River Runs Through Billings
• Veteran programmer Mike Summers checks in from beautiful Billings, Montana, where he has been busy launching a new Triple A station — non-comm 88.9 KYWH (Montana’s River) is in the process of being acquired by nonprofit Wasatch Community Media, headed by Summers as President. The signal and its associated translator at 107.1 was owned by Fresh Life Church, and Wasatch began operating the station on May 1 via LMA as the transaction heads for a closing.
“It’s the best sounding thing I’ve ever programmed,” said Summers, who spent a large chunk of his radio career in Salt Lake City, including 11 years at the helm of Simmons’ KXRK (X96), and KJQ, one of the market’s first Alternative stations. From 2011-2013 he programmed Cumulus Alternative KENZ (101.9 The End). He will now serve as GM and PD of The River, which will play “an eclectic mix of rock ‘n’ roll” from artists like U2, Counting Crows, Bruce Springsteen, Natalie Merchant, R.E.M., Coldplay, David Bowie, etc.
Summers says the station will operate largely automated for the next few months and may begin adding staff later in the year. Montana’s River is now streaming for your enjoyment — crank it up at montanasriver.org. Industry inquiries can be directed to montanasriver@gmail.com.
