TODD STORZ

Todd Storz, born Robert Todd Storz, operated a successful chain of American radio broadcasting stations and is generally credited with being the foremost innovator of the Top 40 radio format in 1951. The format was based on the selection of records based on sales reported by record stores, an indication as to which would be of greatest interest to listeners.

KOWH AM in Omaha was the first radio station owned by Todd Storz, and his father, Robert Storz, that measured considerable audience growth as a result of playing Top 40 music. Playing popular music, and repeating the top-selling Top 40 hits most often, was the main engine driving KOWH's audience growth, which would soon expand to six other Storz stations, beginning with WTIX, New Orleans in 1953, which also became successful despite having a weak signal.

Todd Storz went on to buy WHB-AM in Kansas City in 1954, WDGY-AM in Minneapolis/St. Paul in January 1956, WQAM -AM in Miami in May 1956, KOMA-AM in Oklahoma City in 1958, and KXOK -AM in St. Louis in 1960.

Todd Storz passed away four years later, in 1964.