, when it flipped to KDBN ("Dallas Business News") as an all-business talk automated format.  (The KDBN calls were revived in 2002 for Susquehanna's 93.3-"The Bone.")  On September 4, 1991, 1480 returned to easy listening under the name KCMZ.  It remained under those calls and format until April 1, 1993, when Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation bought it, renamed it KMRT (later KDXX [on 2/20/1998] and KHCK [on 6/18/2002,]) and began simulcasting one of its local outlets to it, KHCK-FM, by August, 2002.  On March 30, 2005, 1480 was acquired by Salem Radio Network, renamed KNIT, and given a Southern Gospel format.  (In a strange coincidence, former KBOX jock and PD Ken "Great" Scott was on the board of Salem as a vice-president!)  By the end of 2005, Salem traded the station for a property in Florida, and James Crystal Florida Inc. became the new owner.  In June, 2007, the station became an affiliate of ESPN Deportes, the Spanish version of ESPN Sports, which lasted until August, 2009.  On July 23, 2011, KNIT-1480 went dark due to "repeated burglaries at the station."  While off the air, the call letters were changed to KBXD on February 17, 2012 (in deference to the old KBOX...as in KBoX Dallas.)  Records state that the station signed on for one day, April 16, 2012, and finally resumed regular broadcasts on November 26, 2012, with a gospel/brokered time format.

Owner Group One sold the AM and FM stations to DKM-Dallas Broadcasting on July 16, 1986, and DKM soon sold them to Summit Broadcasting in September, 1988.  Summit then traded KMEZ-AM to Gillmore Broadcasting for KHVN-AM (the former longtime KNOK-AM.)  So Summit's new combo consisted of 100.3 FM and 970 AM, while Gillmore's combo now consisted of 107.5 FM and 1480 AM.

Summit took ownership of the 9900 McCree building where, on Christmas week of 1988, they premiered the new Urban/Contemporary Hits KJMZ-FM, "100.3 Jamz,"  while Gillmore took the KMEZ calls and format to 107.5 at the same time.  KJMZ and KHVN stayed in Radio Park until 1990, when they relocated to 545 W. John W. Carpenter Freeway in Irving (and moved the AM transmitter from Radio Park to St. Augustine Road in SE Dallas.)  The Summit combo was subsequently sold to Granum on June 15, 1994, and became part of Infinity in March, 1996.  Infinity later sold KHVN to Mortenson Broadcasting in December, 2001.

The FM frequency is still under CBS ownership, and has been home to an assortment of trail-and-error formatting since.  On September 1, 1995, the station became KRBV, playing a slower mix of R&B.  By March 15, 1999, the station returned to an Urban CHR format under the same calls, and reimaged the station on July 1, 2001 as "Wild 100."  "Wild" saw two more reimaging attempts since, with no real change in format or moniker.  Finally, in 2005, programmers settled on the new "Jack-FM" format, and the station has found mild success with it.

A year after Summit and Gillmore negotiated the station swap in 1988, Gillmore had built new studios in a high-rise at 5956 Sherry Lane in Preston Center for their combo, which opened on September 28, 1989.  (107.5 and 970 had long been housed at 3601 Kimbo Road in Fort Worth since their KNOK days, but a fire had damaged the building beyond repair.)

KMEZ-FM at 107.5 continued in name and format through July 4, 1991, when it flipped to a "Classic Rock without the Heavy Metal" format as KCDU-"CD 107.5."  Three months earlier, Granum had bought both stations from Gillmore.  But after 16 months, the rock format was trashed...and the frequency was involved in another trade of sorts when the owner of 106.1, Gannett, dumped out of that station's Smooth Jazz format after five years to bring back their retired "Kiss" format to that frequency.  107.5 picked it up immediately and seamlessly on November 2, 1992, taking Gannett's call letters, music collection and most of 106.1's air talent.

In June, 1994, Granum purchased 100.3 and 970 from Summit...putting all the formerly-connected stations under one ownership.  They relinquished 107.5's and 1480's Sherry Lane studios in 1995, and moved them along with KHVN and KJMZ to the former KRLD studios at the venerable Maxwell Building, 7901 John W. Carpenter Freeway in Dallas (aka "1080 Metromedia Place," it was the former home to defunct KMEC-TV.  KRLD moved there in 1970, and had recently vacated the building for nicer digs at the new Ballpark In Arlington in April, 1994.)

The 107.5 frequency continued under Infinity (CBS) ownership as KOAI, sharing the Maxwell studios with KRBV.  In 2002, KOAI moved in with most of the local CBS cluster's existing studios at 4131 N. Central Expwy in Dallas.  By 2006, KOAI gave way to KMVK-"Movin' 107.5," a dance/R&B station, which then yielded to "Mega 107.5," a Spanish station, in early 2009.

The 17 acres at 9900 McCree Road were sold to Centex Development, a division of longtime DFW home developer Fox and Jacobs, in 1991.  The studio and towers were demolished and removed, and luxury homes were built across the property thereafter.

1953:  Marvin Williams, Buddy Harris, Sam Bennett, Gene Thompson, John Knapp, Leonard Coe, E.C. “Doc” Harrell, Jimmy Harris, Bill Borom, Ed Jordan, Carmine Anthony, Clem Cooper, Ken Knox, Don Keyes, Meador Lowry, Bill Morgan, Henderson Rogers, W. L. Pickens, H. H. Coefield, Jack Howard, Bud Vincent, Henry Steele, Hal Bakke, Gordon Sanders, Gordon Vaughn

1954:  Buddy Harris, Bud Vincent, Leonard Coe, Henry Steele, Bill Morgan, Harvey Matusow, Gary Wood, W. L. Pickens, H. H. Coefield, Henderson Rogers

1955:  Buddy Harris, Bill Morgan, Henderson Rogers, W. L. Pickens, H. H. Coefield,

1956:  Dallas “Tex” DeWeese, W. L. Pickens, H. H. Coefield,

1957:  Dallas “Tex” DeWeese, Tony Davis, "Gene," W. L. Pickens, H. H. Coefield, Buddy Harris, Hal Bakke, Gordon Sanders, Gordon Vaughn

1958 (as KGKO) Air Schedule:
6AM - 9AM - Buddy Harris
9AM - 1PM - Kenny Sargent
1PM - 4PM - Shadow Hunter
4PM - 8PM - Jim Holloway
8PM - 12AM - Eddie Gale

1958 (as KBOX)  Air Schedule:
5:30AM - 9AM - Michael Secrest
9AM - 12PM - Al Lohman
12PM - 3PM - Robb Robbins (PD)
3PM - 7PM - Ted Brown
7PM - 12AM - Bob Mitchell
12AM - 5:30AM - off air

Also Johnny McKinney, Dick Clayton, Dan Ingram, Jerry Clemmons (“The Clemmons Caper,” and host of the “Coca Cola Hi-Fi Club,”) Pat Hughes, Johnny Borders (“The Borders Patrol,” later known as "Johnny Dark" on KLIF) Roger Barkley (host of the “Roger Barkley Go-Go Show,”) Chuck Benson (“The Benson Blast,”) Dallas “Tex” DeWeese, Bob Whitney, Tony Davis, John Box, Dick Morrison, Harriet Baker, Charles Boland, Gordon Vaughn, Pat Conway, Bill Jenkins, Irene "Iron Baby" Runnels, Eddie Gale, W. L. Pickens, H. H. Coefield, Hal Bakke (PD)

1959:  Air Schedule:
5:30AM - 9AM - Al Lohman, "Big" Dan Ingram
9AM - 12PM - "Joltin'" Johnny McKinney, "Groovy" Johnny Borders
12PM - 3PM - Roger Barkley
3PM - 7PM - "Swinging" Chuck Benson
7PM - 12AM - Johnny Borders
12AM - 5:30AM - Bob Dayton, "Jumpin'" Jerry Clemmons (“The Morning Mayor”)

Also:  Chuck Dunaway (“The Round Mound of Sound,”) future game show host Jim MacKrell (as Jimmy Kaye,)  Chuck Benson, Hal Raymond, Bill Holley (“The Night Creature,”) Pat Hughes, Dallas “Tex” DeWeese, "Brother" Bob Whitney, Gary Mack (McDowell,) Irene Runnels, John Box, Tom Matts, Edward Hunt, Lloyd George, Robb Robbins, Gordon Vaughn, Dick Moore, Hal Bakke

1960:  Air Schedule:
5:30AM - 9AM - Jerry Clemmons, Dan Ingram
9AM - 12PM - Gary Mack, Johnny Borders
12PM - 3PM - Pat Hughes
3PM - 7PM - Chuck Benson
7PM - 12AM - Bill Holley
12AM - 5:30AM - Gary Mack (McDowell,) Jerry Clemmons, Bob Dayton

Also:  Tony deHaro, Ray Carnay, Dick Moore, Dallas “Tex” DeWeese, Harry Hines, Bob Whitney, Frank Glieber, Irene Runnels, John Box, Lloyd George, Joseph Wolfman, Earl Bodine, Alan Abbott, Jim MacKrell (as Jimmy Kaye)

1961:  Air Schedule:
5:30AM - 9AM - Jerry Clemmons
9AM - 12PM - Gary Mack
12PM - 3PM - Pat Hughes
3PM - 7PM - Chuck Benson
7PM - 12AM - Bill Holley
12AM - 5:30AM - Gary Mack, Jerry Clemmons, Danny Preston, Jack O'Day (Jack Hayes)

Also:  Tony deHaro, Dick Moore, Charlie Van Dyke (who served as an intern at the station as a teen, and hosted an occasional feature on high school happenings,) Chuck Dunaway, John Borders (Johnny Dark,) Ray Carnay, Bob Whitney, Frank Glieber, Dan Ingram, Irene Runnels, John Box, Parker Daggett, Stanton Pearson, Earl Bodine, Jim MacKrell (as Jimmy Kaye,) Earl Vandervoort (news; began 10/1961)

1962:  Air Schedule:
5:30AM - 9AM - Tom Murphy, Pat Harrington, Chuck Benson (to spring, 1962)
9AM - 12PM - George Cooper
12PM - 3PM - Ken Dowe
3PM - 7PM - Chuck Benson, Chuck Dunaway, Hal Raymond (May through December, 1962)
7PM - 12AM - Jack O'Day
12AM - 5:30AM - Jack West (Jack Schell)

Also:  Jerry Clemmons, Charlie Van Dyke, Jerry Kunkel, Irene Runnels, John Box, Dick Moore, John Borders (Johnny Dark,) Earl Vandervoort (left KBOX in January for a radio job in Miami; he was killed en route to Florida on January 18, 1962)

1963:  Air Schedule:
5:30AM - 9AM - Tom Murphy
9AM - 12PM - George "Super" Cooper, Frank Malone
12PM - 3PM - Jerry Kunkel
3PM - 7PM - Ken Dowe, Gary Mack
7PM - 12AM - Jimmy Kaye (Jim MacKrell,) Bobby Brock
12AM - 5:30AM - Jack West

Also:  Sam Pate (laid off after the JFK assassination,) “Emperor” Bill Ward, Ron Jenkins (Ron McAlister; began 8/1/1963,) Bill Hampton (ND,) Dick Moore, Karl King (laid off after the JFK assassination,) Irene Runnels, John Box, Dan Hydrick, Betty Verrell, Don Buehler, John Borders (Johnny Dark; left in 1963 for KLIF)

1964:  Air Schedule:
5:30AM - 9AM - Tom Murphy, Bill Ward (Bill Wardlaw; began late 1964)
9AM - 12PM - Ron Rice
12PM - 3PM - Jack West (Schell)
3PM - 7PM - Charlie Van, Ken "Great" Scott (Ken Gaines)
7PM - 12AM - Bobby Brock
12AM - 5:30AM - "Myers Showcase" (jockless)

Also:  Ken Dowe, Stu Hepburn (sales manager,) Ron Jenkins, Ron Rice, Irene Runnels, John Box, Edward Sheridan Jr., Alan Golden, Tom Murphy, Dick Moore, Robert Swortwood

1965:  Air Schedule:
5:30AM - 9AM - Bill Ward, Rex Miller (Rex Boehme)
9AM - 12PM - Ron Rice
12PM - 3PM - Rex Miller, Bill Ward
3PM - 7PM - Ken Scott
7PM - 12AM - Frank Jolle ("The Jolley Green Giant," began 1/4/1965)
12AM - 5:30AM - J. Morgan Van Buren (Joe McChesney; March through November, 1965)

Also:  Sam Pate (returned to station in 1965,) Jack West, Ben Laurie, Ron Jenkins, Jerry Knight (John D'Azzo), Irene Runnels, Hugh Lampman (FM,) John Box, Alan Golden, Tom Murphy, Bobby Dark (Jay Caple,) Dick Moore, William Wentzell

1966:  Air Schedule:
5:30AM - 9AM - Rex Miller, Dan Patrick
9AM - 12PM - Ron Rice, Dave Tucker (with newsmen Glenn Sims, Dick Moore and Joe Long)
12PM - 3PM - Bill Ward (promoted to PD)
3PM - 7PM - Ken Scott, Khan Hamon, Bill Holley
7PM - 12AM - Frank Jolle (left 12/30/1966,) Jerry Knight
12AM - 5:30AM - Terry Byrd, Jerry Knight (John D'Azzo,) "Music After Midnight" (jockless)

Also:  Dan Casey, Hyman Childs, Irene Runnels, Hugh Lampman (FM,) John Box, Bobby Dark, Alan Golden, Bob Hanna, Ron Jenkins, Bill Thompson, Leo Letterer

1967:  Air Schedule:
5:30AM - 9AM - Jack Gardiner (PD under new country format)
9AM - 12PM - Ron Rice, Art Keller
12PM - 3PM - Bill Ward (to 5/1967; left for programming gig at KBLA in Los Angeles; jocks Larry Scott and Allan King went with Ward,)Chuck Curt
3PM - 7PM - Art Keller, Dan Dailey
7PM - 12AM - Allan King (to 5/1967,) Art Keller, Jim Pitts
12AM - 5:30AM - Larry Scott (to 5/1967)

Also:  Bill Holley, Dan Patrick (to 1/1967,) Glenn Sims, Jerry Knight, Dave Tucker (to 1/1967,) Frank Jolle (to 1/1967,) Joe Long, Hugh Lampman (FM,) Bill Thompson, Irene Runnels, Jack Gardiner, Bob Davis, Davie White aka Davie Lee

1968:  Allan Peck (was initially the production manager,) Joe Long, Bill Morris aka Terry Wood, Hugh Lampman (FM,) Bill Ward, Bob Bostian, Roger Berk, Irene Runnels, Jack Gardiner, Bill Thompson, Dave Malone, "Emmett," David Perkins, Ron Rice, Bob Davis, Davie White aka Davie Lee, Dave Manders

1969:  Chet Maxwell, Allan Peck, Joe Long, Bob Bostian, Irene Runnels, Bill Morris aka Terry Wood, Bobby Dark (Jay Caple; returned to KBOX after a four-year absence,) Jack Gardiner (PD,) Ron Rice, Bill Thompson, Roger Berk, Dave Malone, Bill Ward, Bob Davis, Dave Manders

1970:  Chet Maxwell, Allan Peck, Joe Long, Bob Bostian, Roger Berk, Bobby Dark, Ron Rice, Roger Dimick, Gordon Vaughn, Dave Malone, Bill Ward (promoted to station manager,) Bob Davis, Bill Morris aka Terry Wood, Dave Manders

1971:  Jim Rose (news,) Len Mohnkern, Chet Maxwell, Allan Peck, Sherman Cohen (noted for filing a discrimination lawsuit against the station in 1971!), Joe Long (to his death in August; was news director) Bob Bostian, Jim Rose, Roger Berk, Ron Rice (who was voted Music Director of the Year by the CMA for 1971,) Gordon Vaughn, Bobby Dark (Jay Caple,) Bill Ward (left station in 1971,) Russ Knight (yes, the longtime "Weird Beard" from KLIF once jocked in morning drive for KBOX!), Bob Davis, Bill Morris aka Terry Wood, Dave Manders, Dick Moore (newsman who took over as ND upon Joe Long's death,) Larry E. Whiteside

1972:Air Schedule:
6AM - 10AM - Ron Rice
10AM - 2PM - Jack Weston
2PM - 6PM - Art Keller
6PM - 12AM - Bobby Dark
12AM - 6AM - Terry Wood (Bill Morris)
Weekends - Allan Peck

Len Mohnkern, Chet Maxwell, Jim Rose, Bobby Dark, Bob Bostian, Roger Berk, Ron Rice, Gordon Vaughn, Bob Davis, Dave Manders, Larry E. Whiteside

1973:  Len Mohnkern, Allan Peck, Penny Reeves, Bill Morris, Chet Maxwell, Joe Long, Dick Moore, Bob Clayton (PD,) Dave O'Brien (Loren Wilhelm,) Roger Berk, Ron Rice, Bobby Dark, Gordon Vaughn, Bob Davis

1974:  Len Mohnkern, Allan Peck, Penny Reeves, Bobby Dark, Bill Morris, Chet Maxwell, Bob Clayton, Dave O'Brien, Roger Berk, Ted Roney, George Pechacek, Bob Davis

1975:  Air schedule:
6AM - 10AM - Peck and Penny (Allan Peck and Penny Reeves)
10AM - 2PM - Joe Greer
2PM - 6PM - Tom Allen (Lundgren)
6PM - 10PM - Bobby Dark
10PM - 2AM - Jack Weston
2AM - 6AM - Bob Clayton

Also:  Len Mohnkern, Chet Maxwell, Ken Knox (McClure), Ken Loomis, Dave O'Brien, Bill Morris, George Pechacek, Roger Berk, Craig Magee, Bob Davis

1976:  Len Mohnkern, Allan Peck, Penny Reeves, Peggy Sears (Newman,) Chet Maxwell, Bill Morris, Craig Magee, Ken Knox, Ken Loomis, Dave O'Brien, George Pechacek, Roger Berk, Bobby Dark, Tom Allen, Bob Davis

1977:  Len Mohnkern, Allan Peck, Peggy Sears, Chet Maxwell, Danny McDuff, Jack Weston (Bullard,) Rick Fulgham, Jay Ward, Bobby Dark, Ken Knox, Ken Loomis, Dave O'Brien, Bill Morris, George Pechacek, Tom Allen, Craig Magee, Roger Berk

1978:  Air Schedule:
6AM - 10AM - Peck and Peggy (with newscaster Rick Fulgham)
10AM - 12PM - Bobby Dark
12PM - 3PM - Jack Weston
3PM - 7PM - Danny McDuff (with newscaster Jay Ward)

Also:  Len Mohnkern, Chet Maxwell, Ken Knox, Ken Loomis, Dave O'Brien, George Pechacek, Bill Morris, Tom Allen, Craig Magee, Roger Berk

1979:  Len Mohnkern, Jack Weston, Allan Peck, Peggy Sears, Chet Maxwell, Bob Marion, Bill Morris, Bill Anderson, Dave O’Brien, Russ Campbell, Patricia Smith-Melton, Ken Knox, Ken Loomis, Bobby Dark, George Pechacek, Tom Allen, Craig Magee, Roger Berk

1980:  Air Schedule:
6AM - 10AM - Peck and Peggy
10AM - 12PM - Bobby Dark
12PM - 3PM - Ken Loomis
3PM - 7PM - Jack Weston, Ron Gray
7PM - 12AM - Jason Walker, Mac Daniels
12AM - 6AM - Mac Daniels, Jack Weston

Also:  Len Mohnkern, Chet Maxwell, Patricia Smith-Melton, Amy Graf, Bill Morris, Russ Campbell, Ken Knox, George Pechacek, Roger Berk, Dusty Black, Rick Fulgham, Dave O'Brien, Glen Martin

1981:  Air Schedule:
6AM - 10AM - Peck and Peggy
10AM - 12PM - Bobby Dark
12PM - 3PM - Ken Loomis
3PM - 7PM - Jack Weston
7PM - 12AM - Jason Walker
12AM - 6AM - Mac Daniels

Also:  Len Mohnkern, Chet Maxwell, Amy Graf, Ken Knox, Russ Campbell, Dusty Black, Roger Berk, Jim Rohnes, Bill Morris, Rick Fulgham, Dave O'Brien

1982:  Len Mohnkern, Chet Maxwell, Ken Knox, Ken Loomis, Russ Campbell, George Pechacek, Darcel Barnes, Dave O'Brien, Roger Berk, Bobby Dark, Dusty Black, Bill Morris

Unknown years-KGKO:  Sam Bennett

Unknown years-KBOX:  Allen Abbott, "Kay Box," Jack Dillon, Brad Wilson, Mike Terry, Al Smith, Gail Lightfoot, Tim Kase, Alan Holmes, Bob Hanna (GSM,) Dan Casey, Gary West, Bill Jenkins, Paul Potter, Al Smith, Mike Marshall (early 1960s, news,) Tom Matts (ND, then to KVIL as ND,) Don Wade, Ceryl McDonald, Doug Helton, Glenn Sims, David Hultsman, Donald Curtis (host of "Science of the Mind.")

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