Idaho Radio News Etc.

KSAS/103.3 Kiss FM Voicetracker Monroe has left KZHT in Salt Lake City for a cross town station. Monroe voicetracked mid-days at Kiss FM over the past year or so. I heard Hooker doing that shift one day last week – no word on what the permanent solution is.

Blue October played Boise for the third time in the last eight or so months last night – including appearances at X Fest and as the opening act for the Rolling Stones.

Just about every station in town is spinning one of the group’s latest singles – “In to the Ocean” or “Hate Me” – KZMG, KSAS, KCIX, KRVB and KQXR. The cut is even KSRV/96.1 Bob FM’s #3 most played song over the past 7 days according to YES.com.

REWRITE: Oh assumptions. I screwed this one up — the live performance was on KQXR/100.3 The X, not KRVB – as I incorrectly reported. It’s still kinda the same point – Journal is set up to do this stuff – and is the only group I’ve heard do a bona fide in studio performance in a long long time.

A live cut from the KQXR performance is posted on KRVB’s MySpace page (I just wish I could add it to my profile!).

UPDATE: I give up. KZMG/Magic 93.1 also had an in studio performance with the band. So my point’s invalid, the information’s wrong… I think I’ll just go take a long nap now.

Not to get all Andy Rooney here — but did you ever notice how radio logos often don’t match what the station is called?

A few examples:

KQXR brands as “100-point-3 The X.”
But for left-to-right English speakers, the logo reads “The X 100.3″

KSAS – “103-3 Kiss FM”
Logo: Kiss FM 103.3

KIDO – “News Radio 580 KIDO”
Logo: AM 580 News Radio KIDO”

…etc., etc.

For quite some time, KRVB/Idaho’s 94.9 The River has claimed to have “Idaho’s Largest On-Air Library.” Even back in the old KF95 days – the station prided itself on its deep AAA selection (the station’s relatively plain white van even used to read “We Stole Your CD Collection” – which I always thought was an odd thing to put on a relatively plain white van… but I digress).

Now KSRV/96.1 Bob FM is making noise about its expansive library – somewhere between 1200 and 1500 cuts.

In this month’s newsletter from KRVB Program Director Dan McColly, that collection of songs was dubbed “Idaho’s most diverse on-air library.” I hadn’t heard the station describe it that way before. I e-mailed a few of our River friends a few weeks ago asking how big the library is — but didn’t hear back.

From our good friend Oldtimer:

On April 5 the FCC granted Sand Hill Media, licensee of KQEO (Classic Hits Arrow 107) in Idaho Falls, a construction permit to move from their present 107.1 dial spot to 107.7. The new transmitter site will be just southeast of Idaho Falls thereby putting a legitimate 60 dbu contour over BOTH Idaho Falls and Pocatello. Sand Hill is based in Logan Utah and owns Idaho Falls area stations KUPI-FM (Country), KSNA-FM (AC) & KSPZ 980AM (Spanish).

This will make way for the pending rulemaking by Salt Lake based Simmons Media to move KAOX, currently licensed to Kemmerer Wyoming, to a new east Idaho city of license, Shelley. KAOX would remain on 107.3 as a C1 and would also serve both Idaho Falls and Pocatello.

What a roller coaster. Just 12 days ago, KSAS morning co-host Hooker was staring down the barrel of Bob’s gun. Now he’s the third-ever program director for 103.3 Kiss FM. Hooker takes over the duties dropped by Aaron Traylor when he departed for Missoula.

I don’t usually “root” for one station or another – but with what’s likely at stake for KSAS – here’s to a healthy dose of good luck for Hooker and Chad in the spring book.

All Access has a bunch of Idaho jobs listed.

- The KBOI anchor job is posted again
- Peak has found its “new morning man,” and is now looking for a “partner.” Format unspecified.
- KQFC is looking for a PD (again) – and an “on-air talent.” The interesting peg? Tapes and resumes are supposed to go to old friend Lance Tidwell… now with Citadel in Memphis.
- Clear Channel TF needs a production director.

BoiseHelpWanted.com has a few as well:
- Radio Sales Exec. for Peak
- Citadel needs an AE for KIZN/KZMG

(Thanks, Adam)

Like most of his friends in the Morrison Foundation building, Brad Chambers is no longer an employee of Clear Channel Communications. Chambers was shown the door when the company had to divest his AM standards station KLAC in Los Angeles.

But Brad is still kicking around — this time without a terrestrial radio transmitter. Instead, Chambers is hosting a five hour morning radio program that is only available online.

Chambers told Radio-Info that he has 10,000 listeners each day – and that he hopes to take expand the show in to a full-time programming service for HD side channels nationwide.

This is part of Radio-Info’s setup to Brad’s story:

His job as the company’s director of programming, technology and distribution had involved creating and launching format and regional networks, doing format launches and flips (earning him the moniker “angel of death” on one message board).

Chambers says the Martini format could land on an LA-area HD channel, as well as an AM main channel in the next 30 days.

(Thanks, Dizzle)

All the virtual ink around here has been dedicated to Tester, Peak and Citadel lately. My last entry about JBG was a small item on the Boise Burn and KGEM on the 18th of March. I guess I’m fair and unbalanced.

- The group has promised a relaunch of its websites in coming weeks. A pair of web-related job postings several months ago noted that the people hired would be working on KIVI-TV’s website, and the radio sites as well. KIVITV.com has been making changes lately in an attempt to get in to the web game.

- J-105 is doing its Ultimate Garage stunt again this year. Listeners can snag one of 105 keys for a garage filled with a “Chevy truck, exercise equipment, new tunes, a new look for your garage, new BBQ [and] a fridge stocked full of beer.”

- Along similar lines, KTHI/1071 K-Hits is doing a backyard makeover – featuring fence, grass and a single tree. Oh, and a gas grill, $100 in beef, pottery, bug spray misting system, paint, glass, patio furniture and $500 in “outdoor decorations.”

- Deeds and Johnstone had the artist formerly known as Fat John in the Other Studio on KRVB/Idaho’s 94.9 The River last night. John Nemeth talked about his latest album – and a healthy dose of blues was featured in the old “Blues Highway” timeslot on 95. Except there was no dumb kid trying to do the “blues news.” TOS still stands out as one of the best examples of local music-focused programming in the market.

- And then there’s this.

As noted by “radioxpert” in comments – 99.1 FM broadcasting from Mountain Home is now “KTPD” – and the station’s booster on Table Rock is KTPD-FM1. The call letter change actually went in to effect on March 30th.

The KTPZ calls move to Locally Owned Radio’s construction permit licensed to Hazleton, ID on 94.3 FM. The station’s coverage area is strictly Magic Valley – including Twin Falls, Burley, Shoshone and Kimberly.

A knack for speaking clearly must come in handy around the ol’ FM Idaho/Locally Owned offices these days. The group now owns KTPZ, KTPD and KTPD1, as well as KAYN and KYUN.

Tester Broadcast hired the folks who designed the Citadel websites to put together 961BobFM.com.

Fine and great – until you realize that they (WebMajik) just reused the page template for the CitComm sites for the Bob site. Right down to the sales information link at the bottom of the page. The link says it goes to sales@961BOBFM.COM.com – but if you click on it, you actually get sales_information@citcomm.com.

I’m sure the Citadel folks will forward that message right along…

The Idaho Business Review features its second straight radio-related cover story this week – with a Q&A with Dave Tester.

Key quote:

“There are great broadcasters in the market, and it’s a perfect time for advertisers and listeners because the new people in the market are interested in making good radio.”

The Idaho Business Review reports Tester Broadcast is considering sports talk for 99.1 FM. The station – currently KTPZ/99.1 The Music Monster – would be free to change formats when owner FM Idaho moves the Monster format to a new construction permit in the Magic Valley sometime this year.

FM sports talk would play to Tester’s past strengths – and could even pick up some of the ESPN programming currently not on KTIK. We already know that Peak Broadcasting plans to go after the BSU radio rights… could it be a three way race?

Update: It’s been pointed out that ESPN Radio is not available on a show-by-show basis. My error.

All Access has a ten questions feature with Jim Allen – former KZMG program director. Allen is still kicking around B-town, looking for his next gig. I’m unable to provide you a direct link (the AA kids don’t like that I guess) – so you’ll have to go to the site and click on 10 Questions – then On The Beach.

KSRV/96.1 Bob FM’s imaging is tightly focused on getting the listeners they’ve already picked up to help spread the word. The liners encourage people to “tell a friend” and note that “Bob is buzzworthy.”

The IBR also reports Tester Broadcast will launch another FM in the Valley, which echoes what Dave told me several weeks ago. The newspaper says the new station will be licensed to Marsing, and will launch by June 2008.

There are at least two construction permits that could apply here. One is KAWS at 89.1 FM – licensed to Marsing by Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls. KAWS would have a transmitter in the Owyhee Mountains near Silver City. The station would reach most of Boise, Nampa, Mountain Home, Jordan Valley and Owyhee Co. – but it doesn’t have a spectacular signal pattern. (See a map).

The second is the KMCL-FM move-in I noted earlier this year. That station would also have a transmitter in the Owyhees, but would be licensed to Parma, if approved by the FCC. The station has a much larger service area – fully covering Boise, and as far north as Weiser. It is currently owned by Brundage Mountain Air, Inc.

Just more than a year ago, Clear Channel flipped KLTB/Kool Oldies 104.3 to a country format – KTMY/My Country 104.3.

Now Peak Broadcasting has purchased the station – and picked up its abysmal ratings. With a passel of former Citadel managers now in place – what will the company do to try and make a serious run at KIZN/Kissin’ 92.3 and KQFC/The Big 98? Godwin, Owens and Sutton all have intimate knowledge of how the heritage country stations operate – so how will the be able to put that to their advantage?

Rick Stewart has been brought in from other parts to help honcho the station for now – and some believe a new name and imaging package could be on the way. I’ve already noted that there are plans to put a local morning show in place as well.

KSAS/103.3 Kiss FM program director Aaron Traylor will still be heard on the Boise airwaves, but he won’t be holding down the fort in B-town anymore. Traylor has packed up and headed for a new gig as program director of Energy 107.5 in Missoula – where he previously voicetracked. He will now voicetrack Boise instead. No word on who will program the Kiss format for Peak.

Rumbling inside the halls of Peak Boise has that managers are not super happy about Tester Broadcast’s move with KSRV-FM. The upstart station beat KSAS to the punch – by flipping to the Bob FM format two days before Peak planned to do the same. Peak managers think they have the legal right to Bob in Boise — and are making rumblings that the matter will be “settled in court.”

Stay tuned.

I just found this bit of creepy-goodness. It’s Alanis Morrisette covering the Black Eyed Pea’s “My Humps”

Yes, really.

Just in case you think it’s some sort of fake… it’s not.

And yes, this is mind-blowingly off-topic… but how could you NOT blog it???

Clear Channel Communications will soon be tens of millions of dollars richer, thanks to the folks at Peak Broadcasting.

FCC filings show the company’s winning offer for the six stations netted $25 million for CC. This puts Peak over the $100 million mark in acquisitions in the past year – with the $90 million dollar deal for CBS Radio’s properties in Fresno. (Peak subsequently sold one station in that market).

Also: Blue Point paid $16.5 million for seven stations currently owned by Chaparral. That deal gets them three frequencies in the Wood River Valley (see below for more on that).

And thanks as always to Oldtimer for the Blue Point tip.

Yes, there is news beyond Boise.

Don’t look now, but FM Idaho and Lee Family have a big new competitor knocking on their door in the Twin Falls market.

Blue Point Media’s buying binge will give them six stations in the market – three based in the Wood River Valley (Chaparral’s KSKI, KECH and KZYK), and three based in Twin Falls (Clear Channel’s KEZJ, KLIX-AM and KLIX-FM).

Add this to possible synergy with Blue Points (former Clear Channel) cluster in Poky/IF – as well as Casper/Cheyenne/Laramie, WY and Billings/Bozeman/Missoula/Shelly, MT.

Peak Broadcasting will not flip KSAS/103.3 Kiss FM as previously planed, IdahoRadioNews.com has learned.

The new owners of the frequency had planned to switch the CHR station to the “Bob FM” variety hits scheme on Sunday. As we now know – Tester Broadcast launched its own Bob FM last Friday – altering the landscape for Peak.

Instead of crashing together some other format by the start of the book (this Thursday), the group elected to keep Kiss “as is” for now. The station’s future beyond the spring book is unclear.

No word on if program director Aaron Traylor will stay on.

The Clear Channel/Peak transition is the cover story for this week’s IBR.

KZMG/Magic 93.1 isn’t going anywhere.

No new brand. No new logo. No new name.

Instead, the station will announce this morning that it is giving away money. Just put a window sticker on your car and tell station staffers your license plate number. They’ll call plate numbers four times each day and give away money. $93.

So if you were going to wake up at 7:20 today… you can catch a little extra sleep now. The reveal has something to do with Magic 93.1 being “Dead… serious about making you a winner!”