What changes will come in 2010?

What changes in local radio could be coming in 2010?

It's all a guessing game, but here are some possibilities:

Citadel Broadcasting will either go through a reorganization bankruptcy or it will sell off many of its stations. Since Citadel owns or manages nine stations in the Salt Lake market, it is likely that sales/changes will loom for at least some of those stations.

The most likely change an average listener would notice is if a favorite DJ were axed. Citadel looks to be moving toward more national voice tracking to save money, meaning it's a possibility that some local personalities could be let go.

KSL radio and TV, KRSP and KSFI are spinning off Bonneville International as a separate, Salt Lake radio/TV group. This could perhaps lead to a stronger emphasis on "local" for these stations. Also, the public is likely to see more collaborations between these sister stations than ever before.

Big radio contests are no longer local anymore. Clear Channel, in particular, has developed contests that involve numerous stations — including some outside Utah. Look for this trend to expand.

Look for even more stations/DJs to use Facebook, Twitter and Web sites than ever before.

If the economy and advertising don't improve significantly in 2010, look for some layoffs or reductions in pay and benefits

RADIO HAPPENINGS: KBYU (FM-89.1) will air the Cathedral of the Madeleine Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 9 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 25, noon. For more details, go to www.classical89.org for more details.

— Four Wisconsin FM stations were knocked off the air last week by a severe winter storm. Some radio station towers there were described as a "239-foot icicle," according to Inside Radio. In the Salt Lake area, the majority of FM stations have their transmitters on Farnsworth Peak in the Oquirrh Mountains. Once in a great a while a single FM station will go dark for a while, but I don't recall a storm knocking out any radio stations in Utah.

TWENTY YEARS AGO IN SALT LAKE RADIO: Charles Osgood visits Salt Lake City and KSL radio. ... KUER and KUED-TV move to the new Eccles Broadcast Center. … KKBX radio switches from a Christian format to an all-Spanish format.

e-mail: lynn@desnews.com