At only 3 minutes in length, our first look at Fun Lovin’ KQV from sometime during the Winter of 1973. The tape was labelled August 73, but with a chance of snow in the forecast, its an obvious mistake.
Here’s Jim Carnegie. We know nothing about Jim or his career (somebody out there does), but he sounds personable and upbeat on the station which is famous for two things, besides being the Top 40 ratings leader in the 70s.
First, KQV was actually the very FIRST radio station in the world to go on the air. At the time, November 19, 1919, it was an Amateur licence, 8ZAE This pre-dated KDKA’s actual first COMMERCIAL license which occurred on November 2, 1920. KQV didn’t actually get it’s commercial license until January 9, 1922. All this is important why? Well, it does give KQV a nod in the history books.
Second, KQV was the home to who was then a relatively obscure disc jockey by the name of Jeff Christie. The world would come to know Jeff as Rush Limbaugh when he went national with his world famous Conservative Talk Show on August 1, 1988. As Jeff Christy, Limbaugh did what the rest of the KQV jocks did – spin Top 40 records.
We think you’ll enjoy this short slice of the Jim Carnegie show on KQV, remembering that radio was done so much differently than today, and it was done in mono on the AM band which was much less noisy than today. Remember, there were no computers or digital gadgets to create RF noise!
We processed this aircheck and re-mastered it so that this sounds as close to what it did at the time of it’s broadcast. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy this and share on your social media page!
Jim Carnegie is now publisher of Radio Business Report. //www.rbr.com
This aircheck was October 3, 1973. It is on my KQV tribute site. 14.kqv.andmuchmore.com
Here is a link to Jim’s page on the site…
//user.pa.net/~ejjeff/kqvjimcarnegie.html
Many stations were on the air prior to KQV — in the United States as well as Europe.
KCBS in San Francisco was on the early as 1909. Broadcasts from Massachusetts were made as early as 1906.
Several European stations aired broadcasts beginning in 1916.
WOC in Davenport, Iowa claims to have begun broadcasting as early as 1907.
Many amateur radio operators were broadcasting years before KQV.
KQV was certainly a pioneer in radio, but not the first by any means.
Tony
As Bill Drake would say, “Man you sure talk a lot.”
Jim takes a long time … to say nothing.
Sounds more like an adult-contemporary station of the time rather than top 40, at least from the small sample of music on this aircheck.
Tony
It should be remembered by this time, that KQV had already gome more adult. This was after 13Q had signed on against them and before the switch to 14K. Here is an article from Broadcasting Magazine from April 1973, that explains the changes KQV was undergoing at the time. //user.pa.net/~ejjeff/kqvvs13q.html
KQV’s origins actually date back to 1912. The regular programmingbegan in 1919
Jim took on a part time position as instructor at Andrews Institute of Broadcasting in 1973. I was one of his students but was interested in Broadcast Journalism. I left school in February 1974 to pursue radio in West Virginia. I worked at WVOW from February 1, 1974 through February 10, 2010. I then retired after a 36 year run and now reside in Logan, WV.
Jim was an outstanding mentor. He once introduced me to Jeff Christie at KQV. Little did I know who I was meeting.