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KSAZ 580 AM to go Spanish

H

hitnmiss

Guest
Rumor has it KSAZ has entered into an LMA and the station will flip to SPANISH RELIGION within a very short time "days". Barna decided three weeks ago, the drive was to much and he recommended a new sales person and GM to take over at KSAZ before he departed. Owner of KSAZ Ehlinger had other plans. The station could not sell for enough to pay the debt owed on the station. Country format didn't even get a 8 second ride. We'll see what score they get on Thursday before it changes format.
 
I thought 580 sounded vaguely familiar. I remember when 580 pointed to KCNA and my first "radio crush". As an 8-year old country music fan I tuned in regularly to listen to Nitta Lynn.
 
If true, I guess it's time to remove the Giant 580 as my car radio's
AM present #2 (between 55/FYI and KT'R Sports Parking Lot 620).

Not that the ABC satellite country format was anything I'd listen to,
but just to punch in the (daytime) signal heard "all over Arizona." :(

While Ted Ramirez is no longer doing his Sounds Of Arizona program
on KSAZ (webcast only), could the LMAers be willing to break format
on the weekend and bring back Dancin' Dan Saturday mornings at 11?
 
You can change that from "will change to Spanish Religious" to "HAS CHANGED to Spanish Religious" Tuned in at 1:30 ish today and the format has changed. "Cinco Ochenta"

This is not an attack on the format but what a sad ending. Hope they save a lot of souls because they just flushed a great legacy station from the world of the non Spanish speaker. Best of luck to the operator and Hasta la vista KSAZ.
 
So long to the Giant 580. :'(

Is programming originating from the KSAZ office/studio(?) site on Craycroft?

It sounds as if it might be a live jock, although the mic is a bit hot and
distorted. Been listening since 3:57 MT--music is not bad, mostly AC-ish.

Actually some of the songs sound kind of "1950s Ricky Ricardo Cuban,"
that is, the type of music Desi and his band did on Lucy episodes.

Can't tell if there's "religion" or not in the mix.

Closed circuit for the LMAers: the legal ID ("KSAZ Marana" done in English)
at 4:06:40 could have been a bit closer to the TOH, but then I guess that's
no worse than it being buried in the :50 stopset on so many FMs. ::)

I also heard a "KSAZ 580 Tucson" positioner--in English, followed by I think
the same thing in Spanish--at 4:20:20.

Does this mean Queen Creek is now a dead issue?
 
Returning to the scene of the crime... ;)

The 5:30 half hour seemed to be "more preaching, less music."

Just seconds after 6:00 was another bilingual positioner--
"KSAZ 580 Tucson...(repeat en espanol)" which of course
is not legal, and no legal ID was heard.

There was about 7-plus minutes of dead air at 6:03--same carrier
strength but no audio source--music (more "downer" than earlier)
eventually came back but at a very low level for the balance of
the half hour.

Power was dropped per monthly license specs at 6:30.

BTW, if you're curious about the monthly power up/down times
for KSAZ, here's their chart from the FCC AM Query:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/srsstime?dlat=32&mlat=27&slat=11.00&dlon=111&mlon=17&slon=4.00&tzone=C
 
.....and so, thus endeth another chapter in the history of 580 AM. It's amazing how many changes it has gone thru. Nevertheless, it has changed.......for the better has yet to be seen. BTW, all audio programing is coming from a laptop at the xmtr. site & wired into a mixer & sent directly to the audio chain. I miss Auntie Phil & Uncle (Dancin) Dan !! :'(
 
wahookah said:
BTW, all audio programing is coming from a laptop at the xmtr. site & wired into a mixer & sent directly to the audio chain.
Click to expand...

Someone needs to teach the laptop how to ride gain. ::)
 
So sad to actually hear that KSAZ 580 Real Country got on a bucking bronco and went south of the border -- what happened to the folks at the old station - we know Mike Barna hit the road and decided not to convert but how about the others?
 
580

...my understanding is that there was no "crew" sort of speak. All programing came from a satelite feed from ABC Radio Networks with the exception of local spots, liners & PSA's. As far as moving 580 to Queen Creek, I don't think that the new owners want to move at this time.......it's too costly. I still miss Auntie Phil & Uncle Dan. :'(
 
Does the new KSAZ LMA have a website up?

"ksaz580.com" still points to a custom KSAZ page at ABC Real Country.

I've heard something mentioned on air that may have been the site URL,
but I didn't catch the whole thing--just "...cinco ochenta punto com."

They have mentioned a phone number on air, and it is the same one
KSAZ has been using for years.
 
Re: 580

wahookah said:
...my understanding is that there was no "crew" sort of speak. All programing came from a satelite feed from ABC Radio Networks with the exception of local spots, liners & PSA's. As far as moving 580 to Queen Creek, I don't think that the new owners want to move at this time.......it's too costly. I still miss Auntie Phil & Uncle Dan. :'(
Click to expand...

..and Cele Peterson and the Arizona Nut House and the Sounds of Arizona....... :'(
 
Wohookah: That is what I am talking about -- who or whom were doing the PSAs, the local spots and preparing the logs, answering the phones doing the billing, you know the normal stuff for the station-- don't think all that was automatation -- what happened to that person or persons???

No the LMA does not have a website up yet -- there is a letter of sorts on KSAZ's Real Country website under the "Read Now" tab. That gives explanation to what went on

As to phone number has anyone called the old one for the station? Try it after all the LMA is only a management change is it not?
 
Si, we need more of that format. I believe we are only 4 or 5 Spanish language stations short of becoming Yuma or El Centro radio.
 
Nurse Jeff has lowered the flag to half staff at our Buckeye Media Hut after learning of the English language demise of the Mighty 5~Eighty. While we've missed Dancin' Dan Babich and his polkas for a long time, we really don't miss the hash from KFWhyEye and Sports Parking Lot 6~Twenty plus all the annoying powerline interference. And to think, if KSAZ moved to Queen Creek we could have had the Valley's 97th Spanish language station. Now that honor rests with the Ol Pueblo. Felicidades!
 
....as mentioned before, this will be interesting on how 580 AM does . . . . now that it's spanish religion. BTW, 580 sold for $1.7 million.
 
If indeed Ehlinger did get 1.7 he better run like hell and cash that sucker - there is no way that the station is worth that much - not 1 million even, new definition of sucker KASA Hogar!
 
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