In August 1970 a young John Pfeifer arrived in Nome to help build KNOM from scratch. He had been working at a local radio station near his home in Kansas when an ad in Broadcasting Magazine caught his eye.
“There was an ad to come up and help build a radio station and it offered room and board and $5 a week [$40 adjusted for inflation], so that sounded interesting to me,” Pfeifer recalled while visiting KNOM this summer after 47 years away.
Upon his arrival in Nome, Pfeifer set to work alongside KNOM founder Tom Busch. Together with the construction crew, they converted a two-story house into the station we know and love today. They raced against time to lay the foundation for the AM tower before winter set in.
On July 14 the following year, KNOM went live and Pfeifer traded his hard hat for a microphone. He fondly remembers the “Early Bird Club” he formed while hosting KNOM’s morning show; he encouraged listeners to mail in a postcard with the title of the first song they heard in the morning, and in return he would send them a personal letter and a photo.
After moving on from KNOM, Pfeifer went on to have a lengthy career in public radio, print news, TV, and even as a professional circus clown! He is currently enjoying retirement in the Anchorage area with his wife Anna.
Pfeifer spent his visit touring the KNOM station, visiting old friends, and sightseeing. While much has changed around Nome in 47 years, his love and appreciation for the people of Western Alaska never has. “It’s great to be here,” Pfeifer said. “Everything’s changed in 47 years, but it’s just wonderful to be back.”
