RADIO

Roberts Redux: Stations KSRF-FM and KOCM-FM were purchased today by Ken Roberts, the former owner of KROQ-FM, for $17.8 million. The two stations occupy the same dial position--103.1--but KSRF is based in Santa Monica and KOCM is based on Newport Beach. Formerly the stations, which had both played adult contemporary music, had interfered with each other’s signals. Roberts plans to simulcast the two stations so that the same programming will be heard on both stations, thus reaching a wide range of listeners from Orange County through Los Angeles County. Roberts, who owned KROQ from 1972 to 1986 before he sold the station to Infinity Broadcasting Corp. for $45 million, said that he may change the station’s format but has not firmly decided what format he will choose yet. The industry buzz points to a progressive rock format.