The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-03-13
Bismarck Station Built on Be-
lief That Air Medium Is
Indispensable

Seven years have elapsed since ra-
do station KFYR had its humble be-
rinnings back in 1924. During those
seven years it has grown from a tiny
local station, broadcasting make
shift programs from q 10-watt trans
mitter to a station equipped with the
finest in modern radio machinery, a
station that has achieved national
prominence through its affiliation
with the most prominent Of the coun-
try's nationwide hookups.
The firm Of Hoskins-M Meyer was
the sponsor and original owner OF
station KFYR. p. ]. Meyer, presi-
dent of the company, conceived the
idea after observing that radio re-
ception in the Northwest was spas
modic and generally unsatisfactory
because of the distance of transmit
ting centers, atmospheric disturbances
and other obstacles beyond the con-
troll of radio set manufacturers. Be-
licving that radio service was becom-
ing an absolute necessity to modern
business, he decided to build a sta
ton that would serve this relatively
isolated portion OF the northwest.
With this in mind a license to oper-
ate was obtained from Herbert Hoo
YER, who was then secretary Of COM
.nerce and czar of radio, and the call
letters KFYR were assigned to the
infant station. The local company
was particularly fortunate in apply
ing for their license. being n OF
the last three broadcasting companies
to receive permission to operate be-
fore the general shut down of 1924.
Had Small Transmittcr
The first transmitter was a l0-watt
affair, built locally by employees OF
the company. Some time later this
was increased to 80 watts which re-
suited in improved transmission and
enlarged the scope of the territory
reached by the station.
After operating with this equip
ment for a time, company officials
decided that Bismarck was a natural
distribution point as well as being
ideally located for the dissemination
of entertainment to the people Of the
Northwest. AS a result they decided
to expand and improve their service,
and a new 500-watt composite trans
mitter of an improved type was or
dered built in Chicago. This was
later installed to the great improve
ment of the station.
Some of the original employees OF
KFYR who are still connected with
the station recall some OF the early
difficulties encountered In getting pro-
grams to the public. In bringing re-
mote programs to the transmittcr 1t
was the usual practice for the opera
tor and announcer to run lines over
buildings. utilizing tree tops or any
thing that came to hand to support
the wires that carried the program to
the main studio. One Of the most
unique systems used was the prac-
tice of impressing the trolly wire OF
Bismarck's one and only street car
into service to carry programs from
the state capitol.
Although receiving sets were not
as fine as those of today and methods
Oh broadcasting far from perfect.
people we're far less exacting at that
time and there was little complaint.
New Equipment Better
With the installation Of the 500
watt transmitter. the means of get
ting programs on the air were vast
ly improved and station attendants
we're pleased when a radio fan in
San Francisco sent word that he had
listened to the station program the
first night it was put in use. In the
words of II of the studio officials,
"the world was ours"
Antenna towers were necessary and
two of them were erected on the roof
of the Hoskins- Meyer building, where
they have stood as landmarks for
several years. The towers were erect
ed during a particularly cold Janu-
airy by studio employees who endured
the rigors Of the weather and as