Citadel Broadcasting, already the largest radio player in Utah with ownership of five Salt Lake stations and management of a sixth, is becoming ever bigger nationally through a merger with Deschutes River Broadcasting Co.
The deal will add 18 new stations to Citadel's control across the Western states. This means the company will be operating or selling advertising for 55 radio stations.Deschutes operates stations in Billings, Mont.; the Tri-City area of Washington; and Medford and Eugene, Ore. The merger means it will become a subsidiary of Citadel.
In Utah, Citadel owns KUBL, KBEE, KBER, KCNR and KAPN. It also sells advertising for KENZ.
Scott Mahalick, general manager for Salt Lake's Citadel stations, said the merger means the company is going be stronger and have more resources that will filter down to the operation of the Utah stations.
KCNR also got the exclusive contract to be the flagship station for the Utah Jazz this month, replacing KISN-AM.
"We're very excited to be one of 29 stations (in the United States) with an NBA franchise," Mahalick said.
He also said the station has hired David Locke away from KISN-AM to be the director of sports operations for KCNR (AM-1320). He started work on July 18.
Mahalick confirmed previous media reports that Citadel is considering a format change for KCNR. He said an all-sports format is a possibility and that's what will be addressed when Locke begins work.
AM-1320 is a 5,000-watt station and is probably as good a signal as AM-570. However, it is located at the middle of the dial - a more prominent radio location - vs. the far left of the dial.
KCNR is currently an all-talk/news station, and so a switch to all-sports wouldn't be that dramatic, but it could mean all the regular talk show hosts on AM-1320 might be without jobs. The pressure on KISN-AM - Salt Lake's other all-sports station - would increase, too.
Chris Tunis, sports director for KISN-AM, said that station and its owners are still committed to the all-sports format. He said no one wants to give up what has taken the station three years to build at AM-570.
He admitted it was sad to lose the Utah Jazz contract, but he stressed the station can still do Jazz pre- and post-game shows. Dave Blackwell is also paid exclusively by KISN and not in-part by the Utah Jazz, according to Tunis.
Tunis said there's plenty of good sports programming out there. He said the Salt Lake Buzz contract with KISN-AM is up at the end of the year.
Can Salt Lake support two all-sports stations?
"I think if they're both done properly" they can, Tunis said.
Three years ago when KISN-AM went all-sports, it quickly put Salt Lake's other all-sports station - "The Score" - out of business.
- KRKR (FM-107.9) - Utah's newest radio station, alias "K-Rock 108," has announced the hiring of several personalities, including two former KBER DJs, Alan Bain and Kevin Eason. Bain is doing the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekday shift, while Eason is doing 6 p.m. to midnight. Gary Michaels is the host from 2-6 p.m.
General manager Gary Waldron said the morning DJ or team is still be determined.
"It's been unbelievable," Waldron said of listener response to the new station, which used to be KRGQ.
He also said the station awarded a $10,000 cash prize to Jason Knudson of Salt Lake City on July 15 for being the first listener to call in and identify the first commercial KRKR played as part of its Rock-A-Thon contest. The station played all music, no commercials, for the first several weeks on the air.
KRKR plays a mainstream, pure rock format.
- RACE COVERAGE - KSL (AM-1160) will provide exclusive live coverage of the 27th annual Deseret News-Granite Furniture Marathon and 10K races on Wednes-day, July 24, beginning at 5:30 a.m.
"Grant and Chere," plus Kent Rupe and Greg Wrubell, will report on the action.
- Olympic Coverage on KSL radio begins with the Friday, July 19, opening ceremonies and runs through Aug. 4.
With the help of West One Broadcasting, KSL plans on presenting more than 70 hours of Olympic coverage. The station will offer hourly updates every day and four hours of live coverage each evening.
Live, courtside calls at each Dream Team game are also scheduled.
- 10 YEARS AGO - KCPX-FM concludes its "Incredible Prize Catalog Sweepstakes" with $86,000 in prizes.
- RADIO HAPPENINGS - Todd Herman on KCNR talked this week about the bad opinion many Americans have of pro wresting . . . Tom Barberi on KALL took Monday off this week, but was back on the air Tuesday discussing such topics as teen pregnancy and crime . . . Peggy Ijams on KSFI also took a vacation this week, while the morning show became "Dain and Candice" . . .
"Mick and Allen" on KBER had an extensive interview with a Ross Perot impersonator Monday. On Tuesday, the DJs had Chin-Wah back . . . Meanwhile, "Fisher, Todd and Erin" on KISN-FM interviewed the genuine Cher on Monday. On Tuesday the DJs had more outrageous tales from listeners . . . "Kidd Cassidy" on KKAT asked listeners Monday about ways to make their marriages hot again. On Tuesday he hosted another battle of the sexes . . .
"Kerry and Bill" on KXRK gave away tickets to the "Mystery Science 3000" movie Monday. The DJs also explained how little education is usually need for broadcasting careers. On Tuesday the station did an "X-Poll," asking listeners what their dying words might be. On Friday the DJs held their sixth annual chuckwagon breakfast in Bountiful with "Louise" . . . "Jon and Dan" on KUBL gave lucky listeners rodeo tickets and also played another "Married Game" . . .
KZHT hosts a celebrity softball game on Friday afternoon, July 19, at Sunnyside Park, with benefits going to "The Colors of Success," a nonprofit group to help teens stay in school and out of trouble. Radio personalities, other media representatives and celebrities were to play in the game . . . "Charlee and Brian" on KBER had a another talent Tuesday this week. This DJs also faked a Ross Perot as the contest's celebrity judge . . .
Len Allen and Arnie Wheeler on KLO had another golf tip for listeners on Tuesday. This one came from Ernie Schneiter of Riverside Golf Course . . . "The Wakeup Club" on KBEE Wednesday tried to call a new pay telephone located in Atlanta for the Summer Olympics Games to see who might answer. The DJs also played another "Gender Bender" game.