While I'm sure this topic may raise a few eyebrows at first glance ("you can NEVER have enough radio stations!") I'm asking an honest question.

I'm in my 20s, born and raised 'round these parts and can distinctly remember a handful of stations from the time I was a wee one: Kisn FM, K103, Z100, KUFO, KGON, NRK, KXL, KEX, KUPL, KINK and KWJJ.

When I look at the market today, I see call letters and frequencies and stations that SEEM relatively new (107.5, 106.7, 95.5, 970 AM just to name a few).

When you actually count the number of stations, Portland has several dozen in operation. Again, it could be they were always operating but I just was unaware of their presence. But it SEEMS like, in the last two decades, a LOT of new stations have popped up.

Given that Portland proper has a population of less than 600,000, is it possible that we have TOO MUCH variety?

Personally, I can't think of a station I would want to get rid of, but I also wonder if fewer stations would mean revenues consolidated among fewer properties which would open the door for more live talent?

Again, I could be all wet . . . I'm curious what the community thinks.

Look through the archives: we had a discussion on this same topic within the last two months or so. I moved to Portland almost 11 years ago. In that time, I can only think of a handful of new full-powered stations (not translators, in other words) that have appeared: 90.3, 93.1, and 104.1. We also lost a station: 1290. [I did not miss 1640; that station signed on shortly before I moved out here.]

107.5, 106.7, 95.5, and 970 have been on the air for many, many years, but they have changed formats numerous times.

Maybe too many in the hands of too few.

Alfredo--

What was/is on 90.3?

I started in radio in oregon in 1960. there were 85 stations in the state if i remember correctly. when i retired in 2001 the number was nearly twice that number. population had not doubled, but radio had. in addition there were more tv stations as well. people who run radio stations have said for years there are too many! jim radio

A couple of years ago 89.5 (KPFR) which is a rimshot from the Mt.Hood area like 90.3 (KZRI), was also added to our dial.

"When I look at the market today, I see call letters and frequencies and stations that SEEM relatively new (107.5, 106.7, 95.5, 970 AM just to name a few)."

Yeh! That new 970 station just signed on the air November 9, 1925. Anyone aircheck it that day? I'd like a copy.

I just heard KCBS San Francisco will celebrate its first century on the air next month!

Yes! In April 1909 KCBS signed on the air. It's used many different call signs over time. When the station began in San Jose it used made up calls "SJN" (standing for "San Jose Calling"). Then it was assigned "FN" in 1912; "6XF" in 1915; "6XE" for its portable station in 1920; KQW in 1921 and KCBS in 1949 with a move to San Francisco.

What is 90.3???

KZRI is an EMF station on 90.3 (COL Welches) that can be fairly easily heard in the Portland area.

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=91542

KSLC is also on 90.3 from Linfield college... with an outside antenna, it can be heard from Hillsboro.

The newer 90.3 is KZRI. When I first put up a rooftop antenna, in 1999, I could point it south and clearly hear KSLC. If I rotated the antenna northeast, I could hear another weak signal that was running a Christian preaching format (not music). In the car, the latter would be heard, weakly, on 90.3; I believe that KSLC was only transmitting a horizontally polarized signal at the time.

90.3 is also in Salem, Corvallis, Eugene, and in Longview,Wa

I don't know which, if any, of those other 90.3 stations were on the air in 1999.

The young man who remembers only certain stations got me to thinking: When I was but a wee lad, there were only a handful of stations that most people were aware of or at least, had the bulk of the listening: KGW, KXL, KISN, KOIN, KWJJ, KEX, KPOJ and KGON. All of these resided on the AM dial.

Plus KPDQ, KKEY, KGRO/KRDR,KLIQ,KPAM,KBPS.
KPDQ and KKEY were playing pop music in the 50's, KGRO was playing a variety of things, including pop music in the afternoon and early evening. KLIQ had a studio in the Hoyt hotel. KPAM was playing classical music and had a following for it. It and KPFM were the "Classical Stations". And you forgot good old KBPS.
At times, as kids, we would listen to KBPS as that is where some of our friends could be heard. We would hear KPAM because our parents listened to it when they weren't listening to KOIN. I used to listen to the Bill Schonley report on KOIN in the afternoons around 5PM in the 70's. Yeah, there was KVAN on 1480 but they really had no audience to speak of. All these stations were on in the 50's, for sure

I wasn't trying to list all the stations but rather to join in 541 to 503's epiphany, adjusted for an earlier time. He said he only remembered a handful of stations.

541to503,

Here's a list of the newest (commercial) FM's in Portland:

93.1 (2006)
104.1 (2001)
105.9 (2001)
94.7 (1992)
107.5 (1991)

Craig,

When exactly did 107.5 KDBX sign on? I remember it was part of the K-Love network in the beginning.

KDBX signed on the air May 1, 1991.

Let's remember that most of these new stations were established on the claim that they're 'serving' cities that were previously 'unserved,' like Camas, Banks, Vancouver, etc.

Rather than repeat my yearly rant about the fiction of 'service,' I put this question to the class: Even in good financial times, the PDX market had more stations than the market could support.

Now, in bad times, will the herd get thinner? Certainly it's happening in the hinterlands (see the KORC thread).

Will stations in and around The Big City go dark? Or will there always be a church, political organization, ethnic entrepeneur or dilletant millionare egomanic waiting in the wings to scoop up the 1410's and 1010's of our world?

...Or will there....

Always a buyer for the right price.

Rich gave what I think is the best answer to the question in this thread. Jim Radio eluded to it as well.

Yes, there are too many stations in Portland.
It isn't a question of too much variety on the air.
The issue is ad dollars being divided up among too many stations.

do aall of them make a prifit??

What is a prifit?
Is that like a widget?

How about adding 91.1 KZME, 94.3 KTIL, 96.3 KWLZ, & 97.9 KNRQ to the list.

There are too many translators with the same format. How about one or two of them changing?

Rich Johnson's post gave me an idea.

Here's a list of Portland area frequencies that changed there city of license since first signing on the air:

AM
970 Sylvan and originally Hood River.
1150 Vancouver.
1230 Oregon City.
1480 Camas.
FM
93.1 Astoria.
104.1 Tillamook.
105.1 Salem.

It's gone now but 1290 Portland.

I used to get a kick out of that old abandoned radio station north of Forest Grove on the old hiway ! The tower was still up in the mid 70s and the old studio building was a TV repair shop at that time. The tower looked like it hadnt been painted in 30 years ! I think the call sign was KWRO or KWRC they had a faded sign out front on the road , but you couldnt quite read the callsign. It moved to Woodburn, if memory serves. Craig has mentioned it in other posts over the years.

I have the same or I should say HAD the same feeling about abandoned radio stations, like I had about abandoned Drive In Movie theaters. You dont see either one much anymore huh? Kind of spooky...hey we could have a paranormal investigation in such abandoned places like that. I kind of always thought of such old entertainment media places like these as having a 'personality ' of their very own.

Kennewickman: Your getting KRWC Forest Grove mix up with KWRC Woodburn. They're not related.

"The tower was still up in the mid 70s"

I don't know the exact date, but the Rusty hulk survived for another 30 years or so after that! (I think it came down about the time Hy 47 was re-routed, north of FG). Was the shop Smittys TV ?

Yes! "Smitty's Radio & Television Clinic".

In a history that Craig posted on KRWC some time ago, the last song to play, when the station signed off in 1965, was "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire. Perhaps that song would be apropos for the KORC signoff, as well.

Or "Thanks for the Memories."
"Take This Job and Shove It."
"My Way."

Or...............

"Farewell, So Long, Goodbye"

Neil Diamond



Farewell
To all of the heartaches you brought
So long
To all of the tears I cried
Goodbye
To the bitter lesson you taught
Farewell, so long, goodbye

Through with having you walk on me now
How many times can one person die?
Once I was blinded
But I can see now
Farewell, so long, goodbye

If there was some way to start again
I'd try it
But we both know
It never can be
Oh,
Wish I could say I won't even miss you
It's gonna hurt me and that's no lie
But I'll get hurt more if I stay with you
So Farewell, So long, Goodbye

RE: Forest Grove AM tower.
I had to turn around go back to take a picture of that tower. What stuck me was how rusty it was and the vines climbing way up it. What kept it up?!? Too bad I can't find the picture.

When was it dropped, or more likely fell down?

"Good night, sleep tight and pleasant dreams to you.
Here's a wish and a prayer that every dream comes true.
And now 'til we meet again.
Adios, au revoir, auf wiedersehen.

Good Night!"

"When was it dropped, or more likely fell down?"

Nothing exact here, but I first noticed it was down somewhat after March 2000 (that was when I purchased the car that I was driving at the time). Hy 47 had been re-routed slightly, but I noticed that the tower was gone, Made a U turn and went back to the location. The land was being prepared for housing development, but the TV shop was still standing. Some heavy construction equipment was parked nearby... my guess was that the shop was next in line for demolition work.

Stations being Auctioned Off. This from All Access:

---------------Phoenix, Denver Stations To Be Auctioned---------------

MEDIA SERVICES SORP.'s JODY MCCOY will conduct the auction of NEW RADIO VENTURE stations KNUV-A/PHOENIX and KNRV-A/DENVER. The stations are available to the highest bidder, with bids accepted for the pair or individually. All bids must be accompanied with a letter of credit for $100,000 and a third party representation (bank) of capability to close the proposed transaction at the bid price.

MCCOY can meet with interested parties at the NAB SHOW in LAS VEGAS APRIL 20-21, and all bids are due by noon MDT on APRIL 30. Reach MCCOY at (719) 630-3111 or jbmccoy@mediaservicesgroup.com or go to msgdeals.com (user name "Auction," password "AM") for more information.

Don't forget the new AMs - like 860, 1010 and 1040. that came on in the 80s. Oh sorry I lost the air check tape which I recorded on a rock for the new 970 I believe it was at that time flipping a coin to decide on what format they wanted to be. LOL