Media Watch

CAN YOU HEAR KXCI NOW?

If you live on Tucson’s northwest side, Marana, Oro Valley and points beyond, and
you’ve wondered what the fuss is about with the Old Pueblo’s 30-year flirtation with
community radio, now you too can enjoy the fun. KXCI 91.3 FM’s upgraded
transmitter is online, and it has dramatically expanded the station’s listener range.
Early indications are absolutely wonderful, with a strong clear signal in Marana,
Oro Valley and Catalina, and stretching as far north on I-10 to the Pinal County line,
said station GM Randy Peterson via email. The station has received a number of
calls from people who are thrilled to finally enjoy community radio in their homes.

Some technical tweaks still need to be addressed, but for the most part the success
of KXCI’s massive fundraiser has allowed the station to implement the purpose of
that drive. As such, the signal, weak and limited to specific portions of the city
proper, has been boosted exponentially.

“The benefits in having this new geography is that it allows us to serve so many
more potential listeners, not only in the context of getting great music to them but
also in sharing the public service announcements, event sponsorships, our support
for local music, interviews and live performances Peterson said. “Basically,
everything that KXCI has done for 30 years we’ll now be able to do for even more
people. That’s the benefit to the community. The benefit to KXCI is that there will be
more people able to support the station, either directly with memberships (which
account for 50% of our income) or through attending our concerts and patronizing
our underwriting business sponsors.”

And support remains crucial as KXCI hopes to embark on further improvement-
related fundraising efforts.
“The new transmitter is just the first part of our capital campaign, which has
raised $531,000 toward our $750,000 goal,” said Peterson in relation to what has
been dubbed the Amplify Tucson fundraising effort, launched in conjunction with
the station’s 30th anniversary. “In the months ahead we’ll focus our attention on
further improvements to our historic building in Armory Park, improving sound
quality by fixing the acoustics in our broadcast and performance studios, and
making upgrades to our technology to prepare for the post-CD world that the music
industry is moving to in the near future.

JOURNAL PARTS WAYS WITH ARROTTA

A two-sentence internal memo was all employees at Journal received announcing
the end of the cluster’s seven-year relationship with radio sales manager Frank
Arrotta.
“Effective immediately Frank Arrota (sic) is no longer with the company,”; said the
internal memo. “We thank Frank for his service and wish him the best as he moves
on.”

Arrotta is already working on pursuing veins connected to a broadcast career that
has spanned the better part of 30 years, highlighted in Tucson by his seven-year run
with Journal and an 11-year stint at the Lotus Broadcasting.
Journal owns four Tucson radio and two television stations. The electronic portion
of the Milwaukee based organization was recently sold to E. W. Scripps Company.
That deal, scheduled to be finalized by the first quarter of 2015, directly affects the
Tucson operation.

KGUN PEGS MORNING BLEND DUO

Tina Jennings and Maria Parmigiani will handle hosting duties for KGUN TV 9′
lifestyle/sponsor-driven weekday Morning Blend program. The hour-long show,
which features a variety of segments, from entertainment updates to interviews
with paid sponsors and charitable outlets, airs at 11 weekday mornings on KGUN,
and in the well-established morning time frame of 1 pm on sister station KWBA TV
58.

Jennings makes the move after a stint that included anchoring experience for
WBKO TV in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
“I am thrilled to be back home in Arizona,” said Jennings, who grew up in and
around Phoenix. “I look forward to getting out into the community and exploring all
the wonderful qualities that make Tucson a special place to call home.”

Parmigiani makes the jump from WCWF-TV in Green Bay, Wisc.
“We think their diverse experience and friendly personalities will add a wonderful
dynamic to make the show an even greater success,” said Vice-President and Journal
Tucson Television GM Jim Arnold via the press release announcing the hires.

WILL THIRD TIME BE A CHARM FOR JACKSON?

KIIM FM 99.5 Program Director and afternoon drive time host Buzz Jackson is a
finalist for CMA medium market country music personality of the year.
Again.
This is Jackson’s third Country Music Awards nomination, and he has stiff
competition from the likes of The Country Breakfast Club in Lakeland, Fla., the
Electric Barnyard in Hartford and The Kat 103.7 FM morning show in Omaha.
If he doesn’t win this time, maybe it’s time to look into a catchy name. Perhaps
going by Buzz isn’t quite enough.
The CMAs are Nov. 5. Radio personality honors usually take place a day or two
before the highly rated television awards show portion.
Jackson is not without a statue for his KIIM based DJ endeavors. He does have an
Academy of Country Music award under his belt. That occurred during his second
such nomination for that honor.

TELEMUNDO ADDS ANOTHER ARIZONA NEWSCAST

Fresh off its push to enhance news coverage on a more regional and localized level,
which took hold this summer, Telemundo will expand its news block an extra half
hour beginning Nov. 3.
The newscast will air weekdays at 4:30, and provide a localized news product to
14 Telemundo stations nationwide. Telemundo Tucson will receive news emanating
from Phoenix, just as it has since the network’s first news expansion plan too hold.

This article appears in Oct 9-15, 2014.