Denver would seem an unlikely place to launch not one but two radio stations.
The fact that there already are more than 40 stations in the market hasn’t discouraged Los Angeles-based investor Luis G. Nogales or his spokesman/operating partner Steve Keeney.
For the bargain-basement price of $29.5 million, Nogales, one-time CEO of United Press International and former president of the Spanish-language network Univision, is in the process of purchasing KSIR 107.1-FM in Bennett and KBRU 101.5-FM in Fort Morgan with the intention of beaming them into the Denver market.
Nogales, a graduate of Stanford Law and a White House Fellow, where his roommate was Colin Powell, has been a member of numerous of business and charitable boards. But he is not a radio man, which is why he has Keeney, whose experience in Denver radio stretches back to 1970.
Keeney and Nogales crossed paths in Portland, Ore., where Keeney managed Nogales’ only other station for 3 1/2 years. “It was a good working relationship,” Keeney said. “He gave the staff a lot of autonomy.”
KSIR and KBRU are “move-ins,” stations existing near a metro area that turn up the power to reach into bigger cities. Testing the new signals will begin in several weeks, and the hope is that they’ll be up and running full-time by year’s end.
Keeney, who most recently labored as vice president with Infinity Broadcasting in Denver, said the stations’ formats are still up in the air. The company will do research, looking for a hole in what’s currently offered on the Denver airwaves.
But given Nogales’ past associations and heritage it is likely that at least one of the stations will be devoted to the rapidly expanding Spanish-language market. Denver already has three AM and two FM Latino stations.
Keeney, operating partner of Denver Radio Co., is tickled to be back in the business. “I’m thrilled, especially because it’s Denver, which is home,” he said. “And I’m building something from scratch. If it doesn’t work, it’s my fault.”
Around the dial
Woo-hoo! The sixth season of “The Simpsons,” 25 episodes – including “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” – comes out on DVD on Aug. 16. … Travel Channel’s Peter Greenberg broadcasts his radio show live from the Telluride Culinary Arts Festival from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13. … KRFC 88.9-FM tossing “Radio Days 2005,” a fundraiser for itself with a 12-hour live music concert from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Aug. 13 at Avogadro’s Number in Fort Collins. … FSN Rocky Mountain kicks off its coverage of Big 12 football with Texas meeting Louisiana-Lafayette on Sept. 3. … Quotable: “Put all your eggs in one basket – and watch that basket.” Mark Twain
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
