Feature Story
Celebrating 20 Years at KLRC
The year was 1992. A gallon of gas was just $1.05. Microsoft released the all new Windows 3.1. Johnny Carson stepped down as host of the Tonight Show. Meanwhile, at KLRC, two very special people joined the team – Charlie Smith and Jane Clayberg. Today, 20 years later, Charlie and Jane continue to make a Positive Difference through their faithful service at KLRC.
Charlie came to us from Los Angeles, where he owned a company that specialized in installation of recording studios and video/audio duplication plants. Jane and her family had been serving as missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Papua, New Guinea. Today, Charlie serves as a part-time technician for the station and Jane oversees our day sponsor and prayer ministries.
Much has changed in their time at KLRC. Jane and Charlie both remember a KLRC that signed-off nightly at 9pm and was powered by turntables, 8 track decks, and reel to reel players. Though much has changed, they both say it’s the things that haven’t changed that have kept them here for the past 20 years.
Charlie and Jane have helped build and shape KLRC in meaningful ways over the past 20 years. It is with deep appreciation that we honor them for their 20 years of service. KLRC would not be the same without them.
Q&A with KLRC’s Jane Clayberg and Charlie Smith:
“What do you like most about working at KLRC?”
Jane: “Wonderful co-workers who love the Lord and want to see KLRC succeed in helping build God’s kingdom on earth and being able to interact with listeners, especially day sponsors and those submitting prayer requests.”
Charlie: “I’ve never heard the words ‘it can’t be done.’ The staff are spiritually mature people that value prayer and are dedicated to serving listeners and helping each other. They’re all on the same page and want to do whatever it takes to move KLRC forward. Ever have a job where you can’t wait to see what God’s going to do today? That’s what it’s like working at, playing at, and being at KLRC.”
“What are some of the biggest changes you've seen in your 20 years at KLRC?”
Jane: “No turntables in the studio, no reel to reel, no 8-track, 24-hour music and programming instead of signing off at 10 p.m., voice-tracking (allowing dj's to be in two places at once!), bigger listening audience and amazing Sharathons.”
Charlie: “KLRC used to sign off the air at 9pm and on again at 6am. It’s grown from a campus funded training tool to a fully listener supported broadcast ministry, while still training students. Listenership used to be measured in the thousands has grown to more than 70,000. Sharathon used to happen in a small room (about the size of a small bedroom) with students crawling over tables to take pledges to get to the day sponsor calendar. We even had to borrow staff phone lines. All our storage was contained in a cold war-era bomb shelter. Today, we’re in a spacious renovated and beautifully restored century-old facility in downtown Siloam Springs (across from Café on Broadway). It doesn't get better than that.”
“Any funny memories?”
Jane: “I remember one cold Christmas day just after we installed a new automation system. I happened to turn on KLRC and realized we had gone dead. I called Sean, who was out of town, and he said if I could go to the studio and wait, he would call me back and walk me through how to get us back on the air. So I went to campus and unlocked the outer door and the studio door and then, since I had a few minutes to spare before Sean was to call, I went out to the restroom and to get a drink. But the studio door had locked automatically behind me, and I had left my keys and coat inside the studio. I couldn't get back inside, and I couldn't drive my car to go use a phone (no cell phones in those days). So I propped the outer door open with my shoe and started walking toward the parking lot, praying. The campus was deserted. As I turned a corner, who should I see walking up the sidewalk, but one of the Broadcasting professors! We weren't playing all-Christmas music in those days, and he decided to come to borrow some Christmas music CDs for the day. He let me back into the studio, Sean called and walked me through how to get KLRC back up, and all was well.”
Charlie: “Okay, okay I said spiritually mature young people but remember these are college students. Come finals week, broadcast students are looking to blow off a little steam and the halos become a little rusty. So here are some of the funny memories I have of KLRC over the years: Mechanical alarm clocks carefully hidden, set to go off when a new DJ keys his microphone to go live on air. Students used to hide under the console and equipment racks. A new DJ would go on air live and feel a pair of hands grab him or her by the ankles. The night DJ used to get mooned by someone on campus through the picture window. Yes.....let your imagination run wild and it’s probably happened at one point or another!”
