For Wasatch Front radio stations, 1996 was another big year. Formats and DJs came and went. Ownership of many stations changed hands, and more big companies got control in the market, making single-ownership stations - like KXRK and KFAM - rarer than ever.
Here's a month-by-month summary of the year's radio hap-pen-ings:January:
Sky Wolf Traffic, the main provider of local radio traffic information, is purchased by Metro Networks of Houston, the nation's largest traffic information company . . . KSRR adds show tunes to its mix of LDS Contemporary music . . . KMXB switches format to become KENZ, a modern rock alternative station geared to an older audience. The new station also forms an advertising partnership with KBER . . . KSL radio covers seven major Utah Centennial events . . . Tom Bock moves from a weekend DJ at KBZN to the midday personality there . . . Vatican Radio begins a regular news broadcasts on KSL Sunday mornings . . . KSL names Chere Wood to replace Amanda Dickson on its morning show with Grant Nielsen . . . KSFI leads the all-ages and 25-54 age group Arbitron ratings, while KXRK and KRSP attract the most age 18-34 listeners . . . John O'Rourke, KUBL program director, leaves the station and moves back to Indiana . . . KKAT and KUBL feud over the ownership of the "continuous country music" phrase . . . Patrick J. Reedy is named the new vice president and general manager for Trumper Communication's three Salt Lake radio stations - KISN-FM, KISN-AM and KUMT.
February:
KSL stages its 20th annual radiothon to benefit Primary Children's Medical Center . . . Morning DJs "Cano and McCormick" are fired on KUTQ. They are replaced by "Woody and Barberi." Cano is quickly hired by KUBL to do part-time DJ work . . . KUBL sponsors a "Country Cares" radiothon for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and raises more than $60,000 . . . Mike Carver of KBLQ, KKEX and KLGN in Logan is promoted to corporate program manager . . . "Kerry and Bill" of KXRK get kicked out of the Utah State Legislature after seeking autographs and trying to locate closed meeting rooms . . . KXRK DJs "Kerry and Bill" begin having a live studio audience each Friday for a family feud and other games . . . Tom Bock team up with Michele Morrison on the KBZN morning show . . . KCNR radio has a new Saturday show, "Health Talk with the Mad Doc" . . . KRCL has a special "Soul Day" . . . "Religion on the Line" is canceled by KTKK . . . KDYL picks ups up the Paul Harvey broadcast con-tract.
March:
KBER celebrates its 10th anniversary, as does midday DJ Allan Bain . . . KCNR radio offers $10 million to anyone who can land a UFO in their parking lot . . . Rebecca Marshall leaves the "Wakeup Club" on KBEE to take a job as a morning DJ in Detroit. She's replaced by Candice Chamberlain . . . KSL radio is nominated for a prestigious Crystal Broadcasting award . . . Citadel Communications announces a local market agreement with KBER radio and its intent to purchase the station from Radiowest, a move that will make it the area's largest radio owner.
April:
KSFI midday host Bob Nelson begins regular broadcasts from a makeshift studio at his home while he recovers from a hit-and-run accident . . . Giving the wrong time of day dominates April Fools' Day radio stunts . . . KBEE has a million dollar giveaway contest, tied to $1 bill serial numbers . . . "Jon and Dan" on KUBL drive a tank through the old Bennett Paint building to begin its demolition . . . Mills Crenshaw leaves KTKK over a pay dispute . . . Citadel Communications begins managing KBER and fires the morning DJs, "Mick and Allen" and station program director Kevin Lewis. Randy Rose replaces Lewis . . . KQMB begins using all live personalities, including Kevin McCormick in the morning.
May:
KSFI leads the winter Arbitron ratings (again) for the third year, but KBEE improves and ties for first in the age 18-34 ratings with KRSP. New station KENZ improves dramatically among young adult listeners . . . KBER fires more DJs and has an all-new lineup, including morning hosts Charlee and Brian. Andy Miller replaces Charlee in the morning at KZHT. FM-94.9 hires Chet Buchanan as its new program director . . . Salt Lake-based Bonneville International Corporation announces the purchase of three radio stations in Washington, D.C., increasing its total radio holdings to 20 stations . . . "Mick and Allen" return to the air and join "Woody" on KUTQ, as Gina Barberi leaves the station and ends up at KXRK with "Kerry and Bill" . . . KBEE holds an endurance contest to see what listener can stay awake the longest. The prize? A Utah Jazz game trip to Seattle . . .
June:
Howard Bogarte of KFAM begins his 59th year as a broadcaster . . . Several stations lost bets with Seattle DJs over the outcome of the Jazz-Sonics series . . . "Religion on the Line" returns to KTKK after a three-month absence . . . KUBL stages a big country music festival at the State Fairpark . . . Regent Communications, owner of KKAT, KALL and KODJ purchases KUTQ and KZHT . . . KISN-FM fires program director and afternoon DJ Jim Morales and hires Burke Allan . . . Gary "Wooly" Waldron" purchases KRGQ for a rumored $700,000 and renames it KRKR for a new pure rock station. It plays 10,000 consecutive songs without a commercial . . . Tom Barberi renews a three-year contract at KALL . . . "Kerry and Bill" of KXRK and their "Space Elders" Thursday episodes really becomes popular with listeners.
July:
Tom Barberi celebrates his 25th anniversary as a talk show host on KALL . . . "Country Joe" Flint of KSOP also hits his Silver Anniversary this year . . . KENZ goes up in the Arbitrend ratings . . . Kevin Stanfield of KALL and Angel Deville of KODJ are named finalists in the Silver Microphone Awards for their spoof songs on Enid and Joe Waldholtz last fall. KXRK-made ads for XMart and Cream O'Weber are also honored . . . Citadel Communications expands its out-of-state holdings by adding 18 more stations to its 37 holdings . . . KRKR hires Alan Bain, Kevin Eason and Gary Michaels . . .
August:
KXRK holds its third annual "Four Play Concert" to benefit Utahns against Hunger . . . KBER leads the spring book Arbitron ratings for ages 18-34, while KSFI continues to be tops for listeners ages 25-54 and ages 12-plus. For morning shows, KSFI and KBER are also No. 1 . . . Regent Broadcasting takes over management of KUTQ and KZHT and plans to purchase the two stations from Bountiful Broadcasting Company . . . The Dr. Laura Schlessinger show is canceled, and KCNR moves from AM-1320 to 860 on the dial. The loss of KAPN, AM-860, means the all-national news format is dead in Utah . . . KISN-AM announces new all-sports programming and plans to continue to compete for sports fans.
September:
AM-1320 becomes KFNZ ("K-Fan") and switches to all-sports programming with the Utah Jazz, Grizzlies and Salt Lake Buzz . . . KSL begins a new outdoor show, "Outdoor Utah Today" with Roger B. Saturday afternoons . . . "Q-99" switches from a hit radio format to a rock music format and becomes "Rock 99" . . . Rumors abound that Regent Communications (KKAT, KALL, KODJ and others) is selling out to Jacor Communications . . . Regent Communications appoints Bill Mathews as director of sales. Bruce Corrigan is retained as station manager for KUTQ and KZHT . . . Joe Lee, legendary KCPX newscaster who retired in the 1980s, does a guest stint on KBEE . . . Ellis B. Feaster joins the "Wakeup Club" on KBEE . . . The KXRK "Kerry, Bill and Gina" show broadcasts live from the circus at the Delta Center . . . KZHT uses a mobile booth to register thousands of new voters for the upcoming elections.
October:
KXRK holds another end-of-the-summer "Big A." show with more than 10 bands at the Utah State Fairpark . . . Burke Allen, KISN-FM program director and afternoon DJ is honored by Billboard Magazine as the Small Market Program Director of the Year for his work earlier this year at a Savannah, Ga., radio station . . . Todd Herman leaves KCNR and is replaced in the mornings by Rick Taylor . . . KBER gives away a Harley Davidson motorcycle in a special contest . . . KSFI leads the summer Aribitron ratings for the all ages category. The station is also tops with women, while KRSP is the premier listening choice for men . . . Jacor Communications purchases Regent Communications, which means S.L. radio stations KKAT, KALL, KODJ, KUTQ and KZHT change hands . . . KUTQ switches its call letters to KURR to reflect its new rock format.
November:
KUER airs a new radio series, "Return of the Jedi" over a six-week period . . . KRCL holds its first annual Stephen Holbrook Visionary Awards dinner . . . Dr. Doug of KZHT is very busy on Election Day, visiting polling places for interviews and encouraging people to vote. . . . Former KSFI promotions director Ken Bell, now a sales executive for the station, is honored by the Salt Lake Downtown Alliance for having the best downtown promotion with last summer's "Electric Light Parade on Main Street" . . . Disney radio premieres on AM-860. Utah is one of four cities nationally to premiere the new format . . . Shelley Beal of Kearns wins $102,700 in a KQMX contest. It's the largest cash giveaway in Utah radio history . . . KSRR begins 24-hours a day of continuous Christmas music program (except Sundays) . . . Teri Landreth joins the Wakeup Club on KBEE, replacing Patty Rafael.
December:
Citadel Communications Corporation purchases KENZ . . . Simmons Family Radio buys KTLE in Tooele . . . KBEE sponsors a community Christmas tree for the third year in a row . . . "Jon and Dan" of KUBL split up, as Jon Carter is fired by the station. Dan is paired with Richard Cano in the morning, as the state's longest-running morning team breaks up . . . KSOP and KKAT each give away $10,000 in holiday cash contests . . . KSFI runs its 24th annual "100 Hours of Christmas Music." Several other stations also play all-holiday music . . . Charles Osgood of CBS Radio speaks to the Utah Advertising Federation on the importance of radio and says the business is too concerned with numbers . . . "The Morning House Party" DJs on KZHT - Chet Buchanan, "Cameo" and "Shoe" - drink alcohol on the air and monitor their blood alcohol levels to stress drinking and driving don't mix, even hours after drinking . . . KODJ stages a "Greatest Gift of All Contest" to unite families . . . Several stations, KSFI and KISN-FM, auction "Tickle Me Elmo" dolls to listeners and net thousands of dollars to buy needy children Christmas gifts . . . KSL chooses not to renew Bob Lee's contract, and Doug Wright's two-hour talk show expands to four hours.