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KQDJ (AM)
Encyclopedia
KQDJ is an AM
radio station
located in Jamestown, North Dakota
. A 1000-watt station (which reduces power to 250 watts between sunset and sunrise) with a range of about 40 miles under average conditions, KQDJ has served the Stutsman County area under various identities since 1953. KQDJ currently carries a classic hits
format, but formerly recently was affiliated with Fox Sports Radio
and a nostalgia
format before that, playing music from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.
, had developed into a regional station that didn't adequately serve its home city), providing news, sports and market coverage to the city of Jamestown and its immediate environs. For many years, from the mid-1950s until the 1980s, the two competing stations were located directly across the street from each other, each on the second floor of a downtown retail building. In a small market such as Jamestown, without a surplus of radio air talent, it was common for announcers to work different shifts at the two stations, but utilizing a different air name and persona at each one.
KEYJ was originally part of the "KEY" network of radio stations, located throughout the Dakotas, all having "K-E-Y" as the first three letters of their callsign ("KEYZ" in Williston, ND; "KEYA" in Belcort, ND; etc.). The stations were owned by the Ingstad brothers from 1953 until 1969, when KEYJ was sold to its longtime station manager.
KEYJ gained brief fame in 1957, when it was featured in Life Magazine, as the home of the "World's Youngest D-J"; the now world-famous Shadoe Stevens
.
KEYJ Incorporated (and its president, Robert L. Richardson) owned and ran the station until 1979, when Richardson sold the operation to Great West Broadcasting. On August 1, 1979 , station changed its call letters to KQDJ. Great West was a short-lived operation that lasted only two years. Afterwards, the station went through several owners, eventually winding up back in the Ingstad chain.
to work at the station.
Among the many broadcasters who started at KEYJ/KQDJ were:
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
located in Jamestown, North Dakota
Jamestown, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,527 people, 6,505 households, and 3,798 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.7 per square mile . There were 6,970 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile...
. A 1000-watt station (which reduces power to 250 watts between sunset and sunrise) with a range of about 40 miles under average conditions, KQDJ has served the Stutsman County area under various identities since 1953. KQDJ currently carries a classic hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
format, but formerly recently was affiliated with Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
and a nostalgia
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
format before that, playing music from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.
History
In 1953, radio station KEYJ went on the air. The station's express mission was to serve the Jamestown community (the other local station, KSJBKSJB
KSJB is an AM radio station based in Jamestown, North Dakota.Broadcasting at 600 kHz with 5000 watts of power and a directional pattern that drives the signal from northwest to southeast, the station boasts that it can be heard clearly in six states and two Canadian provinces...
, had developed into a regional station that didn't adequately serve its home city), providing news, sports and market coverage to the city of Jamestown and its immediate environs. For many years, from the mid-1950s until the 1980s, the two competing stations were located directly across the street from each other, each on the second floor of a downtown retail building. In a small market such as Jamestown, without a surplus of radio air talent, it was common for announcers to work different shifts at the two stations, but utilizing a different air name and persona at each one.
KEYJ was originally part of the "KEY" network of radio stations, located throughout the Dakotas, all having "K-E-Y" as the first three letters of their callsign ("KEYZ" in Williston, ND; "KEYA" in Belcort, ND; etc.). The stations were owned by the Ingstad brothers from 1953 until 1969, when KEYJ was sold to its longtime station manager.
KEYJ gained brief fame in 1957, when it was featured in Life Magazine, as the home of the "World's Youngest D-J"; the now world-famous Shadoe Stevens
Shadoe Stevens
Shadoe Stevens is an American radio host, voiceover actor, and television personality. He was the host of American Top 40 from 1988 to 1995...
.
KEYJ Incorporated (and its president, Robert L. Richardson) owned and ran the station until 1979, when Richardson sold the operation to Great West Broadcasting. On August 1, 1979 , station changed its call letters to KQDJ. Great West was a short-lived operation that lasted only two years. Afterwards, the station went through several owners, eventually winding up back in the Ingstad chain.
Alumni
Richardson considered part of his original mission to be helping teach young people from the community how to work in broadcasting. To that end, he made a point of hiring students from the local high school and Jamestown CollegeJamestown College
Jamestown College is a private liberal arts college founded by the Presbyterian Church located in Jamestown, North Dakota. It has about 1,000 students enrolled today and has been co-educational from its founding....
to work at the station.
Among the many broadcasters who started at KEYJ/KQDJ were:
- Shadoe StevensShadoe StevensShadoe Stevens is an American radio host, voiceover actor, and television personality. He was the host of American Top 40 from 1988 to 1995...
(real name: Terry Ingstad), world-famous DJ and announcer - Dick Ingstad (brother of Terry/Shadow), syndicated morning host
- Dan Dean Dewald, KZGF Grand Forks, ND overnights
- Dick Shaarf
- Dave Howey, KPRW-FM Perham, MN Mornings and Ops Mgr
- And Richards (deejayed as Van Andrews), Singer/Songwriter