Clear Channel Communications is now bigger that ever after a merger with AM FM (formerly Chancellor Media), which has almost doubled the company's size to create the nation's largest radio station firm.
The name will remain Clear Channel and the company will eventually downsize from almost 1,000 radio stations to just 830 to meet Federal Communications Commission regulations.Clear Channel (formerly Jacor) owns and operates seven Salt Lake radio stations -- KALL, KKAT, KODJ, KZHT, KNRS, KWLW and KURR. There will be no immediate changes that will affect any of these Salt Lake radio stations.
The size of Clear Channel is impressive. It has 425,000 outdoor billboards and stations in 19 of the top 20 U.S. radio markets, and it is in 46 out of the top 50. The company will also have radio stations in 187 different U.S. markets and more than 200 in foreign countries.
The deal was closed with Clear Channel making a $23.5 billion stock transaction.
One thing still puzzles me, though. If one company can have more than 800 U.S. radio stations, then why can't Bonneville International Corp. purchase an FM radio station in the Salt Lake market?
Bonneville has wanted an FM counterpart to KSL for many years but has always been turned down because of multiple ownership rules. The FCC has always believed the LDS Church has too many different media in the Salt Lake area, but in light of the dramatic upsizing of many big radio companies, the rules seem outdated.
-- CITADEL COMMUNICATIONS, operator of KUBL, KBEE, AM and FM, KFNZ, KENZ and KBER recently purchased KWUN (AM-1230) in a special auction from bankruptcy court.
The purchase price was not officially disclosed but is believed to be $601,000. Final approval of the deal is pending FCC approval.
The new station will give Citadel seven radio stations in Salt Lake City, which ties with Clear Channel as the market's largest radio owners.
What will Citadel do with a new AM station?
It hasn't decided for certain, but rumors are it may be considering a second all-sports station. That makes some sense since some sporting events air at the same time, and one station can't air them all live. A lot of ESPN sports programming is available, and KSL was already expecting to make some changes in its ESPN schedule next month.
AM-1230 could be back on the air as early as next week, maybe as K-FAN2.
-- CHANGES -- The Jim Rome show is now repeated each weekday on KALL (AM-910), from 6-9 p.m. The show airs live from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., and the repeat broadcast will give more listeners a chance to enjoy the sports program.
The expansion of Rome means the G. Gordon Liddy show is no longer being broadcast in Salt Lake City.
In a related change, sister station KNRS (AM-570) now airs the Phil Hendrie Show, daily from 7-10 p.m. This new show replaces two hours of the Art Bell Show, which now only airs from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. daily,
-- PAUL HARVEY -- As fans of this longtime radio commentator may know, he's heard weekdays on KNRS (AM-570).
His first newscast is 7:30 a.m., his second is at 9:35 a.m. and Harvey's "Rest of the Story" airs at 4:35 p.m.
Harvey broadcasts most of the year from Chicago but spends the coldest winter months in Phoenix.
-- KRCL (FM-90.9) is airing a weekly Utah-produced series on population growth and related issues each Wednesday from 6:30-7 p.m. The series will continue through Oct. 27.
-- RADIO WEB SITE -- An expanded radio Internet site premiered last week to replace the former Salt Lake City Radio Guide. Access the new Web site at (saltlakeradio.com). This new site is more colorful and friendly than the old one.
-- RADIO HAPPENINGS -- Andre Zamparelli is the new program director for KURR ("Rock 99"). He replaces Bill May, who was promoted by parent company Clear Channel to a San Diego station . . . Cano, Rick and Dawn on KKAT Tuesday were trying to get listener support to stop broadcasting power reductions from Farnsworth Peak during high definition television installation work . . . FM 107.9 was still silent this week, but the station may soon restart with new owners and a revised format.
Deseret News radio editor Lynn Arave can be reached by e-mail at lynn@desnews.com or by phone at 237-2168.