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See you on the other side ...Port Arthur News staff photo by Brian VincentChristian radio personality Jeff Roberts does his morning show from the KTFA studios in Beaumont.Christian radio station moving to AM dialBy SUSAN MARTINEZPort Arthur News Staff WriterBEAUMONT - See you on the other side.That’s what the folks atKTFA 92.5 FM — the onlv lo-• •onFM — are saying to faithful listeners after officials announced they’ll move to the AM dial.After 18 years of live talk, interview's, southern gospel and laughs with radio personality Jeff Roberts and the crew on FM, station manager and founder Ralph McBride sold the signal for an undisclosed amount of money to the multi-formatted Clear Channel Radio.Clear Channel, based in San Antonio, owns four signals in its Beaumont market on the FM dial, including KIOC-FM106.1; KKMY-FM 104.5; KLVI-AM 560; and KYKR-FM 95.1.The company takes to the airwaves in all 50 states and owns about 1,170 U.S. radiostations, according to its Website.“Number one, Team Radio has sold the 92.5 signal,” said Joe Shannon, KTFA salesmanager. “Number two, we didnot sell KTFA. It just has noplace to go right now, but it will be back.”In the meantime, Shannon said radio personality Roberts will go to sister station 1340 KOLE AM to continue his talkshow, which has become a signature product of the Christian radio station.Locally owned Team Radio currently comprises 1150 AM KUHD, 1340 AM KOLE and92.5 FM KTFA, all Christianformats.Shannon said, contrary to rumors circulating, station officials were not beating down listeners’ doors to pay the bills.“That's not the reason for selling. It’s because we got a lot of money for it. We see how we can do much more for the direction we are going, Shannon said.“There’s things you can come back and do different. We’ll be able to do a lot better job of getting out the Gospel ”According to radio officials. Clear Channel bought the signal about three weeks ago and is currently reviewing proposals concerning which stationwill replace 92.5 FM.Randy Bush, Clear Channel’s general manager of the Beaumont office, could not bereached for comment at press time.In the interim, Team Radio may look to buy other signals■ -agr .on the FM dial while it continues programming on 1150AM.Station employees will wrap up advertising for the station by Sept. 12 and stay on air until they say a final prayer onthe FM dial on Sept. 17.“We all love KTFA,” said Shannon. “But we are following Ralph (McBride) because he’s the leader and there’s better times ahead. I’m comfortable with the fact that it will be better and serve the community even more (in tin* future).“They (listeners) just have to trust us and be faithful to us. We had a good following... you haven’t heard the last of KTFA.” said Shannon.
Newspaper Details
Port Arthur News
Port Arthur, Texas, US
Mon, Aug 20, 2001
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Sammi B.
NA 25 Aug 2022
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