RADIO

RADIO. Pioneering broadcast media. A Wireless Association existed in Dubuque in 1917 with Clifford Patch as general manager. In 1920 Patch, in cooperation with other wireless operators, accomplished the feat of broadcasting a fifty-word message from Dubuque through Clinton and Chicago to Cleveland, Ohio.

WIBJ, a local station, went on the air for one week in February of 1926 to broadcast local entertainment programs from the stage of the GRAND THEATER. No permanent broadcasting followed. Other temporary radio stations in Dubuque included WIBM in 1926 and WHBL in 1927. Broadcasts regularly featured local talent.

In 1940 the establishment of a radio station in Dubuque was made possible by the decision of the United States Supreme Court in the "Free Enterprise Case" or "Sanders Case." The Court was asked to rule on whether the Federal Communications Commission was obligated to consider potential economic injury to existing radio stations in the determination of whether the Commission should grant or withhold a license to a nearby station. The Court ruled that there was no such obligation.

With this ruling, the TELEGRAPH HERALD was able to file an application for a station to compete with WKBB operating in East Dubuque. In the fall of 1940, the newspaper purchased the Hoerrman Press Building on the southwest corner of Eighth Avenue and Bluff. The building was demolished and construction begun on a home for a new radio station. KDTH, a part of the Mutual Broadcasting System, began operations in Dubuque on May 4, 1941, with a special dedication program scheduled at 2:00 p.m. KDTH began regular broadcasting on May 5, 1941, at frequency 1370. Through KDTH, Dubuque became the first city in the Midwest to be linked with the Associated Press "Newscast" wire which carried domestic and foreign news along with feature stories.

In 1967 KDTH announced the formation of a sister station with call letters KFMD. Then one of the most powerful radio facilities in the Midwest, KFMD was expected to broadcast to twenty-one thousand square miles in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Ironically, the letters for the station, meant to identify it as an FM station, were found to be those assigned to a ship in the merchant marine. Finding that the ship had been retired, the Bureau of Ships allowed the letters to be used by the new station.

Beginning in July 1975, KFMD changed its format from "easy listening" to "Love Rock," a blend of recent hit tunes, the top 24 hits each week, and top hits since 1957. In April 1984, KDTH announced that KFMD would begin a new image with new call letters. Radio announcers also began identifying the station's frequency as 92.9 instead of the previously used "D93" for its location on the radio dial. Today KAT-FM is the sponsor of the popular SATURDAY NIGHT CRUISE.

WKBB first operated in East Dubuque on October 30, 1930, as a Columbia Broadcasting affiliate. The station was purchased by Walter E. KLAUER, and the studio moved to the Julien Hotel (now the JULIEN MOTOR INN). In November 1939, a new tower and transmitter were' constructed on Middle Road, and WKBB became a 250-watt station throughout the entire day. While in East Dubuque, the station broadcast at 250 watts during the day, but had to reduce its power to 100 watts at night.

Audience programs, such as the Nut Sundae Club, were broadcast from the Gold Room of the Julien in the 1930s and attracted standing room crowds. In 1943, when WKBB was sold to a group of Dubuque investors, the studios were transferred from the Julien to the second floor of the FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF DUBUQUE Building at Fifth and Main STREETS. From there they moved to the transmitter site, the penthouse of the Fischer Building, 1170 Iowa Street, and finally to their present location in Asbury. In 1952, during the many relocations, the call letters of the station were changed to WDBQ.

In 1974 WDBQ announced an all-new FM radio station, KIWI, at 105 on the radio dial. The featured music was current top selling records with emphasis on country, big band, and show music. The call letters of KIWI became KLYV with a change to playing contemporary hits.

In 1989 both KLYV and KAT-FM saw their ratings hurt by the change of FM 102 in Dubuque from KIX-I02, a country station, to KDFX FOX-102, a rock station. "FOX 102," saw its number of listeners between the ages of eighteen and thirty-four more than double between 1988 and 1989.

Over the years, Dubuque originated several programs for national audiences. Nationally known commentator Paul Harvey broadcast from studios belonging to KDTH. Radio station WDBQ hosted an episode of the popular "Don McNeill's Breakfast Club" from a boat moored in the ICE HARBOR. 'The Junior Musicale" produced by Arnie Stierman for Saturday morning audiences listening to the Mutual Broadcasting System, was Dubuque's first regularly scheduled network program.

Other radio stations in the Dubuque area have also addressed specific audiences. In the spring of 1980 an FM operation began its religious-oriented programming from the penthouse studio in the Fischer Building. This station, KLXL, was managed by Mrs. Marge Bearden.

Dubuque radio station personalities are well known. Paul HEMMER, one of the Tri-State's most popular bandleaders, constructed 97.3 KGRR-FM in 1994. In 2000 he and two partners formed “Radio Dubuque” to operate KGRR-FM, KAT-FM, WVRE-FM and KDTH-AM. Gerald "Red" McALEECE retired from KDTH after thirty-seven years producing agricultural and sports programs. Gordon KILGORE, also of KDTH, joined the station after World War II and became a news and public affairs favorite of TriState listeners. Kenneth Gordon, manager of KDTH until 1963, was a founder of the Iowa Tall Corn Network while working in Dubuque.