Despite rumors that KJQN (alias "KJQ," FM 92.7, 95.5, 104.9 and AM-1490) is going off the air, Scott Gilreath, station manager, says the station is not in bankruptcy and that most of the response by the public and advertisers to minor changes has been positive.
He also addressed some related rumors about a court battle involving KJQ:"We control the station," Gilreath said. "KJQ is not in bankruptcy. But the previous station owner is involved in legal proceedings. KJQ is trying to clear the title and is only indirectly involved."
KJQ also hired four new on-air personalities last week to replace more of the nine disc jockeys who have left the station in the past month. Jane Ramone, Jon McGann, Allison Strong and Justin Case have all been hired by KJQ.
Ramone is the music director and an evening DJ. She comes from Alaska, and Gilreath said she has some solid contacts in the music industry.
McGann is the afternoon personality and replaces Mike Summers as new program director. He started at KJQ Dec. 14 and previously worked in west Texas as program director for six years.
Strong joined the station from KMGR. She previously worked at KBER too, has a strong background in rock music and will be a midday DJ.
Case is a Chicago native who will do the overnight shift. He most recently worked in radio at Modesto, Calif., and he will double as the station's public service director.
Two other new employees at KJQ are Jean Fields, office manager, and Malinda Jaynes, who will handle traffic and log work.
Gilreath said that perhaps one confusing element that the station added recently has been the use of a "station voice" to make music identifications. But this announcer lives on the East Coast and will not be an actual personality at KJQ.
KJQ is also trying to relocate its Ogden studios to Salt Lake City so they can be combined with the general offices. Gilreath said he is looking for studio-office space. He said the previous management promised to move the studios to Salt Lake City, but the legal situation with the old owner has delayed this move.
- Here's a capsule rundown of KJQ's new on-air lineup:
5:50-10 a.m. - Bill and Kerry, "Radio from Hell."
10 a.m.-3 p.m. - Allison Strong.
3-7 p.m. - Jon McGann.
7-midnight - Jane Ramone.
Midnight-5:50 a.m. - Justin Case.
- In the meantime, KJQ's former modern music DJs are looking for a home for their home-grown format that they feel the new management of KJQ has tampered with. These personalities have found different homes several times in the past and can probably do it again.
- KSL (AM-1160) - The station recently added three new employees and also adjusted the work schedules of three staffers.
Rebecca Marshall is a new KSL morning reporter. She previously worked as an anchor-reporter for KPAY in Chico, Calif., and is a graduate of California State University in Chico.
Mark Giaque is a new part-time weekend anchor-reporter. He is a Brigham Young University student and will edit and anchor the weekend news. Over the past few months, he has been a midday programmer and has assisted with the afternoon news at KSL.
Aaron Wilhelm is the new producer for the Bob Lee show. He has previously worked at KALL-AM and KTKK.
Tracy Cayford has moved from afternoon news editor to morning editor . . . Greg Wrubell is now the producer for the Doug Wright show, instead of the morning editor . . . Tim Loosle is the new overnight control room operator/news writer. He was previously a part-time weekend anchor-news editor.
Here are some weekend programming highlights for KSL:
Saturday, Dec. 21:
7-10 a.m. - "Greenhouse" will provide tips on how to grow tomatoes anywhere and any time.
10-11 a.m. - "Car Radio" will explain how to drive your car almost forever with automotive expert Bob Sikorsky.
11 a.m. - "Your House" will provide holiday cleaning tips from Eugenia Chapman, "The Queen of Clean."
11:30 a.m. - "The KSL Cooking Show" will feature Linda Eckhardt, author of "Bread in Half Time."
Sunday, Dec 1:
10 a.m. - "Getaway," the KSL travel show, will examine how to take cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii.
1:30 a.m. - Nutritionist Julie Metos will examine the new book "The Mormon Diet" on the "Health and Fitness Show."
KSL also will air the following special holiday programs:
Friday, Dec. 20: "Home for the Holidays," a live Utah Symphony broadcast.
Tuesday, Dec. 24: 6:07 p.m. - LDS Church First Presidency Christmas Devotional (recorded earlier), 7 p.m. - "Music for Christmas Eve (from CBS); 10 p.m. - "An Osgood Christmas," 10:30 p.m. - Christmas Eve with Mormon Tabernacle Choir; midnight - Midnight Mass from St. Anne's Church.
Wednesday, Dec. 25: 1:30 a.m. - Larry King (in progress); 4 a.m. - "First Light" (NBC radio); 5 a.m. - Utah Symphony Christmas Concert (taped); 6:30 a.m. - Christmas with the Mormon Youth Symphony and Chorus; 8 a.m. - CBS Music for Christmas; 9:15 a.m. - "An Osgood Christmas" (taped); 9:45 a.m. - Blue-Gray football classic; 1 p.m. - CBS news; 1:10 p.m. - The Aloha Bowl; 4:30 p.m. - "The Messiah"; and 6:30 p.m. - Eyewitness news simulcast on KSL radio.
- KSFI (alias "FM-100) will broadcast its 16th annual "100 Hours of Continuous Christmas Music Festival" starting at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21, and continuing through midnight on Christmas.
Hoping to hear a certain special Christmas song? It can probably be found during those 100 hours of holiday music. From "Holly Jolly Christmas" to "Silent Night" to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," KSFI seems to have every great Christmas song scheduled.
- KBYU (FM-89.1) - What do the Flintstones, Rocky and Bullwinkle, the Princess Bride and Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker' have in common? Find out during "The Nutcracker with Jim Svedja" on Saturday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m. The show will be rebroadcast on Dec. 23 at 9 p.m.
"A Christmas Carol!" will air Monday, Dec. 23, at 7 p.m. and KBYU will also present "Glad Tidings," another special Christmas program, on Dec. 24 at 8 p.m. and again on Dec. 25 at 9 a.m.
The station will also broadcast "A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols," live from King's College in Cambridge, England, Dec. 24 at 8 a.m. The program will be repeated at 9 p.m. that evening.
Mozart's "Messiah" will be played on Dec. 25 at 1 p.m.
- KBZN (alias "The Breeze," FM-97.9) - Leigh Armstrong, station personality, has been promoted to music director for KBZN. She also will continue her on-the-air duties from 7 p.m. until midnight.
The remainder of the station's personality lineup is: 6-10 a.m. - Don Hill; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. - Victoria Ames; and 3-7 p.m. - Dale Nelson.
The station will present 24 hours of continuous Christmas music beginning Dec. 24 at 6 p.m. On Dec. 25, the station will present a six-hour "Jazz Trax" special.
KBZN will present Patric O'Hearn on the Sunday, Dec. 21, "Musical Starstreams," from 8 to 10 a.m. At 7 p.m., "Jazz Trax," will feature Chip Davis of Mannheim Steamroller.
The station's weekday show, "7 O'Clock CD," will have David Sanborn and "A Change of Heart" on Monday, Dec. 23. The Thursday, Dec. 26, show will include David Benoit and "Shadows." The Friday, Dec. 27, program will highlight Acoustic Alchemy and "Blue Chip Bop."
- KLO (AM-1430) - The station will air "A Christmas Carol," a classic 1939 radio program that stars Lionel Barrymore as Scrooge, on Christmas Eve at 7 p.m. and again on Christmas Day at 11 a.m.