Top 40 Comes to KCBQ

by [1] David Leonard

Bartell is probably the best known ownership name associated with KCBQ, as well they should. The Bartell family brought the Top 40 format to KCBQ. Prior to 1955, the focus was to acquire and maintain a network affiliation to provide stable programming and stable income. That did not translate into high ratings. Up to this time, KCBQ was overwhelmed by KFSD and KSDO, and even stations based in Los Angeles. (Pictured: Mel Ralph Evans, Rosa Bartell Evans, and Gerald Bartell)

The Bartell family of Milwaukee, WI consisted of brothers Gerald, Mel, David, Lee, and their sister Rosa Evans. Under Lee’s leadership, the family assembled resources to license WEXT Milwaukee in 1947. The family founded the Bartell Group in 1950, took WEXT off the air, and then licensed WOKY. Over time, they would acquire stations in small markets, develop successful Top 40 programming, then sell them for stations in larger markets. KCBQ was a large market station that the Bartell Group acquired in 1955.

Lee Bartell created an ownership presence at the station as General Manager. This was an era when radio was losing audience and revenue to television. The first change was to drop the network affiliation and program KCBQ with a Top 40 format. Allan Heacock was installed as Program Director. Ernie Meyers could not stand the new format and opted to move to television. Harry Martin, (the ‘Happy Hare’ name would come later), convinced Bartell that he had experience with the format and he stayed. Jack Vincent remained as an engineer, but Bartell realized that Jack could handle an on-air shift as well. They raided KSDO to get the popular Don Howard. Others came from Bartell stations elsewhere or started their career in radio, as did young Scotty Day. With two or three exceptions, the air talent remained intact until 1965. KCBQ was nominally the top rated station from 1955 to 1965 in San Diego. (Pictured: Gerald, Mel, Lee, and David Bartell.)

(Pictured: Tom Murphy in the KCBQ window.) The studio was relocated to 5th and Ash in 1957, and the transmitter was established in Santee once the FCC granted approval for a 50,000 watt daytime, 5000 watt night time signal. KCBQ could have fared better with 10,000 day/night signal, since the 50,000 watts was oriented westerly to the Pacific Ocean. But Lee Bartell wanted bragging rights with a 50,000 watt station. (Extra bonus points if you know Tom’s on-air name.)

Bill Drake and Gene Chenault’s Boss Radio format caught on in San Diego during 1965, leaving KCBQ sounding aged and clumsy. The veteran staff was released as numerous staff changes occurred throughout the year. They attempted to steal the rights to the one and only San Diego Beatles concert in August, but the ratings plummeted over the next few years. Lee was forced by his family to leave his General Manager position in 1967, and Bartell Media was sold to Down Communications in 1968, (with the Bartell family retaining a management role in radio operations).

By this time, the Bartell family became less interested in radio as their operations became more diversified. Lee took a particular interest in hotel development, including the Circle 8 Hotel in Mission Valley as an early project. The family still owns seven hotels in the San Diego area that include Humphries Half Moon Inn & Suites on Shelter Island and the Sheraton Hotel in La Jolla, and five restaurants. The Bartell name was associated with KCBQ management through 1977. The station was then shuffled through a number of ownership portfolios that would eventually lead to poor ratings and the demise of the Top 40 format in 1979. In 1990, a successful reunion of air personalities, office staff, and even Lee Bartell was held at the Marriott Hotel in Mission Valley. Video of that reunion is available through California Aircheck. The late Phil Flowers aired a history of the station during the early 2000’s that included recorded airchecks, live and recorded interviews, and commentary. There was even a book written about KCBQ and other Top 40 San Diego stations in 2004. The Top 40 glory days of KCBQ are now long gone, but the connection people feel with the station, whether as en employee or as a listener, remain strong. Here’s to you, KCBQ! (Pictured: Gary Allyn in the KCBQ lobby.)

© 2008 David M. Leonard, author of AIRCHECK, The Story of Top 40 Radio in San Diego, available at [2] http://home.earthlink.net/~leonarddla//

[SDRadio note: David’s book is a good companion to your radio collection. Please contact David at his website, [3] http://home.earthlink.net/~leonarddla.]