The Ratings are in

For the Fall of 1945

I thought maybe the big numbers for KTRH and KXYZ in the mornings reflected, respectively, Arthur Godfrey, who had just gone national in April of 1945, and Don McNeill's Breakfast Club, which had been national (although maybe not in Houston all the time) since 1933. However, when I looked at the radio listings in my files closest to this date, in the Spring of 1947, I found the Breakfast Club on KXYZ at 9 am but Arthur Godfrey was on KTRH at 2 pm (30 minutes, with House Party - Art Linkletter? - at 3pm).

I have no idea what was responsible for the big numbers on KPRC in the afternoon.

I'm grateful to Chris Huff of the DFW Radio Archives for sharing this graphic.

Ron Stone passes

Long time Houston TV anchor Ron Stone, who spent 30 years on Channels 2 and 11 as anchor, has passed at the age of 72 from cancer.

Here's an obituary from KPRC-TV. I have missed him on the news since he retired in 1992.

Goodnight, neighbor.

April Anniversaries

Broadcasting Yearbook, 1979, gave April, 1963, for the launch of KLJT-FM, Lake Jackson on 107.3. It was co-owned with KBRZ, Freeport, and had studio and tower on Willow Drive in Lake Jackson, just 2 blocks from my home. The station is now on 107.5; other calls have included KGOL-FM, KLDE-FM and KHTS-FM.

April 12 marks the anniversary of the first operation of a licensed broadcasting station in Houston in 1922, WEV. See the Chronology of the 1920s and WEV under Stations on the sidebar for more.

April 15, 1947, marked either the issuance of the permit or launch of operations for KWHI, Brenham, 1280, now operating once again with the original calls.

The Yearbook gives April 16, 1951, for the launch of KMCO, Conroe, a 500 watt daytime station on 900 kilocycles.

Easter Sunday, April 17, 1949, brought KREL-FM, Baytown, 92.1 megacycles, co-owned with KREL-AM, 1360.

On April 26, 1946, The Houston Press reported in passing that Lee Segall of Houston had been granted FM license. This is believed to be the first license for an FM station in the upper band in Houston but the exact date of issuance is not known. The permit was never activated.