Here are colorized images from the KNIM announcement of an open house after it went live on April 8, 1953.
The Maryville Daily Forum, Maryville, Missouri. Friday Evening, April 17, 1953 • Page Seven MARYVILLE’S NEW RADIO STATION KANSAS NEBRASKA IOWA MISSOURI 1580 on Your Dial Open House Sunday, April 19 12:00 7:00
The Maryville Radio and Television Corporation was formed in March of 1951, and its application for a radio station for Maryville was accepted for filing by the F.C.C. on July 11, 1951.
An initial grant of a construction permit was made by the Commission on Sept. 18, 1952. Site approval was received on March 18, and the radio station KNIM went on the air on April 8. Dr. R. Wayne Wilson is president of the company and Dale Blackwell is Secretary-Treasurer. Directors include David White, Garvin Williams, and Howard Linton. Other stockholders are Harry Price, Dr. H. C. Bauman, Arnold Baldwin, Keith Ackley and Jack Lloyd
KNIM original house location in 1953 (at the current location on South Main)
JACK LLOYD, General Manager, pictured in the main studio. He began in 1935 at WNBE in Binghamton, New York. In 1937, he was on the Midday Merry-Go-Round at WNOX in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was also on WROL in Knoxville. He attended Joplin Community College in Joplin, Missouri, and graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, with a degree in radio. Following 3 years in the Signal Corps in World War II, he joined the staff of WMBH in Joplin. He was later program director at KSEK in Pittsburg, Kansas, and for a year and a half at KSEK in Atchison, Kansas. He was a newscaster at KFNF in Shenandoah, Iowa. His off-air name is Lloyd Jacquay. He is married to the former Elsie Cook in Maryville and has a son, David Norris. He will do newscasts and market shows, and will do a singing show on a western show.
ARNOLD WILSON, Chief Engineer “Arnie” Wilson, shown adjusting the KNIM transmitter. He is a graduate of the Electronic Radio-Television Institute of Nebraska. He was an engineer-announcer with KOVE in Lander, Wyoming, and later went to WLOI in LaPorte. Indiana, as chief engineer. Arnie then moved to his home state of Iowa to serve as chief engineer at KTSB in Creston. Mr. Wilson is a native of Winterset, Iowa. He is married and has two children, Linda and Bradley. He will be featured on the Homemakers Club and Willie’s Workshop.
GIL POESE, Commercial Manager Gi! Poese Commercial Manager at KNIM, a veteran of several years of radio experience. began his radio career as an announcer and salesman at WLOI in LaPorte. Indiana. He later moved to KFEQ in St. Joseph… and, before coming to Maryville, was employed as an announcer and salesman at KCLO in Leavenworth, Kansas. Gil is married. And both he and his wife are native Missourians. They have two children: Patricia and Jana Kay. Gil will be featured on several shows daily on KNIM, and you will hear his voice in newscasts, disc shows, and some of the talent programs.
MARIE HEAD, Bookkeeper and Women’s Director Road. pictured at the console and turntable. She moved to this area about a year ago from Winnipeg, Canada. She worked at the Bank of Montreal. She is married, and they have two children, Clayton and Susan. She is a graduate of Success Business College at Winnepeg. She will host the Hits and Hints program and Marie’s Melody Matinee.
Pictured above is the equipment rack in the radio control showing a tape recorder, amplifiers, modulation, frequency monitors, and a limiting amplifier.