Westinghouse Broadcasting Plans to Sell ‘KJOY’ to Westwood One : SAN DIEGO COUNTY

Westwood One, one of the country’s largest radio companies, has reached an agreement to purchase KJQY-FM (103.7), best known as “KJOY,” from the Westinghouse Broadcasting Co., according to station general manager Bert Whalen.

As of press time, no details were available from Westinghouse or Westwood One.

“Since I would have liked to buy the station myself, I am disappointed in that regard,” said Whalen, who also serves as vice president for Westinghouse’s chain of FM stations. “But Westwood One will be a big opportunity for the radio station.”

KJOY, featuring a light, easy-listening format, has perennially been among the top-rated stations in San Diego. But the station’s ratings have slipped recently, as it moved to contemporize its music with a new “adult spectrum” format developed by Whalen.

Westwood One is billed as the “nation’s largest producer and distributor of radio programming and the second-largest network radio organization.” It owns the Mutual Broadcasting System, Radio and Records magazine and the NBC Radio Networks, in addition to several radio stations.

In 1989, Westwood purchased KQLZ-FM in Los Angeles and launched the successful “Pirate Radio” rock format.