from Westword (Denver)
March 8, 2001
--snips--
...And what about KOA? Its staffers went out of their way to attack Howard Stern for tossing out an ill-considered Columbine aside right after the shootings -- and their efforts both behind the mike and behind the scenes are a big part of the reason that Stern was eventually ridden out of town.
--snips--
from the Rocky Mountain News
September 20, 2000
Letters to the Editor
--snips--
At last, Stern is gone
I am writing in regard to the recent purchase of KXPK-FM radio station by Emmis Communications and the subsequent decision to drop the Howard Stern show. It is a about time someone finally did something about Stern. I tried to promote a boycott against all those involved with the radio station when Stern was on the air, but I was too small and the station was too big.
Finally, Colorado is rid of that man and his rude, unkind and hateful ways. Kudos to Emmis Communications!
Rebecca Gerze
Lakewood
from Westword (Denver)
September 14, 2000
By Michael Roberts
--snips--
...Over time I grew to appreciate having Howard around, in part because of his user-friendliness: I knew that if I tuned in and heard him gushing about naked women in his studio or chatting with a porn star who was selling pieces of her flesh removed during labia-reduction surgery, I had absolutely no reason to surf back to the Peak for the rest of the morning. But I came to genuinely enjoy his skewerings of celebrity culture and those who feed on it; the way he took the wind out of Geraldo Rivera, who visited a couple weeks back to float the prospect of his candidacy for mayor of New York City, was a beautiful, and very funny, thing to behold.
Such moments are likely gone from the Denver airwaves for the foreseeable future. Joe Schwartz, the Peak's general manager, says that Stern's show didn't fit with the new direction the station was heading, and Howe, Call and Keeney all say they have no place for Howard at their outlets, either. (This is especially interesting in the case of Keeney, since Infinity owns Stern's program.) The reason is revenue: The Peak was paying a rumored cool million a year for the rights to Stern, but even though he was producing great ratings, advertisers were steering away for fear of being tainted by association. Since Stern's broadcast is far from the only one in Denver to walk on the bawdy side of the street, the explanation for this trepidation is likely the impolitic comments he made following the shootings at Columbine High School last year, which Clear Channel managed to use against him in a sneaky but very clever way (Feedback, April 29, 1999). Score another one for the Empire.
Emmis, the Peak's new owner, is doing its best to distance itself from the Stern connection. The station even took what seems like a parting shot at either Stern or sharp-tongued former Peak overseer Bob Visotcky in a witty post-alteration promo. The spot blamed previous changes at the station on "a baaad man."
--snips--
from the Denver Post
September 13, 2000
--snips--
BYE, BYE, HOWARD: The sudden vanishment from the local airwaves of radio potty mouth Howard Stern draws no tears from Rick Lewis and Michael Floorwax, the morning men at KRFX-FM ( "The Fox").
When Stern's show blew into town in November 1998, he rudely announced he would bury the top-rated L&F team. What he actually said was he would wipe out his competitors "faster than a village of Jews during the Nazi genocide." His boss, Bob Visotcky, predicted Stern would be No.1 among adults 25-54 "within a year."
Well, Stern is gone, and so is Visotcky. Such is life in radio. Floorwax won't gloat, except a little. "Just keep bringin' 'em on," he said Tuesday during a tasteful call-in segment on listeners' fetishes. "We're freaky. You're not going to find anyone freakier than us."
Sadly, in a business where numbers and ad dollars count more than good taste, this latest disappearance probably doesn't drive a stake through Stern's shriveled sensibilities.
--snips--
from the Denver Rocky Mountain News
September 10, 2000
Unfortunately, it didn't take long to come up with an answer. The programming geniuses suddenly realized that the Kajagoogoo / Soft Cell crowd was being wildly underserved in Denver radio. This week's sudden, senseless switch to an '80s-heavy, hit-laden format managed to do the near-impossible: make one of the worst rock stations in Denver even worse.
They tossed out the one thing it had going for it - Howard Stern, love him or hate him - and subbed in a nightmare list of one-hit wonders and overplayed classic rock. Within hours of changing to the "new" format, The Peak sounded like a tired 20-year-old station in need of new blood.
The format is only a few days old on The Peak, and maybe it'll get better, but how good can it get when the station's mission statement is to focus on what is arguably the worst decade for rock 'n' roll? Yes, obviously there was greatness in the decade - U2, Prince, R.E.M. -but it's also a decade that started by making superstars of The Cars and ended with poofy-hair bands reigning over the charts. While The Peak is playing some worthy artists - U2, Tom Petty - it's just the obvious, overplayed hits. It's Where the Streets Have No Name, not God, Part II. It's You Got Lucky, not My Life, Your World. That is, it's songs you can hear anywhere and everywhere. And forget hearing anything from the '80s that was really influential or groundbreaking - The Smiths, The Replacements, The Rave-Ups.
All in all, The Peak capped off a bad week for FM radio listeners in Denver. With a few sudden moves, what was one of the best radio markets in the nation became noticeably blander.
--snips--
from the Denver Post
Denver Post Columnist
Sept. 10, 2000 - Will he or won't he? No need to ask his hairdresser.
Howard Stern, the recently deposed king of radio trashy talk, will not be turning up at one of Infinity Broadcasting's three Denver outlets. Not if Steve Keeney, the new manager of the company's local stations, has anything to say about it, and he does.
"No," is his entire answer to the question. Well, not entire. He goes on. "He's affiliated with our company, but they do not mandate that he be on our stations. As far I am concerned, he's not in the future of these radio stations." Stern, who never overcame the firestorm that followed his remarks on the shootings at Columbine High School, was dropped earlier this week from KXPK-FM because he was deemed "incompatible" with the station's new all-music format.
Keeney, one of radio's truly nice guys who landed back in Denver last week after a six-year stretch in Portland, Ore., is the new vice president and manager of KDJM-FM ("Jammin'- "), KIMN-FM and KXKL-FM ("KOOL"), all recent acquisitions by Infinity.
This is a case of déja vu all over again for Keeney, whose career in Denver radio began in 1970 as an announcer at KOSI. For 13 years, he managed KIMN when it was a rockin' AM'er.
His new job is nice but Keeney doesn't think of leaping into one of the most competitive markets in the country as a career move. "I came back because Denver is home. Portland may be the most beautiful city in the country, but Denver is home. I always thought that if I could come back on my own terms I would definitely return."
Little-known fact about Keeney: He is one of the nation's premier collectors of rock 'n' roll records. His collection is bordering on 25,000 recordings, including rare LPs by Roy Orbison and the Moonglows.
Is he shipping the collection from Portland to Denver? Not on your life. "I'm flying back next week and packing them myself. I'm not trusting them to a moving company. I'm going to rent a truck and drive them back myself.
--snips--
from Rob Hatch's Denver Radio Web Site
September 7, 2000
The office number for KXPK is: 303-572-7000.
from Radio Digest
September 6, 2000
Tuesday morning (Sept. 5) at the end of Howard Stern's morning show on KXPK (96.5 FM), it was announced that it "took a big radio station to admit a two-year mistake," and that Stern's show is now history at The Peak.
No more of Howard, or alternative music for that matter. KXPK has returned to music of the 1980s, where The Peak had been for years.
Stern's morning ratings, which showed him in 11th place among all listeners aged 12 and up, made it such that the flip was not unexpected. Emmis, which recently acquired The Peak, obviously figured the format implemented by previous owner AMFM was doomed, hence the change.
Will Howard be picked up by another Denver station, perhaps an Infinity facility? Infinity's new Denver outlets, acquired in the Clear Channel-AMFM spin-offs, include rhythmic oldies KDJM (92.5 FM), hot adult contemporary KIMN (100.3 FM) and oldies KXKL (105.9 FM) -- three formats that tend not to be associated with Stern. With that the case, look for Infinity to grab Stern and surround the walkie-talkie talent with a hot-talk format -- a sound this column has advocated for a couple of years.
Stern's demise on The Peak is just another happening in the current Denver shakeups in the wake of the AMFM spinathon. Over the past few days, Clear Channel moved the smooth-jazz format of KHIH (95.7 FM) to the Internet, tossing music by Britney Spears and the like onto that dial position. In the meantime, Jefferson-Pilot changed KCKK (104.3 FM) from classic country and western to -- what else? -- KHIH's old smooth-jazz format. The classic country sounds that were on 104.3 are now heard over KCKK (1600 AM). It's not known whether the current staff will stay with the new format.
from the Denver Post
Sept. 6, 2000 - Howard Stern is out, Christina Aguilera is in. Classic-country music is bumped. "The Peak" is back to its '80s rock roots. And smooth jazz moves up the dial.
Big changes rattled Denver radio listeners this week. The latest:
- KXPK (96.5 FM), a.k.a. The Peak, now owned by Emmis Broadcasting Corp., dumped the controversial syndicated Howard Stern show Tuesday, switching to an all-music format called "80s and Beyond," a mix of alternative, classic rock and early- to mid-'80s MTV. The sound is much like the original Peak. Think melodic tunes by Tears for Fears instead of nasty lyrics by Limp Bizkit. "Walk Like an Egyptian," anyone?
According to Joe Schwartz, general manager of KXPK, after much research, "We found a tremendous opportunity to go back to this arena that's been abandoned by a number of stations, including The Peak."
Stern, he said, was judged "incompatible." Schwartz said the shock jock "just didn't fit the format."
That advertisers are notoriously resistant was "certainly a factor."
Will Infinity Broadcasting - which syndicates Stern's show and now owns three Denver stations - pick up Stern? It's a guessing game.
--snips--
from the RockyMountainNews.com
Howard Stern's controversial radio show found itself without a Denver home this morning.
Emmis Communications, the new owner of KXPK-FM (96.5), canceled its contract to carry the syndicated shock jock and introduced a format change on Tuesday. The moves bounced Stern from the station's morning drive time, a slot his show had occupied since November 1998.
"Howard Stern had his last show at 96.5 (Tuesday) morning," said new KXPK General Manager Joe Schwartz. "Our research showed that our new format was not compatible with his listeners."
KXPK, still known as the Peak, shifted its format from new rock to a 1980s rock format, targeting the 25- to-49-year-old market. Previously, the station's harder-edged playlist appealed to younger listeners.
Schwartz said Emmis took possession of KXPK on Aug. 24 and severed the Stern contract shortly thereafter. It inherited the New York-based show from Clear Channel Communications, KXPK's former owners.
Stern's show is broadcast on many stations owned by Infinity Broadcasting, which recently purchased its first three Denver-market stations. Local Infinity officials, who could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, recently said there were no plans to change formats to accomodate Stern's show.
As for its new format, Schwartz said the Peak is filling a void on the Denver radio dial.
In June, Emmis announced it was purchasing KXPK from Clear Channel Communications, which was forced to divest KXPK and five other Denver stations as a condition of its merger with AMFM. KXPK represents the first foray into the Denver market by the Indianapolis-based Emmis, which owns 25 radio stations across the nation, as well as seven television stations and a number of magazines.
Originally, Hispanic Broadcasting announced it was buying KXPK, but the U.S. Department of Justice blocked the transaction due to Clear Channel's 26 percent nonvoting stake in the Dallas-based company.
Tuesday, September 5, 2000
from DenverRadio.net
The Howard Stern morning show has been dropped.
from fmqb.com
from the Rocky Mountain News
--snips--
- Radio lines:
--snips--
One thing, however, is certain with Denver's three Infinity outlets: Formats won't change, thus quashing rumors the 92.5 FM frequency might be turned into an all-talk outlet, possibly with Howard Stern, since Infinity is home base for the often foul-mouthed personality.
"We'd be silly to change programming which is well-received in the Denver market," Keeney said.
Infinity's takeover of the three stations means five of the six Clear Channel outlets acquired from AMFM have now been divested.
Salem Broadcasting, taking over KALC-FM (105.9 ), will not change the adult contemporary format.
Indianapolis-based Emmis Communications, the new owner of KXPK-FM (The Peak 96.5 ) is expected to keep the station's format, including Stern.
Only classical music KVOD-AM ( 1280) remains out on the sales limb. While the station has had several prospective buyers, no deal has been signed.
Incidentally, classical music lovers in Kansas City, Mo., are going through the same agony KVOD listeners did in April 1999.
The management of KXTR, operator of both FM and AM outlets in the city, last week switched the classical format to the AM side, much to the chagrin of the Bach, Brahms and Beethoven crowd.
As the national and local radio scenes shift like beach sand, Clear Channel has emerged as the 1,000-station gorilla. That's right, the company owns close to 1,000 stations around the country.
Such concentration of power even has aroused the concern of Broadcasting and Cable magazine, admittedly in favor of ownership deregulation.
In a recent editorial about Clear Channel's power base, the magazine noted: "Localism has long been the sword and shield of broadcasters, offered up as their competitive advantage over national services and invoked as the chief justification for their preservation in a world of proliferating pay service.
"Localism cannot appear to be, nor should it in reality be, a casualty of deregulation."
In Denver, Clear Channel, with eight stations, controls nearly 40 percent of radio advertising billings. And Clear Channel also has strength in Fort Collins, outside the Denver market, with three other stations.
You could call that a major broadcasting power base.
from Radio Digest
August 29, 2000
Ask and ye shall receive!
I did -- I asked if anybody could refute or confirm the claim made via a telephone call aired on The Peak's Howard Stern program recently. "Jesse," a self-identified board-op at Denver's KXPK (96.5 FM), placed the amateurish call -- for what reason, we may never know.
It seems that "Jesse" just had to tell Howard that The Stern Show is "No. 1 in Denver." The poor kid said this sans any qualifications. Did our little Jesse get his kicks telling the nation that Howard clobbered everybody else in the Mile High City's Spring Arbitron? Seems that way, doesn't it?
I requested confirmation from anybody at the Peak. I called "Jesse" and a flock of other folks at the station for further information. So, did anybody respond to my request for any proof of the claim by the little ol' board op?
The answer is no.
Sorry gang -- "Jesse" is full of it and just may have seen an opportunity to grab his 15-minutes of fame. And, he used the Stern show to do the grabbing.
A searcher of the truth got in touch with this RadioDigest.com scribe and, bless him/her, provided the numbers in question. Here are the Arbitron breakouts for the Monday through Friday, 6-10 a.m. morning shows in the Denver/Boulder market (Spring 2000 book).
Here's Howard's real news (by age group and gender):
Age 12+ (All) -- KYGO tops everybody with a 6.9. KXPK (Stern's station) is in 11th place with a 3.8.
As for women age 18 to 34, KQKS is No. 1 with an 11.8, while KXPK is, again, in 11th place with a 3.7.
However, Howard did fare well with men age 18 to 34. KXPK is No. 1 with a 13.3. KBPI comes in second with a 10.8.
My gratitude to Mr./Ms. anonymous for setting things straight.
Sternmail?
Sure, read these ...
Dear Hawthorne: "You suck Hawthorne you don't know nothing about Howard and nothing about the radio, because the peak is a good station and Howard is the best. You just hate to admit that Howard is the best." -- DRan292040
Dear DRan292040: What else is new?
Dear Hawthorne: "Simply wanted to inform you that the Howard Stern show is not responsible for the phony phone calls. It is not Stern that makes the calls. The calls are made by unpaid viewers and all that is done by 'The Howard Stern Radio Show' is to air the calls. So much for the attempted sarcasm in your article. Close but no cigar!" -- Fabrizio E. Sciola.
(May I add that this writer offers a "thank you" and signs his note with: "A fan of entertaining, innovative and gutsy radio programming.)
Dear Fabrizio: I agree with you regarding that part about Howie being "entertaining, innovative and gutsy." I've been listening to him for years, off and on.
However, when the subject of single or multiple deaths are a part of the fake "foners," should Stern and his cohorts take unbridled joy at reading and laughing about the situation? I think not.
True, Howard's program would be pretty dull if he didn't do outrageous things. I certainly won't disagree with that. But all Howard has to do is just ignore the bogus calls.
Now that would take guts.
Please consider this future scenario. What would happen if the person placing a contrived "foner" later discovers that one of the victims was actually a member of his own family? Or, after Howard and the Sternsters have had their chuckles regarding a fake call, they learn that their own flesh and blood are amongst the victims.
Not so funny then, right?
--snips--
Thanks to RobK for this story...
KXPK-FM in Denver.......HIGHLY rumored to be flipping to top 40 at any time now...robk
from PR Newswire
On June 19 EMMIS announced it had signed an agreement with Clear Channel/AMFM to purchase the two properties, pending Federal Communications Commission authorization of this transaction and of the Clear Channel/AMFM merger, both of which were granted on Aug. 15.
EMMIS now has 4 properties in Phoenix, the nation's 16th largest radio market (by revenue). On Aug. 1 EMMIS began operating Hearst-Argyle's KTAR-AM, KMVP-AM and KKLT-FM.
KXPK-FM will be the company's first property in the Denver market, the nation's 23rd largest radio market (by revenue).
"The purchase builds on the EMMIS strategy of focusing on radio properties in large markets," EMMIS Chairman and CEO Jeff Smulyan said. "We are thrilled to be entering Denver with a great station, and building on our position in Phoenix with KKFR."
The purchase price of the two stations is $108 million.
EMMIS Communications is an Indianapolis-based diversified media firm with radio broadcasting, television broadcasting and magazine publishing operations. EMMIS' 17 FM and 4 AM radio stations serve the nation's largest markets of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago as well as Phoenix, Denver, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Terre Haute, IN. In addition, EMMIS owns two radio networks, seven television stations, award-winning regional and specialty magazines and ancillary businesses in broadcast sales and publishing.
Certain statements included above which are not statements of historical fact, including those identified with the words "expect," "will," "would" or "look" are intended to be, and are, identified as "forward-looking statements," as defined in the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of EMMIS to be materially different from any future result, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement. Such factors include, among others, general economic and business conditions; fluctuations in the demand for advertising; increased competition in the broadcasting industry; inability to obtain necessary approvals for the purchase transaction or to complete the transaction; changes in the costs of programming; inability to grow through suitable acquisitions, including the desired radio; and other factors mentioned in documents filed by EMMIS with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE EMMIS Communications Corporation
Web Site: http://www.emmis.com
from Radio Digest
August 14, 2000
What? Howard Stern, a victim of one of his own fake phone call gimmicks?
You know the scenario -- a mental midget calls a live TV news program, gives a phony story and then, in his own childish approach, mentions Howard's name and hangs up with a "ha ha." Remember when you pulled similar stunts in the fifth grade?
Well, this time the joke was on Howard. A man identifying himself as the board-op from Denver's KXPK (96.5 FM) called in to Howard's show to announce that the program was No. 1 in Denver in the latest Arbitrons. Howard, Robin and the entire staff clearly believed the claim.
It happened during Friday (July 28)'s Sternathon over Denver's KXPK. Jesse, the supposed board-op, called the Big Man himself with this: "We just got our numbers in and ah ... 'course, you came across as No. 1 -- I just thought you'd like to know that."
Ain't so, according to those in the know. Demographic breakouts for specific time periods will be available in coming weeks. Even KXPK station executives failed to return telephone calls to confirm or deny the claim made by "Jesse." What are you afraid of, gang?
Following the revelation-in-the-faking, Howard and his live-in top banana, Robin Quivers, went into an unreal world of overjoyed euphoria, extolling the virtues of the Stern rating "win" in the Mile High City.
Following a typical Howard Stern diatribe against the Colorado State Legislature for condemning his verbal indiscretions of the past year, Howard even resurrected his infamous comments that he uttered following the Columbine High School massacre.
Better he should have kept quiet.
One friendly person in The Peak's crags that I contacted (somebody who should obviously know the truth) tells me: "Stern didn't do as well here in the ratings as he is saying." 'Nuff said.
The Peak is, and has been, on a faltering road toward oblivion with a sort of "New Rock" format. The hope has been that Howard will bring in not only B-I-G numbers in the morning but a share of available dollars. Neither has happened since day one of the King Of All Media's show on KXPK.
The Arbitron numbers continually show the programming at KXPK to be in the "who cares" mode, and the measured audience results confirm that.
--snips--
from the Rocky Mountain News
August 1, 2000
Dusty Saunders column
But the cheering isn't in the studios of longtime Arbitron audience leader KYGO-FM.
For the first time, KQKS-FM, offering a rhythmic Top 40 format, is Denver radio's most-listened-to station.
The spring Arbitron audience report (March 30 to June 21) shows KQKS with a 6.4 share of the audience, slightly ahead of adult alternative KBCO-FM (6.3 share), which led the winter report with a 6.9 figure.
KYGO, with its country format, fell into a fourth-place tie with KOSI-FM (adult contemporary), both showing a 6.0 audience share. KYGO dropped more than a share point from winter and last spring's Arbitron audience figures, when the station had a 7.6 in both surveys. KOSI also had a 6 share last spring.
As usual, KOA was the most-listened-to AM outlet, finishing third with a 6.1 share, rising from a 5.5 in the winter ratings but still below the 7.3 figure of spring 1999.
Produced quarterly, the Arbitron figures are based on the listening habits of diary holders, 12 and older, who write down what radio stations they tune in to from 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.
The demographic breakouts, used by stations as advertising selling tools for specific time periods, will be available in coming weeks.
Other stations and their audience shares in the top 15:
KXKL-FM (KOOL), 5.5 share, 4.6 a year ago; KIMN-FM, 4.9 share, 2.7 in '99; KALC-FM (Alice), 4.7 share, 5 in '99; KRFX-FM (The Fox), 4.5 share, 5.9 in '99; KBPI-FM, 4.1 share, 4.9 in '99; KCKK-FM, 3.6, 1.9 in '99; KKHK-FM (The Hawk), 3.2 share, 3.7 in '99; KHOW-AM, 3.1 share, 4.2 in '99; KDJM-FM (Jamin' Oldies), 3, not formatted a year ago; and KHIH-FM, 2.8, 3.9 in '99.
KOA and KHOW are the only two AM stations among the top 15, again showing the dominance of FM music in Denver radio.
In the AM nostalgic-music battle, KEZW shows a 2 share, compared with KLZ's 1.
KKFN (The Fan), Jefferson Pilot's all-sports outlet, registered a a 1.7 share, compared with a 1.8 a year ago.
Two AM stations, KTLK and KNUS, have audience shares of less than 1 in this report. KMXA-AM is the most-listened-to Spanish station, with a 1.1 share.
KVOD-AM, Denver's classical station, showed a slight audience increase over the winter report, moving from a 1 to a 1.3. Last spring KVOD was in a state of flux, as its dial position was moved from 92.5-FM to its current 1280-AM.
As far as ownership, KVOD remains in limbo.
The deal with Rodriguez Broadcasting has fallen through, and new owners are being sought. Formerly operated by AMFM Broadcasting, the station is one of six Denver outlets recently absorbed in a merger with Clear Channel Communications.
Clear Channel, which already operates eight Denver stations, will have to sell KVOD or one of its other properties. But don't look for Clear Channel to keep KVOD.
Thus, there's no indication about the future of KVOD's classical-music format.
--snips--
from Westword
June 22, 2000
In the Denver radio market, the morning show personalities who get the most attention are the naughtiest ones: the Peak's Howard Stern (last week he had an extended conversation with Sandra Bernhard about her fondness for anal sex), Alice's Jamie White and Danny Bonaduce (Jamie once told Sigourney Weaver that her husband used to "pleasure himself" to an Alien-era photo of the actress), and the Fox's Rick Lewis and Michael Floorwax, whose humor would be at home in locker rooms everywhere.
As it turns out, though, talking smack or tittering over groin-region body parts isn't necessarily a prerequisite for Denver radio success. Indeed, according to the most recent Arbitron trend reports, another drive-timer -- KBCO's Bret Saunders -- is the most-listened-to morning jock in the 25- to 54-year-old demographic the station targets and is running neck-and-neck with Stern in the eighteen- to 34-year-old demo that supposedly belongs to Howard by birthright. Moreover, Saunders has hit these heights without chortling about threesomes or enticing female guests to show him their mammaries.
Not that Saunders rejects humor -- far from it. The self-proclaimed radio "Sage" is probably the quickest-witted person on area airwaves at present, but he delivers his material in a smart, low-key manner that won't make anyone feel the slightest bit guilty for laughing at it. "I don't want to be considered to be someone who's lame or terrified of being controversial or shocking. I really admire Howard Stern -- and I mean it," Saunders insists. "But I guess my contention is that a lot of things like that are being done on the radio. To say that we're an antidote to that is probably too strong, and 'alternative' is a dead word. So just say we're doing something different."
--snips--
The next twist in the tale came just days after the HBC deal tanked: On June 15, Emmis Communications, an Indianapolis company that owns fifteen radio stations in the U.S., signed a letter of intent to purchase the Peak for $36 million (and a Clear Channel station in Phoenix for an additional $72 million). Emmis spokesperson Kate Healey declined to comment about what the Peak's format might eventually be, but she notes that the firm utilizes a variety of styles, including adult alternative in Chicago, country in St. Louis and urban in Los Angeles. "We don't believe in a cookie-cutter approach," she says. But whatever takes place should happen fast: Haldeman says Clear Channel wants to wrap things up during 2000's third quarter, which begins mere days from now. Until then, the company remains in an acquisitive mood, having just sucked up thirty stations from Roberts Radio L.L.C. (no relation -- damn it!), including two in Durango and one in Vail.
--snips--
from Radio Digest
June 19, 2000
Emmis Communications Corporation is buying Denver's KXPK (96.5 FM), known as The Peak. KXPK's music mix, after many months of programming, has yet to garner a significant audience with Mile High City listeners, and Howard Stern in the morning slot has yet to deliver as expected. Emmis is also buying KKFR (92.3 FM), licensed to Glendale/Phoenix, which is known as Power 92, "Where Hip Hop Lives." Look for a change of format there.
The announcement was made late Thursday (June 15).
Earlier this month, the Feds blew the whistle on HBC, formerly known as Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation, keeping it from buying KXPK because Clear Channel Communications (soon to merge AMFM into its organization) owns a nonvoting minority stake in HBC, the nation's largest Spanish-language radio broadcaster.
The purchase of KXPK is Emmis's first (and for now, the only) station it will own in Denver. No potential format changes at The Peak were announced, and whether Stern's morning soiree will stay on KXPK is yet to be determined. Sales on the Stern program have been less than sensational, and his ratings likewise, possibly still because of the shock-jock's inconsiderate on-air comments last year regarding the Columbine High murders.
Emmis chairman and chief executive officer Jeff Smulyan apparently plans to operate KXPK as a stand-alone in the Mile High City rather than as part of a cluster. Emmis now has stand-alones in Chicago and other markets in the chain.
Now comes the Denver connection -- Liberty Media Group, which is headed by John Malone, is a part of the AT&T Corporation that bought a 14 percent stake in Emmis for $150 million in October.
In November 1999, Liberty entered into an agreement to purchase Emmis stock for approximately $150 million. With this transaction, Liberty became the second-largest shareholder in Emmis behind only Smulyan. The Emmis investment is Liberty's first in radio broadcasting, but you can wager it won't be the last.
Emmis Communications is a diversified outfit with radio and television broadcasting properties and magazine publishing firms. It owns and operates 16 radio stations, including five in the nation's largest radio markets of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Emmis also owns and operates six television stations and a handful of magazines.
While Emmis has recently maintained a "let's do nothing and see what happens" attitude while everybody else bought and sold radio properties, it has begun to give much thought to broadening its base in radio. In addition to Liberty's investment in the company, Emmis recently made a public offering of stock, which brought $330 million into the company.
Liberty's investment is probably because Emmis' stock charts made good sense to Malone, who has a proclivity toward stock tracking.
Earlier this year, Emmis didn't participate in AMFM's fire sale of the 110 radio stations that had to be spun off prior to the merge. When the U.S. Department of Justice's "no no" to HBC was announced, you can bet that telephone wires were humming between Liberty, Emmis and AMFM.
It didn't take long to make a deal.
from RadioDigest.com
June 16, 2000
Less than a week after learning the Department of Justice had rejected HBC's acquisition of KXPK (96.5 FM, Denver) and KKFR (92.3 FM, Denver) from Clear Channel Communications, Emmis has agreed to pay $108 million for the two stations.
Prior to the deal, Emmis had no holdings in either market, although the company entered into a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Hearst-Argyle last week to operate three Phoenix stations: KTAR (620 AM), KMVP (860 AM) and KKLT (98.7 FM).
On Monday, the feds killed the proposed sale of both stations to HBC (formerly known as Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation) because Clear Channel owns 26 percent of the nonvoting equity in HBC.
Phoenix's KKFR, nicknamed "Power 92," is a rhythmic-hits outlet that generally finishes among the top-rated stations in the nation's 16th-largest market. In the winter 2000 Arbitron ratings, the station pulled a 4.9 share, good for fifth place overall and well ahead of format competitor KPTY (103.9 FM), which switched from alternative to rhythmic hits in January. The latest Arbitrends report show that KKFR, with a 5.3 share, remains well ahead of KPTY's 1.6.
Denver's KXPK, an alternative outlet nicknamed "The Peak," is the Mile High City's home of syndicated personality Howard Stern. The station grabbed a 2.9 share in the winter Arbitrons, good for 16th place in the nation's 23rd-largest market.
The Indianapolis-based Emmis owns and operates 23 radio stations, including five in the nation's three largest radio markets (New York, Los Angeles and Chicago) and nine others in St. Louis. The company also owns and operates six television stations and two magazines.
Upon word of the deal, Emmis' stock finished Thursday up nearly 14 percent, gaining 4 5/8 to 38 1/8.
from the Denver Post
June 14, 2000 - The Hispanic Broadcasting Corp. will continue its search for a Denver radio station, even though the Department of Justice has killed its plan to buy KXPK-96.5 FM.
"Are we still interested in Denver? Yes, we're definitely still interested," said Jeffrey Hinson, Hispanic Broadcasting's chief financial officer. "It's a priority market for us." The Justice Department blocked Hispanic Broadcasting's effort to buy KXPK, known as "The Peak," because KXPK's owner, Clear Channel Communications Inc., holds a 26 percent passive non-voting stake in Hispanic Broadcasting.
The decision leaves the future of The Peak temporarily up in the air, and leaves Hispanic Broadcasting still searching in the Denver market.
"We're very disappointed," said Hinson. "The Peak is a great signal. We were planning on turning it into a Spanish-language station and we thought we'd do extremely well there with it."
Hinson and Randy Palmer, vice president of investor relations with Clear Channel, said the companies do not plan to appeal the Justice Department's decision. Hispanic Broadcasting, which is based in Dallas, will, however, continue to look for stations to buy in Denver, though none are now available, said Hinson. "If we can buy one or more radio stations in Denver, we'd sure like to," he said. "There's nothing immediately apparent right now, but you don't know when they'll come on the market until they do."
Hispanic Broadcasting is the largest owner of Spanish-language radio stations in the nation. The company owns or operates 45 radio stations in 12 of the top 15 Spanish speaking markets in the country. Hinson said there's some dispute about the 13th, 14th and 15th largest Spanish markets, but they include three of the following cities: Denver; Washington, D.C.; Sacramento and Fresno, Calif.; and Albuquerque.
Hispanic Broadcasting thought it found the perfect avenue into Denver with KXPK, which has been owned by Clear Channel, based in San Antonio. The Justice Department ordered Clear Channel to sell 110 stations, including five in Denver, when Clear Channel announced its plan to acquire competitor AMFM. Clear Channel said it had found buyers for all stations, including three it planned to sell to Hispanic Broadcasting in Denver; Austin, Texas; and Phoenix. Now, Clear Channel/AMFM must hit the streets again in search of a buyer. Palmer said several companies bid on KXPK and he expects Clear Channel will soon find a buyer for the station.
"We were disappointed, but we're confident we have other companies interested in these properties," said Palmer. "We are in discussions with several of those parties," he added. "This is part of our AMFM merger, so the sooner we can get it completed, the better." In the meantime, KXPK will continue to blast Denver listeners with rock and Howard Stern.
"We will continue to operate this radio station, business as usual, until such point that a new owner takes control of the property," said Chad Haldeman, general manager and director of sales for AMFM's Denver stations.
"AMFM will continue to try and provide the finest product for our listeners on air and for our clients as a marketing resource until the sale consummates and we hand the keys to a new owner." Monday's announcement didn't keep Clear Channel from moving ahead in other areas. The company on Tuesday announced that it bought Roberts Radio and its 30 stations for $65.9 million.
from the Denver Post
June 13, 2000 - KXPK-96.5 FM, The "Peak," can keep on rocking Denver for the time being, now that the Department of Justice has shot down a plan to sell the station to the Hispanic Broadcasting Corp.
The Justice Department has ruled that the station's current owner, San Antoniobased Clear Channel Communications Inc., cannot sell three radio stations to Hispanic Broadcasting because Clear Channel owns 26 percent non-voting stock in Hispanic Broadcasting.
Hispanic Broadcasting planned to replace The Peak's rock format - featuring Howard Stern - with a Spanish-language format.
"We are very disappointed in this decision," said McHenry Tichenor Jr., CEO of Hispanic Broadcasting, based in Dallas.
"We were the successful bidder on these stations in question and should have been allowed to close on these stations."
Hispanic Broadcasting bid on the stations after the Justice Department ordered Clear Channel to sell them because Clear Channel was merging with AMFM Inc. Clear Channel and AMFM together own 830 stations, making the company the largest radio station owner in the nation.
The merger gave the company 13 Colorado stations - five more than allowed by the Justice Department. Clear Channel planned to sell five Denver stations, including The Peak, along with more than 100 other stations in 36 other cities. Hispanic Broadcasting bid $127 million for The Peak and Clear Channel stations in Austin, Texas; and Phoenix.
"We had hoped that the Department of Justice would reach a decision on the merits as opposed to, in our view, creating a new rule and applying it retroactively to Hispanic Broadcasting Corp.," said Tich enor said.
Tichenor said Hispanic Broadcasting will continue to focus on its mission of acquiring radio stations in the nation's key Hispanic markets. The company, with 45 radio stations, is the largest Spanish-language radio broadcasting company in the nation.
The Justice Department's decision does not affect the sale of Clear Channel's other Denver stations. Clear Channel is selling KALC-105.9 FM, known as "Alice," to Salem Communications Corp. It is also selling three stations to Infinity Broadcasting: KDJM-92.5 FM, "Jammin' Oldies"; KIMN100.3 FM; and KXKL AM-FM, "Kool 105."
from biz.yahoo.com
Monday June 12, 5:15 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
It had previously been announced that HBC was the prevailing bidder for these stations as part of Clear Channel's proposed divestiture package. We have been advised that the DOJ has adopted a rule of administrative convenience pursuant to which any financial interest of the seller in a buyer of assets required to be divested by the DOJ to consummate a transaction will disallow the buyer as a qualified bidder. Clear Channel owns a 26% passive, nonvoting equity stake in HBC.
McHenry T. Tichenor, Jr., HBC's Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are very disappointed by this decision. We were the successful bidder on the stations in question and should have been allowed to close on these stations. We had hoped that the DOJ would reach a decision on the merits as opposed to, in our view, creating a new rule and applying it retroactively to HBC. We understand that this ruling by the DOJ applies only in the narrowest circumstance of there being a sale of a radio station by Clear Channel to HBC in a divestiture situation mandated by the DOJ. We remain free to focus on our core mission, which is to acquire radio stations in the key Hispanic markets in the U.S."
Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation, the largest Spanish language radio broadcaster in the United States, currently owns and operates 45 radio stations located in 12 of the top 15 markets, and Las Vegas. HBC currently operates stations in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, San Francisco/San Jose, Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, McAllen/Brownsville/Harlingen, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Diego, El Paso, Phoenix and Las Vegas. The Company maintains its headquarters in Dallas, Texas.
Contact:
Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation, Dallas
Jeffrey T. Hinson, 214/525-7700
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