Is Bonneville International set to lead the market?

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Nov 21, 2003 by Lynn Arave Deseret Morning News

Simmons Media Group remains the dominant player in the Salt Lake radio market, but for how long?

According to Arbitron ratings for last summer, Simmons has a 21.5 percent audience share for ages 12 and over, followed by Clear Channel at 19.6 percent and Citadel Broadcasting at 12.4 percent.

The big wild card is what will happen when Bonneville International is able to close on a deal announced a year ago to buy three S.L. radio stations from Simmons.

Once that deal goes through -- and based on the current ratings -- Bonneville would become the market leader with a 22.1 percent share. (That's because it would add the ratings of KQMB, KRSP and KSFI to the 7.4 percent share KSL-AM generates.) And, Bonneville's ratings could be even higher, because the deal allows the company to start up a new AM station director. Alan Hague, the previous program director, is now working closely with FM-101.5.

-- KZNS, Simmons' all-sports station at AM-1280, has revised its weekday lineup: David James and Patrick Kinahan can be heard from 6- 10 a.m.; Eric Ray/Jason Cheney,10 a.m.-noon; Dave Fox and Ryan Hatch's "Talkin' Sports," noon-4 p.m.; and Craig Bolerjack and Gordon Monson, 4-7 p.m.

Eric Ray and Jason Cheney's "Saturday Sports Zone" can be heard Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon.

CORRECTION -- Lara Jones, part of the "Jeff and Jones" show heard mornings on KJQN, worked at the original KJQ in Ogden before pursuing a 14-year career in journalism. She's now worked five years in radio.

RADIO HAPPENINGS -- Jeff Austin is the new program director for all-sports stations KFNZ (AM-1320) and KJQS (ESPN, AM-230).

-- Mary Fraser is the new station manager at KCPW. She was the station's fulfillment director and replaces Cathy Ives, who resigned earlier this month.

-- It's a Disneyland giveaway a day again each weekday at 7:10 a.m. on the "Todd and Erin Show" on KBEE-FM.

-- Volume 3 of KSFI's Christmas CD is now available at Deseret Book, Best Buy and other outlets. The annual KSFI "100 Hours of Christmas Music" begins Dec. 21 at 8 p.m.

-- "Grant and Amanda," KSL morning personalities, will be at Thanksgiving Point today, from 4-6 p.m.

-- KODJ's Angel Shannon presents a kitchen show and new recipes each Thursday.

-- Bob Lonsberry, who is heard on KNRS (AM-570) weekdays from 5- 10 a.m., seems back up to speed following his hiatus. He recently was accused of making racist remarks. Lonsberry also writes a daily column on his Web site www.lonsberry.com.

-- Rush Limbaugh, one of the world's most popular radio hosts, returned to the air Monday following drug rehabilitation. He's heard on KNRS (AM-570) weekdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

E-MAIL: lynn@desnews.com