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Rome’s K98 says goodbye

By Dustin Taylor
[email protected]
Staff Writer

K98s logo has become a part Rome’s history and will be missed by all who listened to the station. Friends, families and fans are losing a very dear friend this year with Georgia Public Broad-casting’s acquisition of K98 (WKCX 97.7) in Rome.

During the station’s 21-year lifespan, Mills Fitzner, owner and general manager, has received inquiries from all sides about selling K98, one of the last substantial independent FM stations in Northwest Georgia.

The coverage that Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) stands to gain once the FCC approves the changeover represents a final frontier of sorts. In fact, Northwest Georgia is currently the last area in the state without a GPB presence, a problem that many area residents are happy to see remedied.

But Georgia Highlands College student Matt Meyers, criminal justice major and loyal K98 listener, is anything but happy with the change, “We’re losing all the music they play and the people that I’ve grown up listening to. I’m going to miss it.”

Afternoon DJ Todd Williams, who left the station in early April, said, “The change is unfortunate for the many members of the community who have no interest in Public Radio.”

Still others have raised concerns over the independent monopoly that the change awards Southern Broadcasting. While GPB will feature a wide variety of programming, it is likely that K98’s listenership will gravitate towards other local independent commercial stations like Q102 or South107.

Here in the final months, K98 fans can take comfort in knowing that award-winning shows like the Breakfast Bunch with Robert, Tom and Ed will stay on the air until GPB takes over.

In the meantime, people like morning show host and Assistant General Manager Tom Barclay are reflecting on the two decades that K98 has served the community. “We’ve done everything from jumping out of airplanes to doing the show from a hot tub in the parking lot,” said Barclay.

As for his fondest memories, Barclay credits the constant support of the listeners and the community. “I would hope that they would have a smile on their face remembering some of the fun things we have done throughout the years.”

K98 programming could recede entirely by early June, but the memories will live on.