KRLA sold, Jackson looking for home
Disney plans future of station: ESPN Radio
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Jackson spent more than 30 years at KABC-AM before being pushed out of his drivetime afternoon slot and onto the weekends in the late '90s.
Now that it has purchased KRLA, KABC owner Disney/ABC plans to turn the station into an outlet for ESPN Radio and drop its current format, which also includes local host Ira Fistell and syndicated talkers Don Imus, G. Gordon Liddy and Dr. Toni Grant. (Afternooners Minyard & Minyard had already been dropped in favor of infomercials.)
Jackson said he believed his show will continue until the end of the year, which coincides with the end of his contract. The host said he turned down an offer to rejoin KABC but is mulling other offers.
"It will be two years with the nicest group of people I have ever worked with," Jackson said of his impending departure from KRLA.
Meanwhile, another CBS/Infinity station -- alt rocker KROQ-FM --was the big winner in the recently released summer Los Angeles Arbitron ratings.
KROQ jumped to a 4.9 rating during the latest ratings period, making it the market's highest-rated English-language station (KIIS is tied with KROQ when its AM simulcast KVVS is included.) Overall, Spanish-lingo KSCA-FM remains tops in the market, with a 5.9 rating.
KROQ has been on a roll since last fall, when the station clocked a 3.9 rating. Since then, the station has benefited from less competition (the demise of KLYY-FM "Y107" and more recently, KACD/KBCD "Channel 103.1") and the currently hot rock-and-rap trend (Eminem, Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock).
Other stations posting gains in the latest book include hip-hop outlet KPWR, adult contemporary KOST, modern AC KYSR, rhythmic oldies KCMG, hot AC KBIG and urban contemporary KKBT.
