letters

KXLU Alumni

I was very pleased to read your summer 2008 cover story, “KXLU: The Solid State of Radio Independence.” I consider myself to be tremendously blessed to have had the opportunity to work at the radio station from 1977–81. I was at the radio station virtually every day from my first day as a freshman to my graduating day as a senior: I did news, weather and sports twice daily and had the phenomenal experience of filling the role of “color commentator” for the Lions basketball games. I’ll never forget broadcasting the LMU vs. Purdue game on Thanksgiving 1980: 17,000 Boilermaker fans were screaming so loudly we could not even hear ourselves shout into our headsets — we could only pray that the engineers back in the studios could hear our cues and somehow make it all work (of course, they did a superb job, and the broadcast was just fine).

I’m sure there are many, many successful KXLU alumni. I am very proud of two of my KXLU contemporaries, Cynthia Fox of KLOS and Bill Seward of KFWB and KNBC. Whenever I am in Southern California and hear Cynthia or Bill on the radio (or catch Bill on TV), I flush with pride — Lions’ pride, of course — and KXLU alumni pride.

Greg Weitz ’81
Denver, Colo.

Pushing Limits

I worked at KXLU during my years at Loyola, 1952–57. Before broadcasting as an FM station, KXLU was a carrier-current station (an AM station that was carried locally over the power lines), broadcasting only to the dorms. It was also available, directly wired, to “jukebox” units at tables in the Lair.

In 1955, Warren Wenzel (may he rest in peace), KXLU’s chief engineer, decided to try to extend coverage to the parking lots. He connected the transmitter to the wiring that fed the lights in the parking lot. It was very successful. Too successful. Someone in Long Beach picked it up and complained to the FCC that KXLU was interfering with some program they wanted to hear (presumably on a very weak, out-of-town station). The FCC investigated and shut down Warren’s experiment.

Herb Younger ’56
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Stan Chambers

I want to congratulate you and your staff on your outstanding summer 2008 issue. I loved the features on Stan Chambers and KXLU. I met Stan personally on a couple of occasions. He was warm and cordial, especially when he knew I was an LMU alumnus.

When Vistas arrives, for some reason I can’t wait to pick it up and read from cover to cover. Outstanding. The articles and photos are fantastic. It is certainly something the entire university can be proud of.

Dennis P. Hollow ’64, ’67
Anaheim, Calif.

A Keeper

Congratulations on your spring 2008 issue of Vistas magazine. I am the assistant vice president for marketing for the University of Arizona (and an LMU alumna), so I recognize good work. The photography and the article on Wole Soyinka are brilliant. This one goes in my keeper file. Congratulations.

Kate Maguire Jensen ’77
Tucson, Ariz.

Correction

In the summer 2008 issue of Vistas, the graduation year of Joaquin S. Maldonado was mistakenly identified. He graduated in 1956. Also, in a story about the Jewish Studies Program, the name of Herb Myers was misspelled. Vistas regrets the errors.—Editor

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Editor
Vistas Magazine
Loyola Marymount University
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