KYSR
KYSR,
Star 98.7, is an
adult contemporary music radio station in
Los Angeles, playing mostly alternative music from the
'80s through today. Some call this format "Modern AC". The station currently features the morning team of "
Jamie,
Jack &
Stench".
Originally signing on in
1948 as KMGM, and then later KCBH, 98.7 became the home of
K-JOI, a
beautiful music station by the late
1960s and stayed as such through the
1980s. Over the years the station was owned by
Viacom. In
1989, it became
KXEZ initially keeping an
easy listening format. But they updated it and increased vocalists from 4 per hour to half and half. They also replaced the older traditional vocalists with
AC artists. In
1991 they dropped the
instrumentals and became a
Soft AC station. In
1992 Viacom bought
KQLZ on 100.3 and renamed it KXEZ and moved the Soft AC format there. 98.7 changed its call letters to KYSR and became "Star 98.7". Initially the station was a straight AC, and by
1993, a
Hot AC. By
1995, Star 98.7 dropped most of the
rhythmic pop and
soft rock tunes and focused on
alternative hits from the '80s along with
modern rock without the
hard stuff.
Ryan Seacrest from
American Idol was an afternoon DJ at "Star 98.7" from
1995 to
2003. Also, one of the original
MTV VJs
Mark Goodman worked as a DJ from
1990-
1997. There was no official mention as to the reason for his departure, but his fans believe it may have had to do with news about his father's death at the time. Currently, KYSR employs
Richard Blade for the "Rewind Minute", "Totally '80s Saturday Night", and occasional shifts when the regular DJs can't make their shift.
Morning personality
Jamie White was formerly part of the morning team of "Jamie,
Frosty &
Frank", until
September 15,
1999. She was then paired with
Danny Bonaduce until he was let go on
July 1,
2005.
In
1997, Viacom sold KYSR and 100.3, which was a
dance station by then, to
Chancellor Media. In
1999 Chancellor merged with
Capstar becoming
AMFM Inc. In
2000 AMFM Inc. merged with Clear Channel. Now KYSR is co-owned with
Hot 92.3,
CHR KIIS 102.7, Hot AC 104.3
KBIG, AC 103.5
KOST,
Sportstalk station
KLAC, and
Progressive Talk 1150
KTLK.
KYSR began experiencing growing pains in 2002 as the Hot AC product began drying up and it found itself in a cluster full of stations that it had to protect. The debut of Jack FM(KCBS 93.1) also caused problems for KYSR as Jack would play a good portion of KYSR's gold along with other material including Classic Rock and pop product. As a result in September 2005 a decision was made to tweak KYSR to a Gold based Hot AC that would be overseen by KHHT PD Mike Marino, however that move also did not produce ratings and in April of 2006 KYSR shifted back to Modern AC and Mike Marino went back to strictly overseeing KHHT, which would be productive because KHHT itself would get a competitor in KKBT two months later.
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Star 98.7
