ASTROS GO DEEP FOR THREE-YEAR RADIO DEAL AT $1.5 MILLION

     In Houston, all-sports KILT-AM has signed a three-year deal
to be the Astros flagship station beginning with the '96 season.
The deal includes full rights to all spring, regular and post-
season games through the '98 season (Astros).  In a "major coup,"
KILT landed Astros rights by "taking valuable programming from
rival" KPRC-AM, the team's flagship for the past five years.
KILT's deal is believed to be worth $1.5M annually, and "has a
termination clause to protect the station in the event the Astros
leave Houston before the agreement expires."  Astros VP/Business
Operations Bob McClaren:  "We felt KILT's overall package was
better for us all around.  They have a much stronger signal and
we know they're going to give 100-percent support.  The other
station sometimes weaved us in between talk radio" (Carlton
Thompson, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/5).