1989
The station’s rise in popularity wasn’t without its problems. The first problem arose when broadcasting giant CBS planned to complete their purchase WCIX Channel 6, effectively on January 1, 1989.
It was the contention of CBS that WKPX’s 3,000 watt signal on 88.5 was too close to Channel 6 on the FM band at 87.7, and the radio signal would interfere with the already weak television signal in Broward. This opinion was based on the FCC’s rules that are supposed to keep the low end of the FM band clear in areas that have television channel 6, and that WKPX should have never received its construction/operating permit six years ago, in 1983. As result, WKPX was not able to become a fully licensed facility. In late September 1991, the Federal Communications Commission granted a permanent license to WKPX.
While WKPX and the School Board battled the FCC, the staff of WKPX and the school board administrators had a battle of their own behind the scenes.
As result of the adult education program graduates working as a volunteer staff at the radio station, according to School Board policy, those volunteers needed to be fingerprinted and subjected to background checks for insurance and risk management purposes.
Another issue was the servicing of music to the radio station by record companies.
During the pre-Alterative Music years of the station from 1983 to 1989, the music library was the culmination of records purchased by the station, and the personal collections of the air staff. As result of being the only College Rock/Alternative formatted station in South Florida, records companies sent massive amounts of compact disc, LPs and cassettes for airplay to the specialty show disc jockeys. As result, Piper administrators instituted a tracking system of cataloging and distributing the music sent in among the adult education/weekend specialty show air staff; which required the opening of mail addressed to particular individuals by others. It was the management's position the music was the property of Piper High School.
The fingerprinting and the opening of mail resulted in an air staff revolt. Scott David, the man responsible for bringing the alternative format to WKPX quit in protest. Vic Paul, host of the "Uncommon Groove," an Americana/Roots Rock show, joined David. Then Joe Disano, the host of the techno/rave program “Dance Therapy,” misplayed a song that violated station policy against airing any music with profanity; he was fired. Disano’s firing resulted in his replacement host J.J Cruz going on the air with a highly politicized on-air commentary the following week regarding the changes in station policies; he was fired.
At that point, Helaine Blum quit as Program Director, and most of the adult/weekend air staff walked out in solidarity. The disgruntled adult educational program staff members — along with its listeners and several local bands — began a campaign of protests outside the grounds of the radio station in mid-1990. Rick Myers, the adult educational program's Music Director, even went as far to mount an unsuccessful campaign for a seat on the Broward School Board to change the policies affecting the station.
Since the adult educational program classes in broadcast journalism were proving to be more of a determent than a benefit to the station, the night class program was cancelled by Piper Community School. WKPX did, however, retain the college rock/alternative format, and continued to support local/unsigned musicians in South Florida, as initiated by Scott David and Helaine Blum.
Read more about this topic: WKPX