Radio is a popularity contest, probably more numbers-driven than most other media, because there are so many stations competing for listeners, especially in the Salt Lake market.
One vehicle that stations use to attract listeners is the contest. The clever, the bizarre, the timely, the outrageous — these are all contest categories.
KBEE (FM-98.7) sponsored an ugly bridesmaid's-dress contest recently. View the pictures online at www.b987.com and you'll see that this contest managed to live up to its reputation. The winner received a trip for two to Las Vegas for a Celine Dion concert.
Not to be outdone, sister station KENZ ("The End," FM-107.5) and morning DJs Chunga and Mister have the "Swag Hag '05" contest now under way. It will end Feb. 18 and offers an annual supply of CDs, movie passes and DVDs to winners. "Swag" is a slang term referring to promotional merchandise for a band or record label — T-shirts, stickers, promotional songs, etc. The contest winner will be the king or queen of radio-promotional materials. (Go to www.1075.com for more details.)
Still another Citadel Broadcasting sister station, KUBL ("K-Bull," FM-93.3) has several regular ongoing contests each weekday. Afternoon DJ Pat Garret ("The Outlaw") has two big contests from 3-7 p.m. "Outlaw's Outrageous Brain Buster" is one. Then there's "Word of the Day," where traffic guru "General Gridlock" joins in. KUBL also has many other regular contests each weekday.
Salt Lake Clear Channel radio stations also have a bunch of contests. KODJ (FM-94.1) has a "Flashback Song of the Day" event each weekday at 8:20 a.m. on the "Dickie and Angel" show; all you have to do is identify the song from a short snippet. A "Top 5 at 5" with "Rockin' Rob" each weekday on KODJ requires listeners to name the five songs in order.
Eric Chase of KODJ has a "My Three Songs" contest each weeknight at 7:15 p.m.; identify the common element the three songs have.
KSFI ("FM-100") has a Disneyland-giveaway contest that continues through Jan. 20 on the "Dain and Jill" show and KRSP (FM-103.5) has an innovative "Delete your Debt" contest through Jan. 28 (go online to www.arrow1035.com for details).
KQMB ("Star 102.7") is sponsoring an "Extreme Makeover" contest that continues through Jan. 28.
CLARIFICATION — It was stated here a few weeks ago that KRSP enjoyed stronger ratings back in its "golden years" — the early 1980s. However, according to Jon Carter, morning personality on FM-103.5, the station enjoys stronger ratings today among its core audience, ages 25-54, than 20 years ago. Carter would know. He was at KRSP then and now.
RADIO HAPPENINGS — The morning team on KEGA ("The Eagle," FM-101.5) has a third wheel now. Keith Stubbs was recently added to the existing morning show of Paul Koffy and Peggy Ijams. A comic, Stubbs also has an intriguing voice. KEGA is a country station.
— Every Wednesday at 7 p.m., KCPW (FM-88.3/105.3 and AM-1010) presents "Documentary Night" — featuring some of the best documentaries anywhere. Jan, 26 will feature "Lost & Found Sound and Beyond," hosted by Francis Ford Coppola.
— KZHT (FM-97.1) is the king of stunts in this radio market. You can download footage of many of the stunts at www.971zht.com. The station also offers "mobile DJs," available for local parties, dances, weddings — even road shows.
— "Johnson and Johnson" on KUBL assisted a first-grader from Larsen Elementary School in Spanish Fork last week to raise funds for flood and mudslide victims in southern Utah. The DJs will be helping "Jakelyne sell hot chocolate for charity."
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com