Bill Virgin's Radio Beat December 18, 2008

[radiofan]

On Radio: Format switch, station trade are big stories for 2009
By BILL VIRGIN
P-I REPORTER

There are still two weeks left to 2008, but for the Seattle radio market we already know what two of the big stories of 2009 will be.

One is the planned switch for KIRO-AM/710 from its heritage format of news and talk to all sports.

The other is the trade of contemporary hits station KBKS-FM/106.1 from the ownership of CBS Radio to Clear Channel Communications.

KBKS, marketed under the Kiss brand, was part of a seven-station, five-city deal between the two companies; it was the only property involved in Seattle. Clear Channel will receive CBS stations in Seattle, Portland, Baltimore and Sacramento, while CBS gets two Clear Channel stations in Houston.

For Clear Channel, trading the Houston stations helps satisfy an agreement with the Justice Department in exchange for approval of an earlier purchase of the company by private equity firms. Clear Channel currently has eight stations in Houston.

CBS, meanwhile, said the deal gave it the opportunity to "shed some of our mid-size market stations while expanding in a Top Ten market, which is our focus." CBS had four stations in Houston.

CBS will continue to operate KBKS until regulatory approval is received and the deal closes; the companies hope that will occur late in the first quarter of 2009.

Once that happens, CBS will be left with four stations in the Seattle market, including two that are usually found at or near the top of the local ratings: country music KMPS-FM/94.1 and classic-rock KZOK-FM/102.5. Its other local holdings are KJAQ-FM/96.5 and KPTK-AM/1090.

CBS isn't saying what its plans are for the Seattle market -- selling or swapping out entirely, standing pat, adding more -- other than a comment through a spokeswoman that there are "no further announcements in regards to the other Seattle properties."

Clear Channel, meanwhile, will have seven Seattle market stations, one under the maximum that one company is allowed to hold. One of those stations is KUBE-FM/93.3, another top ratings performer. KUBE and KBKS are both aimed at a younger demographic, and musically speaking there are some similarities between the two (artists such as Chris Brown, Rihanna and Ne-Yo show up on current playlists for both stations' Web sites).

Clear Channel isn't saying what changes, if any, are planned for KBKS other than "we're very excited to have such a strong brand join our cluster."

Station swaps aren't a new phenomenon in radio. Bonneville re-entered the Seattle market in 2007, picking up KIRO-AM, KTTH-AM and what was then KBSG-FM, by trading stations with Entercom Communications, although some cash was involved in that deal.

In other radio notes:


CBS Radio has confirmed that Seattle radio veteran Steve Slaton has been laid off at KZOK-FM. The company said it hopes to decide what to do with Slaton's afternoon slot by the end of the year.


King County Executive Ron Sims takes listener calls on "Weekday" at 10 a.m. Thursday on KUOW-FM/94.9.


"The Academy of Comedy" at 7 a.m. Saturday on KSER-FM/90.7 features novelty Christmas tunes.


Lee Callahan interviews Khaled Hosseini, author of "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns," on "Community Matters" at 7 a.m. Sunday on KJAQ-FM/96.5 and 11 a.m. Sunday on KPTK-AM/1090.


Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM/88.5 features a recent performance by the Matt Jorgensen + 451 quartet.


"The Monday Night at Seven Christmas Special" on KBCS-FM/91.3, hosted by Feliks Banel, offers a grab-bag of Christmas stories, memories and music: Krist Novaselic reading the Christmas chapter from "Little House on the Prairie;" Dave Niehaus and Rick Rizzs with a baseball version of an O. Henry story, "The Gift of the Mojo;" carols by Wylie Gustafson (of Wylie and the Wild West); Pat O'Day's recollections of Christmas on KJR; JP Patches reading "The Night Before Christmas;" and historic broadcasts including Edward R. Murrow from London on Christmas Eve 1940.


"The Scandinavian Hour" presents its traditional programs of holiday music, stories and news from Scandinavian groups noon-2 p.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on KKNW-AM/1150.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.

Bill Virgin's Radio Beat, Thursdays in the Seattle P-I