KYMN - Cecil Heftel Passes

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KYMN - Cecil Heftel Passes

Postby jon » Sat Feb 06, 2010 11:35 am

Top 40 genius owner Cecil Heftel died Thursday at age 85. He had an amazing career, but I'll let others select their favourite article. Google News has nearly 200 listed so far.

For many of us in the Pacific Northwest in the mid-1960s, Heftel had a special place in our hearts, even though KJR Seattle made Heftel's famous KIMN Denver an impossibility -- same 950 KHz frequency.

But Heftel's KYMN Oregon City (just outside of Portland) was one killer Top 40 station. On 1520 with 50KW day and 10KW at night. Amazing when you consider that the three biggest stations on 1520 were all Top 40: KOMA, KYMN and WKBW. At a time when Clear Channels tended to be dominated by Full Service network affiliates. Both KOMA and WKBW were truly legendary Top 40 stations.

Alas, it didn't last long. KOL's Robin Mitchell always claims he was hired by KYMN while still in high school because management knew it didn't matter who they put up against The Real Don Steele on KISN.

As I said, KYMN was short-lived. And, ironically, it was sold to KIXI Seattle, becoming KYXI. The irony: KIXI was also on 910, KISN's frequency.

Robin was actually re-hired just before the sale to KIXI, as Heftel had planned another Top 40 makeover.
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