KJOC
Encyclopedia
KJOC is a radio station licensed to Davenport, Iowa
, and has an oldies
format. The station's frequency is 1170 kHz, and broadcasts at a power of 1 kW. Its transmitters are located near Coyne Center
, Illinois
.
KJOC is owned by Cumulus Media
, with studios located at 1229 Brady Street in Davenport, Iowa
(along with the co-located KQCS
, WXLP
, KBEA-FM
and KBOB-FM
).
-area baby boomer
s, the Davenport allocation for 1170 kHz represented good times and the best rock 'n' roll music in the area.
The station signed on in July 1946, but it wasn't until the mid-1950s—when it began playing the then-new Top 40/contemporary hit radio
genre—that the station really took off in popularity. Disc jockeys made liberal use of listener requests and call-in contests. If there was a live broadcast or news happening in the Quad Cities
, listeners were sure to spot the "Big Red" mobile news cruiser. KSTT also polled listeners on their favorite current songs, which disc jockeys then presented in a weekly countdown program. Quad-City area servicemen in Vietnam
had tapes of KSTT programming sent to them.
The station, which was located along East River Drive in downtown Davenport, had a large window in its studio, where motorists could see their favorite on-air disc jockeys broadcasting. Listeners today remember such radio personalities as Jay Gregory, Mark Stevens, Lou Gutenberger, Bobby Rich, Ruth and Fred, Spike O'Dell
and Jim O'Hara, each of them presenting the current Top 40 hits in an entertaining way. Members of the station's award-winning news department included News Directors Jerry Reid, Dave Douglas (Tom Hosmanek) and Gary Hummel.
"KSTT listeners became participants as well as listeners, calling Ruth and Fred on the Phone Show, phoning in news tips, (and) requesting songs," one history of the station stated. "They attended KSTT-sponsored hootenanny
s and hops, ball games and picnics, concerts and Good Guy-A-Go-Go dances. And they entered contests." Dick Orkin
s infamous Chickenman
and Toothfairy episodes were heard daily.
For many years, KSTT remained the top-rated station in the Quad Cities
market. But by the late 1970s, with FM radio stations gaining in popularity (particularly KIIK 104
), KSTT's audience started to shrink. In the mid 1980s (1984) KSTT changed its call letters to KKZX, known to listeners as 11KZX and took one last ditch effort at "Top 40" music and had mild success, that lasted until early 1986. After Guy Gannett Broadcasting sold the station as well as its sister station 97X to Goodrich Broadcasting, the station returned to its legendary KSTT call letters but began programming Golden Oldies -- music from the 1950s through early 1970s. It worked for a while, but the resurgence was temporary.
station, WXLP
(aka 97X, a rock-oriented station). By February 1992, 1170 AM's format was largely sports
and sports talk, and in March 1993, the station's call letters were switched to reflect its format: KJOC.
During its 10-year run as a sports station, KJOC received most of its programming from ESPN Radio
, and was the Quad-Cities outlet for Chicago-area professional sports—including the Bears
, Bulls
, Cubs
and White Sox
. For most of the 1990s, KJOC also provided coverage of local sports.
In April 2003, KJOC adopted a talk radio
format. Branding itself, "Super Talk 1170," KJOC's flagship program was "The O'Reilly Factor
" hosted by Bill O'Reilly
. Chicago-area sports remained a fixure on the station. KJOC also remained the Quad-Cities outlet for Iowa State University sports
on and off during the next five years.
On August 20, 2008, KJOC switched to an oldies format, getting most of its programming from ABC Radio Networks' "True Oldies Channel
." The sports lineup continued to feature Chicago-area and Iowa State University sports.
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, and has an oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
format. The station's frequency is 1170 kHz, and broadcasts at a power of 1 kW. Its transmitters are located near Coyne Center
Coyne Center, Illinois
Coyne Center is a census-designated place in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 827 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
KJOC is owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
, with studios located at 1229 Brady Street in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
(along with the co-located KQCS
KQCS
KQCS is a radio station licensed to Bettendorf, Iowa, whose format is adult contemporary. The station's frequency is 93.5 MHz, and broadcasts at a power of 6 kW...
, WXLP
WXLP
WXLP is a Quad Cities area commercial Classic Hits radio station, licensed to Moline, Illinois. The station is owned by Cumulus Media, with studios located in Davenport, Iowa ....
, KBEA-FM
KBEA-FM
KBEA-FM is a radio station licensed to Muscatine, Iowa, whose format is Top 40. The station broadcasts at a power of 100 kW....
and KBOB-FM
KBOB-FM
KBOB-FM is a commercial radio station located in DeWitt, Iowa, broadcasting to the Quad Cities, Iowa area on 104.9 FM. KBOB-FM airs an active rock music format branded as "Rock 104.9".-WGEN-FM:...
).
History of 1170 kHz
For Quad CitiesQuad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
-area baby boomer
Baby boomer
A baby boomer is a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom and who grew up during the period between 1946 and 1964. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve broad consensus of a precise definition, even...
s, the Davenport allocation for 1170 kHz represented good times and the best rock 'n' roll music in the area.
The station signed on in July 1946, but it wasn't until the mid-1950s—when it began playing the then-new Top 40/contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
genre—that the station really took off in popularity. Disc jockeys made liberal use of listener requests and call-in contests. If there was a live broadcast or news happening in the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
, listeners were sure to spot the "Big Red" mobile news cruiser. KSTT also polled listeners on their favorite current songs, which disc jockeys then presented in a weekly countdown program. Quad-City area servicemen in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
had tapes of KSTT programming sent to them.
The station, which was located along East River Drive in downtown Davenport, had a large window in its studio, where motorists could see their favorite on-air disc jockeys broadcasting. Listeners today remember such radio personalities as Jay Gregory, Mark Stevens, Lou Gutenberger, Bobby Rich, Ruth and Fred, Spike O'Dell
Spike O'Dell
William O'Dell a native of East Moline, Illinois, is a former radio host for WGN Radio in Chicago, Illinois. He joined WGN in 1987 and hosted the afternoon show until 2000, when he took over for the late Bob Collins in the morning slot from 5 to 9 a.m. During the time O'Dell held that slot, his...
and Jim O'Hara, each of them presenting the current Top 40 hits in an entertaining way. Members of the station's award-winning news department included News Directors Jerry Reid, Dave Douglas (Tom Hosmanek) and Gary Hummel.
"KSTT listeners became participants as well as listeners, calling Ruth and Fred on the Phone Show, phoning in news tips, (and) requesting songs," one history of the station stated. "They attended KSTT-sponsored hootenanny
Hootenanny
Hootenanny is an Appalachian colloquialism that was used in early twentieth century America to refer to things whose names were forgotten or unknown. In this usage it was synonymous with thingamajig or whatchamacallit, as in "hand me that hootenanny." Hootenanny was also an old country word for...
s and hops, ball games and picnics, concerts and Good Guy-A-Go-Go dances. And they entered contests." Dick Orkin
Dick Orkin
Dick Orkin is an award-winning voice actor and commercial radio producer who created the series Chickenman and The Secret Adventures of the Tooth Fairy...
s infamous Chickenman
Chicken Man (radio series)
Chickenman is an American radio series that spoofs comic book heroes. It was created in the mid 1960s by Dick Orkin, who at the time was a production director at WCFL in Chicago, Illinois. Its famous catch-phrase is, "He's everywhere! He's everywhere!"...
and Toothfairy episodes were heard daily.
For many years, KSTT remained the top-rated station in the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
market. But by the late 1970s, with FM radio stations gaining in popularity (particularly KIIK 104
WLLR-FM
WLLR-FM is a radio station licensed to Davenport, Iowa, whose format is modern country music. The station's frequency is 103.7 MHz, and broadcasts at a power of 100 kW....
), KSTT's audience started to shrink. In the mid 1980s (1984) KSTT changed its call letters to KKZX, known to listeners as 11KZX and took one last ditch effort at "Top 40" music and had mild success, that lasted until early 1986. After Guy Gannett Broadcasting sold the station as well as its sister station 97X to Goodrich Broadcasting, the station returned to its legendary KSTT call letters but began programming Golden Oldies -- music from the 1950s through early 1970s. It worked for a while, but the resurgence was temporary.
Recent history
Beginning in January 1989, KSTT was doing some simulcasting with its sister FMFM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
station, WXLP
WXLP
WXLP is a Quad Cities area commercial Classic Hits radio station, licensed to Moline, Illinois. The station is owned by Cumulus Media, with studios located in Davenport, Iowa ....
(aka 97X, a rock-oriented station). By February 1992, 1170 AM's format was largely sports
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
and sports talk, and in March 1993, the station's call letters were switched to reflect its format: KJOC.
During its 10-year run as a sports station, KJOC received most of its programming from ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
, and was the Quad-Cities outlet for Chicago-area professional sports—including the Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. For most of the 1990s, KJOC also provided coverage of local sports.
In April 2003, KJOC adopted a talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
format. Branding itself, "Super Talk 1170," KJOC's flagship program was "The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
" hosted by Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
. Chicago-area sports remained a fixure on the station. KJOC also remained the Quad-Cities outlet for Iowa State University sports
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
on and off during the next five years.
On August 20, 2008, KJOC switched to an oldies format, getting most of its programming from ABC Radio Networks' "True Oldies Channel
The True Oldies Channel
The True Oldies Channel is a syndicated radio programming stream begun in the spring of 2004, hosted by American radio personality Scott Shannon...
." The sports lineup continued to feature Chicago-area and Iowa State University sports.
Sources
- Anderson, Frederick I, editor. "Joined By a River: Quad Cities." Lee Enterprises, 1982. ISBN 0-910847-00-2