1996 and Beyond
In 1996, another set of changes in policy affected the station.
As a series of new administrators were brought in as operational directors for the station, a decision was made to return WKPX to its original mission to being an educational facility; to turn the weekend programming into a continuing educational program for the Piper High School seniors who graduated from the high school based radio journalism program. These changes result in the departures of Yvonne Ortiz, Keith MacIntosh and R.D.B, but the change also brought back the popular hard rock/heavy metal program “Amplified” hosted by Beth Jordan in 1996 – the only show of its kind in South Florida. Between Jordan’s high school years with the program, and her continuing education years, she’s noted as the longest running program/disc jockey cultivated from the high school program.
By 2002, with the rising operating costs of the station, which included a scheduling of substitute teachers as operational supervisors on the weekends, WKPX instituted a cost cutting measure utilized by many stations, both commercial and non-commercial — radio automation. WKPX incorporated the broadcast software, Audiovault, in which the DJ portions were pre-recorded, and the music was played from a broadcast automation computer system. The station also changed its weekend music format to the more popular Alternative and Punk genres.
And with that, the remaining weekend air staff — a few leftovers from the adult educational program and mostly high school graduates — were let go. As result of the impending dismissal of Dar Lopez’s Blues Program, the blues loving community of South Florida pulled together to cover the programs operational costs to keep it on the air. Beth Jordan was also able to raise enough funds to put her show on the web only at amplified-radio.com where it continues to air to this day.
In 2006, radio journalist Micheal Hibblin wrote a print story for the Miami Herald, in addition to producing a radio version for public radio station WLRN 91.3 FM. The report concerns the impending, proposed move of WKPX from its Piper High School location to the McFatter Technical School located in Davie, Florida. The link to the mp3 of the report is available at www.hibblenradio.com.
In 2007, Broward Teen News did a story on WKPX. The video of the news report is available on the web at schooltube.com.
February 14, 2013 marks the stations 30th anniversary as South Florida’s Radio Alternative.
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