Citadel Associates Limited Partnership, owner of KLZX radio (FM-93.3)/KCNR (AM-860), and Price Broadcasting Co., owner of KCPX (FM-98.7/AM-1320), have entered into a local marketing agreement whereby Citadel will provide marketing and programming for KCPX AM/FM, effective immediately.
"Radio Dial" reported April 10 that rumors of KLZX expanding onto other Wasatch Front broadcasting frequencies were false. Technically this is true, since KCPX will retain its separate identity, ownership and programming.Under the agreement, the first of its kind in Utah and a national broadcasting trend, Price Broadcasting retains full management control and Citadel will function under the supervision of Price's general manager.
Stu Stanek, general manager of KLZX/KCNR, was out of town Thursday and unavailable for comment, but experts at other Salt Lake stations believe this agreement, called a local marketing agreement (LMA), is probably the first of many such agreements in Utah radio.
Two other major stations may be considering a similar agreement, and within several years there could be at least four LMAs in Utah, controlling as much as 80 percent of the Wasatch Front radio market.
LMAs get around FCC multiple ownership regulations, which is why companies don't sell their stations outright. The FCC wants to revise its regulations to allow multiple ownerships of AM and FM radio stations in the same market. It wouldn't be surprising if the Citadel-Price agreement included a future provision to purchase KCPX at a predetermined price when and if the FCC makes such changes.
These local agreements also allow stations to cut corners on sales staffs, administration and just about everything else.
KCPX listeners won't notice any differences - yet. On-air personalities are the same, at least temporarily. But the rumor is that all disc jockeys at KCPX are on probation with a reduced salary. Many other off-air KCPX employees may be out of a job also. These layoffs could not be confirmed at press time, but other stations say KCPX employees have contacted them about employment opportunities.
Citadel will likely retain KCPX's musical format because it has such a large female audience, while Citadel's KLZX has an even higher male audience. In such a comparison, the two stations complement each other.
It isn't yet known how many financial corners Citadel will cut at KCPX. Citadel could eventually just keep the live morning show and convert to satellite music the rest of the day.
Citadel, controlled by Lawrence R. Wilson, is a Montanta-based operator of seven radio stations in four Western cities.
Price agreed to sell eight radio stations to Citadel Communications Corp., also controlled by Wilson, in an agreement reached last August.
Pending FCC approval, the radio stations to be transferred to Citadel are: KGA/KDRK (Spokane, Wash.); KOOK and KBEE (Modesto, Calif.); KQMS and KSHA (Redding, Calif.); KROW (Reno, Nev.) and KHEZ (Boise). Citadel may also acquire KBUL (Reno) from Atmor Properties in a deal expected to close on April 30.
Price Broadcasting has also agreed to sell KNEV (Reno) to the KNEV Broadcasting Co. and will continue to own WONG AM-FM in Columbia, S.C., and its two Salt Lake stations. Maintaining ownership of these two stations debunks the rumor that Price is leaving the local radio market.
Wilson already owns KKFM (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and KCTR AM/FM (Billings, Mont.) Following the approval of all sales and agreements, Wilson's partnership will be placed under the control of Citadel Communications Corp.
- NEW MORNING TEAM - KUTQ (alias "The Q," FM-99.5) has two new morning DJs - "McCormick and Scotty." They refer to themselves as the "Breakfast Bunch" (6-10 a.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays).
Despite their rookie status, Kevin McCormick and Scott Christopher are smooth, fresh and entertaining. Unlike some new morning teams that have to work out the rough edges, "the Q's" new team already sounds as good as just about any in the market.
How is this possible? Gary Waldron, the radio mastermind who put "Fisher and Todd" together at KISN, is now the program director and general manager at KUTQ. He "invented" "McCormick and Scotty."
Scott previously worked at KZOL and worked alone at KUTQ before McCormick was added. Waldron thought the show would be livelier with two personalities, and he was right. Despite the teamup, the station remains music intensive.
McCormick comes to Utah from a radio station in Louisiana.
The new morning team started April 13 and will also do middays on Saturdays.
- STADIUM OF FIRE - It's still more than two months away, but this year's version of Alan Osmond's Fourth of July celebration will feature the Beach Boys, according to KMGR (alias "Magic 107.5," FM), one of the event's sponsors.
Tickets go on sale Monday, May 4, at Brigham Young University for the July 4 event in Cougar Stadium.
- KBZN (alias "The Breeze," FM-97.9) is sponsoring the Earth Day Fair Friday through Sunday, April 24-26, at Valley Fair Mall, with demonstrations and information on conservation, recycling and energy saving. There will also be a 5K race, tree planting and a cleanup.
- Sunday's, April 26, "Musical Starstreams" (8-10 a.m.) will feature Lisa Franko and "Bigger Than Blue." Later in the day, 7 p.m. to midnight, "Jazz Trax" will include guest Tom Grant and also "Freetime by Spyro Gyra on the Archive Album segment.
- Here's a schedule of KBZN's "7 O'Clock CD" show next week:
Monday, April 27: "The Spirit of Olympia," by David Arkenstone and Kostia, who visited "The Breeze" April 21. They'll appear in concert with the Utah Symphony on May 23.
Tuesday, April 28: "Nikki Nana," by Yanni.
Wednesday, April 29: "Moondance," by Van Morrison.
Thursday, April 30: "A Childhood Remembered," by various artists.
Friday, May 1: "Rivers Gonna Rise," by Patrick O'Hearn.
- KSL (AM-1160) - William Murdoch, general manager of KSL-TV, was also named general manager of KSL radio last week. Russ Wood, former KSL radio general manager, is now the vice president for corporate sales at BYU. Al Henderson was named vice president for the news and programming of both broadcasting companies, and Rod Arquette remains KSL radio news director.
These latest KSL changes resulted in no layoffs and complete KSL radio and TV's efforts to consolidate various positions.
- Here are programming highlights for Saturday, April 25:
7-10 a.m. - "KSL Greenhouse" will explain how to have a beautiful lawn, with guest Gilbert Pulley, landscape supervisor at BYU. Don Shafer and Larry Sagers co-host.
10-11 a.m. - "Car Radio" will have a special show for car collectors to explain how to get parts, estimate values and sell a vehicle. John Douglas is the guest.
11-11:30 a.m. - "Your House" will explain how to fix household appliances, with "Mr. Fit It" (Steve Peterson from Bill's Appliance).
11:30-noon - "The KSL Cooking Show" will have outdoor dutch oven cooking expert Dick Stucki.
- KBYU (FM-89.1) - "Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio" will be re-broadcast on Friday, April 24, at 7 p.m. The program, which chronicles radio's first 50 years, originally aired locally last winter.
- Utah Symphony's world premiere of the Joan Tower Violin Concerto will be broadcast live from Symphony Hall on Saturday, April 25, 8 p.m. on KBYU.
- KBYU's regular Wednesday opera broadcast on April 29, 7 p.m., will air the highly acclaimed Utah opera production of Puccini's "Tosca."