Friday, June 16, 2006

Very big news for me!

Here is the press release. Not much more to say except how pleased and thankful I am!

CONTACT: Grant Merrill, Director of Operations

Gordon Heiges, President/CEO

LITTLE ROCK – A brand new statewide network has launched and is returning popular radio personality Pat Lynch to terrestrial airwaves as of this week.
The Arkansas Priority Radio Network will be anchored by Little Rock station KDXE 1380 AM as the station entered into an affiliation agreement earlier this week. As of Wednesday July 5 th, the station will air APRN's "Arkansas AM" with Grant Merrill from 6 AM to 9 AM and Lynch's Pat Classic from 9 AM to 11 AM. This follows similar affiliation agreements with stations in Searcy, Newport, El Dorado, and Fort Smith. The Arkansas Priority Radio Network was home to the widely publicized radio debate between attorney general candidates Dustin McDaniel and Paul Suskie earlier this week.
This network concept was developed by Merrill and Lynch more than a year ago when both were out of the radio business. "Our goal was to provide Arkansas based programming for affiliate radio stations in multiple markets, because outside of the sports arena, nothing like this existed." Grant Merrill said. "You see shows like Chuck Barrett's and Randy Rainwater's that have a huge impact on Razorback fans, but there is no reason that the same concept can't work in news and politics."
Over the past year, Lynch's show has been distributed via internet outlet WAI Radio. Merrill joined the company full-time in February after helping launch KFPW 94.5 FM, the Fort Smith market's only FM news/talk station in 2005. Longtime market personality Carole Kramer joins as Lynch's producer and the company traffic director.
On the sales and management side, APRN is owned and operated by longtime market executive Gordon Heiges , who is widely known for helping develop several successful music stations in Little Rock. Along with Heiges, longtime radio executive Ray Daugherty joins as Vice President of Sales.
"We're more than excited. We're elated!" Heiges said in an on-air announcement Friday morning.


The Arkansas Priority Radio Network airs programming on the following stations:

KDXE 1380 AM – Little Rock
KFPW 1230 AM/94.5 FM – Fort Smith/Van Buren
KHGG 1580 AM/103.1 FM – Fort Smith/Van Buren
KMRX 96.1 FM – El Dorado/Camden/Magnolia
KELD 106.5 FM – El Dorado/Camden/Magnolia
KAGL 93.3 FM – El Dorado/Camden/Magnolia
KSMD 99.1 FM/KWCK 1300 AM – Searcy
KAPZ 710 AM – Bald Knob
KAWW 1370 AM – Heber Springs
KNBY 1280 AM – Newport

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