by Bobby Kline, which developed a sizable following over the next couple of years. The progressive format was more successful than is often assumed. There was networking among similar stations, like KSHE St. Louis, and KSAN San Francisco, sharing programming content. The "format" evolved over three years and consistently claimed 8-12% of the KC audience, a respectable share in a market with around thirty stations. Eventually, though, progressive radio found itself fading at the same moment that San Diego's "Super Q" format was sweeping the country. Mark Wodlinger knew it would hit Kansas City soon, and whatever station adopted the format would likely be #1 in the ratings for at least a couple of years. He arranged the deal, made the announcement, and began a two-month KBEY-KBEQ transition process to bring in the new format with its new air staff, with the progressive rock/jazz experiment ending in August, like it started. Top 40 (1973-1993) On August 15, 1973, with the growing popularity of FM radio, KBEY ended the progressive rock format and switched to Top 40/CHR as "Super-Q, Q-104." It was modeled after San Diego Top 40 station KCBQ's "Super Q" format, a format that was growing across the country at the time. KBEY's call sign changed to KBEQ, and adopted the slogan "Super-Q Plays Favorites." Q-104 gradually chipped away at Kansas City's powerhouse AM Top 40 station, WHB. Public service announcements were called "Q Tips." A "Super-Q" phone-in contest had become popular in San Diego, tying up the city's telephone network (a dangerous problem the station publicized wildly). It was replicated on a smaller scale in Kansas City. The large number of listeners hurriedly dialing the station's number for the contest would create many wrong numbers. That prompted Southwestern Bell in Kansas City to respond in the same way as other cities, by creating a new phone exchange just for radio, TV and other entities that might suddenly get large numbers of calls. The three-number exchange was unique, so there would be few or no wrong numbers. KBEQ jammed the lines with its "Treasure Hunt" contest. So Southwestern Bell assigned KBEQ Kansas City's first 576-7xxx number. It was 816-576-7104, but the 576-7xxx system worked in the 913 area code too, covering both Missouri and Kansas-based stations in the Kansas City metro area. Previously, the only way many FM radio station owners could make a profit was to lease 10%