By RC "Chris" Stilwell
In The Beginning There Was AM... It was the roots of radio, and for decades that's all there was, because though Armstrong had developed FM transmission early on, FM suffered the dreaded "Line Of Sight" signal, which drastically restricted the range an FM signal could carry. Consigned to the backwaters of broadcasting, it wasn't until the mid-60's when radio pioneers like Tom Donahue discovered that there were very inexpensive FM stations for sale in major markets, where a broadcast radius of only a few miles could still reach millions of listeners, and deliver the clear, high quality sound favored by audiophiles. The rise of "Underground Radio" powered FM stations to tremendous popularity, and the previously obscure & exotic FM band began to sound like regular commercial AM radio. The price of success was a gradual degrading of the quality of programming, and the price of owning & operating a modern FM station quickly went through the roof, placing it squarely in the
hands of Corporate Ownership.
So it is with a sense of irony that we see some real radio innovators returning to AM to, in effect, clean up Dodge. Perhaps that sense of irony is increased by the fact that this is happening in The Gateway To The West, and one of the original great jazz cities, St. Louis.
KZJZ, AM 1380, went 24-hr Jazz on July 12, 1998, and has been kicking up a storm ever since. Primarily the work of General Manager Maria Keena, who approached the owners of the station with the idea, KZJZ has not only revived the AM band with Jazz, but also with real local disc jockeys who (Gasp!) select their own play lists. And it seems to be working, because the station was named Best New Radio Station of 1998 by St. Louis Magazine, beating out 3 new FM stations. The combination of real DJs with the AM band is a throwback to the early days of radio, where the listener is both entertained & engaged by the medium. It taps into the rich Jazz heritage of St. Louis in a way that is capturing the hearts of the listeners in one of America's great cities.
They are doing it by stretching out, employing things like live jazz concerts from The Bistro every week, and putting together educational programs with the St. Louis Public School system. They are using a fuller range of radio's potentials to involve the community, and become an active, vital part of the life of the city. This includes food drives and various charity events.
A great station requires great personnel, and Maria Keena assembled the best local jazz personalities, then turned them loose to do what they love to do. Most are musicians themselves. Maria fronts the 18 pc. Original Knights Of Swing, and has been involved in broadcasting & music for many years. Her show follows James Earl, a 25 year veteran of the St. Louis scene, and leads into Bob Armstrong's mid-day show. Don Stuart, Sean Smothers, and Jeff Stone complete the regular weekday lineup. Weekends continue the same high standards with Buzz Carlson, Pat Graney, (who is also Music Director), Aimee McKenzie, and Jay McGee doing weekends, along with Sean Smothers Blues Show on Sunday.
As a commercial station, their survival depends on a solid base of advertisers. They are building a sales base through local small businesses, which often cannot afford the Big Station Big Prices, or have advertising agencies doing their media buying. The listenership of the station is exceptionally loyal, and the programming is varied enough so that those who listen to KZJZ tend to leave it on longer than other stations. This seems to help build an advertiser base that is also exceptionally loyal, and understands the reach of the station. The combination of real DJs, community involvement, and the great Jazz tradition of St. Louis itself is a potent formula for success. Long Live The Jazz Voice Of St. Louis!
There are other AM stations around the country which are worthy of special note, especially the venerable KRML of the Monterey/Carmel area. That's the station made famous in Clint Eastwood's "Play Misty For Me". We'll be looking at these stations as we continue to explore the airwaves, city by city. But for now it's worth noting that there is some great radio on the AM side of the dial, and it pays to keep an open ear connected to an open mind.
