KISW-FM

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KISW

Broadcast area	Seattle/Tacoma
Slogan	The Rock Of Seattle
Frequency	99.9 (MHz)
Format	Active rock
ERP	67,000 watts
Class	C
Callsign meaning	In Seattle Washingtom / Independent State of Washington
Owner	Entercom
Website	kisw.com

KISW-FM, "The Rock of Seattle", is an FM radio station in Seattle, Washington at the frequency 99.9.

Contents 1 Air Staff 2 History 3 Mascots 3.1 Duck 3.2 KISW Miss Rock hydroplane 4 Previous KISW DJs 5 History References

[edit] Air Staff

• The BJ Shea Morning Experience Weekdays: 5:00 AM - 10:00 AM pst
• Ricker Weekdays: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM pst
• The Mens Room Weekdays: 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM pst
• Jolene Weekdays: 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM pst
• Tom Leykis Weekdays: 10:00 PM - 2:00 AM pst

[edit] History

During the 1950s this station played classical music, but by 1971 had switched to the new underground or progressive style format pioneered by Tom Donahue at KMPX and KSAN in San Francisco.

KISW was not the first commercial station in the Seattle/Tacoma market to experiment with alternative radio programming on the FM dial - KOL had already accomplished some success with their FM frequency. Through the early and mid-seventies KISW evolved, as most of the FM progressive stations did, into the more tightly controlled Album Oriented Rock(AOR) format.

A key period in KISW’s history began in the late 70s, when the station adopted the slogan “Seattle’s Best Rock”. Seeming to embrace a younger more blue-collar aesthetic than Seattle’s other (AOR) stations, KISW added hard rock and heavy metal into the music mix - even in the mornings.

KISW worked with radio consultants Burkhart/Abrams. Lee Abrams had developed a sucsessful hybrid of AOR that applied the principles of Top 40.

Station Manager Steve West and Program Director Beau Phillips, developed what would be a long line of top notch, clever and irreverent KISW radio personalities. The air staff in 1980 included the morning team John Langan and Mike West who went by the moniker Those Dudes. Gary Crow and Bob Hovanes worked together in the afternoon. Both duos ran outrageous skits of Leave It To Beaver and Mr. Bruce’s Neighborhood, along with fake news and other off color parodies.

After a couple shuffles in the mid 1980s, Crow & West aired during afternoon drive, while Robin & Maynard were paired together for the mornings with their side kick Roy Otis. Both proved extraordinarily popular. But after KISW was sold and management changed, both teams left the station together in 1987 to start a fondly remembered, but relatively brief station KXRX.

The exit of Crow & West with Robin & Maynard threw KISW into a long search for a top notch air-talent to compete for Seattle listeners. Eventually, Bob Rivers debuted on KISW in 1989. Bob had gained notoriety in Boston and Baltimore for his parody songs and an 11-day, on-air marathon during a Baltimore Orioles losing streak.

KISW has had several owners over the years. During the 1970s it was owned by Kaye-Smith Enterprises (with the family of Danny Kaye as part owners). Kaye-Smith also owned KJR, the dominant AM top 40 station in Seattle. It was then purchased by Alexander Broadcasting Company, then by Nationwide Communications, Inc. The current owner is Entercom Communications Co.

A disgruntled former employee, Vincent L. Hoffart, who was fired from KISW in the late 70s has continually challenged the FCC renewal application of KISW. In 1987 he wrote a book about his dealings with the FCC, KISW, and Kaye-Smith titled A Case Of Notorial Imperfections and reprinted in 2006 as Gippergate.

In 1991 as an April Fool's prank the radio station changed their format to "Classical Rock" for a day.

In August, 2000 the popular "Twisted Radio" show led by Bob Rivers left to join rival radio station KZOK, resulting in a slump in the station's ratings. Howard Stern's nationally syndicated show was signed in May, 2001 as a replacement. But by 2005 Stern switched to satellite radio.

On November 30, 2005, The Tom Leykis Show was moved to KISW from sister station KQBZ (which flipped to country), after nearly 1,000 fans called the station and sent emails to stop the switch through protest sites.

On January 3, 2006 at 5:00 am pst, The BJ Shea Morning Experience replaced Howard Stern.

[edit] Mascots

[edit] Duck

KISW Radio Seattle had a Duck mascot that promoted the station from 1977 to 1980. The KISW Duck attended public gatherings, fairs, festivals, rock concerts, sporting events and other area events to promote the station visiblility in the station listener area. The KISW Duck attended the 1978 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and was briefly seen on the National TV broadcast. The game featured Washington and Michigan. The game was won by Washington 27 to 20. The KISW Duck regularly attended rock concerts and once performed with the TUBES rock group during their show at the Paramount Theater in Seattle in 1978. The KISW Duck was also well known for giving away donuts to listeners who drove by the station every Friday morning. The KISW Duck is probably best known for being the victim of a police beating that happened at a Richard Pryor show in 1979 outside the Paramount Theater in Seattle. Although it was never clear what triggered the incident the charges were eventually dropped by the Seattle city attorney. The story of the beating was covered in several national music trade publications at the time. The KISW duck was portrayed by Daniel O'Brien a Seattle native and local promoter who was, beside being the KISW duck, one of the founders of a local entertainment magazine known as "The Rocket". The KISW Duck quacked his last quack in 1980 when the station dropped the promotion.

[edit] KISW Miss Rock hydroplane

Around 1980, KISW purchased a hydroplane, painted it black, and added the station's fiery black “rock” logo to it. They didn’t even qualify to race the first year. The boat rarely placed, but drew cheers anyway. The Miss Rock has become a fixture at Seattle’s Seafair.

[edit] Previous KISW DJs

• 1978-1983, 1988-1989 John Langan (aka C. Foster Kane)
• 19??-1983 Mike West
• 1980 Jeff McIntish (Dr. Rock)
• 1977-1987 Gary Crow
• Bob Hovanes
• 1973-1992 Steve Slaton
• 1972-1977 Steve Nicolet
• 1980 Jesse Brandon
• 1980 John Napier
• 1980 Larry Sharp
• 1980 Mike Luchino
• 1980 Steve Akrish
• 1980 Rick Evens
• Robin Erickson
• John Maynard
• Dan Wilke
• 1989-2000 The Bob Rivers Show
• Mike Jones
• Scott Vanderpool
• 1986 Bo Roberts
• 1975-1979 Terry MacDonald
• 1977 Brent Alberts
• 1983 Gary Bryan
• 1987-1989 Sky Daniels
• 1978 John Evens
• Lisa Wood
• Damon Stewart
• 1990-1991 Bill Reid
• 1975 Tracy Mitchell
• 1987-1997 Jon Ballard
• Cathy Faulkner
• John Lisle
• Mike Bell
• 1997-2004 Andy Guyer
• 1999-2003 Adam Gehrke
• 2002-2004 Reed Wacker
• 2002-2003 Kylee Brooks
• 2002 Ricker
• 2002 Tommy Hough
• 2002-2004 Ditch

[edit] History References

• Kent Burkhart I Was There
• The Seattle Times Slaton Gets Ax At Kisw
• Sound Rider Gary Crow, Radio, Motorcycles and Chili
• Jet City Blues Steve West, Golden Boy Of Radio
• Original flame logo, circa 1980