KUBL (alias "K-Bull," FM-93.3) is looking for a new program director. John O'Rourke, who put the new country station on the air eight months ago, departed on Jan. 19. He's being replaced, at least on an interim basis, by assistant program director Randy Rose.
O'Rourke said he didn't want to leave KUBL and that the departure has nothing to do with radio ratings but with family necessities. (In fact, KUBL's ratings for listeners ages 12-plus have increased by 47 percent since O'Rourke arrived.)"It's nothing to do with what's going on here. . . . It's a downer," O'Rourke said about some of his feelings for having to leave KUBL. "It was the culmination of 15 years' radio experience for me."
He felt he had to depart when a good offer came along that suited the needs of his family. O'Rourke came from Indiana last spring without his family. The family was unable to sell the home there and join him in Utah. He said he's been able to see them only a few times in the past eight months.
O'Rourke isn't going to another radio station. He got an offer to organize Indiana's Three Rivers Festival, and the money and location were ideal. O'Rourke can now move back to his home in Fort Wayne, Ind.
The station may advertise for a new program director, but Rose - with more than a decade of radio experience himself - is highly capable of programming the station.
- KUBL will host the "Country Cares for St. Jude's Kids" radiothon, Friday, Feb. 2, and Saturday, Feb. 3, from the Cottonwood Mall.
The event will run for 36 continuous hours, and morning per-son-al-i-ties "Jon and Dan" will being speaking to listeners about their personal experiences during a recent visit to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
Other KUBL DJs will broadcast live during the event, designed to garner pledges for hospital.
- COUNTRY WAR - All radio stations along the Wasatch Front have to be strongly competitive because the market is so saturated. However, those with country formats seem to be the fiercest competitors.
Some years ago, KSOP (AM-1370/FM-104.3) and KKAT (FM-101.9) had a war of slogans, each claiming to be the best country station.
More recently, a dispute between KKAT and KUBL (FM-93.3) went to court. KKAT, owned by Regent Broadcasting, singled out KUBL, owned by Citadel Communications, for using a phrase it believed it had all the rights to.
John Marks, KKAT general manager, said "Continuous country favorites" was the property of FM-101.9. That concept was upheld in court, and so KUBL has stopped using it.
Scott Mahalick, general manager for KUBL, said his station objects to the alleged ownership of that phrase.
"It's a descriptive phrase," Mahalick said. "No one can claim it."
He said KUBL has appealed the decision, but that his new country station will continue to excel no matter what the ultimate decision is.
"We've moved beyond that," he said.
- FOR THE RECORD - According to the latest Arbitron ratings, KUBL went up from a 3.1 percent share last summer to a 5.3 percent share last fall among listeners ages 25-54 to claim seventh place. KKAT is in second place at 7.3 percent. KSOP is fifth at 6.2 percent.
While KKAT is also the top country station for the all-age listening group and also for the age 18-34 category, KUBL has moved ahead of KSOP in those two divisions.
- KCPW (FM-88.3) will air "Citizens' Link to Government," an address by Irene Fisher, director of the Bennion Community Service Center, Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 11 a.m.
- KTKK (alias "K-Talk," AM-630) - The "Religion on the Line" show for Sunday, Jan. 28, 8-10 p.m., will feature Thomas Alexander, a BYU history professor. Van Hale is the show's host.
- CLARIFICATION - In last week's "Radio Dial," credit was given solely to KISN-FM radio and its listeners for helping find a truck stolen in Sandy on Jan. 15. In truth, at least three other radio stations - KXRK, KBER and KKAT - and their listeners assisted in the search.
Finding the vehicle so quickly is a great example of the power of radio.
- 10 YEARS AGO - KLAF (AM-1230), Salt Lake's all-comedy radio station, is purchased and rumored to be headed for a format change.
- RADIO HAPPENINGS - KSRR (alias "K-Star") has added show tunes, movies and broadway songs to its mix of LDS contemporary music. You have to live in Utah County or on the south end of the Salt Lake Valley to pick up this station at AM-1400 . . . "Kerry and Bill" on KXRK gave away a TV set Monday as a prize in their "Get a Life Loser Contest." On Tuesday, the DJs gave away a prize that paid $100 in phone bills . . .
"Mick and Allen" of KBER talked Monday about gambling techniques and also had a debate on breast feeding in public. On Tuesday, the DJs interviewed Donna Faire, "The Female John Madden of Football." On Wednesday, they discussed the pros and cons of breast implants and started a new game show, "Freakshow Match Games '96." Station DJs Mick Martin and Allen Bain will broadcast live from the Snow Fest at Park City this weekend . . .
Dawn Kennedy, sidekick to "Kidd Cassidy" on KKAT, took Monday off. Her temporary replacement, "Cindy," is an LDS returned missionary, so Kidd and producer Rick Shane made it "tease the former missionary day." Dawn returned to the air Tuesday. The DJs are promoting a passport to paradise contest. . . . Charlee Simmons on KZHT talked about the worst records of all time Monday with traffic reporter Dave Candland . . .
"Fisher, Todd and Erin" on KISN-FM had another "Battle of the Sexes" Monday; the men won, putting them ahead by four games. The DJs also had another version of "Fix Up Follies." The station and Delta Airlines are offering a special Valentine's trip contest . . .
"Jon and Dan" on KUBL started the week out with lots of questions about the Super Bowl's history. They also asked listeners what the best cures for cabin fever are. On Tuesday, the DJs asked listeners about favorite Super Bowl snacks. "Fabulo" told women how to love men who shovel snow . . .
KCNR talk show host Todd Herman said he and afternoon host Rick Taylor almost got kicked out of a store last weekend for an unstated reason. Herman talked Monday about sales tax and the 10 percent markup some stores add onto merchandise and how this makes it tough for kids to know how much things really cost. On Tuesday, Herman asked listeners about the difference between the death penalty and revenge killing . . .
Tom Barberi on KALL said he usually only talks about the bizarre things the Legislature does, but one great thing they're discussing is limits on hospital charges. On Tuesday, Barberi addressed the Salt Lake County pageant swimsuit controversy and complained about the apparent mass numbers of cellular phones making it difficult to talk clearly with some listeners . . .
Richard Cano of "Cano and McCormick" on KUTQ reminisced Tuesday about the problems of attending a concert of the group Nirvana in Ogden a few years ago . . . "Country Joe" on KSOP and KTVX are teaming up to provide clues in a contest to give away trips to Disneyland again this winter . . .
Kelly Monson and Robin Morales on KUMT have a special "Five Songs for the Drive" feature each weekday morning, providing a block of continuous music . . . "Dale and Michele" on KBZN give away Disney videos to lucky listeners each weekday morning at 7:20.