Christian station purchased by management

Vision Communications Inc. Sept. 7 announced it had completed its purchase of contemporary Christian radio station KADI 99.5 FM from Snowmen Broadcasting Inc.

R.C. Amer, president of Vision Communications, said the sale has been approved by the Federal Communications Commission, and closed Aug. 31.

Amer said Vision Communications operated the station , located at 1601 W. Sunshine, Ste. D, for six years prior to the sale under a time brokerage agreement with the FCC.

"It's not a lease, actually. It's where you pay a fee and have 24 hours a day of the time available to program. It's a standard FCC instrument," Amer said.

Amer said he and his wife Karen began Vision Communications Inc. for the specific purpose of operating, and acquiring KADI.

He said the time brokerage agreement included the option to purchase the station.

Amer said he'd like to see KADI grow, and he and his wife are looking at the possibility of expanding the station's facility.

"We don't foresee any drastic changes in programming, but we want to accelerate our community involvement and become more visible in the marketplace, which should bring up the awareness factor," he said.

Amer said when KADI went on the air in 1990, the market wasn't as competitive as it is today.

"We've probably had a dozen stations come on the air since then, so everybody has to kind of get out there and fight for recognition. I think it's a problem that all stations are facing," Amer said.

KADI has an advertising sales manager and a five-member sales staff, as well as office and on-air personnel.

Amer said the station usually has between 12 and 15 staff members, both full- and part-time, depending on need.

He said KADI is the only commercial Christian radio station in town others sell sponsorships rather than actual advertising and he said as far as he knows, KADI is the only locally owned, stand-alone FM radio station in the local market.

He said KADI reserves the right to refuse advertising that doesn't fit with the image the station is trying to project, but he said the ad staff's efforts have resulted in an advertising retention rate of about 80 percent on an annual basis.

"Our goal is to get results for the advertisers, not just to take their money and run. We really concentrate on getting verifiable results," he said.

"Our main slogan on the radio is Positive Hit Radio,' and of course, our idea there is that the music we play carries a positive message. At times it can be a life-changing message, but we try to package it in a way that would make it palatable for any listener who might be scanning the dial."