John Elliot on 55 KTSA San Antonio | November, 1985

550 San Antonio KTSA

This aircheck was made about a month before KTSA dumped music and flipped to News/Talk. John Elliot is filling in here for John Dinkins. John and I worked together at KOUL Cool 103.5 in Corpus Christi – and over a beer (or two) he played this aircheck for me. I just had to have a copy.

To listen, click the BIG BLUE BUTTON below.

A word about support…
Each month, we ask for donations to support our online museum. It’s an ongoing request, because only a few ever donate, despite an audience in the thousands every day. Won’t you please help out and chip in? It goes to a worthy cause, helping to keep these classic radio recordings online and free to the user. Airchexx is a user-supported but free historical and educational website which also provides thousands of hours of listening enjoyment every day. You can make a voluntary, monthly contribution below, or look in the sidebar to the right for a link to make a one-time donation to help us defray costs. Thank you.




KTSA here is a lesson in liner card radio. While KTSA is doing a lot of promotions, it seems that every break you hear a promo or liner. John Elliot’s personality does come through, however, there is very little John Elliot and a whole lot of the same things said over every song. But that was the way AC radio was done in the Mid-80s, especially on AM station which was trying to compete against their FM competitors. As as we know, KTSA quit playing music about a month after this recording.

This is actually two days put together. First, it’s “Hundred Dollar Bill Thursday” at KTSA, and John Elliot is calling people at random. All people have to do is say KTSA is their favorite radio station to win. Then, on the Friday aircheck, it’s a “Honeymooner’s Weekend”. You’re listening for Jackie Gleason’s voice to win Friday and Saturday night at the Embassy Hotel in San Antonio. Anyone who remembers these promotions is invited to comment on KTSA’s programming below.

Also included on this tape is a rare recording of Ricci Ware’s evening talk show, heard back in ’85 at 9 pm nightly. That is included on a separate post or listen at the end of this aircheck on the original Real Audio version.



Click HERE to play in Real Audio