WKTM North Charleston Remembered
This page was last updated Monday, May 05, 2008

Home | DJs | Pictures| Audio | Features | Messages | WKTM | WOKE | Contact

One of the Charleston stations that tried to compete with WTMA was WKTM (102.5 FM). WKTM switched to Top 40 in 1973 (previous formats included Beautiful Music and Country) but abandoned the format for AOR in 1976. It later would switch back to Top 40 around 1980 as "K-102" before flirting again with Album Rock. WKTM was sold in the mid 80s and calls were changed to WXLY with a country format. Later formats included Classic Hits and Oldies.

Since many folks who worked for WTMA also worked at WKTM at one point in their Charleston radio career, we thought some of our visitors might enjoy these photos and audio files. Thanks to WKTM News Director (1975-1978) John Patterson and former WKTM DJs Steve Russell and Terry Allen who provided all of the WKTM material on this page. 

Ken Harlan (Ken Cocker) Remembers WKTM | WKTM Audio Files

This sounds like a Bob O'Brien blooper, but is not. Instead of saying the name of a WKTM DJ, he says the (similar) name of a WTMA newsman, but then catches himself. Getting his Bells mixed up was not an error. I simply dared him to do it and Bob, being Bob, did.

J.J. Scott (10-75)
:26 - 154 KB

For some reason, I kept this J.J. Scott song intro -- which I really liked. It which was recorded during my first few days at the station.

The only aircheck that I have with me and the Big Boob, recorded on the Saturday before a format change. He was not happy, as you can hear.

One of my newscasts. I was still too hyper back then, but WKTM was a great place to learn.

I'm glad I have this one: short Christmas inserts from the WKTM staff.

A short aircheck with young hothead Ken Harlan, who, if I remember correctly, got in some trouble for his reading of the PSA contained herein. I believe Ken got work in Chicago, but I lost track of him.

[Ken writes on October 18, 2004: I worked at WKTM for about a calendar year (1976) and was thrilled (mortified?) to find one of my airchecks on the site. At the time I was Ken Harlan, but shortly thereafter changed my name to Ken Cocker upon moving to WNDE in Indianapolis. John Patterson mentions he remembers me moving on to Chicago and in fact I have had a wonderful career here working at some great stations like WMET, WLUP, WAIT, WUSN and WPNT. I semi-retired on '02 to become a golf professional (not a tour player; I work at a course and give lessons) but I still keep my hand in as I work weekends/fill at a great oldies station, WJMK. One sad note: J.J. Scott, who worked at both stations and was a real mentor of mine, passed away here in Chicago about three years ago. He was a well respected production director (WFYR, WCKG) and a real major market talent. I only had a chance to reconnect with him on a very sporadic basis, but really admired his abilities.]

In this newscast, Bob O'Brien tries (not very hard) to crack me up (which was EXTREMELY easy to do). I managed to get through this one.

Steve Russell introduces this newscast.

An aircheck (a few months before I left for good) with me and Dave Kent, a lovely guy. Wonder what ever happened to him?

[Dave writes on October 16, 2004: I'm Dave MOREY (real name) these days. Alive and well in San Francisco at KFOG.]

John Patterson writes: "I was at 'KTM (and 'NCG-AM) from October of '75 to August of '78. I left to get political reporting experience. I went to WSCQ in Columbia, and eventually ended up in Washington. WKTM was a good place to be bad in those days. The trade-off was: Bill Dudley would pay me next to nothing and I would work a split shift that spanned 5 am to 7 pm. In return, I could slowly learn how to be a news guy. And, in fact, by the time I left, I had gotten good enough to move on."