BROADCASTERS BEGIN MEETING IN ANAHEIM

What can--and cannot--be uttered over the airwaves?

How does an enterprising radio- station owner parlay a broadcast license into $100 million?

What are the nation’s 10 best radio stations?

Delegates from more than 5,000 U.S. radio stations seeking the answers to those and other questions open a three-day National Assn. of Broadcasters radio conference today at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Beginning with a 9 a.m. presentation of the association’s Crystal Awards for the nation’s 10 best stations, the “Radio ‘87” conference will address legal, engineering, management and programming issues.

Panel discussions range from this afternoon’s look at new radio formats--such as the so-called New Age music format of “The Wave” (KTWV-FM, 94.7) in Los Angeles--to a Friday debate between “traditional deejays” and “hot jocks” who found themselves in hot water five months ago when the Federal Communications Commission cracked down on indecent speech on the radio.

KFI-AM (640) morning veteran Gary Owens is scheduled to lead the traditionalists while “hot jocks” Carolyn Fox of WHJY-FM in Providence, R.I., and “Moby” of KEGL-FM in Ft. Worth defend their right to shock and titillate on the radio.

Milton Maltz, co-founder of Cleveland-based Malrite Communications, will offer his testimonial Friday on how he made $100 million in the broadcasting business.

Friday afternoon, correspondent Douglas Edwards will receive the association’s lifetime achievement award for his 45 years as a radio and television reporter for CBS. Edwards, 70, began his career as a CBS radio correspondent during World War II and still anchors “World News Tonight” each weekday for the CBS Radio Network.