KOYL

KOYL (1310 AM) was a radio station in Odessa, Texas, that served the Midland–Odessa metropolitan area. It was the first country music station in the area. KOYL's air staff as a country music station has included Bill Myrick. It went silent in March 1991.

KOYL
CityOdessa, Texas
Broadcast areaMidland-Odessa
Frequency1310 kHz AM
Programming
FormatDefunct (formerly Tejano)
Ownership
OwnerPete C. Rodriquez
History
First air date
September 7, 1957
Last air date
1991
Call sign meaning
OYL
Technical information
Facility ID52349
ClassD
Power1,000 watts (day)
79 watts (night)

History

The Mid-Cities Broadcasting Co., owned by Edward and Lowell Roskelley, received the construction permit for KPBX on September 19, 1956. Before going on the air September 7, 1957,[1] the station was given call letters KOYL, a nod to the importance of oil in the Permian Basin economy. A 1981 Book of Texas Lists would feature KOYL and fellow Odessa station KRIG, both named for the oil industry.[2]

KOYL became the first country music station in the area,[3] broadcasting with 500 watts (later increased to 1,000). It also was the first new radio station in Odessa in a decade.[4]

KOYL's air staff as a country music station over the years included Bill Myrick,[4] and guest disc jockeys Waylon Jennings and Johnny Dollar.[5] Jennings and Dollar would continue to appear on KOYL after leaving the station as part of its regular "Voice of the Past" feature, hosted by former station DJs.[5] Edward Roskelley also hosted the station's morning show as "Ross the Boss" for the 22 years he owned the station.[3] On April 5, 1966, KOYL-FM signed on the air, offering separate programming and country music at night when KOYL was off the air.[6]

In 1979, Roskelley sold KOYL-AM-FM to Stream Broadcasting of Texas, Inc.[7] Stream added nighttime service to KOYL, broadcasting with 79 watts. In March 1980, Stream split the FM station off as contemporary outlet KUFO-FM; it is now KODM.[8]

The second—and final—sale of KOYL occurred in 1985, to Pete C. Rodriquez, as Stream sold the AM and FM stations separately. Rodriquez, the owner of Odessa's Pan American Ballroom,[9] immediately changed KOYL to a Spanish-language format.[10] One of the reasons Rodriquez bought KOYL was because the existing Spanish-language station in town, KJJT, was co-owned with a competing venue and tended to ignore entertainers performing at the Pan American.[11] KOYL also relocated its studios after the sale.[11] The sale, however, prompted a concern from the Associated Press, which in 1989 sued Stream Broadcasting for terminating its AP wire service contract for KOYL right before selling the station without notifying Rodriquez; the AP sought $23,525 in back payments.[12] KOYL's license was eventually canceled in 1992 after the station was reported silent in March 1991[13] and its silent status was reaffirmed by the National Association of Broadcasters in a May 29, 1992 letter to the FCC on media ownership rules.[14]

References
  1. "Broadcasting Yearbook" (PDF). 1989. p. B-295. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  2. Berthelsen, Alice (November 22, 1981). "Odessa slighted in 'The Book of Texas Lists'". Odessa American. p. AA1. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  3. "Edward L. Roskelley". Odessa American. April 16, 1999. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  4. "Radio Station Opens Saturday". Odessa American. September 6, 1957. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  5. "Top Country Radio KOYL In 10th Year". Odessa American. April 10, 1967. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  6. "KOYL-FM Will Be Most Powerful Radio In Basin". Odessa American. April 4, 1966. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  7. "Radio station has new owners". Odessa American. July 19, 1979. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  8. "New radio station in city". Odessa American. March 30, 1980. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  9. Hammons, Susan (October 9, 1985). "Sale may mean format change". Odessa American. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  10. "KOYL-AM has new format". Odessa American. November 21, 1985. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  11. Hammons, Susan (November 24, 1985). "Two radio stations change hands; KOYL goes Hispanic". Odessa American. Retrieved June 25, 2019. (Continued)
  12. "Associated Press claims contract violation". Odessa American. September 27, 1989. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  13. "Format Changes" (PDF). M Street Journal. March 11, 1991. p. 2. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  14. "Volume IX - Issue #34" (PDF). Small Market Radio Newsletter. June 18, 1992. p. 6. Retrieved July 4, 2019.

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