Kprk Radio Station Collection
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KPRK RADIO STATION COLLECTION Yellowstone Gateway Museum of Park County 118 West Chinook Street Livingston Montana 59047 1 KPRK RADIO STATION COLLECTION PROVENANCE: The KPRK Radio Station Collection was donated by Jan Holter Bernsten, owner of KPRK from 1985 to 1999, to the museum in 2017. ACCESS: The collection is open for research. This pdf document can be searched online by simultaneously hitting keys Control and F. In Box 3 the collection includes an envelope of three folders containing job applications and resumes. Due to the personal information contained in this material it is restricted. OWNERSHIP: Literary rights and copyrights have been assigned to the Yellowstone Gateway Museum of Park County. PUBLICATION RIGHTS: All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from material in the collection should be discussed with the appropriate librarian or archivist. Permission for publication may be given on behalf of the Yellowstone Gateway Museum of Park County as the owner of the physical item. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained by the customer. The Museum does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or publication rights of the manuscript held by the writer, heirs, donors, or executors. Reproduction restrictions are decided on a case-by-case basis. PREFERRED CITATION: [Identification of item], KPRK Radio Station Collection 2017. 039.0037, Yellowstone Gateway Museum of Park County, Livingston, Montana. SIZE: Number of manuscript boxes: 3 Oversize: 1 folder Audio Visual: 1 box PROCESSED BY: Ellen Zazzarino 2 KPRK RADIO STATION COLLECTION HISTORICAL NOTE Paul McAdam was the founder of KPRK. He operated the station under the corporate title of his theatre chain Yellowstone Amusement Company. John Boor was the first manager and assisted in the construction of the building. KPRK began broadcasting on Jan. 9, 1947 as the fourth post-war station to broadcast in Montana. Around 1962 Paul McAdam sold the station to his old salesman, Jack Hinman and his wife Roberta “Bobbi” Hinman. The Hinmans operated the station under the corporate name KPRK, Inc until 1978, when Jack Hinman died. Bobbi Hinman sold the station to William L. “Bill” Holter. From his college days, Bill Holter worked in broadcasting. He owned KYLT Missoula, KBLL Helena, and KLTZ Glasgow. Holter was also involved in television in Great Falls. By 1985, Bill Holter convinced his daughter, Jann Holter Berntsen to manage KPRK. In 1985 at the age of 31, Jann Holter Berntsen became owner and manager of KPRK. Her husband, Dean Berntsen became the afternoon radio announcer. The radio station was live and signed on at 5:30 or 6:00, signed off at midnight and operated with a staff of eight employees. One of the most popular shows was the Swap Shop, a live program allowing people to call in to sell or giveaway whatever they wanted. KPRK sponsored local events and covered local sports. One of Jann Holter Bernsten’s major accomplishments was to apply for and receive the FCC authority to boost the nighttime power from 250 to 1,000 watts. This meant that they were able to reach a larger audience for the station’s local sports programming. In 1999 Jan Holter Berntsen sold KPRK. The transmitter and the tower continue to operate but no programming originates from the Livingston station. The building that was designed by Missoula architect, William Fox, was designated on the National Register for Historical Places on Sept. 5, 1979. Townsquare Media Group, located in Bozeman now owns the building. Bill Holter died in 2005. SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The material in the collection consists of the KPRK business records from 1946-2017. The collection is organized by subject in chronological order. The business records range from the initial planning and investment for the opening of KPRK to the closure and sale of the radio station. There are some audio- visual materials as well. (Photograph records are located elsewhere.) 3 KPRK RADIO STATION COLLECTION SERIES DESCRIPTION SERIES 1 BUSINESS RECORDS 1946-2017 BOX 1-3 The papers in the series comprise of business records that document the daily operations of the radio station. The subjects include financial, legal, promotional, customer relations, advertising, Park County issues, subscription services and equipment. The series contains agreements and communications with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), agreements for subscription services with American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; Broadcast Music Inc.; and United Press International. KPRK was actively involved with Park County residents. This is documented by the customer and ranch surveys and the records of issues in the county. The radio station sponsored local events and held promotional contests, which is documented in the papers. The series includes an envelope of three folders containing job applications and resumes. Due to the personal information contained in this material it is restricted. SERIES 2 OVERSIZE 1999, NOT DATED FOLDER 1 The series contains blueprints of the radio tower and the state highway right-of-way. In addition a Sony ad featuring the KPRK building and an enlarged copy of a newspaper article featuring photo of Bill Holter and Jan Holter Lambert Bernsten SERIES 3 AUDIO VISUAL 1947-1989 BOX 1 Audio cassettes and reel to reel tapes comprise the series. The reel-to-reel tapes document the opening broadcast in 1947 along with guests and events. The cassettes contain advertising, guests and events. 4 KPRK RADIO STATION COLLECTION SERIES 1 BUSINESS RECORDS Box 1 Dates FF1 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): application for standard Dec. 1946 broadcasting license FF2 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): specified hours extended, 1959-1958 telegrams, letters, application FF3 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): application for transfer 1963 FF4 Federal Communication Commission (FCC), Intermountain Network Inc., 1965-1975 Keystone broadcasting System: letters, agreements FF5 Federal Communication Commission (FCC) – license renewal: letters, 1967-1970 applications FF6 Federal Communication Commission (FCC), Department of Defense: 1967-1970 Basic Emergency Broadcast System Plan FF7 Federal Communication Commission (FCC) – Basic Emergency 1967-1972 Broadcast System: memos, reports, order, update, organizational chart, bulletin FF8 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): letters sent 1969 FF9 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): composite week schedules, 1970-1973 letters FF10 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): public notices 1971-1974 FF11 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): composite week schedules, 1972-1974 feeding schedules and program logs, letters FF12 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): procedure manuals 1972, 1974 FF13 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): technical logs, work sheets 1973 FF14 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): license renewal application, Dec. 1973 equipment proof of performance report FF15 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): community needs survey, 1973-1976 report, notice of inquiry and proposed rule making, index cards filled out by public prioritizing needs FF16 Federal Communication Commission (FCC) – Public Notice: copywriter 1974-1977 National Association of Broadcasters announcement 5 Box 1 Dates FF17 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): proof of performance reports Sept.12, 1975 FF18 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): composite week schedules, 1975-1976 program and technical logs, notices FF19 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): “Interpreting the FCC Rules Mar. 1976 and Regulations” article with handwritten notes FF20 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): license renewal application, 1976-1982 letters, notices FF21 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): application for transfer of 1978 control of KPRK, new ownership report FF22 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): amendment to the transfer Oct. 1978 transferee’s portion of the application for transfer of control of KPRK FF23 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): license renewal application 1979 form and exhibits, ownership report forms FF24 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): petition for FM rulemaking 1979 for Livingston to delete channel 249 and add channel 248 FF25 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): letters, reports, memos 1979-1980 ownership report FF26 Federal Communication Commission (FCC): Federal Emergency Mar. 1, 1980 Management Agency Outdoor Warnings System Guide FF27 Audience Comments: letters, clippings, list of civic and fraternal ca. 1966-1970 Organizations in Livingston FF28 Correspondence sent and received 1967-1975 FF29 Correspondence received 1967-1976 FF30 Public response to FCC public notice, FCC public announcements 1974 FF31 Public file: letters, complaints 1974-1978 FF32 Letters, brochure, business retention and expansion project report, 1977-1996 registration forms FF33 Public file: letters 1978 FF34 Public file: letters 1978 FF35 Public file: letters 1980-1981 FF36 Ranch surveys ca. 1965-1975 FF37 Ranch surveys not dated 6 Box 1 Dates FF38 Community needs survey: public surveys, list of civic and fraternal 1971-1976 organization in Livingston, index cards filled out by public FF39 Program questionnaire ca. 1975 FF40 Program questionnaire ca. 1975 FF41 Park County Issues/problems: letters, radio script, Stop Allenspur 1974-1977 Committee brochure and info Box 2 Dates FF1 Three Greatest Problems in Livingston: public comment on index cards ca. 1976 FF2 Community Leaders Survey Mar.-