Carl Wolfson Will Be Heard in Downtown Portland This Fall

XRAY.FM finalizes deal to take over KZME

WOLFSON
By AARON MESH

The ink is dry on the deal to quadruple the signal reach of radio startup XRAY.FM.

WW reported in June that rock-and-talk station KXRY-FM 91.1—better known as XRAY.FM—was in talks to merge with indie-rock station KZME-FM 107.1, taking over a 90-watt station in the West Hills.

The Portland Mercury reported last week that XRAY and KZME formally approved the deal. Today, officials from both stations announced further details.

"XRAY.fm is dedicated to building a station worthy of Portland," station directors Jenny Logan and Jefferson Smith wrote in a statement, "and this is a great leap forward for us."  

The merger would guarantees that progressive talk hosts Carl Wolfson and Thom Hartmann reach a larger audience—including in downtown Portland, where XRAY.FM's Rocky Butte signal didn't reach. 

"Portland deserves more Portland radio," Wolfson told WW in June, "and they're going to get it."

Clear Channel removed commercial progressive talk radio from the Portland dial.

Rob Brading, CEO of KZME owner MetroEast Community Media, told WW in June that KZME wasn't turning a profit with local music.

Today's announcement gives some details on what will happen to KZME's shows and equipment. Here's what the stations released:

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