KASI (1430 AM) and KCCQ (105.1 FM), two co-operated Ames radio stations, have been tentatively sold to national media conglomerates Jacor and Clear Channel.

Matt McNeil, community public service director for both stations, said the sale was announced Monday beginning at noon on the news broadcasts of the stations.

Betty Baudler, current owner of the stations, struck a deal with Jacor, which recently merged with Clear Channel Communications, McNeil said.

The acquisition is pending until it is approved by the Federal Communications Commission, which McNeil guessed would take four to six months.

The price of the stations was unspecified, as was how long they had been on the market for a buyer.

Baudler was unavailable for comment at her home on Monday.

McNeil said the station became aware of the sale only recently.

“The station staff was informed just a few days ago,” he said.

McNeil said the deal was not driven by profit, but by the advantages that both stations would enjoy from Clear Channel and Jacor ownership.

One of the main advantages would be ISU sports coverage, he said.

“Clear Channel owns the rights to ISU sports,” McNeil said.

“If we were to stay an independent operator, our ability to cover ISU sports would be seriously diminished, if not lost,” he said.

McNeil said despite being owned by a corporation that controls media outlets across the nation, KASI and KCCQ would remain locally operated.

“We’ll still have the control, but it will be a lot better because this will give us more potential, more power and more features,” he said.

The format of both stations probably will stay the same, McNeil said, but ultimately, that will be up to Jacor officials.

“No big changes are planned, but that’s up to Jacor,” he said.

“We were told that it was a situation where we were going to pretty much stay the course,” McNeil said.

Even though station staff has been assured no big changes were coming down the pike, McNeil admitted a sale such as this creates some apprehension.

“We’ve all had lots of speculation at the station, just like anybody else,” he said.

Jacor merged with Clear Channel Communications, Inc., on May 4 of this year.

According to the company Web site, the media powerhouse operates or is affiliated with 441 radio stations, 18 television stations and approximately 200,000 outdoor advertising displays in 25 countries worldwide.

Clear Channel also owns WHO (1040 AM), a longtime Des Moines station.

No one could be reached for comment at Clear Channel corporate headquarters in San Antonio.