1284068269-lars_attack.jpg

Just when you thought Portland radio couldn’t get any crappier, everyone’s favorite inflammatory local AM talk radio host is coming to prime-time, baby, all the way to FM!

Regular listeners of KUFO radio (uh… Korn fans?) got a shock this morning as 101.1 FM suddenly changed over to the conservative talk radio station formerly known as 750 KXL. The rock station that used to be home to Papa Roach’s greatest hits now welcomes Glenn Beck and Lars Larson, Portland radio conglomerate Alpha Communications announced this morning.

Alpha Communications is run by old dude radio mogul Larry Wilson and has six radio stations in Portland: KXL FM/AM, KXTG (“the game”), KINK (“True to the music”), and KUPL (“When it comes to country, nobody does it like 98.7 KUPL”), and KXHD (I think the slogan of this station is honestly, “Let Freedom Ring”). Wilson made his riches by conglomerating radio stations into bland, financially valuable masses; he bought those six stations with the $2 billion he made selling off his old company, Citadel, which owned 205 stations in 42 cities.

Since Wilson took over the Portland stations, they have moved into a shiny, new, corporate-sponsored office and promptly fired long-time KUFO and KINK hosts.

In closing, check out ex-KUFO host Fatboy Roberts’ thoughts on the news.

Sarah Shay Mirk reported on transportation, sex and gender issues, and politics at the Mercury from 2008-2013. They have gone on to make many things, including countless comics and several books.

31 replies on “KUFO is Out! Lars Larson and Glenn Beck are In!”

  1. I imagine there will be a few dudes with over-sized black t-shirts, long goatees and backwards baseball caps that might be pissed off about this.

    Seriously though, that’s like adding shit to Korn.

  3. KUFO was a Portland institution and I hate to see it go. Yes, most of the stuff they played was crap, but they also had some interesting shows like Viva la Luna (a wonderful outlet for local bands of all types), and Ground Zero with Clyde Lewis.
    Ever since the station shook things up last year, and got rid of Court and Fatboy, you could tell things were not going so well for them.
    I guess now we’re stuck with just NRK…..ugh.

  4. If you’ve never listened to Lars before you should give it a try. Forget what you have “heard” about him; actually give him a couple of days of your listening time. Lars has guests representing ALL points of view. If you lean conservative you will find yourself agreeing with much of what he says. If you lean liberal, you will learn how conservatives think and gain a better understanding of their positions. Either way you come away with a deeper understanding of local issues.

  6. Alpha Communications? Did they buy out Alpha Broadcasting? And the last time I looked, there was no KXHD (or did Alpha Communications change KXFD when they took over Alpha Broadcasting)? Next time, try checking your facts.

  9. Sarah, KUFO played other stuff besides Korn and Papa Roach. As mentioned above,the Viva La Luna show played a lot of cool local stuff that your paper won’t even write about. Ivan De Prume’s “Metalopolis” show also brought a lot of more underground metal to the airwaves that ordinarily wouldn’t get airplay on standard commercial formats.
    But the most telling sign of KUFO’s slide into irrelevance came with the canning of Cort and Fatboy. Those guys were local fixtures and brought a lot of personality to the broadcast booth.
    I can’t stand talk radio. Gimme somethin’ heavy!

  10. I already hated Lars Larson so this is just one more reason but I see this as a movement to stop FM music brodcasting just like they did with AM a long time ago. Now you must pay for some sort of digital service to hear what Lars and all of his buddies don’t want you to hear. who ever did this probibly has alot of stock in Apple Itunes as well as various internet providers. I’m telling everyone I know to start slaming everyone who was involved in this.

  12. That’s too bad.

    Clyde Lewis on Ground zero radio had a lot of independent commentary and research regarding politics and alternative news. All gone?

    Why do Lars and Beck need 2 stations, AM and FM? Talk about conspiracy theories, this one tops them all. Mainstream giants taking over local alternative and independent stations in 1 day to crush free thinking and cool music. Screw Mr. Wilson.

  15. First they blow their ratings by firing Rick Emerson and Cort & Fatboy, and now they think they’ll win Portlanders back with Glenn Beck? They might as well light the building on fire for the insurance money.

  17. @potus52 I listen to Lars regularly, and your assessment of him is ludicrous. He’s a well-paid shill for whatever the big-money cause du jour is, and he’s just smart enough to avoid jumping on the bandwagon of easily-identified looniness that Limbaugh and Beck often spew. When he does have “guests representing ALL points of view,” he doesn’t ever let them finish a thought and has a long history of cutting mics when someone disagrees with him.

    Plus, word on the street from his first wife is that he’s abusive. So, there’s that.

  18. @Oregometry You better hope Lars doesn’t read that last comment, or he’ll SUE your ass! You’re are SO SUE Oregometry!

    Also, I heard that Lars likes watching videos of kittens being smashed by women in high heels–allegedly.

  19. @Chundy: You better hope Lars doesn’t read that last comment, or he’s SUE youz ass! Your is SO DUES Chundy!

  20. LARS and Glenn beck in Portland are you serious! you idiots wrong town this is one of the most liberal towns in the country we don’t need or want your crap on our airwaves they where on Am because thats where they belong. Big concerts bring in money for the city don’t you people realize that certain entertainers will not come to portland since they have no way of promoting it anymore. this station is just another wasted spot on the dial.

  21. I would rather listen to the John Tesh for 4 days straight than listen to conservative radio. I think KUFO’s program should move to replace AM Larson.

  22. I dunno about you guys but I donated $50 to WFMU last week and listen to their stream at least four hours a day. Good radio (and all good content, really) will always exist although the distribution and medium always change.

    Lar, fair and balanced… where have I heard that one before?

  27. Does anyone remember KVAN Radio? It was quadriphonic sound with Bob Enchetta. We heard Blue Orster Cult first and second albums there and nowhere else. Bob went to KGON. Iris Harrison and Bob have been there since the beginning. My point is, the need is still there for the type of radio listeners to hear the other types of music, not just classic rock from KGON. Seattle has several more rock stations than PDX does. We will have to wait and see where and when the KUFO performers are back. KEX didn’t have to pull a brain transformation shocking its listeners into recruitment to talk radio and religious right wing consertitive crap. It is just like them to treat us listeners like children who play the music our parents don’t like and change the channel without warning us. KEX can choke on themselves for what they did. Come back KUFO. Come back hard and strong. Come back whatever you are named. We will find you. Don’t give up! We need more than one radio station. Alternitive is another but, still not KUFO. Oldies is too old and I’m 52 years old. When did they start calling Rock Classic? It wasn’t called Classic Rock in the beginning with KGON. Help me, I’m dazed and confused. Must seek help through You Tube Videos and LIVE365 Internet. If radio is going to be hijacked, I don’t want to hear it. I will go elsewhere. So take that KEX!!!

  28. The point to all of this is that KUFO was the last station of it’s kind in Portland. It doesn’t matter who took it over. Now there’s nothing on the air for anyone who listens to anything heavy. It’s embarassing. This town that I love is being over run by pussies. I guess the world is changing, and I’m sure Internet radio is coming up with alternatives to the fm dial, but it’s still bullshit. Thanks alot hipsters and liberals for further fucking up my home town.

  30. I seldom listened to KUFO. And I suspect that the only reason they are now gone is that their business model sucked. In other words, they were probably making less money than the pan-handlers on the freeway ramps.

Comments are closed.