1960-1965
1961 – Top 40 Radio for Casper…….
In the early 60’s a style of radio was developed in Omaha by a guy named Todd Storz, called “Top 40.” 
The new, fast moving broadcast style quickly moved to the big city broadcasters like Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Oklahoma Ciity, New York & Los Angeles. It also came to KATI and Casper, Wyoming!
Three individuals came to KATI within a short time of each other all from Albuquerque, New Mexico. They were Bill Sims, Steve Broomell and Bill Yeager. They all had worked together, or knew of each other, and had worked in the Albuquerque radio market which was just beginning to pick up on this new Top 40 radio format. Programming the radio station for both Adults and the Teens in Casper, playing the Top-40 hits of Billboard’s Top 100 Chart. KATI had it’s own chart called the “Fab-14 Survey.”
While continuing to play some limited Country and other”Pop” songs…the station’s music selection was taken primarily from the more modern Top 40 artists. The Everly Brothers, Elvis, Tokens, Dion & The Belmonts, Ray Charles, Ricky Nelson and all the others were all on KATI’s air. “Casper’s Favorite Gal” was in every car, under every pillow at night on a transistor radio and in every home in town. Each of the DJ’s worked 2-4 hour shifts and the station was on the air each day from 5AM until Midnight. The little house at 314 North McKinley was ROCKIN’ to the sound of KATI Radio!
1963 – Big Changes come to KATI……..
Pat Meenan – Owner 1957-1981
1963 was an exciting year for the owners and staff of KATI radio. Ken & Misha Prather decided they wanted to sell the station and move to Boulder, Colorado, and start another station there. In November, 1963, control and ownership of the station was turned over to then minority owner, Patrick H. Meenan and a new corporation called Casper Family Radio, Inc. New owners always generally mean big changes for any radio station. Meenan, was an accountant by trade and also served for 10-years on the Casper City Council and Casper Mayor (1962-1965). He was also elected to the Wyoming State House four times and served as the Speaker in 1987 & 88. Pat brought a love of radio and for the next two decades, he had a pact with Casper radio listeners to provide the best radio available.
One of the downsides of the station sale was the loss of Steve Broomell. He had come to Casper and KATI in 1960 at the ripe old age of 19, as a genius engineer & air talent. Besides being the station engineer, he was also KATI’s Program and Music Director and afternoon DJ. Steve “Fat Daddy” Harris, as he was known on the air, was probably the one single person responsible for the KATI sound both musically and philosophically.
Ken and Misha asked him to go to Boulder with them to help build and start-up another radio station (KDEY-AM). Once that station was on the air, he didn’t stay long and joined the staff as an engineer, designer & inventor for the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder. While at NCAR, Steve developed several electronic circuits and holds patents for electronic equipment. Steve Broomell did return to KATI in 1965.
The names of KATI announcers that worked the studios at 314 North McKinley in the early & mid 60’s read like a who’s who, many of which would go on to bigger and better markets all across the country. Bill Yeager, Sarge McClintock, J Michael Wilson, Carl Mann, Larry Payne, Don Sherwood, Bob Young, Larry “Horse” LaVerne all went on to stations like KOMA, Oklahoma City, KOIL, Omaha, KFWB, Los Angeles, KFOG “The Fog”, San Francisco, KJR, Seattle, WKNR, Dearborn/Detroit, Michigan, Dallas & New Orleans and so many more.