KTOP (AM)

On January 5, 1946, a partnership of T. Hall Collison and Norville G. Wingate, both World War II veterans,{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1947/1947-08-18-BC.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=August 18, 1947|page=44|title=Notables Help to Launch KTOP in Kansas Capital|access-date=2022-04-18|archive-date=2021-11-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108151548/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1947/1947-08-18-BC.pdf|url-status=live}} filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to build a new radio station in Topeka, originally proposing studios in the Kansan Hotel in downtown Topeka. The FCC approved the application on March 20, 1947, and after a modification to specify a different studio site,{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=44844 |title= History Cards for KTOP|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards) the station began broadcasting in July 1947. That timing made it the second radio station in Topeka and the first of two to arrive in the city in the same year, the other being WREN (1250 AM), which had been located in Lawrence until moving to Topeka.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99952130/wren-shift-to-topeka-fcc-approves/|date=May 2, 1947|page=9|title=WREN Shift to Topeka: FCC Approves Transfer of Studios from Lawrence.|newspaper=The Kansas City Times|location=Kansas City, Missouri|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=April 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418031621/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99952130/wren-shift-to-topeka-fcc-approves/|url-status=live}} To get the KTOP call letters, the FCC selected the Topeka station over a new outlet being built in Monterey, California and another in Las Cruces, New Mexico.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1947/1947-06-16-BC.pdf|date=June 16, 1947|title=Shortage of Calls Is Slightly Eased|page=86|work=Broadcasting|access-date=2022-04-18|archive-date=2021-12-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206002707/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1947/1947-06-16-BC.pdf|url-status=live}}

KTOP was affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System.{{r|BC470818}} Within months, Wingate sold his stake to Collison, opting to retire due to poor health.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1947/1947-12-22-BC.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=December 22, 1947|title=Four Stations Transfer Cases Are Given Approval of FCC|page=71|access-date=2022-04-18|archive-date=2022-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410034218/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1947/1947-12-22-BC.pdf|url-status=live}} Charles B. Axton bought KTOP from Collison in 1950.{{r|hc}} During the Great Flood of 1951, the United States Air Force airlifted a transmitter to the station's studios, as its normal transmitter location had flooded out and there was a pressing need to restore radio service in the Topeka area.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/51-OCR/1951-07-30-BC-OCR-Page-0030.pdf|page=30|title=Radio-TV Flood Service Wins Public's Praise|work=Broadcasting|date=July 30, 1951|access-date=2022-04-18|archive-date=2022-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418031627/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/51-OCR/1951-07-30-BC-OCR-Page-0030.pdf|url-status=live}} A 1958 storm toppled the station's tower;{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99950596/wind-rain-cause-heavy-damage-in-kansas/|date=July 11, 1958|page=1|agency=Associated Press|title=Wind, Rain Cause Heavy Damage In Kansas|newspaper=The Ithaca Journal|location=Ithaca, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=April 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418031629/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99950596/wind-rain-cause-heavy-damage-in-kansas/|url-status=live}} the station was back on air within 23 hours, beating the 24 hours it took to put it back into service after the 1951 flood.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1958/1958-08-04-BC.pdf|work=Broadcasting|date=August 4, 1958|page=82|title=Two-Disaster Axton Rises Again|access-date=2022-04-18|archive-date=2021-11-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108160653/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1958/1958-08-04-BC.pdf|url-status=live}}

Harris Publications acquired the station in August 1963;{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99950551/station-ktop-is-sold-harris-publication/|date=August 6, 1963|page=4|agency=Associated Press|title=Station KTOP Is Sold: Harris Publications, Hutchinson, Buys Topeka Radio Firm|newspaper=The Kansas City Times|location=Kansas City, Missouri|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=April 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418031630/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99950551/station-ktop-is-sold-harris/|url-status=live}} that December, Axton died in a Topeka hospital at the age of 53.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99950641/death-claims-topeka-radio-station/|date=December 6, 1963|page=1C|agency=Associated Press|title=Death Claims Topeka Radio Station Official|newspaper=The Wichita Beacon|location=Wichita, Kansas|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=April 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418031630/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99950641/death-claims-topeka-radio-station/|url-status=live}} Harris increased the station's power from 250 to 1,000 watts in 1965.{{r|hc}}

In 1977, KTOP switched from Top 40 to automated country music.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1970s/1977/RR-1977-04-29.pdf|work=Radio & Records|page=40|title=Country: Direct from Duncan|date=April 29, 1977|access-date=2022-04-18|archive-date=2021-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001064238/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1970s/1977/RR-1977-04-29.pdf|url-status=live}} The format was short-lived, and the station flipped to oldies in 1979. UNO Broadcasting purchased KTOP and KDVV in 1987. In 1991, the AM station switched from oldies to adult standards.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1991-02.pdf#page=7|page=1|work=M Street Journal|date=February 11, 1991|title=Format Changes|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=September 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930001643/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1991-02.pdf#page=7|url-status=live}}

Meanwhile, WREN went off the air due to financial issues in 1987. UNO Broadcasting attempted to buy that frequency in 1989; it would have moved KTOP's programming and call sign to 1250 kHz and divested the 1490 frequency to another company, Barr Broadcasting.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-04-07.pdf|work=Radio & Records|date=April 7, 1989|page=12|title=Transactions|access-date=2022-04-18|archive-date=2022-03-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305134939/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-04-07.pdf|url-status=live}} However, the owner of UNO Broadcasting—Robert Tezak, the one-time owner of the card game Uno—fell into financial trouble as a result of an unrelated court case. In 1987, he was alleged to have ordered the arson of a bowling alley he owned in order to collect insurance payments. While awaiting trial in that case, he was arrested for intimidating a witness—his former wife—by sending her a death threat.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99942488/tezak-jailed-on-charge-that-he-threatene/|date=September 4, 1993|page=5|first=Matt|last=O'Connor|title=Tezak jailed on charge that he threatened arson case witness|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|location=Chicago, Illinois|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=April 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418031632/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99942488/tezak-jailed-on-charge-that-he/|url-status=live}} When a court ordered him to put aside $400,000 in restitution after being convicted in March 1994, he filed bankruptcy for himself, his wife, and three businesses, one of them UNO Broadcasting.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99953289/arson-restitution-triggers-tezak-bankrup/|date=March 9, 1994|page=75|title=Arson restitution triggers Tezak bankruptcy filing|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|location=Chicago, Illinois|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=April 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418031631/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99953289/arson-restitution-triggers-tezak/|url-status=live}} The filings were made in large part to try and regain control of the radio stations, which had been placed in court-appointed receivership.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99953034/game-entrepreneur-trying-to-save-his/|date=March 9, 1994|page=C1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99955018/game-investor-tries-to-save-hand/ C3]|first=Frank|last=Turco|title=Game entrepreneur trying to save his hand|newspaper=Arizona Republic|location=Phoenix, Arizona|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=April 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418031630/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99953034/game-entrepreneur-trying-to-save-his/|url-status=live}}

Frederick Reynolds Sr. acquired the station out of bankruptcy in 1994 as part of a $750,000 sale with KDVV.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-09-02.pdf|date=September 2, 1994|page=8|title=Transactions|work=Radio & Records|access-date=2022-04-18|archive-date=2022-03-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305133256/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-09-02.pdf|url-status=live}} In 1995, Frederick Reynolds sold the station and KMAJ to his son, Frederick Reynolds Jr., for $75,000.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-09-15.pdf|page=8|work=Radio & Records|date=September 15, 1995|title=Transactions|access-date=2022-04-18|archive-date=2022-03-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220305133017/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-09-15.pdf|url-status=live}} The cluster of four stations owned by the Reynolds family was sold to Cumulus for $10.425 million in 1998.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1998/RR-1998-06-19.pdf|date=June 19, 1998|work=Radio & Records|title=Transactions|page=6|access-date=2022-04-18|archive-date=2021-10-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001124630/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1998/RR-1998-06-19.pdf|url-status=live}}

The station ditched its standards format at the start of 2000 to switch to classic country,{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-2000-01.pdf#page=36|page=2|date=January 26, 2000|work=M Street Journal|title=Format Changes & Updates|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=September 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930002318/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-2000-01.pdf#page=36|url-status=live}} only to revert to standards the next year.{{Cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-2001-06.pdf|page=5|work=M Street Journal|title=Format Changes & Updates|date=June 13, 2001|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=September 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930002442/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-2001-06.pdf|url-status=live}}

KTOP joined the new CBS Sports Radio network on January 2, 2013, having previously been an ESPN Radio outlet.{{cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/80087/cumulus-begins-cbs-sports-radio-transitions/|work=RadioInsight|date=December 18, 2012|first=Lance|last=Venta|title=Cumulus Begins CBS Sports Radio Transitions|access-date=April 18, 2022|archive-date=February 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015708/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/80087/cumulus-begins-cbs-sports-radio-transitions/|url-status=live}}

{{Reflist|2}}

{{AM station data|62236|KTOP}}

{{Topeka Radio}}

{{Sports Radio Stations in Kansas}}

{{Cumulus Media}}

TOP (AM)

Category:Sports radio stations in the United States

Category:Radio stations established in 1947

Category:1947 establishments in Kansas

Category:Infinity Sports Network stations

Category:Cumulus Media radio stations