102.7 KIIS-FM 1981

[Lkeller]

I recall in the Summer of 1981 KIIS-FM playing Neil Young-Heart Of Gold. The song was a decade old at the time. Mellow, older songs like that gave KIIS an AC lean. They were like an adult Top 40.

I was listening to a KIIS aircheck from 1982 and something that impressed me was they were calling themselves 102.7 KIIS FM. They were ahead of their time giving a digital frequency back then. Most FM stations still rounded off to the closest whole number.

Interestingly, I don't think 102.7 ever did 'round off.'  KKDJ before that was also IDed as "102.7."
Another example was KMET - even in the late 60s, they were "94.7," never "95." Their sister staton, KSAN in San Francisco did round off 94.9 to "The Jive 95." KPPC was always "106.7" - never 107.

Another example is KLOS, which was always either 95.5 or "95 1/2." A lot of FM stations never rounded in those days.

[michael hagerty]

KIIS-FM described itself to Billboard in '81/'82 as Adult Contemporary (thanks, Google Books!)...by '83, they were claiming CHR. But by then, they had a GM (Wally Clark) who believed in the power of hit radio, and was willing to commit 30% of his total budget to promotion.

Llew: You're right about the rounding. Really, unless you're a something-point-nine or a something-point-one, it's better not to round. KNX-FM (93.1) didn't round, but when it became KKHR, KODJ and CBS-FM, it did. KMET/KTWV never did. KABC-FM/KLOS never did. KIQQ did (as K-100), KRTH rounded and still does.