KBET-AM GETS FORMAT CHANGE THAT INCLUDES ROCK AND RICK DEES.

Byline: Jason Takenouchi Staff Writer

A surprise shake-up at KBET-AM (1220), the only Santa Clarita Valley-based radio station, has made rock music and Rick Dees a permanent part of the broadcaster's lineup.

KBET will keep a popular morning sports talk show with Jim Rome and will continue to broadcast local and national sports games, said station manager Sharon Bronson. The station also will keep its local weekend programming and daily weather, news and traffic reports.

But Bronson said the remainder of KBET's weekday lineup has been switched from sports talk to music and a morning show with Rick Dees. The new format is broadcast by KIIS-FM (102.7), a popular Los Angeles station.

KIIS and KBET are owned by Clear Channel Communications Inc., a San Antonio-based media giant that bought KBET last year. Clear Channel also owns KXTA-AM (1150), the station that provided sports talk programming for KBET before the changeover.

Bronson said the station changed format Friday morning after a call from Clear Channel managers.

``There wasn't a lot of notice,'' Bronson said. ``We got the phone call on Thursday that the switch would take place Friday.''

Officials with Clear Channel said the change was spurred by a recent Arbitron report that showed KIIS with exceptionally strong ratings.

``Given those strong ratings, we decided it might make sense to offer the KIIS-FM product to Santa Clarita,'' said Jim Murphy, regional controller for Clear Channel's 20 stations in the Los Angeles-Santa Barbara region.

Clear Channel also owns KAVS-FM (97.7) and KAVL-AM (610) in the Antelope Valley. KAVS plays the KIIS format, and KAVL runs the KXTA sports format.

Because Clear Channel owns just one station in the Santa Clarita area, Murphy said, it made sense to meld the two formats - KXTA and KIIS - at KBET.

``We decided to combine what we think are some very strong products that Clear Channel owns or has access to in Los Angeles,'' he said. ``The formats aren't incongruent.''

The change has concerned some callers, said Bronson, the station manager.

``We've gotten many calls from listeners, mostly men,'' she said. ``You do not take sports away from a man.''

But Bronson said she allayed many callers' concerns by pointing out that KBET will continue to broadcast the Jim Rome show, Dodgers games and other sports events.