Springfield Leader and Press from Springfield, Missouri • 125

New station debuts Broadcast in notes By Patti Dutcher Everything you want in a radio station, as welt as everything you don't want, arrived in Springfield at 9 07 a m. Saturday. At least that's what Rich Nichols, station manager for KXUS 97, airing on FM frequency 97, has promised. "We are here to be the dominant radio station in the marketplace, to provide the broadest based musical program in an uncluttered environment," said Nichols. After an extensive, concise, demographic study of listener In the Springfield area, US-97 determined exactly what Springfield and area listeners want from their newest station, as well as what they don't want.

Nichols said. "It's not only what you hear (that makes us different), but what you won't bear. "We've removed all the Irritants," explained Nichols, thus leaving only quality programming Exactly what that programming is though is up to you. the listener, to describe. "The format Is progressive adult." said Nichols, and that'f as much explanation as I could obtain.

Labels are a no-no, and so programming description will have to come from your own perceptions of the programs themselves. Aa for "Our programming personnel are informative said Nichols. Recruiting was done on national level" and personalities are new to the area. The new station offers the first real challenge in term of broadcast power to KWTO-FM. C'S-97 la owned by Big Chief Broadcasting, whose holding alio include Z103-FM and WMBH-AM in Jo-plin.

KKEG FM and KFAY-FM In Fayettevitle. and the cable television advertising firm. Target Vision, with 13 markets la Oklahoma, Missouri. Arkansas and Kansas, A brand new nation to the marketplace, US-97 "broadcasts on 100,000 watts. 24 hours a day with full stereo capacity encompassing ail new state of the art fi-dtiity equipment, including some that has not been utilized In the area before," said Nichols.

'Technically, the ''For instance, this fall BBC will offer a minor in communications. Christian stations are a viable area in the ministry today, and with the station we will be able to involve the students in mass communications." Next weekend is popcorn time While retail establishments usually celebrate their arrival with a "grand opening" sale of sorts, television stations often initiate new programming or have some type of holiday weekend to welcome their new owners. is the case as Telepictures rearranges the furniture and moves in new equipment at independent station KSPR (airing on channel 33 OX2). Telepictures recently purchased KSPR from former owners Springfield Television and Associates. While updated, program schedules won't be announced until April, the first phase of the celebration begins Saturday with a 48-hour movie marathon.

"It's called 'Starpower Spectacular said Cindy Skidmore, KSPR program coordinator, "and airs from 7 a m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Monday morning (April 1). "There will be popcorn breaks with a brief intermission between movies and occasionally within a movie. "We tried to pick fun movies, not necessarily heavy dramas, just a bunch of fun, good, clean movies," said Skidmore.

"And of course we tried to air them at the right time of day. Scary movies will run late, relaxing movies will air Saturday morning, and high action shows like 'Defiance' with Jan Michael Vincent will run during prime time." As we await final program changes. Skidmore has station utilizes all newly developed audio equipment to provide the truest sound reproduction possible, crystal promised, quite a few surprises, clear fidelity ifl stereo reception and digital disc qual- "I see a great change," said Skidmore, "not necessarily ity In the philosophy of the station, but the transmitter With 12 years In the broadcasting industry, Nichols will be more powerful for a clearer screen image. We formerly served four years as general sales manager for want to be the station for the Ozarks, and we like to the JopUn stations. think that our station programs that way.

we re real receptive to what people here want to see." Skidmore, who has been with KSPR for about eight months, graduated from Southwest Missouri State University with a degree in commercial recreation. KWFC is gone, but only temporarily At midnight last Sunday. KWFC completed its last program on FM frequency 97 3. the frequency now occupied by KXUS. However, the Baptist Bible College station is only lemporarily off the air.

After airing religious programming for almost 16 years, KWFC plans to return to the airwaves soon. Station Manager Bit! Askew explains. "While we auld Uxe to return to the air on our April 17 anniversary date, the earliest air date that 1 realistically plan on is May 1." Once the new transmitter is completed, KWFC will tgln operating on 50,000 watts as a noncommercial station on FM frequency 89. 1. Askew said, "Wt can accomplish our purposes on a n-commercial channel very well.

We will continue to provide format of religious music and religious programming, and be tied in more strongly with the educational format of BBC Itself. Latest tribute to Ozark life airs At 7 p.m. Wednesday, KY-3 (DOB) is airing an all-new "Best of Ozark Life" special, written, photographed and produced by award-winning photojoumalist Ed Fillmer. "Ozark Life," a regular feature of Action News, re ceived the National Association of television Programming Executives "Iris" award for excellence in 1984. Segments on this newest edition include a look at those strangely named Missouri towns, the ruins of a nearby castle, a sailing regatta and an Arkansas train ride as seen from the dining car; Patti Dutcher is editor of The News-LeaAer TV Cable VIEW magazine.

nuNnreittdtf fcy, March 34, ItU.