The year 2002 in Salt Lake-area radio is almost over, so here's a look at some of the highlights, month-by-month:
JANUARY
Bryan Schott, most recently of KUER (FM-90.1), moves to KSL radio as a reporter . . . Erica Hansen, KSL radio and TV traffic reporter for three years, leaves to become co-host to "Rockett" on the KISN (FM-97.1) morning show . . . KJQN's main Brigham City transmitter fails in its premiere, and a new transmitter has to be installed for the adult-alternative music station . . . Simmons Media Group raises $140,000 for "The Road Home" travelers society . . . The "Chinaman" and Jamilyn join Mick Martin for a new KURR "Rock 99" morning show . . . Gayle Van Wagoner, KKDS morning co-host with husband Mark, carries the Olympic Torch in Wyoming, and Tom Barberi, KALL morning host, carries the torch in Monument Valley . . . Dave Candland becomes a new traffic reporter for KSL, replacing Erica Hansen . . . KKAT becomes "K-102" and starts playing old-time country music . . KKAT begins a new morning show, "Tim and Willey," actually airing from Phoenix . . . KSL stages its 26th annual Primary Children's Radiothon . . . KJQN adds some DJs, with "Chet and Brad" in the morning and Andrea in middays.
FEBRUARY
"Chunga and Mister" on KENZ talk about an "alternative" Olympic games, complete with their own unusual style of mascots. They also collect almost 10,000 boxes of Jell-O from listeners to send to a Denver Post columnist who was critical of Utah during the Olympics . . . Tim Hughes is an announcer at the Olympic Medals Plaza and other Olympic venues.
MARCH
The "Z-Morning Zoo" on KZHT gets regular air time on television, as WB-Ch. 30's morning traffic and weather show . . . Dr. Laura visits Salt Lake City and does two shows live from the studios of KNRS . . . KUTA, southeast Utah's only radio station, goes off the air for good . . . David James leaves KFNZ and goes to KZNS sports radio. Dave Fox, who works with James on KUTV -Ch. 2, also joins KZNS radio . . . KUBL holds its annual St. Patrick's Day Green Jell-O dive.
APRIL
Scott Fisher returns as a morning DJ on KQMB ("Star 102.7") after an eight-month hiatus and is paired with Laura Bedore . . . KOVO begins airing some of KZNS's sports programming . . . Dam Bammes leaves KZNS . . . "Kerry, Bill and Gina" of KXRK renew their contracts for another three years.
MAY
KSL celebrates its 80th birthday . . . KXRK and KSFI top the new Arbitron ratings . . . KBER has a new contest, the "Holy Shed" of prizes . . . "Survivor" spinoffs rule radio as KURR has a "Trailer Park Survivor" event and KISN has "Star Wars Survivor" . . . KSFI is nominated for "Station of the Year," by Radio and Records . . . Joe Jackson moves from KIQN to KTKK . . . Lyle Morris switches from KSFI to KBZN . . . KSOP-AM separates from KSOP-FM. The simulcasting stops and AM-1370 begins playing classic country music.
JUNE
The rise in voicetracking — especially on weekends — in Wasatch Front radio means it's almost impossible to find a current weather forecast on the air Saturday or Sunday . . . Todd "Nuke-Em" Noker is named as the program director at KJQN. He also begins a 3-7 p.m. on-air shift for the station . . . Alison Eagan joins KXRK in the midday time slot . . . The Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case dominates local radio and most of their Web sites . . . KUER's Gene Pack retires after 42 years on the air.
JULY
KSL radio wins the national Edward R. Murrow Award for its "Violent Voices, or Just Music" series and also receives five regional awards from the Radio-TV News Directors Association . . . "Johnson and Johnson" on KUBL sponsor a contest to name the new black-bear cubs at Hogle Zoo . . . Tom Sly and Lee Douglas, the top two managers at Salt Lake's Clear Channel cluster of radio stations, are let go . . . Shawn Stevens, most recently of KKAT, is hired as the afternoon-drive music host and production director on KBZN, replacing Diane Maggipinto . . . KSFI and KSL lead the newest ratings for stations, while "Bob and Tom" on KBER top the adult morning ratings for the first-time ever. "Grant and Amanda" on KSL and "Radio from Hell" show on KXRK also do well. KZHT remains the top teen station.
AUGUST
Radio stations converge on the Salt Lake County fair . . . Four rookies each spend an hour taking Tom Barberi's place on the KALL morning show . . . KCPW celebrates its 10th anniversary . . . KZNS all-sports "The Zone" simulcasts on KSOS, AM-800 as Simmons Media Group begins a lease agreement with that station and sister station KZOL . . . KZNS begins a new sports program, "The High School Scoreboard Show" . . . Simmons Media Group sells five of its six radio stations in New Mexico.
SEPTEMBER
KFNZ celebrates its sixth anniversary and begins a new high-school sports-report show . . . National talk show host Phil Hendrie comes to Park City to assist a fund-raiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake . . . Shawn Stevens leaves KBZN and radio for a different career . . . Jaxon and the Chinaman begin a new show on KURR, replacing Mick Martin . . . Clear Channel names Stuart Stanek as its new market manager for its 11 Salt Lake stations.
OCTOBER
Don Shafer, Saturday host, and Rick Lindsay, traffic reporter, both leave KSL for other jobs, and Shawn O'Neill becomes Doug Wright's new producer, replacing Lorena Humpherys . . . Scott Tyler, KZHT afternoon host, announces he's leaving the station on Nov. 1 . . . A new Utah radio news Web site www.utahradionews.com starts up. . . . KSFI continues to lead the summer Arbitron ratings, but the three country stations all increase listenership dramatically; KENZ and morning hosts "Chunga and West" also regain No. 1 status among young adults; "Grant and Amanda" of KSL lead the all-age morning ratings, and Jon Carter of KRSP is tops among adult morning listeners . . . "Johnson and Johnson" on KUBL sponsor an event in which Halloween pumpkins are dropped off the Trolley Square water tower.
NOVEMBER
Ian Furness leaves KZNS, all-sports station, for a radio job in Portland, Ore. . . . Laura Bedore, KQMB co-host with Fisher on the morning show, begins a noon cooking show on KUTV-Ch. 2, replacing Fred Wix. . . . Bonneville International Corporation announces its intention to purchase 15 radio stations from Simmons Media, including KRSP, KSFI, KQMB and an AM station that is yet to begin operation, but a relaxation in the FCC's cross-ownership rule is needed to approve the purchase.
DECEMBER
At least eight stations play holiday tunes almost around-the-clock . . .. Simmons Media purchases KSOS and KXOL from First National Broadcasting of Ogden for $925,000 . . . . . . KBEE-FM hires Shawn Stevens, formerly of KBZN and KKAT, as an afternoon personality.