Russ LaVine did a controversial late night talk-show beginning on KIOA in 1961 and later on KWKY, KDMI, and KWDM. The reason that Top-40 radio stations at that time often ran a late night talk show was to satisfy the FCC requirement for a certain amount of news and public affairs programming. As opposed to the network stations, an independent radio station running a format that was heavily weighted with music and only short hourly newscasts, had to provide for the public affairs programming in some other way. Most of these programs were a little on the controversial side, but nothing compared to today's talk radio.
Another similar program was KWKY's "Crossfire" which ran during the station's first Top-40 venture in 1959.
The KIOA Night Hawk Klub membership was offered to the listeners of Hawkeye Nightline.
Courtesy of loyal Hawkeye Nightline listener Ken Elliott
Russ LaVine's last regular Nightline program on KWDM-FM 1969
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