Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 1978)
Ratings ‘war’ goes on Eugene awaits two ‘new’ FM stations By KEVIN HARDEN Of the Emerald Listeners who turn their radio dials to two Eugene FM stations next year may be surprised by what they hear. Some may not notice the difference, but two KZEL, which went on the air 16 years ago as KWFS-FM, was sold to California businessman Rob Skinner, who purchased KBDF earliei this year. Skinner, a former radio an nouncer who bought both stations for Jayar Communications, Inc., is hurt it, he says. With the help of KBDF and the corporation, KZEL listeners shouldn’t notice a drastic change in musical format. “The changes we should make are called natural evolution,’’ Gar rett says. Competition within the FM radio “new” FM stations soon will be on the air. Those stations, KZEL, a progressive-rock station at FM 96 and KFMY, a similar station at FM 98, are being taken over by two AM radio stations and officially will *^in operating under new own ‘C /"P sometime before the end of Tile year. Although a final decision on the purchases has yet to be made by the Federal Communications Commission, KZEL and KFMY probably will change hands this month. The FCC decision is due by the end of August. also doubling as general manager of KBDF. After the FCC approves the sale of KZEL, it may keep the same format of music. But there may be one slight change, says Stan Garrett, KZEL program director. The station, with the help of the Jayar Communica tions corporation, will be able to specialize its musical format in stead of trying to please a large variety of people, Garrett says. The financial stability available from a large corporation will im prove the station’s operation, not market in the Eugene-Springfield area has increased dramatically over the past few years. Individual FM stations, trying to operate on small advertising budgets, usually went bankrupt. An AM-FM combi nation can reach a larger audi ence and bring in more advertis ing dollars, Garrett says. “The (radio market) pie remains the same size, just the number of people going after it are de creased by two.” Although there is a fear that FM stations owned by AM stations will compromise their musical for mats, Garrett thinks that KZEL won’t be caught in the competition squeeze. “Just the opposite,” he says. "We ll be in a much more stable position than we've ever been in. In fact, there will be a little bit of a cushion, so we can go for a specific type of audience. Before we were trying to be all things to all people.” But the competition for top rank ing by Arbitron has been almost minimal in the FM market since radio station KSND, FM 93, began playing Top-40 songs on an FM musical format. KSND, which is also owned by KASH-AM, has been the top-rated FM station in the Eugene area for the last rating period. And, accord ing to Bill Dudley, a radio an nouncer and program direction for KASH, that ranking will be hard to beat. The advent of two "new” FM stations with more money to up grade their formats won't hurt KSND at all, Dudley predicts. KBDF, which was the top-ranked AM station last year, has slipped in the Arbitron ratings and will probably fall behind KASH on the AM side. KZEL will also be far be hind KSND on the FM side, he says. “All that is important is trends," Dudley explains. “And right now the trends for KASH and KSND are going way up while the trends for KBDF and KZEL are going way down.” Whatever happens, KASH and KSND will be ranked higher than KBDF and KZEL, even if the two merge, Dudley predicts. And, even with four communications companies vying for a top spot in the Eugene FM radio market, KSND might be the only station that won’t have to change its for mat. “Why should KSND change? It’s doing what it does best without any competition right now.” Complete Ice Cream Party Items for All Occasions BASKIN ROBBINS ICE CREAM Milk Shakes Special Sundaes (ones 1365 Villard St. 495 Coburg Rd. 484 ' EMU Breezeway462 31 Mmm Specials from our New Salad Bar. Thursday and Friday Fresh Papaya 50# Strawberry shortcake with real whipped cream 650 BAMBOO PAVILION 1275 Alder ■ On Campus ATTENTION TEACHERS AND PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS If you need the University of Oregon’s recommendation for an Oregon teaching certificate based on Summer 1978 and/or prior academic work, please pick up the application packets now — Office of Teacher Certification. Room 102 — College of Education bn -emu Oregon Wilderness Supplies Summer Clearance Sale 25% off Frame packs, Soft packs, books, fabrics, shirts, pants, parkas, goretex, rainwear, and camping accessories. Sale Ends Aug. 11 Oregon Wilderness Supplies Lower Level EMU 10-4 M-F 686-3089
