User talk:KLVI560

The History of KLVI Radio
KLVI has served Southeast Texas for the past 82 years!

A Southeast Texas Broadcast Legend

On August 6, 1924, the Magnolia Petroleum Company (later Mobil Oil), a distributor and refiner of petroleum products based in Beaumont, was granted authority to build and operate a new broadcast station. The Radio Division of the Department of Commerce assigned call letters KFDM at the request of Magnolia, to signify the slogan "Kall for Dependable Magnolene", a brand of car lubricant. On September 20, 1924, KFDM was licensed to operate on 306 meters (equal to 980 kilocycles) with a power of 500 watts.

Wednesday, October 1, 1924 was opening night for KFDM. There was a prayer by Rev. Frank Rhea and a dedication speech by Mayor J. Aurton Barnes. He praised the refinery for its public spiritedness. Then the announcer turned the program over to the "Oil Right Doctor," Dr. Harry Cloud, and the Magnolia Band.

After several changes, KFDM changed frequency to 560 kilocycles in 1928. In January 1930 KFDM's main studios were moved to new quarters atop the Hotel Beaumont in downtown Beaumont.

KFDM was acquired in February of 1939 by Beaumont Broadcasting Corporation. Also in mid-1939, the studios were moved to the Edson Hotel on Pearl Street, and the station affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System. In 1940 the station dropped it's Mutual affiliation and joined the regional Lone Star Network. Lone Star was dropped in 1943 and in 1945 KFDM became an ABC affiliate.

In 1948, studios were moved from the Edson Hotel to new quarters at 1420 Calder in Beaumont, and the station increased power to 5,000 watts from a transmitter site in Bridge City.

On January 1, 1964, KFDM was acquired from Beaumont Broadcasting by Radio Beaumont with John Hicks jr as President. Call letters were changed from KFDM to KLVI in February 1964, and soon after, studios were moved to 27 North Eleventh Street in Beaumont. In the late 60's studios were moved to 27 Sawyer Street in Beaumont. Current morning personality Al Caldwell has been at KLVI since 1977. Al's morning partner, Jim Love, has been in Southeast Texas radio since 1967 and joined the company in 1979. Afternoon Talk host Jack Pieper has been at KLVI since 1980. News Director Neil Harrison joined KLVI in October 2001. In late 1995 studios were moved to the present location at 2885 Interstate 10 in Beaumont. The transmitter site remains at the 1948 location in Bridge City.

KLVI is the 12th oldest continuously licensed broadcast station in the Texas States, and is owned by Clear Channel Communcations. Clear Channel also owns Southeast Texas radio stations KYKR, KKMY, KIOC and KCOL.

KLVI was named the 2003 Marconi Small Market Station of the Year by the National Association of Broadcasters. The prestigious Marconi award recognizes the most outstanding radio station's in the United States.

Copyright © 2003-2006 Clear Channel. All rights reserved.

http://www.klvi.com/pages/history.html

For more information, or to listen online, you can go to the KLVI website at http://www.klvi.com KLVI560 18:50, 7 September 2006 (UTC)