Salt Lake Earthquake

[amanuensis]

... throughout the day our news teams and the combined effort of the Deseret News and KSL newsroom reported record traffic to our websites, deseret.com and KSL.com.

KSL NewsRadio became an immediate source of information, despite the initial loss of power to our newsroom. We ran on auxiliary power until restoration about 5 p.m. that day. KSL-TV reporters went live for hours, initially broadcasting from a parking lot as they too overcame power issues.

In an earthquake and during the pandemic of COVID-19, it’s all-hands-on-deck to cover the news.

www.deseret.com/utah/2020/3/21/21187228/magna-earthquake-salt-lake-coronavirus-covid-19

Some behind the scenes information.

[seattlefollower]

As no one mentioned it, Alpha Media's 1600 AM was off for a time until Rocky Mountain Power was able to restore power to the Redwood Road corridor.
The other two stations main transmitters were likely broadcasting open carriers, as again, there was no power at the studios.

[kenglish]

I'm wondering what kind of "power issues" KSL had at the studios.
The backup power system is capable of running a minimal number of studio lights. Most equipment is on the emergency power, although it's digital and needs minutes to re-boot.
There was no "transmitter damage", as reported on their social media pages...just a loss of programming from the studio for a few minutes.

[CAwasinNJ]

Since these are social media posts could the explanation have been simplified so as not to confuse the average reader who doesn't understand all this technical stuff?

I'm also a little confused about the digital equipment needing to reboot. Is there not a UPS setup in addition to the generator(s)?

[drpepper]

AT seattlefollower: as for KZMG and KDUT, their boosters may have had open carriers but their main transmitters are on humpy Peak. Not sure what the affect was there.

[David]

Update on KIHU 1010: The station has been granted Special Temporary Authority by the FCC to operate with reduced power and a non-directional signal during critical hours and nighttime due to the collapse of tower #2 during the March 18th earthquake. Full details can be found here:

licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101816371&formid=911&fac_num=35687

[amanuensis]

Mar 19, 2020 11:47:17 GMT -7 amanuensis said:

Anyone know if any of the radio stations broke format and played songs like REM's Its the End of the World As We Know It? Or Jerry Lee Lewis' Whole Lot of Shaking Going On? Or are the corporate handcuffs too tight for any improvisational mood lightening?

I heard KODJ this morning intro MC Hammer's Can't Touch This by bringing up COVID 19. Of course I have no way of knowing whether that song was already in the play list.