Radio stations shuffle frequencies Interference with jet systems moves Magic 107.9 down the dial. January 14, 2005 By Cristina Rodriguez crodriguez@xxxxxxxxxxx An unexplained interference with Barksdale Air Force Base jets has prompted the Cumulus Group to move its most popular radio station, Magic 107.9, to the Mix 102.9 frequency, putting 102.9's regular programming off the air for a few days until a new frequency can be started, a manager said. "The reason was that Magic, in four months, became the No. 1 radio station," C.J. Jones, Cumulus market general manager, said of the classic soul station. "It's the No. 1 ranked station according to Arbitrends in all demographics." In early December, Magic 107.9 began airing The Tom Joyner Morning Show, the No. 1 nationally syndicated urban talk show, after KDKS Hot 102.1 stopped broadcasting it. The Cumulus Group, which owns four FM stations and one AM station in the market, will launch major campaigns to advertise the station switches. Mix, a rock station, should be broadcasting on a new frequency in three or four days, Jones said. For now, Magic 102.9 is operating under the Mix's KBED call sign, but the stations soon will switch back to their original call signs. Magic's call sign originally was KVMA. Officials with the radio stations, Barksdale and the regulatory agencies couldn't figure out what was causing the interference with airplanes' instrument landing system frequency. At certain altitudes, 107.9 and an east Texas urban station not owned by Cumulus, 106.9, interfered with the Barksdale frequency, Jones said. "When aircraft can't land with instrument landings, that's a real problem, and we've had just terrible weather which exacerbated it, but regardless it was still an issue," he said. "The Air Force and the FAA and the FCC looked at it for weeks, attempting to resolve the problem." Staff Sgt. Kristina Barrett at Barksdale said officials aren't commenting on the interference issue because there's an ongoing investigation with the FAA and the FCC. "A clear signal is needed for proper flight operations and we're confident an equitable resolution can be reached," she said. Jones said the 107.9 frequency has been in full compliance with federal guidelines. "(The problem) should not have been there, and nobody could quite figure out how to get (it) corrected," Jones said. "We ran out of time." --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? All your favorites on one personal page ? Try My Yahoo!