About KEOM
More than 20 Years of Community Service
KEOM Radio has been broadcasting to the community and introducing MISD students
to the world of communications since September 4, 1984. MISD Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Ralph Poteet had first envisioned the radio station in the late 1970s as a way for our district
to serve the Mesquite community with local school and city information that simply could not be
possible on regular, commercial stations in the Metroplex. He also envisioned the station as a
valuable and unique teaching program for MISD students wishing to investigate careers in radio
and communications.
District administrators Virgil Dean and Jack Braden negotiated with the Federal
Communications Commission, and with other interested area broadcasters, to secure
agreements that would allow the licensing and construction of the station. When agreements
were finally hammered out, the FCC licensing was finalized. Then, ITV's Robert Bradford and our district's technicians, including Dennis Hevron and Clay Cottles, were put to work on choosing
equipment, and putting together the original studios at West Mesquite High School. Mesquite
High School Social Studies Department Chairman Dr. James Griffin was chosen to direct the
station and its daily operation, and Mike Wolfe and Brenda Wagoner were chosen to round out
the stationís original staff. Steve Glenn and Ed Johnson also became the station's sportscasters, as they still remain today.
In the beginning, the frequency was 88.3 FM, and the stationís power output was 3,000
watts. The original tower was 250 feet in height, and located where the 415 foot City/School
Communications Tower is now located, at Mesquite Memorial Stadium. The station switched to
88.5 FM, and to using the Communications Tower upon its completion, in 1992. The station's
power output was raised to 61,000 watts when the frequency change occurred. With the
assistance of MISD's Construction Services and Technical Services departments, and
technician Andy Floyd, the station moved to new, larger, digital studios at the Professional
Development Center in 1996, allowing more students into the instructional program, expanding
the station's community service, and allowing the beginning of 24 hour a day, automated
overnight operation.
The station's full time staff has evolved over the last 20 years. Brenda Wagoner, who started as
the staff secretary, took on program production, production management, and instructional
responsibilities. Peggy Brooks joined the KEOM staff as station secretary in 1993, and later
became the station's traffic manager. Upon the completion of her degree and teaching
certification, she also became radio instructor. Cecelia Riggle became the station secretary in
2000. Jim Gibbs arrived in 1999, and spent five years on the staff as radio teacher. Peggy
Brooks has since moved into that teacher position, and Jennifer Keltner joined the
staff in 2004 as an instructor. In the mid-1990's, Bill Sherrard became an instructor, and the station's
music manager. He pioneered the distinctive '70s Top 40 music format that is still pulling in
listeners today, to the tune of 94,300 per week, according to Arbitron estimates. Instructor
Andrea Galindo assumed the music management duties when Bill left in 1998, and Robert Bass
stepped into that role in 2003.
Over the years KEOM Radio has broadcast well over 1,000 sporting events, untold amounts
of school and community information, and trained many students in the basics of radio
broadcasting. Using this head start on the field, many former KEOM student DJ's have pursued
communications, and work today from coast to coast in radio, television news anchoring or
production, audio or video production, and other related areas. Internet webcasting of the
signal, through a partnership with Yahoo Broadcast, occurred from 1999 until 2002. KEOM's live
broadcasts of MISD varsity sports are currently webcast in partnership with the district's
Instructional Television department. With more than 20 years on the air, Dr. James
Griffin and the station's staff are proud of the record, but continue to look to the future, and to
being of even further service to Mesquite, and to other area communities.
KEOM RADIO
AN UPDATE TO OUR HISTORY
(added on 11-27-2007)
KEOM Radio has continued to serve the area community, and to change and progress since the 20th anniversary celebration in 2004. In addition to continual updates to our curriculum, which reflect changing conditions in the broadcasting industry, we have noted a continued rise in the number of area organizations contacting us to receive promotional support for their community works, events, and projects.
In the studios, the move to modern, digital audio source equipment has continued, as the older “Digicart” machines have been removed, in favor of the newer technology of flash card player/recorders. Updates to the station’s remote broadcasting equipment have occurred, as well as to the music scheduling software utilized by our music manager to create the daily blend of music that is heard on the station. And, the installation of a computer based, digital aircheck recording and playback system has added to the ease, flexibility, and function of monitoring and improving the on air delivery of our students and our staff members.
The station’s staff has continued to evolve as well. When Brenda Wagoner cut back on her work schedule to half time in 2005, Jennifer Keltner assumed the Production Manager duties, and Jeri Miller came on board as a half time instructor. Then, in 2006, Shondra Tharp took Jeri’s half time position as she left to stay home with her young family. Shondra became a full time instructor, and assumed the Production Manager position in 2007 when Jennifer left the station’s full time staff for a teaching position at an MISD school. At that time, Shondra also assumed the webmaster duties for the station’s website that Jennifer had handled while she was with us full time.
With all of these changes, KEOM continues to be well positioned to respond to industry trends, and to serve our students and our community. |
