Angels Shift Radio Stations

Disney-owned ABC Radio announced two major moves Monday that will give one of its stations, KSPN, a big boost in the battle for supremacy among Los Angeles sports-talk radio stations.

KSPN next season will replace KLAC (570) as flagship station of the Angels as part of a five-year deal worth an estimated $25 million.

Also, effective Jan. 1, KSPN will switch signals with sister station KDIS, Radio Disney, going from 1110 on the dial to 710.

Radio Disney will go to from 710 to 1110.

Bob Kontz, the director of sales at L.A.’s four ABC Radio stations--KABC, KSPN, KDIS and KLOS--said that by switching to 50,000-watt 710, KSPN has the potential to reach an additional 2.5 million listeners, including those in Palm Springs, the San Joaquin Valley and San Diego County.

Greg Ashlock, the station manager at KLAC, said: “We tried very hard to find a way to continue our relationship. The one thing that we just couldn’t get past was the number of times the Angels were bumped from KLAC by Laker broadcasts.”

Earlier this season, with the Lakers making a run to their third consecutive NBA title, Angel broadcasts were bumped off KLAC 27 times.

The Angels are returning to a familiar frequency. The Gene Autry-owned KMPC (710) carried the Angels for 36 years.

Clear Channel, which owns KLAC and KXTA (1150), now has lost rights to both of Southern California’s major league teams.

A few months ago it was announced that the Dodgers will move from KXTA to Infinity’s KFWB (980) next season.