





 |
|
Stu
 |
A fascination with broadcasting and weather began at an early
age while growing up on farms and ranches. Radio was the main source to the outside
world, including vital weather information. Tours of radio stations and
tinkering with old radio receivers led to an amateur radio license, K�QKM.
Eventually I had to sell the equipment to pay for college tuition and by that time, too,
it was giving way to work at broadcast stations. |
 |
Hanging around radio stations finally paid off when KCLO,
Leavenworth, KS, hired me at 14 to do weekends. But, to keep the job, I'd have to
get an FCC First-Class radio operator's license because the station was increasing its
power. Although I got it by the deadline, they didn't think I would and hired a
replacement. So, at 16, I went down the road and landed a disc-jockey and newsman
job at KBKC in Mission, KS. |
 |
Upon high school graduation, the Kansas City ABC-TV
affiliate, KMBC-TV, selected me as paid studio intern doing everything from pushing
an RCA TK-11 camera to directing. Due to cutbacks, only one camera was used
for Romper Room, with the very
pregnant Miss Francis, followed by the one hour Bea Johnson homemaker show. Judging
by the smile, I didn't have to work that gruelling shift the day the picture was taken. |
 |
Television was okay, but, at the time, radio remained my main
interest. Although TV was eroding radio's audience, a revolution was underway
that revived radio broadcasting and I was lucky enough to jump on the bandwagon with the
guy who started it all. The guy was Todd Storz, the creator of the Top-40
format. Although I didn't really realize it at the time, I was working for a legend
at the legendary KOMA in Oklahoma
City. |
 |
Still to come, stories about the Beatles and their first U.S.
tour. |
 |
And the Beach Boys very first tour. No big bus, only a
station wagon with a trailer. |
 |
Wow, have I been doing TV weather since the days of skinny
ties? |
|