KPWR
KPWR (Power 106) – Los Angeles – 1985-1995 (various)
On the heels of today’s stunning announcement regarding the sale of KPWR from Emmis to Mereulo Group, we felt it would be appropriate to re-feature an aircheck of this legendary radio station. =============== In early 1986, Emmis Broadcasting flipped 105.9 FM in Los Angeles from KMGG “Magic 106″ (apparently some form of Hot AC) to Rhythmic CHR (then a relatively new format) as “Power 106″. The station became an instant hit, surpassing heritage Mainstream KIIS in all dayparts except Morning Drive, where Rick Dees continued to dominnate. The beginning of this aircheck contains various snippets of KPWR from what appears to be approximately 1989. It is then followed by a special mix featured on the station in 1995, titled “Blowin’ Up 10 Years of Flava.” However, as st...
KPWR (Power 106) – L.A. – Jan ’96 (10th Anniv. Special) – Frank Lozano
In January 1996, Power 106 celebrated its 10th anniversary by having a series of mixes representing each of its years on the air. Personalities and mixes featured here include Frank Lozano, Charlie Huero, Tony B, and Richard Humpty Vission. Left intact is a commercial for In n Out, the legendary California burger establishment that has since spread to Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. I’m not sure if they regularly advertise on radio in the Los Angeles market, but it’s a rarity or virtually unheard of here in my hometown of Phoenix.
KPWR (Power 106) – Los Angeles – 4/24/87 – Jay Thomas
In February 1986, Emmis Broadcasting flipped 105.9 FM in Los Angeles from KMGG “Magic 106” (apparently some form of Hot AC as suggested in this article) to Rhythmic CHR (then a relatively new format) as “Power 106”. The station became an instant hit, surpassing heritage Mainstream KIIS in all dayparts except Morning Drive, where Rick Dees continued to dominate. In an effort to reverse this trend, Emmis brought in Jay Thomas, who had been hosting mornings on New York’s WKTU (the original) until the year prior. This is a sample of Thomas’ show about six months after its debut, recorded 28 years ago this month.
KPWR (Power 106) – Los Angeles – 1/25/97
Recorded at a time when hip-hop was just starting to make its way into Mainstream U.S. radio, this is a montage of a station that was one of the format’s pioneers several years earlier.
