Bonneville influential in radio

The Salt Lake radio market ranks as the nation's 31st largest.

However, Salt Lake also is home to one of the largest radio station owners in the United States: Bonneville International Corp.

Started 42 years ago, Bonneville is headquartered in the Triad Center, 55 N. 300 West, and owns 27 radio stations (soon to be 28) — including five in Salt Lake. The company also owns one TV station, KSL-Ch. 5 in Salt Lake City.

Bruce T. Reese, president and CEO of Bonneville, said the company's size ranking varies, almost from month-to-month, depending on consolidations and mergers among U.S. radio companies.

"We're probably 11th largest now," Reese said, explaining it was 12th place until recently.

If mergers happen as they might, he believes Bonneville could be the ninth-largest U.S. radio company by next year.

Of course, ownership of 27 radio stations pales in comparison to a company like Clear Channel, which operates some 1,200 U.S. stations. But that does not mean Bonneville is without influence in the industry.

"We carry a lot more weight than our size," said Russell Banz, Bonneville director of new initiatives and technology. "Bonneville is well recognized in the industry. . . . Bonneville stands for something."

Influence and awards

He said Reese, who will surpass 10 years as Bonneville's CEO next month and has been with the company for 22 years, is chairman of the the National Association of Broadcasters' (NAB) executive committee and wields considerable influence there.

"Historically, the most successful broadcast stations are those that are invested in localism and serve listeners and viewers with quality news, public affairs and public service initiatives, and I can say without question that Bruce Reese and Bonneville embodies that spirit," said Dennis Wharton, senior vice president, corporate communications, for the NAB in Washington, D.C.

"I think a lot of the Bonneville ethic stems from Bruce Reese. He understands that you can serve the community with quality programming, provide great public service and also make a profit simultaneously."

As for Reese, he says running the company in such a way is something he enjoys.

"It's a fun business. It's a great business," Reese said.

Bonneville has received 21 "Crystal Awards" (for exemplary community service) during the past 13 years — or about 16 percent of all the awards given nationally.

"We're very proud of that and feel it's quite impressive for a company that owns less than one-fifth of 1 percent of the radio stations in the U.S. . . . ," said Craig Haslam, director of public affairs for Bonneville.