Billings Radio: Benedetti Stations Now Locally O&O

Two and a half years after buying five Billings radio stations, University of Wyoming graduate Pete Benedetti has turned the operation of his last four Billings, Montana stations are now locally owned and operated..

Hometown radio rocker Kurt Anthony, who launched KBXI Mojo 92.5 FM, a (100kw) classic rock station, in 2009, is kicking off his second Billings radio venture. According to the billingsgazette.com, Anthony is changing rock station KYSX “The X” 105.1 (6 kw, CP for 100kw) , into a station he’s calling Twang. To make his expanded playlist of 1,800 songs, the artist needs to play “twang guitar” like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Hank Sr. and Jr.

“I found a format that wasn’t being served. Nobody else is live. Nobody else is playing what I’m playing,” he said.

Anthony and Allen “The Moose Man” Moos will work their usual early morning live gigs. Twang’s morning personalities will be Jeff Howell and Matt Brubacker.

Veteran Montana broadcaster Terry Strickland took over management of the other three remaining Benedetti Media Group stations in Billings.

Both Strickland and Anthony signed contracts with options to eventually buy the broadcast licenses. Benedetti moved to Denver to run radio stations there and to be closer to his family, Strickland said.

Strickland, who has worked in radio mostly in Montana for a quarter century, called this opportunity a “dream come true.”

“We are locally operated, and I think that carries a lot of weight, especially in Montana,” she said, whose corporate name is Radio Billings.

Strickland is hiring more on-air and sales employees, but plans no musical chairs for her three FM stations: KEWF The Wolf 98.5, KRPM Magic 107.5 and KRSQ Hot 101.9.  All with 100,000 watts.

“They are very, very successful formats,” she said.

Benedetti’s fifth Billings station, KGHL-AM, was sold last year to Billings broadcasters Taylor & Shannon Brown.

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