New interpretation of the rules pulls plug on the crooner sound.

FABULOUS 690, L.A.'s AM haven for the lounge lizard set, will soon be history--ore victim to a new interpretation of U.S. broadcast ownership rules than a lack of loyal listeners and advertisers, according to station officials.

XETRA-AM, which transmits from a tower in Baja, is controlled by Mexican broadcaster Xetra Communications, but Clear Channel Communications Inc. has a one-third stake and handles the station's programming from its Burbank studios, home to eight other Clear Channel stations.

Under an original interpretation of the Federal Communications Act of 1996, that type of shared ownership with a foreign broadcaster didn't count toward the eight-station limit for a single market. But earlier this year, U.S. regulators informed San Antonio, Texas-based Clear Channel that the rules had changed, and it would have to divest at least one of its nine L.A. stations or face sanctions.

XETRA has a relatively small audience, so there was little incentive for Clear Channel to move the Fabulous format to one of its other stations. (Earlier this year, the Clear Channel standards station already moved from the 570 spot, which is now home to all-sports KLAC-AM.)

While Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. remain 690's mainstays, the playlist also features more contemporary artists such as Lyle Lovett, Harry Connick Jr. and Diana Krall, who were youngsters--at best--when the Rat Pack ruled.

"I have a lot of different music programmed on my radio, but when I want my Sinatra fix, I want my Sinatra fix," said Eleanor Brooks, a Sylmar marketing consultant who says she is heartbroken by the pending loss of the station's format. "I love that 690 also plays new artists doing the old standards."

Program Director Brad Chambers noted that a recent station-sponsored road trip to Las Vegas included a couple in their early 20s and another in their 80s. DJs range from Mel Torme's daughter Daisy to legends such as Gary Owens of "Laugh-In" fame and Charlie Tuna, who programs a short weekend show at Fabulous when not headlining KBIG-FM 104's weekday drive-time show.

"This music is really more a lifestyle soundtrack for our listeners," said Chambers, host of the "Martini in the Morning" weekday show.

Pop star Rod Stewart, who has several successful standards albums, has such a close relationship with the station that he nicknamed it KROD. "They're contemporary, hip, cool people who like to drink martinis, go out dancing, take in a live performance," Chambers said of the listeners.

Madrid-based Grupo Prisa has agreed to buy Clear Channel's one-third share, and pending approval by Mexican regulators, 690 will likely change to another format, yet to be announced.