KLYC
radio changes ownership
By Tom Henderson, McMinnville N-R/News-Register Dec
17, 2019
Officials
at the Federal Communications Commission approved the sale of McMinnville’s
KLYC radio station last week to ProMedia Partners LLC in Charlestown, Indiana.
Wes
Simkins, the CEO of Promedia, began the process of buying KLYC in July.
He said
he was approached by previous owner Dave Adams, who needed to sell the station
and move to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to tend to family issues.
Simkins
also owns ProStreaming, a streaming company with offices in Pittsburgh. He said
he runs the company, which provides audio and video stream, as its CEO from his
home in Indiana.
He was
delighted when Adams, who purchased KLYC in 2013, approached with the chance to
buy the station, Simkins said. “I said I’d love to buy it,” he recalled. “I
like the direction the station is going.”
Simkins
met Adams because Adams used to be partners with one of ProStreaming’s clients.
Adams approached Simkins about creating streaming channels for Yamhill County
schools.
Although
Simkins doesn’t live in the area and much of KLYC’s programming will be
streamed from remote locations, the owner told the News-Register he remains
committed to giving the station a local flavor.
Brian
Eriksen, a teacher and coach at South Salem High School, serves as the
station’s sports director. The station also has a local afternoon disc jockey
and provides live coverage of Amity High School games, with Superintendent Jeff
Clark giving the play-by-play commentary.
KLYC’s
music format is adult contemporary. Basically, said Simkins, that means classic
hits. “Everything we play was a hit in its era,” he said. “We’re going to
rebrand to more of classic hits.”
KLYC has
been a part of McMinnville since 1949, originally as KMCM. The station was
established by brothers Jack and Phil Bladine, then publisher and editor,
respectively, of the Telephone-Register newspaper in McMinnville.
The
station began regular programming at 11 a.m. on June 18, 1949, with a broadcast
introduced by Mayor R.H. Windisher.
KLYC has
since gone through a series of owners. Adams was a prominent presence in the
community, videotaping McMinnville City Council meetings and assorted local
events.
Simkins
said he has no plans so far to provide such video coverage. The station offers news
through Salem Radio Network, a Texas-based service that specializes in
Christian-based news and talk show programming.
“I get
phone calls from people who say it’s like a real radio station now,” Simkins
said.
The
network partnership changes some advertising content, as well. For instance,
KLYC no longer runs ads for vaping products through syndicated services.
“Salem
Radio Network put in writing that they wouldn’t put a controversial ad on the
station like one for vaping products,” he said. “I think the vaping was a major
local issue. I felt it wasn’t a good thing to have that on KLYC radio, so we
made the change instantly.”
Through
the syndicated service, KLYC runs “One Minute in America,” a segment from
conservative Christian commentator Jerry Stewart that runs at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Often
stressing patriotism and military history, Stewart’s commentaries revolve
around what factors he thinks make America great.
“It’s a
very patriotic segment,” Simkins said. “Some people might say I’m too
conservative, but I think that’s what America was built on.”
Simkins
said he particularly likes how the segments laud America’s military forces.
“We push
veteran issues,” he said. “Their suicides rates are really high, and I want to
get to the bottom of that.”
Despite
the conservative nature of Salem Radio Network and its contributors, Simkins
said he wants to steer clear of politics.
“We hope
to never accept a political ad,” he said. “I don’t think we want to be involved
in politics in any way, shape or form.”
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