How much has Salt Lake-area radio changed in the past 20 years? Plenty, if you compare radio logs from 1985 with 2005.
In pure numbers, there are 70 total stations today in the area, while there were only 59 two decades ago.
The proliferation of transmitters for pockets of the Wasatch Front may be one reason for the increase. There is one less AM station today — despite the expansion of the AM dial into the 1600 band — and there are 43 FM stations today, compared to the 31 we had 20 years ago.
Where you draw the line on outside signals coming from Box Elder or Cache counties is a big variable, so let's stick with stations that have changed formats or names.
For example, KLAF (AM-1230), an all-comedy station, has vanished; KJQS, all sports, is there now. KZAN (FM-97.9), a country station, is also gone, with that position occupied by "The Breeze."
Also changed is AM-700, from easy-listening KFAM to KALL news/talk/sports. Gone too is KDAB (FM-101.1), a contemporary-hits station that has become KBER (rock music).
Vanished are the historic call letters of KCPX (FM-98.7 in 1985). Today, KBEE is that frequency's name.
KSL (AM-1160) is, of course, still around — but do you remember when it played music? That was the case in 1985.
KALL and KLO (AM-1430) also played music 20 years ago. Today they are all talk.
KJQ was at FM-95.5 on the dial, with morning DJs Bill Allred and Kerry Jackson as the "Fun Pigs." Today, "Kerry and Bill" are on KXRK (FM-96.3) with Gina Barberi.
KNRS at AM-570 has replaced KLUB, an old full-service radio station, with an all-talk format. KUTR (AM-860) was LDS music; now it's KKAT, country music. FM-94.1 is now KODJ, no longer KLCY.
Radio's middle name must be "change." It might be easier to simply look at stations that have remained the same over the past two decades in both format and call letters, or I'll run out of space.
KTKK (FM-630) is still local talk. KSOP (AM-1370 and FM-104.3) remains a country-music format. KSFI ("FM-100") is still easy-listening music, though it was previously called "beautiful music."
KBYU is at FM-89.1 today, instead of at FM-88.9, though the format remains the same.
KRCL (FM-90.9) has retained its open, varied format, and KUER (FM-90.1) is much the same today.
And, finally, KRSP isn't "Rock 103" these days, it's "Arrow 103.5," but much of the music is the same.
Regarding station ownership, that has changed even more in the past two decades. KSOP and KSL may be the only major stations to retain the same owners since 1985.
TEN YEARS AGO IN SALT LAKE RADIO — KMGR (AM-1230) discontinues its LDS music format and becomes a Spanish station. . . . Scott Fisher and Todd Collard celebrate their ninth anniversary with a KISN morning show. . . . Len Allen of KLO hits 48 years on the Utah radio waves. . . . "Jon and Dan" of KLZX sit in a hot tub for their Valentine's Day morning broadcast. . . . "Country Joe" of KSOP and Dan Pope of KTVX-Ch. 4 clown around at Disneyland as Indiana Jones wannabes in a radio promotion to highlight a new attraction.
RADIO HAPPENINGS — According to Radio and Records, "Geller," the evening DJ on KZHT (FM-97.1), is heading to Atlanta's WWWQ for an evening personality spot. R&R also reports that Kevin Wolters, marketing director for KXRV ("The River") has been promoted to music director.
— "Hollywood Hank" is a regular entertaining character on the "Morning Pop Squad" show on KPQP (FM-101.9) each weekday morning. He provides unusual celebrity news, and his "word of the day" is the key to entering a regular online radio contest at www.1019popfm.com.
— Playing cards on the air? "Blazin' Blackjack" on "The Blaze" (KHTG, FM-94.9) airs some afternoons, seeking listener participation for a quick card game.f-b
— "Johnson and Johnson" on KUBL air "Pledge of Allegiance" recordings from various elementary-school grades, some mornings about 7 a.m.
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com