So, how long has KVNU been around, anyway?

[kenglish]

Got my DVD of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies yesterday, and the very first Legacy Inductee was a guy named Milt George. The thing that caught my attention, was they said he first worked for KVNU in Logan, Utah.

www.grhof.com/2012LEGACYGEORGE.htm

How long has that station been around? Must have been one of the first in Utah. Anybody got some history to share?

[friendlee]

As the purveyor of all things old in Cache Valley radio (meaning few people care anymore), I do not know of a Milt George working at KVNU but there have been many who passed through the halls of either the Capitol Theater location or the 1393 North Main studios. As the station commenced program test authority ON THIS DATE (11/20) in 1938 (the inaugural broadcast was in mid-December), Mr. George would have only had a short time in which he could have been here to work since according to the bio piece posted above he was went to Moscow, Idaho in 1940 (presumably the fall). There are very few photos of KVNU or it's staff prior to 1948 and only two prior to 1942; one of the 1400 North Main transmitter site when it was being built in July of 1939 prior to the transmitter being moved out there and one photo of the original control room from 1938 at the Capitol Theater (the studios moved out to the North Main site in 1942). Sorry I can't be of more help but that is all I know and those who would know for sure (Reed Bullen, Sr. and Glacus Merrill come to mind) are at that great studio in the sky.....

As far as KVNU goes, it was the 7th station to sign on that still exists to day. J.A. and J.E. Reeder of Salt Lake began the licensing process in 1935, the station received PTA on 11/20/1938 and began broadcasting in the evenings starting on 12/14/38 at 7:30pm. The studios and transmitter were located at the Capitol Theater, 43 South Main with the transmitter moving out to the North Main location in 1939, the studios in 1942. About this time there was a power increase from 100 watts to 250 watts and a frequency change from 1200 to 1230. In 1948 'VNU went from 1230 to 610 and from 250 watts to 1kw DA2N - then to 5kw in July of 1961. The studios moved from 1393 North Main to 198 North Main and a new transmitter site went live on 6/21/81 at 5pm. The temporary studios at 198 North Main were utilized while a new facility was built on the back half of the old antenna farm in 1982-83 and then the studios moved there in 1984. After the station was purchased by Beasley-Joyner in 1995 and subsequently sold to Sun Valley Radio in 1996, the studios were combined with KLGN/KBLQ in 1998. KVNU was granted a power increase to 10kw in the mid 2000's. And that's the rest of the story!