KOWL Vs. the ACLU

In 1952 the ACLU found itself in an interesting position. They were defending Reverend Clayton D. Russell against KOWL in an unfair firing. In the words of Arthur Croghan, the president of KOWL "Russell was not a desirable person to be using the airways of KOWL"  He made vague accusations that the reverend was "friendly" with communist types. Further that they tried to avoid broadcasting "...utterances of a communistic nature or which tended to encourage the overthrow of the government of this country." 

Croghan was really turning on the heat. The reverend must really have said something subversive right? He thought that "...communism has appeared to plague the tranquility of the citizens and government of this country..."  The ACLU had protested KOWL's termination of Reverend Russell's contract and written a complaint to the FCC. KOWL had broken their contract with Russell because they believed he was a Communist. The ACLU asked the FCC to deny the renewal of KOWL's license. This was a bitter and nasty fight that was in the papers from the beginning.

Russell had a 30 minute program at 10:00 AM every Sunday. But really Russel hadn't said anything even vaguely communistic.  As the Los Angeles Daily News reported in October of 1950 in a single headline "Radio Station Bans Pastor On Whisper He's Red."  Russel just "appeared" on one of the Red Channels lists. All it took was a single comment from one person and the career of anyone in media could be wrecked. Russel was firm in his side of the story. The rumor was a lie.

"I am not a communist. I have never been a communist, or sympathetic with communists in any way. In fact, I have made anti-communist speeches.  I have never uttered a subversive word in my radio talks."  

He was adamant. Not everyone at KOWL was onboard the red-branding wagon.  To his credit, James Coyle, the assistant to Croghan had a completely different take that he shared with the times. Despite which, the rev was still never allowed to return. 

"...we found on investigation his name is in several lists of persons supposed to be friendly with communism. We have watched his speeches closely and he has never uttered a word that could be objected to and we do not think he is a communist."

So why was he fired and why did the ACLU get involved? 1580 KOWL-AM was a 5,000 watt Santa Monica radio station.It was his pulpit and he was becoming a very powerful person in the valley. He was the leader of a black church with 4,000 members with ties to black-owned businesses. In 1946 he was a candidate for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. In other words, he was shaking things up. He was not a commie. The charges of communism were a cover for a skirmish in the battle for civil rights. The ACLU tried to make examples of WPIX and KOWL for their political blacklisting. They saw it as discriminatory hiring practices. Their petition was denied on both counts.

It was a shame because KOWL had a pretty stellar record for hiring minorities. they had blacks on air at least as early as 1946. It begs the question why Russel?  Probably just because he was a bit louder than other hosts. Or perhaps someone in local government had a problem with him individually. The informants used in the compilation of the Red Channels were never revealed.

In 1953 still without a radio program, he resigned the pastorate because his congregation accused him of fiscal shenanigans. It didn't slow him down much. He founded the the Church of Divine Guidance in 1954 and in 1959 he ran for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. He died in 1981. AM 1580 in Santa Monica is now KBLA-AM a Spanish station owned by multicultural broadcasting.

Gene Autry's radio station

Gene Autry, western star and recording legend was a good capitalist. He didn't just put his money in the bank to gather dust. He bought stuff. Since satellite radio, PCs and ipods had not yet been invented be started companies. He owned Golden West Broadcasting which in turn owned KMPC-AM, KOOI-AM, KOWL-AM, KPHO-AM, KOPO-AM, KSFO-AM, KTLA-TV and the California Angels baseball team. Let's focus on KMPC since I care less about baseball than TV.

Today KMPC-1540 is known in LA as 1540 The Ticket. It's owned and operated by the radio division of the Sporting News magazine under the company Rose City Radio. They compete directly with KSPN-AM, (ESPN outlet obviously) How the station got from the bedazzled hangs of Mr. Autry to a sporting magazine is kind of interesting. Go here, click the pic.

Let's move backwards. In September of last year KMPC's parent company was sold to American City Business Journals (ACBJ) with a block of other stations. ACBJ bought Sporting News at the same time. They used the brand to develop what they thought would be a competitor to the dominant ESPN brand. Before that it was on 710, and that was the stick that Gene owned. The irony is that today 710 is KSPN-AM, that aforementioned ESPN competitor.

The station first went on air in 1927 with the call letters KRLO and the frequency of 1170. it was started by a real Estate Developer and a Stock Broker. A year later the money men bailed, selling the station to engineer Ernest J. Krause who renames the station for himself with the calls KEJK. He offloads the hot potato the same year to R.S. MacMillan Petroleum Company. they start a dayshare with KFSG the station airing insane drug-addled mumbling from Aimee McPherson. In 1929 the gasman moves the stick to 710 to get away from Aimees death cult. http://www.710kmpc.com/kmpc61.rm

MacMillan tried to change the KEJK call letters to KMP the same year, but the call were already assigned to the Omaha-based Boeing Air Transportation Co. They retry in 1930 and settle naming it after themselves, MacMillan Petroleum Company. In 1932 they accept an offer from the Beverly Hills Broadcasting Co. It's major stockholders were all stars and starlets, including Bing Crosby, Paul Whiteman, “Amos & Andy” (Freeman Gosden & Charles Corell) and others.

The movie stars ran the station into the ground and by June of 1934, the Beverly Hills Broadcasting Co was in receivership. It was acquired by Pacific Southwest Discount Corporation and in turn purchased by Detroit businessman George Richards for $125,000. Things are profitable and stable until Dick kicks the bucket in 1952. It was only then, that the widowed Mrs. Richard offloads the station and Gene Autry became the principal owner. His real first name is Orvon just so you know. Gene is his middle name.

So what happened between then and the call change in 1998? Orvon died in 1998. his personal office was inside KMPC, it's bigger-than-a-football-field building was his as well. His own radio show had ended it's run in 1956. Gene’s Melody Ranch radio show aired for an unprecedented 16 years. Autry of course first found fame in radio, beginning his career as “Oklahoma’s Yodeling Cowboy” at KVOO in Tulsa, OK. Autry is the only entertainer to have all five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one each for Radio, Recording, Motion Pictures, Television, and Live Theatre/performance. More here.