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To continue from
last weeks column -- We were waiting for the ratings
of the new and improved KJR, a Kaye-Smith TOP 40 station in
Seattle. There is nothing like anticipating ratings when you
know in your heart that the news will be good. The call came
from Shannon Sweatte, KJR’s fine manager. “Grab a pen” he
said. I wrote as fast as possible. It was clear from the
first few numbers that we had a major rating surge. I don’t
remember the precise ratings, but I do believe that KJR
moved back into its accustomed position being number one in
their target demo … teens and women 18-34. Also, the cume
was beautiful. The next call was from co-owner Les Smith.
“Congratulations. We’ll celebrate the next time you are in
Seattle. Incidentally, can you do some work for KJRB our
Spokane station?” Oh, yes!!
On the next trip to Seattle and Spokane I told Les “Hey, you
are doing great with women 18-34 in Seattle. Why don’t you
let us handle your album rock FM station, KISW. You can be
number one 18-34 men with KISW and have the total 18-34’s
wrapped up. I have an associate, Lee Abrams, who can do a
super job”. KISW was already doing well, but I knew after
listening it could do better with Lee. Les instructed me to
have Lee call Bob Bingham, the manager of KISW. Les led the
way with a conversation with Bob. It happened.
When Shannon Sweatte heard about KISW and Abrams he
commented, “you don’t miss a trick do you?” But he wasn’t
angry. And the combo worked … KJR owned the young women and
KISW owned the young men.
Shannon and I became very close friends. Still are. It was a
pleasure to visit Seattle quarterly, and watch Shannon in
action. He always had me speak to the KJR sales department,
and advise them what was happening in radio outside the
Northwest. That was difficult to do because at that time,
Northwest radio was some of the best in the country. I
learned that people who moved there did not want to leave.
They competed heavily to keep their jobs so that could
continue to live there.
Danny Kaye would visit the stations once or twice a year. He
and Lester Smith, and some other prominent locals brought
major league baseball back to Seattle … the Mariners. I was
there for the first ball game when they were introduced to
the sold out stadium. I was very happy for Les, and when he
stood for the deserved applause it may have been the first
time in his life that he blushed.
I also became friends with Rob Krebs, the manager of the
Spokane stations and John Sherman, program director. I spent
a weekend with Rob and his family at their lake house. Great
family!!
Les asked me if I would be interested in consulting his
country stations …. WUBE in Cincinnati (Verle Wheeler,
manager) and KCKN In Kansas City (Don McCown, manager). Both
were excellent managers (as you already have read …a
Kaye-Smith specialty). It was a pleasure!!!
Les eventually sold the group, and he bought a printing
company which became very successful (another success for
Les.) Shannon relocated to KPLZ in Seattle (a Fisher
Companies station). Dwight Douglas and Don Benson from
Burkhart/Abrams and I consulted him at KPLZ for years. He
expanded his duties at Fisher, and now is retired from day
to day combat, but I believe he currently consults for
Fisher. I understand that Rob Krebs is general sales manager
of a station in Seattle after spending some time as GM in
Tulsa.
In closing, I have consulted for a lot of radio groups. This
was one of the best. I know, because I witnessed it all.
Yep, I WAS THERE!!!
Next week: How
Lee Abrams and I got together.
e-mail Kent
kent@kentburkhart.com
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