Sometimes the biggest moves in radio aren’t flashy acquisitions or headline-making format flips.
Sometimes they’re strategic signal swaps that quietly improve coverage where it matters most.
That’s exactly what’s happening in Denver and San Diego, where iHeartMedia and Crawford Broadcasting have reached an agreement to exchange FM translators, giving two established AM stations an upgraded presence on the FM dial.
Under the agreement, iHeartMedia will acquire 100.7 FM (K264BO) in Denver. Once the transaction is complete, the translator will begin rebroadcasting 630 KHOW, bringing the station’s conservative talk programming to an FM audience for the first time on that signal.
In exchange, Crawford Broadcasting will receive 103.3 FM (K277DH) in San Diego. The translator will shift from carrying iHeart’s 1360 The Patriot (KLSD) to rebroadcasting 1240 KNSN, which already simulcasts KBRT from Southern California.
For Crawford, the move creates an opportunity to strengthen and optimize its FM coverage in the San Diego market by pairing the newly acquired translator with its existing 103.3 FM facility.
For iHeartMedia, the transaction gives KHOW another opportunity to reach listeners where AM-only stations increasingly face listening challenges, particularly inside office buildings, homes, and newer vehicles where FM accessibility continues to offer a competitive advantage.
These types of agreements rarely generate national headlines.
But inside the broadcast business, they’re often some of the smartest moves companies make.
No new stations.
No new formats.
Just two broadcasters finding a way to make existing signals work harder.
It’s another reminder that in radio, sometimes the most valuable asset isn’t the programming.
It’s where listeners can hear it.
#iHeartMedia #CrawfordBroadcasting #KHOW #KLZ #KBRT #KNSN #DenverRadio #SanDiegoRadio #FMTranslator #BroadcastEngineering #RadioBusiness #RadioNews #OnTheDial
On The Dial covers breaking radio industry news, including layoffs, programming changes, talent moves, and broadcast trends across the United States.