KOLT was the only Wyoming radio station retained by Clear Channel in a recent sale of small market stations in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington. However, the broadcasting facility that KOLT operated out of was part of the sale, and so, Haskell said, the station had to move.
Clear Channel has a new regional broadcasting facility on I-25 in Loveland, Colo. The station moved to the new location, but Haskell insists that most everything else will remain the same.
“I think that what is trying to be implied in the market is that we’ve kind of taken our ball and bat and gone to Colorado – that’s not the case,” he said.
“Jeff Brown, who has been KOLT’s architect/program director for the past 10 years, wanted to stay with KOLT because it’s the station he loves. We are thrilled to have him,” Haskell said in a letter to the station’s advertisers.
In addition, KOLT will continue to air Day Weather. “They have always used KOLT as a flagship, and they want to continue to do so,” Haskell said. News reporting on KOLT will be through a new partnership with CBS Channel 5 in Cheyenne (KGWN).
The station’s transmitter is going to stay in Wyoming as well. The transmitter will be upgraded, and moved to a high point on Cheyenne Ridge. “With the increase in tower height and signal, it will extend our coverage area. I think most people will agree that’s a good thing.
“It is true that the rest of the announcers elected to stay with the new company,” Haskell said. “KOLT will have some new talent to team with Jeff Brown broadcasting from our I-25 facility. They are all true professionals…and they are all into embracing Cheyenne and informing Cheyenne.”
Haskell agreed that the new transmitter will likely increase listener numbers south of the border, and admitted that he views the region as extending from Cheyenne all the way to Denver. “I know a lot of people in Cheyenne gravitate to the south from time to time as well,” he said. However, he continued “my feeling is that KOLT is going to be dedicated solely to Cheyenne. We’re not going to deal with Northern Colorado content at this time.”
“The public perception has been that we’re leaving – we’re not. I just want everyone to settle down and recognize that the station they’ve come to depend on is going nowhere. We’re not budging.”
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