PHOENIX '95 IN REVIEW
Michael Hagerty
Between my vacation and Bill's, it's a few days late, but well worth
reading...big changes in the 20th market...home to 50..count 'em...50
stations:
1st Quarter 1995:
Oldies KOOL-AM(960)kicks off the year of radio changes on
January 2 as it resumes a totally live local format. For years, it
had been the originating station for SMN's "KOOL Gold" format.
DANNY DAVIS(KRIZ,KFMB,KIMN,KHOW,KKSN), a victim of the
Thanksgiving '94 massacre when oldies KPSN(96.9) flipped to 70's
KCHT(K-Hits), lands morning drive at Oldies KOOL-FM(94.5), bringing
KPSN overnight jock and morning producer TONY MC GRAW with him. The
move bumps LEE "BABY" SIMMS(KRLA, KYA, KFOG)out of his 14 month AM
drive tenure and into afternoon drive at KOOL-AM.
KOOL-AM PD BRIAN BEAZER exits. FM PD TOM PEAKE programs both
stations.
PHIL ABBOTT, a weekender promoted into afternoon drive when KPSN
fired STEVE GODDARD as part of the format change to 70's KCHT, is
let go after only a few weeks. The station, owned by Mormon Church
arm Bonneville International, cites bad taste in on-air comments made
by Abbott(example: the sound the new Marilyn Monroe postage stamp
makes when you lick it).
Bad taste also figures in a few weeks later when a Bonneville
exec in Salt Lake City notices that KCHT spells K-Shit, not K-Hits,
and orders a call letter change. New calls KHTC are rushed on the air
the very second the FCC okays the change.
Classic Rock KSLX(100.7)fires evening jock CAROL SPRINGER after
she admits fixing the "Thousand Dollar Song of the Day" contest.
Springer lands almost immediately at her alma mater, AOR KDKB(93.3).
Within days, Arbitron announces it is re-formulating the Winter book
because of several diaries with heavier than reasonable listening
credited to KSLX. KSLX denies tampering. Springer refuses comment
other than to admit fixing the contest.
Midday air talent CARLA FOXX quits her 8-year gig at AC
KESZ(99.9) to join Heavy Metal KZRX as PD.
Talk KFYI(910) drops the syndicated TOM LEYKIS show after only
3 months. LEYKIS had been PD and afternoon host at KFYI in the
mid-80's.
The last vestiges of its 6-year Adult Standards format vanish
as KXAM(1310)completes its gradual transition to Talk, featuring
former Congressman SAM STEIGER, G. GORDON LIDDY and KEN HAMBLIN.
HAMBLIN is stolen early on by more powerful and popular KFYI(910) to
replace TOM LEYKIS...KXAM replaces HAMBLIN with MICHAEL REAGAN.
Christian KGCB(90.9) signs on from Wickenburg(60 miles
northwest of Phoenix), simulcasting KEAR, San Francisco.
2nd Quarter 1995:
KYOT(95.5) changes its positioning statement from "Smooth
Rhythms" to "Smooth Jazz".
70's KHTC(96.9) hires SHAWN BURKE from Chicago for morning
drive.
J. DAVID HOLMES and CURTISS JOHNSON are let go from their
decade-long gigs at AOR KUPD(97.9). JOHNSON was PD...the move was
tied to new owner Sandusky Broadcasting consolidating staff elements
with its AOR KDKB(93.3) Veteran morning man DAVE PRATT makes public
comments about KUPD becoming "just another radio station" as HOLMES
and JOHNSON leave, prompting rumors that he'll be next out the door.
After a brief run, AC KESZ(99.9) dumps DR. LAURA SCHLESINGER'S
talk show, which ran at night. It's picked up within weeks by Talk
KFYI(910).
New PD CARLA FOXX changes the format and calls of Heavy Metal
KZRX(100.3). The new station is "Hot Talk" KHOT. Lineup includes
HOWARD STERN in mornings, FOXX in middays and TOM LEYKIS' syndicated
show in afternoon drive. STERN is also simulcast on Sportstalk sister
KGME(1360).
Satellite-delivered Classic Rock KAZR(103.9), Coolidge(50 miles
southeast of Phoenix), moves studios to Scottsdale, transmitter to
Apache Junction(50 miles east of Phoenix), and is re-born as
KBZR("The Blaze")...PD ERNESTO GLADDEN calls the format "Hot
Rock"...a blend of CHR, AOR and Alternative. Former KOOL-AM(960) PD
BRIAN BEAZER joins as MD.
Morning Drive jock WILLOBEE exits Alternative KEDJ(106.3).
PD/PM Drive Jock EDISON moves to mornings.
3rd Quarter 1995:
NPR KJZZ(91.5) dumps Light Jazz/New Age from middays,
replacing it with NPR talk programming. The only music programming is
evenings and overnights, which switch to acoustic jazz.
MACHINE GUN KELLY(KHJ,KTNQ,KOST,KCBS-FM) bails out of
afternoons at oldies KOOL-FM(94.5) to return to Los Angeles and
re-start his acting career. LEE "BABY" SIMMS moves back to KOOL-FM
from KOOL-AM to fill the GUNNER'S slot.
Speaking of legendary afternoon talent, CHUCK BUELL(KIMN, KFRC,
WLS) does a one-shot weekend shift at 70's KHTC(96.9#...which is at
the time still looking for a permanent PM drive jock. Rumors, but no
gig.
Longtime AC KKLT(98.7) night jock RAY VARGAS moves to middays.
After less than 3 months, Resource Media fires Hot Talk
KHOT(100.3)GM KATHY LAWRENCE, PD CARLA FOXX, and dumps the format.
KHOT flips to a simulcast of Alternative sister KEDJ(106.3), with
HOWARD STERN added to mornings on KEDJ and dropped from Sportstalk
sister KGME(1360)
Classic Rock KSLX(100.7) fires morning team JOHN GEISE and
BILL ANDRES while PD JOHN SEBASTIAN is on vacation in Hawaii. AOR
KUPD(97.9) refugee J. DAVID HOLMES takes over the morning show. Six
weeks later, HOLMES is canned and midday vet TONY EVANS and MD JEANNE
SEDELLO move into the morning hot seat.
AAA KZON(101.5) fires PD DAVE LOGAN and moves from its eclectic
approach to an alternative-based AAA(similar to L.A.'s KSCA).
STEVE GODDARD lands afternoon drive at Country KNIX(102.5). It's
been nine months since GODDARD was fired when Oldies KPSN(96.9) became
70's KHTC. First book out, GODDARD comes in number one in his time
period.
MAC America Communications, which owns AC KESZ(99.9), buys MOR
KTWC(103.5) from Newmountain II Broadcasters. MAC America had been
providing engineering and sales staff, as well as studio space, since
KTWC went on the air in May '94. Transfer is delayed by the late '95
government shutdown.
Hot AC KVRY(104.7)'s morning show, featuring KPNX-TV morning
news anchors RON HOON and CONNIE COLLA, is dumped as COLLA bails for
a TV gig in Philadelphia. A year long free-fall in the ratings
prompts rumors of a return to CHR under the station's famous old
calls, KZZP, but nothing happens during '95.
Country KMLE(107.9) evening jock GWEN FOSTER moves up to
middays.
Children's Radio AAHS affiliate KIDR(740) adds live programming
with local pre-teen jocks.
ED WALSH returns to Talk KFYI(910) from WOR, New York....as PD,
ND and morning co-host with market legend BILL HEYWOOD.
Alternative KUKQ(1060)PD JOHNATHON L. ROSEN leaves for a
non-radio gig in L.A.
Christian KHEP(1280) shifts focus to a Christian Country music
format tagged "High Country".
4th Quarter 1995:
Oldies KOOL-AM(960)and FM(94.5) go to full simulcast. Within
weeks, stations are sold as part of Par Broadcasting's acquisition of
Compass stations.
GREG "3RD DEGREE" BURNS gets 70's KHTC(96.9) 8-month vacant
afternoon drive slot. Weekender SCOTT FISHER, who'd been "filling in"
all that time, gets BURNS' evening gig as a consolation prize.
KHTC hires CARLA FOXX(KESZ,KHOT)for weekends.
She'd been on the beach four months since Resource Media pulled the
plug on KHOT. Six weeks in, Thanksgiving week, FOXX's car is
involved in a hit-and run accident which killed pedestrian EDWARD A.
SMITH, a visiting Kansas City attorney. FOXX was at the Hard Rock
Cafe, two blocks from the accident scene, for three hours that
afternoon and evening, but says she was sober and was reaching for
her cellular phone, which had dropped to the floor of her Explorer.
FOXX says she was looking down did not know she had hit anyone until
the next day. Friends say FOXX's night and peripheral vision have
been greatly reduced since undergoing RK(radial keratotomy) surgery
to correct nearsightedness. FOXX is ordered to stand trial on felony
charges of leaving the scene of a fatal accident. She remains on
suspension from KHTC until the matter is settled.
Despite his comments on the departure of J.DAVID HOLMES and
CURTISS JOHNSON, and a one-shot fill-in as a Sportstalk host at
News/Talk KTAR(620), DAVE PRATT signs a six -year extension of his
contract to do mornings at AOR KUPD(97.9). Price tag for the 6 years:
$3 million.
AC KESZ(99.9) PD Dave Winsor exits.
After six weeks as an Alternative based AAA, KZON(101.5) takes
off the gloves and launches an all-out assault on Alternative
KEDJ(106.3). In the course of the changes, the station's only "Big
Name", market veteran MARY MC CANN, is bounced around from morning
drive to evenings to middays. McCann's producer, M.DUNG(KFOG, WMMS),
is let go.
Country KNIX(102.5) evening jock JOHN(SHOTGUN KELLY)GUTTING is
arrested just before his shift at the station and charged with
molesting a 16 year old boy.
GUTTING resigns from KNIX and is awaiting trial in '96.
News/Talk KTAR(620) early afternoon host PAT MURPHY is
reassigned to commentary. The morning news is stretched to 10AM, and
midday legend PAT MC MAHON stays on till 3...with an hour off for the
news at noon. The idea...to have MC MAHON fill the Arbitron definition
of the midday time period...ostensibly giving KTAR a better shot
against RUSH LIMBAUGH on rival talker KFYI(910).
Sportstalk KGME(1360) offers longtime hosts Arnie Spanier and Amy
Bombard lesser gigs as they return from vacation. Both choose to walk
instead. The station, along with sisters KHOT(100.3) and KEDJ(106.3),
change management when Resource Media merges with MICHAEL O'SHEA's
CENTURY BROADCASTING of Seattle under the new name NEW CENTURY.
O'SHEA taps former KSLX GM REID REKER to run the three stations
locally.
KOPA(1440) drops its two-year format of CNN Headline News
audio to simulcast classic rock FM sister KSLX(100.7). Word is the
calls will change to KSLX-AM, spelling an end to a 20 year plus run
with the KOPA calls.