The History of Portland Radio
KJUN (104.1 MHz) was given authority by the FCC to relocate to Scappoose, OR in
2001. In August of that year, KJUN signed on, under Federal Test Authority.
The day of the testing, a six-part Portland Radio History documentary
aired.
KJUN was sold to Salem Communications, which changed its call letters to KFIS
("The Fish"). KFIS broadcasts a Contemporary Christian music format.
Ernie Hopseker, the producer of this documentary of Portland radio's rich
history, provided me a 6-CD set of the broadcast. With his permission, I
am presenting the documentary in its entirety.
Note: To listen, please save the mp3 file(s) to your computer hard
disk and then play the file from your disk. Download speeds will vary
depending on server activity. Attempting to play these files directly from
the links below may result in the sound breaking up or in no playback at
all.
Tip: If possible, start your download in the evening and let it run until
it is finished. You can download more than one file at a time, but
this will affect your download speed as well as that of the other people
who are trying to use the server. Thank you for your patience and
understanding.
- Part 1 (72:44) High Quality: 74 MB Quicker Download: 24.3 MB
This opens with some technical checks and then dives right into the history of
7XF/KGN. The history of various 1920s era broadcasters are covered amidst
musical interludes and classic jingles. The history continues over the
decades leading up to 1960 to introduce some of the other players heard in the
later parts. The last 40 minutes of this segment are a really cool montage of
all of the #1 top-40 chart hits from January 1956 through December 1977.
- Part 2 (40:13) High Quality: 33.8 MB Quicker Download: 14 MB
"Listen to the KISN Bird!" This segment is all about KISN, starting
with the station's early history and is loaded with really great airchecks
from the '60s.
- Part 3 (46:32) High Quality: 66.1 MB Quicker Download: 20.5 MB
For a brief period of time in the 1960s, KYMN went head-to-head with KISN in
the top-40 wars. This segment is all about KYMN as it sounded in 1964.
- Part 4 (68:25) High Quality: 74.7 MB Quicker Download: 28.4 MB
This segment follows KISN from 1965 to its demise in 1976. An extended off-air
recording is included of KISN's final broadcast with Dave "Records" Stone
at the helm. The KISN history is wrapped up with a review of what happened
to various KISN personnel after they left the station. A montage of KGW
airchecks follows the KISN history.
- Part 5 (70:58) High Quality: 79.6 MB Quicker Download: 27.9 MB
This segment covers the 1970s including airchecks from KPAM, KGW, KYTE-FM. At
the end is a foray into the early 1980s with KSGO and KCNR.
- Part 6 (67:36) High Quality: 77.3 MB Quicker Download: 24 MB
The last segment covers the late '80s through the '90s. Included are airchecks
from KKLI, KRCK, KMJK, KAAR, KXYQ, and KXL-FM. Following the airchecks is Jim
Long's "Tomorrow Radio."
At the request of some of our visitors, lower-bitrate mono versions of these
recordings are being made available.
Aircheck Archive Page
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