Heavy Hundred Sports Talkers

(November 19, 2014) For 19 years TALKERS Magazine has ranked the Top 100 “Heavy Hundred” Talk show hosts. In recent years the respected radio industry publication has added the “Heavy Hundred of Sports Talk – The Most Important Sports Talk Radio Hosts in America.” Editor Michael Harrison admits the results are subjective. “Being true to the realities of the media business, ratings and revenue are two of the major factors – some would save they are the only factors worth considering – but the editors also took into account other qualities that help created a list that is reflective of the industry’s diversity and total flavor and still give credit where credit is due. Those qualities include: courage, effort impact, recognition, service, talent, potential and uniqueness.

The leaders were #1 Mike Francesca and #2 Boomer Esiason/Craig Carton, both from WFAN-New York.

 Many sports LARP made the list:

12. Colin Cowherd (KSPN)
20. Mason & Ireland (KSPN)
21. Jay Mohr (KLAC)
31. Tony Kornheiser (ex-1540/KMPC, now PTI co-host)
32. D'Marco Farr (ex-KSPN, now St. Louis)
33. Petros & Money (KLAC)
58. Scott Kaplan & Billy Ray Smith (XEPRS-San Diego)
74. Kevin Kiley/Chuck Booms (ex-KSPN, now in Cleveland)
86. JT the Brick/Tomm Looney (KLAC)
87. Max Kellerman & Marcellus Wiley (KSPN)
93. Dan Sileo (XEPRS)

Ferguson Coverage. The St. Louis area is on edge waiting for the decision of a grand jury.  KFI has sent newsman Steve Gregory to cover the outcome of the grand jury deliberations in Ferguson, Missouri. KNX is using reporters from their sister station, CBS owned KMOX. “This award winning news team will be used for our updates,” emailed Dan Kearney, CBS/LA cluster chief.  “They are entrenched in the community, have been on the coverage since the beginning and have a great feel for the situation.  We are very fortunate to be able to partner with our sister station to bring our listeners great, in-depth coverage, live from the area. We just felt that was a much better option than to send a KNX reporter back there and try to get entrenched at the last minute.”

October Up. The SCBA reports October 2014 revenue results for both the Los Angeles and San Diego markets are up. According to Miller Kaplan Arase’s October summary report, the LA market posted local spot increases of 3% with national spot at a 5.7% increase. San Diego posted a 1.3% local spot increase with national spot growth at 18.0%. Total market revenue for LA was at 7.1% and San Diego at 8.8% for October.

Murphy Cited. Frank Murphy, former producer for Mark & Brian and Kevin & Bean, received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award in Knoxville, where Frank works at Classic Hits WNOX.

The award honors individuals and organizations for selfless contributions to their communities. The local winners will be brought to FBI Headquarters at a later date for a national ceremony with the FBI Director. Frank is being honored for several community contributions, including serving as emcee or talent for several charity events and organizations and anchoring public television pledge drives.

Car Talk. The death of Tom Magliozzi, co-host with his brother of Car Talk, heard on NPR radio stations for decades, has generated much press. In the LA Times, Robert Lloyd wrote: “Theirs was the sound of grown men who had found a way never to grow up, to make their private party public; it was the talk show as bunk bed. Loud and raucous and given to laughter, with New England accents several stories deep, they were by the crepe-soled, deep-pile carpet standards of public radio a riot in a parking garage.” At TIME magazine, Peter Sagal wrote: “Everybody knows that their radio show Car Talk wasn’t about cars. It was about Tommy Magliozzi and his little brother Ray as they continued their lifelong refusal to take each other, themselves or anything else seriously.”

LARadio Rewind: November 19, 1997. KIBB drops its rhythmic hits format and becomes “Jammin’ Oldies Mega 100.” The call letters would change to KCMG on January 30, 1998. KMPC/fm broadcast on the 100.3 frequency from 1947 to 1951 and then went dark. In 1957, the frequency became home to beautiful music KMLA. In 1961, KMLA was the first Los Angeles station to experiment with FM Stereo Multiplex broadcasting. In 1965, the station became KFOX/fm and simulcast country KFOX/am during daytime hours. On-air hosts included Dick Haynes, Biff Collie and Charlie Williams. The station became KIQQ in 1973. Several former KHJ personalities would join the new K-100, including Robert W. Morgan, The Real Don Steele, Humble Harve, Billy Pearl and Jerry Butler. The station became Pirate Radio KQLZ in 1989, KXEZ in 1993 and KIBB in 1996. In 1997, the new Mega 100 was the first US station to adopt a 1970s-based rhythmic hits format. In 2000, KCMG moved to 92.3 and KKBT moved to 100.3. In 2006, KKBT became KRBV (for “Rhythm & Blues Variety”). Since 2008, the station has been KSWD, The Sound.

Hear Ache. Congratulations to KPCC’s Steve Julian on his marriage to Felicia Friesema over the weekend … Al Michaels was on the Today Show yesterday tub-thumping his new book, You Can’t Make This Up ... KABC begins a new relationship with the LA Kings hockey, which plays havoc with Larry Elder fans when there are games originating in the East. The station will continue airing Larry Elder on the Internet when there is a conflict. Another reason for WiFi in the car.

Overheard.

• “We were not very happy when we lost Sharon Belio as producer.” (Bill Handel, KFI)

• “What kind of drugs are mail carriers not tested for? Speed.” (Dude, character on Gary Bryan Show, K-EARTH)

• “Radio like all of show business will never be about the technology it will always be about the artists.” (George Johns, radio consultant)

• “Here’s a fun fact, KFI spelled backwards is IFK, which, in hindsight, is not a particularly fun fact. I apologize.” (KFI liner)

• “It’s staggering. A paper the size of the LA Times and the Libertarian or Conservative point of view is not represented by any of the local writers. It’s disgusting. This is the same paper that wants diversity when it comes to UCLA admissions or late night television but they could care less about ideological diversity.” (Larry Elder, KABC)

• “If you play in the NFL, don’t beat your kids.” (Tim Conway, Jr., KFI)

• “Only Bank of America has raped more women than Bill Cosby.” (Marc Germain, on his FB page)

• “I’ve had it up to here with dumb-ass polls asking dumb-ass people dumb-ass questions about stuff they don’t know about.” (John Kobylt, KFI)

Funnie. Today's funnie from Timmy Manocheo

Email Wednesday

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** Congrats to s2

“Thank you for running the article about s2. He was one of the first people I worked with when I became a switch boarder at KLOS, February 1995.  Stew Herrera had a shift on Saturday, and I’d answer phones for him. Stew is not only allergic to his own haircut, I can remember when I cut off about 10 inches of my own hair and he jumped the engineering board and pinned me to the wall asking why in the world would I do that.

His talent is extraordinary and his loyalty is unstopping. I’m so happy that you recognized him in LARadio. Stew is truly a staple in LA Radio. I’m proud to call him a friend.

Congratulations s2.” – Elizabeth McDonnell

** Yeah Stew

“I have been blessed to be in the community for many years with this talented man of integrity, Stew Herrera. There is a reason he has survived so many changes at KLOS. Yay, Stew.” – Keri Tombazian

** Stew a Student

“Loved your story about Stew Herrera. He showed great promise when he was in my audio production class at Fullerton College, and he’s having a wonderful radio career, as we knew he would. Stew took all of our radio classes and was on KBPK, the fm radio station that is still a part of the radio program at Fullerton College. My husband, Paul Kelly, and I are proud he was our student in the radio program” – Diana (Kirchen) Kelly (former KWIZ, former Fullerton College radio faculty)

** KNX/KOST Fan

“I am a retired female, age 78, and listen to KNX first thing every morning to catch up with the news and weather. That would be between 6:15 a.m. and 8 a.m. I think Dick Helton presents subjects and interviews in a very informative manner asking guests questions we want answered. When I go for my for my morning walk at 8 a.m. I listen to KOST for music and entertainment with Mark Wallengren. When I'm driving anywhere I'm back to KNX.

I enjoy reading your column on the Internet to learn why a radio personality has left and where they are going as well as seeing pictures of them.” – Ruby Shlifka, Laguna Woods

** Ushering at KHJ in the 50s

“One of my KHJ ushers was Lee Hazlewood, the composer and singer of Country music. You'll recall he worked with Nancy Sinatra for a time. 

Lee was a tympani player in the Army before his discharge. 

We were classmates at the Frederick H. Speare Radio and Television Staff Announcers School in Hollywood.​ 

Lee, his wife, Naomi, and I and my wife, Carol, bought a Monopoly game together. Lee was a cut throat player.  When he got exercised over a game, Naomi would lay her hand on his and, angrily, he would brush it off. Naomi would chide him with, ‘Oh, Barton Lee Hazlewood, you're just an ol' touch-me-not!’  Both retained their Texas accents.

Another of my ushers was Bill Reynolds. His sister was Debbie Reynolds, whom I met when she visited him at work.  Nice girl.” – Hal Swift 

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KLOS Has Been In a Stew For Two Decades

(November 18, 2014) We love Los Angeles Radio People. We love the People, not so much the Companies. It is the People who make radio rock. The personalities, the executives, the sales people, and those behind the scenes. At KLOS, Stew Herrera is one of those unsung heroes who has done production work for over two decades. Along with writing, voicing, and producing for KLOS, he has nurtured and sustained a flourishing voiceover career (http://www.stewvox.com/) and can be heard across a wide variety of projects, including movie trailers, network tv and cable promos, syndication, in-program narration, commercial, and industrials. Stew is a local boy. He was born in Anaheim, and grew up in Buena Park, Cypress, and Fullerton, “as OC as it gets,” offered Stew. When he was growing up there were OC-oriented local stations, so he listened to 1190 KEZY and later KEZY/fm, as well as KMET, KLOS, KROQ, and KWST. “Between all that and my older brother’s Elton John, Beatles, and Beach Boys records and 8-tracks, I was hooked on both radio and music,” said Stew. From the 2nd grade until puberty, Stew went to Catholic school because he thought he was going to join the priesthood, until he was kicked out of high school in his junior year. “So much for joining the clergy,” Stew said. “I attended Fullerton JC, where I learned my way around mixing consoles and tape recorders. I earned my Associate degree there under Jim Bain and Ed Ford. Fun fact: Mary Price was a teacher of mine, too.”

His first radio job interview was at KOCM in Newport Beach with Lawrence Tanter. “I didn’t get the gig, and I suspect it was partially because my hair reached halfway to the floor.” A better fit may have been KNAC, a heavy metal station based in Long Beach. In 1988, he got an entry level job answering phones for Tawn Mastrey. A year later he became paid morning show producer/ sidekick with “Gonzo” Greg Spillane. 

Stew recalled one of the highlights working at KNAC. “It was the infamous ‘bungee jump’ from the Vincent Thomas Bridge. With zero budget, we secured permits, rigged a wireless connection, and on Friday the 13th in June of 1990, broadcast 2 or 3 jumps from underneath the bridge.  It basically consisted of Gonz and a crowd rooting me on from the parking lot in San Pedro, and my unbridled screaming as I plunged some 300 feet down.  The Coast Guard threatened to arrest me. TV coverage added to the drama. My 15 minutes.” KNAC promoted Stew to production director and he stayed until 1994. “I got an offer from KLOS that I couldn’t refuse. I worked at KLOS under Carey Curelop, Bill Sommers, John Duncan, Rita Wilde, Bob Buchmann (and Scott Shannon), Jack Silver, and now, Derek Madden.”

As part of working with Mark & Brian for 18 years and Howard Hoffman for 17 years, he enjoyed working with many of the personalities he grew up listening to, including Jim Ladd, Joe Benson, Rita Wilde, Denise Westwood, Frazer Smith, and Cynthia Fox.   

Stew claims to be a decent enough guitarist and singer. He loves four-legged animals and anything with two-wheels. He is a card carrying member of the Grammar and Spelling Police, and is allergic to haircuts.

Overheard.

• “It’s a million-dollar Monday. You pay me $1 million and I’ll come in on Monday.” (Gary Bryan, K-EARTH)

• “All great radio stations had a ‘cause’ but I doubt very much that paying down the debt was one of them.” (George Johns, radio consultant)

• “Santa Claus is coming to town and I know on what day.” (Mark Wallengren, KOST)

• "We know that the entire southbound lanes coming out of the San Fernando Valley on the 405 are closed. You can kiss Sepulveda goodbye as well. It's going to be an ugly morning and an ugly commute. And those of you who live in the West Valley, you can start making turns down Topanga Canyon all the way down to the beach. It will be that kind of morning." (Doug McIntyre, KABC)

Is KCRW the only publication with an advertising relationship with Los Angeles Magazine?

LARadio Rewind: November 18, 1996. Radio Disney begins broadcasting from a studio in Dallas, targeting children with a mix of Top 40, Oldies, and songs from movies and tv cartoon shows, along with stories and contests. The launch date coincides with the 68th anniversary of the release of the Mickey Mouse cartoon Steamboat Willie, the first animated film with synchronized sound. The flagship Radio Disney station was KDIS-710 in Los Angeles. Among the original airstaff were Dean Wendt, Susan Huber, Bob Evans, Lee Cameron, Don Crabtree, Sheryl Rodgers, Sherry Shannon and Kyle “Squeege” Hebert. (Cameron would later work at KHHT.) From 1999 to 2002, Radio Disney broadcast from a glass-walled studio at Tomorrowland in Disneyland. In 2003, KDIS moved to 1110 am, switching dial positions with ESPN Radio. On August 13, 2014, after noting that the majority of the Radio Disney audience now listens via satellite radio or other digital platforms, general manager Phil Guerini announced plans to sell 23 of the network’s 24 stations. KDIS remains on the air as the originating station for Radio Disney network programming. (LARadio Rewind is meticulously prepared by Steve Thompson)

Hear Ache. Veteran newscaster Steve Kindred is working for 24/7 News and doing local morning newscasts for KFNY Newstalk 1440 in Riverside. “With a strong wind gust maybe you can hear me in Banning,” quipped Steve … Terry Fahy, general manager of the Salem/LA cluster, has been promoted to an operational vice president role overseeing most of the company’s stations west of Phoenix … Michael Steele, former music director at KIIS/fm, was appointed pd at "Indie 103" (KDLE) on January 1, 2004. He left Indie in February 2007. In the fall of 2012, he joined Northern Lights Broadcasting/Minneapolis as director of ops and pd of Hot AC KTWN (K-Twin 96.3). He recently exited the Twin … The Alt 98-7’s annual “Altimate Roof Top Christmas Party,” features live performances from Fitz and the Tantrums, The Neighbourhood, Bush, Banks, Cold War Kids, Robert Delong, and Glass Animals … Alan Gottfried’s’ Tee It Up is now heard on 870/KRLA. The 21-year old syndicated golf show is heard on 290 radio and cable TV stations ... Commentary about the recent post about the End of Radio continues at: http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/135602/all-access-commentary-it-s-not-the-end-of-radio-it 

Funnie. Brian Perez sent this Youtube of Curious George as a dj (click the artwork)

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** Early Surf

“I worked for KSRF when George Baron ran it, and remember sitting in the studio and watching the bookkeeper going over the books right outside the door of the studio, and hearing him say, ‘do you have any cash accounts?’ I knew almost all the accounts were trade outs.” – Bob Hughes

** Radio’s Future

“I think Pandora and Spotify have more listeners then all of Saul Levine’s stations. Saul said, ‘And let’s stop calling Pandora and Spotify radio.’” – Roger Carroll

** Godin’s Commentary

“You are most welcome. I grew up loving AM radio, working after-school (Webster Jr. High School) at KDAY’s transmitter site located in an old corn field off Palms Boulevard. Nothing beats the electrical smell of that 50KW Ampliphase transmitter. And, to this day I react to a drop in a radio signal with an adrenaline rush. I learned a lot of math out of school [especially about vectors] and broadcasting from Bob Dye who was the station’s chief engineer.

As for your piece referencing Seth Godin, I find Seth has an amusing way of monetizing the obviousness of evolutionary change and creative disruption. The one factor he does not often consider is choice-induced stress – trying to cope with a multiplicity of options leading to ‘simplification through elimination’ or choosing the lowest pain path rather than adoption of yet another choice. The greatest problem that I see in radio is discovery and the avoidance of boredom. I have often wondered why no program exists that plays samplers of curated content with the station’s themselves supporting the effort. I think the future might just be narrow-casting with the stations serving as conduits for content generated by the podcast generation.” – Steve Levine

** Arlington Memory

“My first paid radio job in LA was at ‘California Country’ KLAC. I worked as a news assistant for Charlie Arlington as well as Jim Healy, Paul Olden, and Dean Sander. Paul was by boss, but later the roles would be reversed as I hired him to work at KNUU in Las Vegas a decade later. 

Charlie was the most driven person I’d ever met. He was demanding, unforgiving and a complete perfectionist when it came to doing the news. He was one of the last of the hard-charging, hard-living journalists straight out of The Front Page. I don’t believe I would have a successful career today if it weren’t for Charlie’s tutelage under the most stressful conditions imaginable. I cherish my time with the team that taught me so much about broadcast news.” – Steve Kindred 

Is Radio in Trouble?

(November 17, 2014) Seth Godin is the author of 17 books, and is an entrepreneur, marketer and public speaker. He generated a thunder storm of reactions to his recent post about the “end of radio.” His contention was first published eight years ago when Seth and media thinker Mark Ramsey had a conversation about the future of the medium. Godin opined that radio would likely be impacted by access to unlimited online radio alternatives. At the time, Seth theorized an end would come with city-wide Wi-Fi. This past week, Ramsey offered further observations about the impact of change is not with WiFi, but via Bluetooth and the smart phone. “Stations only counter-program each other – they don’t counter-program radio alternatives, like Pandora, even though these are real and rising options to your local station.” Mobile technology will be the disrupter in the car.

LARadio is conducting its annual listener survey concerning listening habits. As you might imagine, listening patterns have turned upside down. One listener wrote, “Truth is, for several years I’ve listened to virtually no Los Angeles or even Southern California radio. My C. Crane Internet radio at home and XM satellite in the car enable me to listen to stations that program music and talk that I like, virtually without commercials.”

This listener was quick to point out, “The talk – even on the morning shows – is largely political. If I want politics, there are plenty of other places for me to go. While I’ve enjoyed some of Ken Minyard’s successors more than others, I never enjoyed the commercial load. And none of them come close to what Ken was doing before they pushed him into more political talk, which even then wasn’t nearly as much as some of the people who came after him did. If Marc Germain was still on during the day and Doug McIntyre was still doing Red-Eye Radio, I’d listen to them.”

“As to public radio, our listener said, “The ‘news’ shows are too cluttered for me, and ‘eclectic’ in my book means throw a bunch of stuff against the wall and see if anything sticks.” He concluded with, “Why, incidentally, does the L.A. Times treat KCRW as if it were the only station in town? The numbers certainly don’t justify that.”

Arlington Updated. Charlie Arlington dominated the news radio and tv landscape at KBBQ, KLAC, KFWB, and KMPC for decades. He died in 1989 at the age of 74, following surgery. He was born September 23, 1905. One of his quiet pastimes was repairing grandmother and grandfather clocks in his San Fernando Valley garage. One of his peers said of Charlie: “He was always meticulously dressed. He wore a shirt, tie and jacket as he popped out of his mobile unit, bullets at his feet! Somewhere in the early ’40s he made his name as the feds closed in on an illegal gambling ship off the Southern California coast. With bullets flying, Charlie did a live broadcast of the incident and the arrests that followed.”

Charlie graduated from Syracuse University. During World War II, he voiced hundreds of news broadcasts to the entire Pacific Theatre of Operations from the Office of War Information Headquarters in San Francisco. For many years he voiced The March of Time and Pathe Newsreel. In 1965 Don Page of the LA Times chose Charlie as announcer of the year. Charlie rode around town on a motorcycle. In addition to his work as a newsman, Charlie had a pool cleaning business. During his stay in the Southland, Charlie worked news on the Mutual Network. He had a way of phrasing that set him apart, e.g., “Among the halls and walls of Sacramento....”

Hal Swift, member of the Nevada Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame (2005), worked with Charlie at KHJ in the early 50s. “One of the things Charlie did in his spare time was to restore an old Auburn automobile,” emailed Hal. “Charlie allowed his car to be used in many Los Angeles parades.  His was not the boat tail model as I recall.  What I do recall is how large the headlights were. Everyone, including Charlie, referred to the car as ‘Arlington's Auburn.’”

Hal said that Charlie has a special kind of humor. “In the 1950s transcribed programs had to be identified as such by an announcer who, at the end of a program would say simply, ‘Transcribed.’  One day, Charlie worked his entire shift saying, ‘French fried.’ and no one noticed.”

As a side note, when Swift left his chief usher’s job at KHJ (ushers in the 1950s were a combination of inter office mail carriers, public relations ground troops, and civilian security personnel for large stations such as KHJ Mutual Don Lee Broadcasting.  NBC, and CBS had similar facilities), the receptionist, Marguerite Empey, circulated a going away card.  “It has a lot of signatures, including Guy Madison and Andy Devine. Marguerite later was a Playboy calendar girl.” I was chief usher at KHJ Mutual Don Lee from mid-1952, when I was honorably discharged from the Navy, until 1954, when I left to begin my career in on air positions.”

“If you'd like any further information/anecdotes about those days, I’ll see what I can recall for you. We ushers met many celebrities at KHJ, thanks to an interview program conducted by a lady named, Lynn Castille.  I think she was in one movie, then went into radio,” said Swift.

New Home for La Ranchera. Following its recent sale of KHJ 930AM, Liberman Broadcasting Inc. has moved its La Ranchera format to the fm band.  The new home for the famed format heard over the L.A. airwaves for twenty years is KWIZ/fm 96.7.  “For over two decades the La Ranchera brand has entertained L.A.’s huge Mexican listenership as the leading AM station in the market with great music, great on-air personalities and a winning format.  It was essential that we continue to bring this heritage brand to the market, and we are thrilled to announce its new fm band home,” said Eddie Leon, Vice President of Programming for Liberman Broadcasting.

La Ranchera’s on-air team features Hugo Armando (5-10am); Ruben Miranda (10am-3pm); Alberto Murillo (3-7pm); and Lupita Warios, who continues to handle nights from 7pm-12midnight.

Liberman owned KHJ, the former Los Angeles Top 40 powerhouse, since 1989. Following the July 2014 sale to Catholic Broadcasters Liberman continues to own 1 AM, 5 FMs, and a tv station in the market.

LARadio Rewind: November 17, 1998. A boy named Harrison is born at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His birth is witnessed by the woman who will adopt him, KNX reporter Laura Ornest. After graduating from UCLA, Ornest worked as an assistant general manager for the Vancouver Canadians, a baseball team owned by her father. After the team was sold in 1981, Ornest became a sports reporter for CKNW, A year later, she moved to CBC Television, where she hosted the nightly news, a weekend sportscast and a game show called Reach for the Top. In 1985 she returned to Los Angeles and worked as a freelance news reporter for KHJ-Channel 9 (now KCAL), CBS, CNN, ESPN and other networks. In 1997 Ornest joined KNX but was one of several reporters and writers who lost their jobs in April 2009 when KFWB and KNX consolidated their operations. From 2009 to 2013, Ornest wrote and produced features for KUSC. She lives in Santa Monica with her architect husband Rick Leslie and son Harrison.  

Hear Ache. Anybody know where Rich Watson is? ... It was so much fun seeing Wink Martindale on the Fox NFL Pre-game show yesterday morning.

Funnie. Halloween trick or treating in Florida.

Email Monday

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** Cynthia Fox Response

“Thank you for the kind words about me – I’m blushing. I’m very lucky to be working in a positive and genial collaborative environment at The Sound. Truly talented people on air and off who have great hearts. Thank you to Dave Beasing and the entire on air staff: Joe Benson, Andy Chanley, Julie Slater, Rita Wilde, Mimi Chen, Tina Mica, Cynthia Dee, Steve Hoffman…who all love music so much and the gift of radio and the caring community we can create. We so appreciate their respect for the legacy of KMET,  and the face that everyone is on board to support Paraquat Kelley’s benefit concert. What a great team of people who love to make a positive difference in the world! Spreading the love....” – Cynthia Fox, 100.3/The Sound

** Surfin’ USA

“Re KSRF. In 1966 John Hearne [the father of John Hearne who owns radio stations in Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Barbara, etc.] called me and said that he and the Funks who owned the Santa Monica Outlook [a daily newspaper] owned KSRF and they wanted to sell KSRF and would sell it to me for $300,000.00 with no down payment and no interest or principle payments for two years.

John had been one of the owners of KVEN AM/FM when we purchased the stations in 1965. John told me that many accounts on KSRF were trade accounts and cash business was terrible. The station was being managed by George Baron who was a friend of mine.

I told Mr. Hearne that I was complimented by his offer to me and the confidence he had displayed. But I thought turning KSRF around was a monumental job and the station with its low power could barely be heard east of Sepulveda. I also told him I was very much involved with our newly purchased stations in Ventura and I just could not take on KSRF. The elder John Hearne and I stayed in touch for many years.” – Bob Fox

** Former 710/KMPC PD’s Widow

“My name is Sherri Mudd, wife of the late Mark Blinoff.  I just saw a reference to your LA Radio People and have spent the last hour looking up some old friends. It’s sad how many of them are now gone.  I didn’t realize that.

I just wanted to tell you that it's a great resource and you have done a great job with it. I had not seen it before. Mark's entry is great. It’s true that his strong passion for radio was translated into working with kids later in his life.  You can imagine the productions his classes put on.  He always enjoyed what he did, no matter what it was.

Thanks for your efforts on this great work.” – Sherri Mudd

End of Radio Blog Story Sent to Subscribers

“I admire Mark Ramsey, but his conclusions don’t match his reasoning. Here you have a tech savvy driver unwilling to deal with the tedium of his phone even while struggling with the radio in the car. That tells me that there’s a larger gap to bridge for the tech companies than for radio. We still have them, and as long as the former CC has iHeart and Cumulus has some of Rdio, it may behoove the rest of radio to follow suit and watch the dashboard.” – Ed Mann

“Ramsey makes a lot of good points, but I think radio will always be around in some form. Just as vinyl has experienced a mini-revival in the recording industry, radio will survive. Maybe mostly talk radio, but radio nonetheless.

Radio still provides the necessary service of introducing me to music, albums and artists that I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. I find it comforting to have a voice bring me up to date on local, national, and world events that I wouldn’t think to ‘look up’ on my iPhone or on the Internet.

Even on music stations, I find commercials are sometimes fun to listen to, and local ones – as bad as some of them may be – make me feel more a part of my community. In October, the radio station that I listen to most still does their morning show once each week at a local coffee house. Their visit inspires me to check out that coffee house. And, they often interview music artists and people from places like the Humane Society, museum, or charity.

I think Radio will always have a place and serve a need.” – Jerry Downey, Detroit

“I go back to when I wrote you a couple of months back about what my son told me when I asked where he found a piece of music he turned me on to.  ‘The Internet Dad, it’s a wonderful, magical place. You should try it sometime.’” – Norm McBride

“By the time your younger kids are 60, radio will be all but a thing of the past. Mark’s right, the writing is all over the wall.

“The PBS show Hitmakers explained in superb detail how artists and label mavericks are now marketing their music, moving further and further into newer platforms and methodologies and further and further away from radio. Fascinating. Having been out of ‘non-Oldies’ oriented radio for 20-some years it was a real eye-opener for me.” – Rich Brother Robbin

“Another silly forecast and just in time for seasonal ‘humbug.’ Appropriate is ‘The King Is Dead, Long Live the King.’

I recall in the mid-l950s I was building my first radio station, a one KW daytimer in a city an hour’s drive from Los Angeles. I was standing in a field helping erect a 200 foot guyed tower, which was purchased for a few hundred dollars from a station that went dark even in those days [KTED, Laguna Beach]. A farmer got out of his pick-up truck, asked what we were doing. I told him building a new AM radio station. He scratched his head, and said, ‘That’s strange, tv has killed radio.’ And we all know that tv killed the movies.’

So long as radio presents the content that people desire, radio will survive. And I should mention that eight track carts also killed radio from the dashboard.

And let’s stop calling Pandora and Spotify radio. They are not. Digital jukebox is the appropriate term. Radio is very healthy and maintaining strong audience listenership. I believe the best investment in today’s market is the purchase of a radio facility.” – Saul Levine, KKGO, KMZT AM & FM, KBOQ, KYZZ, KGIL 

Sunday Funnies (11.16) Why Women Live Longer Than Men

LARadio Saturday Archives from 11 Years Ago Today 

KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas is a “Must-See”

(November 14, 2014) KROQ’s 25th Annual Almost Acoustic Christmas show is now an unbelievable two-night event at the Shrine Auditorium. “Kevin Weatherly and his team have outdone themselves,” emailed CBS/LA cluster leader Dan Kearney. “Every year, KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas is a must-see event, but this year’s show is arguably the biggest and best line-up in the 25 year history of the show. I am very grateful for all of the bands participation and cooperation in helping us put on an incredible and memorable show, as well as helping us support two great charities. I can’t wait for December 13th & 14th.” Night 1 of the 25th Annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas benefits Para Los Niños, a non-profit family service agency designed to raise at-risk children out of poverty and into brighter futures through positive educational opportunities and support. Night 2 benefits the Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center, which provides a safe after-school environment where hundreds of boys and girls in South Central Los Angeles participate in tutoring, learn important social skills and are guided to succeed in school and enter college.

 Overheard.

• “Radio if it ever wants to get new money has to figure out how to do product placement.” (George Johns, radio consultant)

• “The guy introducing me was saying, ‘I’m not saying Barry Farber’s been around for a long time, but if you look at the portrait of the Last Supper, he’s third from the right.’” (Barry Farber, at the National Radio Hall of Fame Induction ceremony)

• “When Obama gets back this weekend he is going to announce a ten-point immigration plan using executive action. This is the greatest F-U to the public I’ve seen the President do.” (John Kobylt, KFI)

• “Did you know that Thursday is the worst day in L.A. for traffic?” (Leeann Velez Tweeden, KABC)

• “I can’t believe Tommy Chong has lasted this long.” (Mario Lopez, MY/fm, on Dancing With the Stars)

LARadio Rewind: November 14, 1997. George Baron, original K-Surf vice president and general manager, dies at 72. KSRF had gone on the air at 103.1 fm in 1960 with a beautiful music format, broadcasting from a tower at Pacific Ocean Park, an amusement park located on the Santa Monica Pier. The station eventually switched to adult contemporary. In 1967, Baron hired Jerry Hahn, who had been working at KLFM (now KBUE) in Long Beach. Baron had an exhaust fan installed in the broadcast booth so Hahn didn't have to give up smoking cigars while on the air. Baron's son Craig began working at KSRF in the mid-'70s and eventually took over management. In 1991, former KROQ owner Ken Roberts bought KSRF along with KOCM in Newport Beach. The stations, both at 103.1 fm, began simulcasting and went through several different formats and sets of call letters. They are now KDLD and KDLE and simulcast a Spanish adult hits format with KLYY-97.5 in Los Angeles.

  More LARPs Tied for 11th in Best of 2014 

On-Air:

(Kai Ryssdal, Bob Brill, Talaya Trigueros, Ralph Garman, and Cynthia Fox) 

Kai Ryssdal (host of NPR's Marketplace)

• "Kai brings a hip, informal and occasionally witty style to the usually bland subject matter, without sacrificing authoritative reportage."

Bob Brill (KNX news anchor)

• "A rock-solid broadcast journalist who anchors weekends with uncommon authority." 

Talaya (middays at KTWV)

• "You can switch-up the music around her, but it all gets steamier when she talks to it."

Ralph Garman (mornings with Kevin & Bean at KROQ)

• "He's like the 5th Beatle to the Kevin & Bean Show."

• "It would certainly be a different Kevin & Bean Show without Ralph."

Cynthia Fox (weekends at 100.3/The Sound)

• "Smart, sexy, and knows music."

Off-Air:

(Jeff Salgo, Adrian Garcia, Robynne Jenkins, Mike Johnson, and Jimmy Steal)

Jeff Salgo (CBS Radio I.T. Department)

• "Jeff, the consummate pro, has his finger on the pulse of all things I.T. and these days that's close to everything that glows in a radio station."

• "Has there ever been a more qualified I.T. guru than Jeff when it comes to understanding radio, top to bottom? The answer is no."

• "The unsung hero of day to day operations."

Adrian Garcia (event director KROQ)

• "Adrian has come up quickly through the ranks from van driver to being first lieutenant. He is a great manager and knows his stuff. His staff loves him."

Robynne Jenkins (was KFWB morning news producer/news assistant)

• "She has a keen understanding of what the morning team wants and goes after newsmaker interviews that work."

Mike Johnson (operations manager for Mount Wilson FM Broadcasters)

• "Very reliable in performing a variety of functions in management."

• "Nicest guy in radio."

Jimmy Steal (program director, KPWR)

• "Jimmy has spent a decade and a half at KPWR. The success of that radio station is underappreciated. It continues to lead the way in reflecting the multi-ethnic lifestyle of Los Angeles. Jimmy also serves as Emmis's Digital PD and their company has been one of the most aggressive in that area."

Lisa May & Scott Greene. Readers of LARadio have an incredible memory. It shocked KROQ’s Lisa May.

“Do I remember correctly that the KRLA credit of Scott Greene’s was a late-evening talk show he co-hosted with Lisa May?” asked David Bernhart of Burbank. “The unlikely teaming took place around 2002 or ’03 and lasted only a few weeks. But I know I didn’t dream the whole thing up. Any clarification?”

Lisa responded: “Wow – what a memory!  Yes, we did several shows together on KRLA. Scott and I became friends while doing traffic at Metro Traffic and Scott thought we would work well together as team. It turned out that a political show wasn’t really the right format for us and we never did get another chance to work together as a team. I hadn’t spoken to Scott in a couple of years but found it comforting whenever I heard him on the air – like all was right with the world. I shall miss him both personally and professionally.”

Hear Ache. Sarah McLachlan, Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, David Gray and Laura Marling will take the stage over the course of two nights in December for public radio station KCSN 88.5fm’s 2014 Benefit Concerts at the Valley Performing Arts Center at California State University, Northridge.

Funnie.

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** Replacing Marketwatch

“Any ideas Don as to what CBS is going to do now that Marketwatch will no longer be able to fill in for the brilliant decision by the marketing gurus at KNX to get rid of Bob McCormick?” – Bill Mann

** Barry Farber Induction

“I note with interest the mention of Barry Farber’s induction into the Radio Hall of Fame as I worked for him, or to be more exact, his syndication operation back in the 1969 and 1970 during the summer and winter breaks from my years at Ithaca College. By today’s satellite-driven distribution methods it was really primitive.

At the time, Barry did a 45 minute show on WOR from 7:15 to 8 p.m. and then was back on the air for a longer overnight from 11:15 p.m. to 2 a.m., then his show was repeated until John Gambling came on at 5AM for morning drive. I took the 45 minute air check tapes, edited out the WOR spots and then cut the show with good old razors and tape blocks to 29:30 and one other length I don’t recall. The masters were dubbed at 30ips to copies using three old Ampex 350s we got from somewhere. When we had a week’s work of shows, I took them to the Times Square post office and mailed them to our stations. Primitive by today’s standards, but it worked. While at the post office, I picked up the mail from the barter-time spots WOR let Barry do in the overnight show for things such as ‘Sea Monkeys.’ He even bartered out spots for our suite of rooms in the long since demolished ‘Piccadilly Hotel’ and the Scandia restaurant there where we ate. I can hear him now, in that Carolinian drawl: ‘...it's just a few steps west of Broadway...’ We’d remind him, of course, that is was also just ‘a few steps east of 8th Avenue!’ Not the safest place in those days.

But I digress. Total up the time for all of Barry’s shows and you quickly realize that he had 25% of WOR-AM's weekday air time. In 1970 Barry ran for Congress against the late Bella Abzug. Their debates were hilarious but the problem for WOR was how to deal with the equal time laws then in effect. The solution was to let Barry keep the 7:15 show and they somehow got Bella to agree not to demand total equal time, I think gave her spots instead. Barry had to give up those hours of overnight time and they let him [along with myself and a senior producer] book guests for the long show. As the ‘kid’ I did the air-producing, which without call-ins was mostly the chore of managing spots and minding the seven second delay when needed. In those days it was a tape loop running between two old Ampex 300’s with careful tensioning, a far cry from anything digital! I don’t recall any run for mayor, but he lost to Bella and then returned to full time at WOR. Ms. Abzug went on to make her own history.

As a 20 year old college kid, working for Barry was beyond belief. Yes, he does speak all those languages, each with a funny mix of Southern and New York Jewish accents. He wears two watches each day: one for the time and one with a dot with the word of the day, confirmed by going to ethnic restaurants for the culture of the language he was learning. He’d order in the language, quiz the waiter and then turn to us and ask what we wanted. ‘Whatever you ordered, Barry’ was the typical response.

Amazing that he is still at it after all these years and I was honored to be a part of his great years. Working in the old WOR studios at 1440 Broadway was a college kid’s dream. Our studio was last used by Long John Nebel before Barry took over for him and some said it was haunted. Jean Shepard was our lead in, and there were hourly 15 minute newscasts. On the weekends, you’d hear the deep voice of Geoffrey Holder doing that famous laugh, and during the day they still carried the Fitzgeralds and other old radio folks. New technology was coming, but it was still and ‘RKO General Station,’ we had Western Union clocks on the wall and although they no longer worked, there were call boxes on the walls to summon a ‘Telegraph Boy.’ THAT was talk radio the way it once was, and will likely never be again.

As Barry always said in his sign off, ‘Keep asking questions.’” – Michael Heiss

** Bob Lefsetz Letter About Howard Stern

“Brilliantly written. And all so true. Howard Stern is a phenomenon. There is simply no one better. He’s the single best interviewer in the world and he's funny as hell at the same time. And he's a good guy. Thanks for a great piece.” – Shadoe Stevens

** K-FROG Promotion

“Congratulations to Heather Froglear on her promotion to the morning show on KFROG 95.1. Heather was there to welcome me when I came to KFRG in 1999. She’s a true pro and will do well on the stations popular morning show.” – Dale Berg, 96.9 The Oasis “The World’s Smooth Jazz Place” www.969theoasis.org 

Who Do You Love?
16^th Annual LARadio Listening Poll 

(November 13, 2014) Back in 1998, LARadio.com was curious about its readers' listening habits. The first poll was designed to assess the interest level about the 82 signals you listened to in the different dayparts. It has since become a popular yearly feature. 

Once again, all LARadio subscribers who get the daily headlines are invited to share their listening habits. Please email the answers to the following questions to me at db@thevine.net:  

1. 1. When you get up in the morning, what radio station do you turn on?

2. 2. Who do you think is the outstanding personality currently on the air in Los Angeles radio?

3. 3. What format do you listen to most? (News, talk, sports, music, etc)

4. 4. Which station do you tune to when you want up-to-the minute traffic news?

5. 5. Which personality or station do you listen to most in morning drive (6-9 a.m.)?

6. 6. Which personality or station do you listen to most in middays (9 a.m. – Noon)?

7. 7. Which personality or station do you listen to most in middays (noon – 3 p.m.)?

8. 8. Which personality or station do you listen to most in afternoon drive (3 p.m. – 7 p.m.)?

9. 9. Which personality or station do you listen to most in evening (7 p.m. – midnight)?

10. 10. Which personality or station do you listen to most during the all-night hours?

11. 11. Overall, which Los Angeles radio station do you feel is best programmed?

12. 12. Do you listen to the radio on the weekends? If so, what shows or station?

Summers Awards. John Summers, former KFRG, KLAC, and KHTS, took the news directorship for “Topeka’s News Talk 580” WIBW, WIBW/fm-Kansas Information Network, Kansas Agriculture Network, and WIBWNewsNow.com earlier this year, following his two and half years with the same position at the Cumulus cluster and News Talk 780 KOH-Reno. “I’m having a blast here in the Capitol City, not to mention a blast of Arctic cold. Sure miss the SoCal climate,” emailed John. “The Kansas Association of Broadcasters held their annual awards gathering in Wichita last month. My news team won 12 awards, more than any other tv or radio station in the Sunflower State. The photo shows my News Day Now morning show co-host Liz Montano and I receiving one of those for 'Best Morning Show' in Kansas. (Photo: Jim Ogle, one of the KAB officials, Liz and Summers)

WSJ Radio Silenced. TALKERS magazine is reporting the Wall Street Journal is going to shut down its radio division at the end of the calendar year. The announcement was made to staffers yesterday. The WSJ and MarketWatch Radio Networks division has produced money and finance-focused feature reports as well as the daily morning drive program, The Wall Street Journal This Morning. It’s unclear how many staffers this change will affect but the company has employees in New York, Washington and South Brunswick, New Jersey.

Hear Ache. Sirius XM beat KOST by a day, wrote Harvey Kern. “Holly” is now on XM 17 … The other afternoon shortly before 5 p.m. MY/fm's Dave Styles introduced the traffic lady and there was silence, dead air. She wasn't there. Styles reacted quickly with 'the traffic is not so good over there and the traffic is not so hot down there." ... K-EARTH's nighttimer, Christina Kelley, checked in with great news. She is the on-camera host for a tv pilot that shot yesterday. She can't say a word about any details until it has been sold ... KFWB's Jim Rome appears with KROQ's Kevin & Bean every Thursday morning.

LARadio Rewind: November 13, 2000. Dave Williams and Amy Lewis, former morning show co-hosts at KFBK-Sacramento, begin hosting mornings at KABC. Williams' first on-air job was at KOBO in Yuba City in 1969. His many radio jobs included a stint as KRTH program director in 1973. Lewis had begun in radio in 1980 as a traffic reporter for KRAK. The Dave & Amy Show lasted just one year on KABC. Lewis returned to KFBK, where she now co-hosts the morning news with Ed Crane. Williams became a news anchor at KFWB in 2002 and later worked at KNX before returning to KABC in 2009. After a brief stay at WWWN-Chicago in 2011, he moved to KLIF-Dallas, where he now co-anchors the morning news with former KFWB reporter Amy Chodroff. (LARadio Rewind meticulously prepared by Steve Thompson)

AM Radio Exploded with Rock 'n Roll Explosion. Harvey Kubernik, the author of Turn Up the Radio: Rock, Pop, and Roll in Los Angeles 1956-1972, appeared on KCRW this week, according to a story you can access at LA Observed.com. Just click the artwork. “Interviewer Lisa Napoli focused Kubernik on the importance of the AM radio dial to young rock fans in the 1950s and '60s, at stations like KFWB, KRLA, and KBLA, and how legendary deejays such as Dave Diamond, Art Laboe and others gave crucial airplay to local bands such as the Doors, the Byrds, the Seeds and Love.”

Scott Greene Services. Services for Metro Traffic and former KFI Talk show host Scott Greene are set for Saturday November 22 at 10 a.m. at the Oakwood Memorial Park Chapel, 22601 Lassen Street, Chatsworth. Internment immediately following services at: Oakwood Memorial Park. There will be a repast following interment at the Radisson Hotel, 9777 Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Chatsworth. If you plan on attending, the family needs to know so the caterer can make plans. Call Jacquie Greene at: 818.239.2576.  

Joe Perry Guests on K-EARTH. Joe Perry of Aerosmith joined Gary Bryan and Lisa Stanley at K-EARTH this week and talked about his book, Rocks: My Life in and Out of Aerosmith. Their first hit, Dream On, was first released in 1972. It didn’t do well at first, but was then re-released in 1976 and became a huge hit. Joe said he has a love-hate relationship with his brother, Steven Tyler. They both wanted different things in their personal lives, so they clashed a lot of the time.

 Overheard.

• “If people call, I’ll give out the number.” (Bryan Suits, KABC)

• “I have followed these street sweepers to see what they do. They use all these bristles and brushes and what they leave behind is all this smeared dirt. It makes it look worse.” (John Kobylt, KFI)

• "My secret to avoiding holiday shopping is being alone in the world." (Damien Fahey from Twitter)

Funnie. Thanks to Timmy Mancheo for this morning's funnie.

Email Thursday

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** Potpourri from Eagle Rock

“Just catching up on the LARadio.com news before calling it a day.  The SPERDVAC Convention news in today's [November 12^th] is a bit disappointing in that the early reservation pricing deadlines are past and daily fees ‘at the door prices will be an additional $10 per event.’ The deadline is November 7 for advance registration.

I know that you put in info as you get wind of it and I don't fault you, but maybe next year, promotion could reach you a little earlier. It was a borderline event for me anyway, but pricing does tend to influence attendance decisions, more important for the $25 rise to $35 at-door events than the rest of the listed events.

Good columns and, as always, you produce lots of behind-the-scenes information. I have a lot of things I would like to send in but as quickly as they come to mind, usually while listening to talk radio, something comes up to either cause me to put it off and it doesn't happen or I just lose the recollection of the exact language that was the reason for the intended comment, all being something akin to losing the punchline to a joke.

I do like to hear Tim Conway, Jr., and even when his political commentary during the recent elections was very opinionated, he was often inaccurate in his remarks, which at times were inconsistent with earlier views he's presented. The overall attraction to Tim's show is the energy and humor that's there. He's just funny.

I like KABC's McIntyre in the Morning has become my favorite along with checking in from time to the other morning shows like Bill Handel's show, and  KRLA's morning show that Brian Whitman's humor and voices liven up.

I think Bryan Suits is good, although I read a comment in your email section months ago that put him into something like an unlistenable category. I don't agree and his background gives more of the details that others may miss or never even consider. His sarcasm is a type that may not be to everyone's liking but I think it adds color and a point of view strength that is all part of the communication style. 

I want to add that one KFI host that I don't always get to hear, being on the weekend, is Monique Marvez and her sharing of personal experiences. Her story telling is both enlightening and usually funny, more often than not being about topics that I can relate to, or more properly from a grammatical posiiton, ‘topics to which I can relate.’

And to end, I was sad to hear of Scott Greene's passing. I enjoyed his KFI shows many years ago. I recall his style being informative and that he worked to get good exchanges with callers, something that does not seem to be important to many hosts these days, where being combative is preferred by some, more so than listening. Some callers bring it on themselves, I will give you that, but patience is often counter-productive in producing ratings these days of talk radio. I miss Michael Jackson's shows for what his discussion and guest could have brought to the airwaves when so many presenters don't really seem to apply much thought to their handling of the issues of the day.

Still a great website, Don, and it continues to educate me about the industry, especially the past and current information. I am not sure about what anyone can say the future, though, but as a listener to radio, it still makes for a closer and active community of us all.” - Robert Guevara, Eagle Rock

** Funnie Reaction “Wednesday photo .... ‘Hey, wait a minute, that's my wife’s car...!!’  :)” – Jeff Baugh

** Remembering Sam Benson

“I remember Sam Benson when he was the pitch man for Lou’s Garage on the Wrestling matches with Dick Lane on Channel 5.  He would read off everything that Lou would do to your car from big cards, then on occasion Freddie Blase [a wrestler], would come in and rip up the cards. It was very funny. Poor Sam didn’t know what to do. I went to school with Lou’s nephew and got to meet Sam when we went to the Wrestling matches.” – John St. Thomas Newton 

Art Laboe Controls National Radio Hall of Fame Studio

(November 12, 2014) At the National Radio Hall of Fame (NRHOF) Class of 2014 Induction Dinner and Broadcast last Sunday, NRHOF founder Bruce Dumont unveiled that there is now an Art Laboe Control Room at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago. The studio may be used as a broadcast facility for out of town personalities to do their shows when in Chicago and is a learning place for students. The Art Laboe Foundation, Inc. made a generous donation to assist in the building of the Control Room. Art said, “In 2012 I was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, was inspired by the Museum and was able to contribute. I hope to get back to the Museum again and check out the studio that will be used by radio legends and will inspire our next generation of broadcasters."

2014 Hall of Induction Ceremony - Friends of Art Laboe

(Shotgun Tom Kelly, Laboe, Kerri Kasem, Bruce Dumont ... Laboe with Rick Dees, Bill Handel and Becky/Greg Ashlock)

(Laboe with Michael LaCrosse, Erica Farber, Mary Beth Garber, and Shotgun Tom Kelly and Deliah ... all Hall of Fame photos were provided by Joanna L. Morones, Dart Media)

Hear Ache. With Randy Jackson leaving American Idol, host Ryan Seacrest is the only returning key player from Idol's original team … Bob Marek signed up to support LARadio as a subscriber. He lives up North. “Having grown up in Southern California in the 1960’s and my grandfather having been an engineer at KFWB in the 1930’s-40’s, I still enjoy hearing about the radio industry.” Bob’s grandfather was Stuart Dalton.

LARadio Rewind: November 12, 2012. Sam Benson dies at 90. Born Sam Bensussen in 1922, he attended Fremont High School, studied broadcasting at Los Angeles City College and began in radio in 1944 as an announcer at KVEC in San Luis Obispo. He later worked at KIEV before joining KLAC in 1947. He eventually moved from on-air work to become KLAC's director of public affairs and public relations. For many years he also did commercials on late-night television and worked as an announcer for events at the annual Los Angeles County Fair. For three years prior to his retirement in 1987, Benson served as editorial director for KTTV/Channel 11.  After retiring, he kept busy playing golf and doing volunteer work for various charities. (LARadio Rewind is meticulously prepared by Steve Thompson)

Huckabee with an H and not an F. Fox’s Megyn Kelly had a little slip of the tongue this week introducing fellow Fox News host Mike Huckabee on her show. Instead of calling his show “Huckabee” she used the F letter instead of the H letter. Kelly acknowledged the slip at the end of her show: “Something else that happened on the program is also getting a lot of attention on Twitter and including this tweet from some nice man named Sean who said ‘Megyn you’re a delight to watch and gave a stoic performance after your slip up with Governor Huckabee’s name.’ I thought I was stoic too – I have a heart of a 12 year old boy.”

KEIB’s Glenn Beck and His Mysterious Illness. On The Blaze this week, Glenn Beck revealed he has been battling a serious neurological illness that even the best medical professionals couldn’t quite diagnose. Beck says doctors told him he had five to ten years, after which he would not be able to function. He started having seizures. “My hands, feet, arms and legs feel like someone had just crushed them, or pushed broken glass into my feet,” Beck said about the intense bouts of pain. “The doctors tell me I haven’t had REM sleep in as much as a decade.” Beck says he has dealt with the pain for years. “While I was at Fox the pain would get so bad that the crew worked out hand signals so they would know when to take the camera off of me.” Beck says doctors looked for adrenal fatigue and macular dystrophy. He also had vocal cord issues. “We even looked into whether someone was poisoning me,” he said.  “We moved to a warmer climate. Yes, this is one of the reasons we moved to Dallas.” Beck turned a corner this summer. He says with hormone therapy, a brain research center which happens to be 3 minutes away from his Dallas studio, and, most importantly, his faith in God, he now has “a clean bill of health.”

SPERDVAC Convention. Fans of old-time radio can’t wait for this weekend when SPERDVAC celebrates 40 years of celebrating and preserving the world of recreating radio shows from the 40s and 50s. On Friday’s agenda, an episode of The Shadow will be presented. Leonard Maltin will MC the Friday night dinner, followed by a performance of Lux Radio Theatre.

Saturday morning, Bobb Lynes presents the History of SPERDVAC, followed by a presentation of Duffy’s Tavern. Later in the afternoon there will be a presentation by Hunter and Stan Freberg. The evening dinner will be hosted by K-EARTH’s Shotgun Tom Kelly. Details at: www.SPERDVAC.com.

Funnie.

Email Wednesday

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** KFWB Memories - LARadio Rewind

“Thanks to Steve Thompson for his reminder of 11/11/72. Glad you remembered. So do I. Drove in from Palm Springs, saw and heard greetings outside the station on entering. Did half the show in concentration mode before taking a breath. Not a lotta 42 anniversaries these days.” – Elliot Field

** Paraquat Kelley Benefit Concert

“The response to your post about the fund-raising concert has resulted in $1,000 to our gofundme account. Pretty cool. Thanks, Don.” – Pat Paraquat Kelley and Melody Rogers 

Bubbling Under LARP

(November 11, 2014) The listing of the Top 10 Best On- and Off-Air for 2014 has now been completed. The 80+ working Los Angeles Radio People who participated voted for some excellent LARP, many bubbling under the Top 10 and tied at #11. Over the next few weeks the list will continue to be revealed.  

On-Air:

(Linda Nunez, Tom Haule, Rush Limbaugh, Mimi Chen, Big Boy, and JoJo Wright)

Linda Nunez & Tom Haule (midday news anchors at KNX)

• "Always informative and no one does live breaking news like Tom."

• "With no disrespect to the current, successful morning team, I still don't understand why KNX ever moved this award-winning duo from morning drive."

Rush Limbaugh (middays at KEIB)

• "He revolutionized Talk radio and can still bring ratings to stations with no signal."

Mimi Chen (weekends at 100.3/The Sound)

• "Listening to her 'Peace, Love & Sunday Mornings' mellows me out."

Big Boy (mornings at KPWR)

• "Big Boy now has one of the longest runs in morning drive of any L.A. radio personality."

• "Hilarious, incredibly smart, beloved by men and women and kids of all ages. Impossible not to have a great time in Big Boy's neighborhood."

JoJo Wright (evenings at KIIS)

• "Great guy. Great jock."

• "JoJo manages to keep a young audience tuned in month after month. He is fun and very current!"

• "Brings enormous energy to evenings at the #1 radio station."

Off-Air:

(Peter Burton, Dave Weiss, Michael Means, Doug Irwin, and Claudia Rubio)

Peter Burton (general manager, 100.3/The Sound)

• "Very funny and creative guy a real pleasure to work for."

• "Quietly helming The Sound into one of the Top 10 stations in LA."

Dave Weiss (marketing director for KLAC and KEIB)

• "An amazing talent and probably the hardest worker in radio. He can often be found at his desk until the wee hours of the night or at a station event/promotion. Dave has been with KLAC for 17 years and continues to come up with innovative, fun and unique events to brand the stations he works with as well as provide extraordinary value to the stations' clients."

Michael Means (sales manager at sports KLAA)

• "The best account sales leader in Southern California."

Doug Irwin (engineer at iHeartMedia)

• "Doug is a great RF and Project engineer and has already put his stamp on the local cluster. His technical articles are a good resource for engineers everywhere. He's a very nice guy, too."

Claudia Rubio (programming assistant CBS/LA)

• "The woman who holds the 2nd floor of the CBS Radio building together."

• "As coordinator for K-EARTH and the WAVE, Claudia has her platter more than full every single day. She caters to the many personalities and tasks at hand with aplomb and never lets things fall through the cracks. She's also produced flawless live broadcasts from Hawaii and hopped right on the air at K-EARTH when asked, and did a hilarious segment with the morning show that people are still talking about. Hail Claudia!"

Hear Ache. Greg Tantum, former program director at KFWB from 1992-98, has joined news/talk station  WYAY-Atlanta as head of programming. His most recent post was executive editor for NBC News Radio based in Washington, DC … KNX is still in the interview process in their search for a program director ... Former KFI Talker Kevin Wall exits KXNT/fm-Las Vegas … WMNI-Columbus, Ohio has added Chuck Southcott’s Standards show on a daily basis. “Just last week KWXY in Palm springs also made me part of their lineup on a Monday thru Friday basis, carrying me from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. … Former K-100 jock “Good Time Steve Mitchell” just produced a video retrospective for the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame about Y106 & Y104/fm , documenting one of the great radio battles. “It’s a piece of Atlanta and Country radio history,” emailed Steve. Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1v2_N-9IYI#t=825

Plum Assignment. Nancy Plum, decades-long LARP on local iconic stations, checks in from Kentucky. “The local Frankfort, Kentucky newspaper gave us publicity in the Sunday 10/19 edition,” emailed Nancy. “Passport Radio 1490 is a tiny AM station but we stream 24/7 on the Internet and by the end of the year we'll be simulcasting on an fm out of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.  I cannot believe I am (a) still in the air having so much fun b) living in KY! & (c) that I am still ALIVE. LOL!”   “My other business is promoting Project 10, a health challenge and I get to travel quite a bit with that,” continued Nancy. “Another part-timer at Passport Radio, Larry Cory, fills in for me when I am on the road. When he's not on the air he is an Elvis impersonator! Life is pretty wonderful in this part of the country.”

San Diego Opening. R Dub, former pd at Hot 92.3 (KHHT) and now the pd at Z90-San Diego, is looking for its next on-air night time superstar and social media super hero.  “We’re not looking for an ‘announcer’ or ‘dj,’ but a real standout personality who understands the lifestyle and is ready to throw away the liner cards and shake up the market,” emailed the former pd at Mega. “If you’re ‘normal,’ we don’t want you. You must also be amazing at social media and blogging and have the evidence to prove it, as this will be a huge component of the gig.

To apply, send a note, audio, resume and social media and web links to: rdub@z90.com.

LARadio Rewind: November 11, 1972. KMET broadcasts a 24-hour special, KFWB: The Glory Years. KFWB had been a top-40 station for ten years before switching to an all-news format in 1968. KMET brought back Ted Quillin, Gary Owens, Joe Yocam, Elliot Field, B. Mitchel Reed and Bill Ballance. Each of them worked in the same time slot they had held while at KFWB. They played the hits of 1958 to 1962 along with the original “Channel 98” jingles. The re-creation of KFWB’s glory years was marred by the commercial breaks which included ads for such modern-day businesses as Licorice Pizza and Waterbed Warehouse. On April Fools Day 1988, Quillin would re-create his KFWB program as part of KRLA’s “A Thing Of The Past” special. Ballance would do the same in 1989. (LARadio Rewind meticulously prepared by Steve Thompson)

Funnie.

Email Tuesday

We Get Email … 

** Paraquat’s Fundraiser

“Great article about Paraquat Kelley.

There is also a GoFundMe site for donations for Paraquat and Melody Rogers in case people can’t attend the event at: GoFundMe.com/b2rgfc. The outpouring of love from The Sound’s listeners has been fantastic.” – Cynthia Fox :) 100.3/The Sound

** Paraquat on Social Media

“Don, what a great piece on Pat Kelley. I copied and posted it on my Facebook page, so I could get it out to FB friends who are not in the advertising business.  Trust that was ok.” – Lynda Parets 

An Opportunity to Help One of Our Own

(November 10, 2014) Pat “Paraquat” Kelley led a charmed life for many years. The son of Bob Kelley, the play-by-play voice of the LA Rams when the team moved from Cleveland to LA in 1947, he got to hang with the Rams players every summer during football camp at Redlands University. His godfather was Dan Reeves, the owner of the Rams. The flagship station for the Rams’ broadcasts was legendary 710/KMPC. Through his father’s friends at KMPC, Pat started doing everything around the station nobody else would do. Pat says Gary Owens was very generous in offering advice and was a main influence in his radio career. His big break in radio came when he was hired to do afternoon drive news at KMET, the iconic “underground free-form” station known as ‘The Mighty Met.’ That’s when he took on the persona of “Paraquat” Kelley. “I remember my very first day on the air at KMET,” said Pat. “I did my thing. I was nervous, but I remember getting off the air, and going into the hallway where Howard Bloom, general sales manager, and the entire staff was applauding and slapping hands – they thought it was great. You know, I thought it sucked but they thought it was good and that was the beginning of Paraquat on KMET.”

In 2005, LARadio sat one afternoon with Pat in the backyard of his Nichols Canyon home. It was in this tranquil, almost idyllic setting that Pat would first reveal the news that in 2002 he was diagnosed with MS – Multiple Sclerosis. “It’s a fucking blessing in disguise and that’s exactly how I look at it,” said a resolved Pat at the time.

He said the divorce from his first wife, as traumatic and horrible as it was at that time, coupled with the demise of the Mighty Met were probably the two worst things that could happen to him. “It broke my heart, but now those two things turned out to be blessings.” Pat married everyone’s favorite girl next door, the  former host of 2 on the Town Melody Rogers. Pat and Melody became regular fill-in hosts for KABC’s morning show. In 1993 he joined WNEW-New York until returning to L.A in 1995. ‘This MS is the same way. I mean, sometimes you take a horse turd and turn it into a diamond.”   Paraquat reflected on when he thought he experienced the first symptoms. He was an avid golfer and played practically every day for decades. In 1985 he was watching the pros play at Riviera Country Club when he noticed he was numb from his waist to his knees. Being very healthy, he wrote off the temporary numbness to twisting something or pinching a nerve. In a few days it was gone.   From time to time Paraquat experienced similar symptoms with pains in his lower back. He wrote it off to something he must have done from years of golf. By late 2002, the pain was such that he gave up golf. During the holidays of that year, he had trouble walking from one party to another. He could barely make it down the street and it wasn’t from the holiday cheer.

Melody insisted that her husband go to a doctor. The doctor sent him to a neurologist and scheduled him for an MRI. “I had no idea about the results, but I was happy it was over. That night we had dinner at Jim Ladd’s house. I could barely walk up the steps to his house.” 

After waiting a couple of days over a weekend, the neurologist called Pat. “Matter-of-factly he said the tests came back and tells me that it is MS. It was like he totally brushed over it. I asked him if it would shorten my life. He said absolutely not and that it was totally treatable. I asked him what he thought I had. He goes ‘my God, you do not know, you do not want to know what I thought you had.’ Later he confessed he thought I had ALS or an inoperable malignant brain tumor. He thought I was dead. When I walked out of the office he said he pounded his fist on his desk saying, damn, damn, damn because he thought I was cooked. So I had good news, it was just MS.” Pat called Melody with the diagnosis and she was very encouraging. “This is just another hurdle and we’ll do it together,” she said lovingly.  

Paraquat had been reluctant to go public with his MS. “I didn’t want to be the object of anybody’s sympathy. I felt like I was the invincible - untouchable - and that’s the way I lived my whole life. If I could count the number of times when I should have been dead for just being the fool, drinking, driving my motorcycles, or skiing, I should be dead a hundred times over. Okay. I proved pretty much to myself that I’m immortal and now this. But you know what? This hasn’t really changed my feeling about life at all. When you start feeling sorry for yourself; take a walk down the halls of Children’s Hospital. I am a very lucky person.”  

Part of Paraquat’s desire to go public with MS was to rid himself of any negative thoughts he may have been holding onto, allowing his body to repel the disease with positive thoughts and energy.    

When Jim Ladd was presented with his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the night before, there was a roast for Jim at the Laugh Factory. When Pat took the stage to deliver some hilarious stories, it was the first time that many of his colleagues saw him with a cane and needing a little bit of assistance to get up the steps to the stage. When he got to the podium, the audience was hushed. Holding the cane overhead, Paraquat proclaimed, “At least the drugs didn’t hurt me.” The silence was broken and the crowd laughed and cheered.  “I’ve come to the conclusion that you eventually become everything you made fun of growing up.” 

“Jim Ladd is probably my best friend from the radio years. He’s just a good guy and ever since my diagnosis, he’s been there for Melody and me. Jim and Steve Edwards – talk about being there. When the ‘shit hit the fan’ so to speak with the MS diagnosis, Melody called her good friend Steve Edwards and asked for some advice. One of the drawbacks of MS is the treatment is very expensive. My AFTRA insurance had expired and we were somewhat concerned. Steve asked Melody, ‘Can he still talk?’  

Pat spent a decade with the free-form station at 94.7 until it became the WAVE. Pat was there on the last day of AOR broadcasting on February 6, 1987, playing the last two songs. When he was fired on “Black Friday,” the gm and pd suggested to Pat that his nine years at the station had surely been financially profitable. Pat snapped. "You don't get it! I didn't work there for the money; I believed in what I was doing."

Pat is so likeable and so many of his friends have supported him as medical expenses and home care has escalated. They purchased the book written by Pat and Melody with Anita Garner, There Will Always Be Termites. Next month there will be another opportunity to help Pat and Melody.  His friends in the music business are participating in a one-night special event at the Canyon Club in Agoura. Award winning musicians, KMET alumni and friends are bringing their talents and efforts together on Sunday, December 14th at 7:30 p.m. in recognition of Pat's unstoppable spirit and courage.

Confirmed performers include George Thorogood, Janiva Magness (I Never Lost You, You Were Never Mine), Paul Barrere (part of Little Feat band), Waddy Wachtel (composer, record producer and known for his guitar work), Peter Stroud (guitarist with Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, Pete Droge, and Sarah McLachlan), Dan Navarro (I Don’t Believe in Yesterday), Kiki Ebsen, Michael Ann Azoulai, Bill Champlin, Prescott Niles, Christina La Rocca, Julian Sha-Tayler, Riley Biederer, Angeles Band and other special guests.

KMET alumni Cynthia Fox and Jeff Gonzer (l) will be among the evening's emcees and the evening will include a special appearance by Sirius/XM Free Form Radio host and legendary Southern California radio personality and Pat’s best friend, Jim Ladd. In addition to an entire evening of very special acoustic performances and collaborations, a silent auction features great items like an Eagles personalized guitar and an exclusive getaway vacation. "Pat and I are deeply touched and honored by this outpouring of love. Borrowing a line from the Beatles, ‘Having been some days in preparation, A splendid time is guaranteed for all’” said Melody Rogers-Kelley. “So after all is said and done, I am a lucky person. Melody and I are happy and otherwise healthy, and we have great friends. Don, if you ever hear me complain about anything - shoot me! I am blessed.”

But the physical challenges have created enormous financial challenges. Now, you can help. Even if you can’t personally attend, why not buy a couple of tickets to this once-in-a-lifetime gathering of rock stars and give them to someone who would truly appreciate seeing this rock royalty evening and help Pat and Melody at the same time. Tickets are available from $29 - $58 and you order them through Ticketmaster.

LARadio Rewind: November 10, 1998. Morning man Huggie Boy (Dick Hugg) becomes the last remaining dj on KRLA, as the station dismisses the rest of the on-air staff and begins running on automation. KRLA had signed on at 1110 am in 1959 with a Top 40 format. In 1998, KRLA was playing r&b oldies but was losing audience share to rhythmic oldies “Mega 100” (KCMG), leading then-general manager Bob Moore to end the music format. Huggie Boy would make his final broadcast on the night of November 29, signing off with Don’t Let No One Get You Down by War. The station would switch to a talk format featuring Michael Jackson, Don Imus, Ron Barr, Ed Tyll, Dr. Toni Grant, G. Gordon Liddy, and Ken Minyard and his son Rick. Huggie Boy moved to KRTH, where he would stay until 2002. On December 1, 2000, KRLA became ESPN affiliate KSPN. On January 1, 2003, KSPN moved to 710 am and Radio Disney KDIS moved to 1110 AM. On January 1, 2001, conservative talk station KIEV took the KRLA call letters. Huggie Boy, who had been in radio since 1951, died in 2006 at age 78.

Hear Ache. Christmas music comes to KOST beginning at 7 a.m. this Thursday … Jimmy Darren will be performing at the Catalina Bar and Grill this Thursday night. It’s a big band swing night. “It's the first time I've worked a club in California, since the Cocoanut Grove, in the mid 60s, so this will be a blast for me,” said Darren. He just returned from performing in London … KFI newslady Tracie Savage is now teaching grad students Journalism at USC Annenberg school of Journalism. She’s also in grad School getting a Master’s Degree in Digital Journalism.

Birthdays. Chris Ebbott, pd at K-EARTH, met his bride-to-be, Angela Perelli, when both were at KYSR, Star 98.7. Didja know they were both born on November 9? “Ha,” responded Ebbott when asked about the coincidence. “But it's still ‘her day.’ I'm smart enough to know that!” … And this is the birthdate of the late Sie Holliday, one of the earliest female voices in LARadio history. She was born on 11.10 and Sie’s legacy was on 1110/KRLA.

LARadio.com Goal. From the beginning of this website, there has been a concerted attempt to take readers and fans of radio behind the scenes of the business plus to learn something about their favorite personalities that was an “a-ha” moment. To accomplish this, for many years we had a question of the month that resulted in my revelations. Twelve years ago the question one month was: “Do you have an interesting story about how you got engaged or circumstances around your wedding ceremony or honeymoon?” Mike Evans (l), former morning personality at KROQ before the Kevin & Bean era, answered the question with an answer we had never heard before:

My wife and I divorced when our daughters were 7 and 8 and she took them back to Missouri where she herself was raised. Wanting to be a part of my girls’ lives, every Friday after getting off the morning show at KROQ, I would fly to Missouri, be there in time to pick them up from school and fly back to Los Angeles Sunday night.

I did it for 9 years when one day my youngest daughter, a sophomore at the time informed me she was very serious about a boy in school – even talking about getting married. Wanting to put the kibosh on it, I asked to meet his parents and family. Turned out he only had a widowed mom and a younger sister. His mom and I talked them into waiting, and getting married halfway through college.

I continued to fly to Missouri every weekend and following high school, and the kids went to different colleges. I also started dating his mom and when it was all said and done, the kids broke-up and I married his mother, so instead of being husband and wife, they became brother and sister. A footnote - I also adopted my new wife's daughter, and so she wouldn't have to leave her friends, I continued to commute to Missouri for 3 more years. That daughter is now in college and my wife and I are finally living together here in California.

Speaker Shotgun. K-EARTH afternooner Shotgun Tom Kelly was guest speaker at the 29th annual Grossmont Hospital Foundation Gala & fundraiser. This was the hospital where he had his successful quadruple bypass surgery earlier this year. “Having started my radio career together with Tommy back in the 60s, it was an honor to be at this special night where he saluted the hospital and his team of doctors,” emailed Jim Duncan of iHeartMedia. “The event was at the Sheraton Hotel Harbor Island San Diego.  San Diego is where Tom and I met in 1969, outside of the KCBQ studios, at the corner of 7th & Ash downtown. We have been best friend (or as the kids say: BFFs) ever since. Tommy was 16 and I was 17.”

Overheard.

• “Program directors aren't radio programmers, they’re format police. Radio needs a Steve Jobs.” (Larry Gifford, from Tweeter)

• “The United States has to be stronger than everybody else.” (Dennis Prager, KRLA)

• "The Jets kicked the Pittsburgh Steelers' ass. What was that all about?" (Don Imus, KCAA)

Funnie.

Email Monday

We GET Email …

** Remembering Scott Greene

“I’m just now catching up with my web-reading, and I'm shocked by the sad news about Scott Greene.  I worked with him at Metro, and he was the kind of guy who'd go out of his way to be a friend.  I remember coincidentally running into him around town a few times, and once sitting in with him on his KGFJ shift, in a studio full on timeless classic R&B on LaBrea Avenue.” – Greg Hardison

** Greening of Scott

“I’m so sorry to hear about the passing of Scott Green. I really loved the sound of his voice, and his on-air personality as he helped us hapless commuters thread our way through the usual traffic nightmares of L.A. And when he'd handle the news, he had great credibility but with a warm, human touch to it. He always sounded as though he'd put thought AND heart into it. I'll miss that.” – Mary Lyon

** Paths Crossed with Scott Greene

“I've been so hard on the hustle and focused that, I'm embarrassed to say, I'm just learning of the passing of Scott Greene. I'm saddened that he's left us. I worked with Scott at 1580 KDAY many years ago and we crossed paths often when I was at KACE and he was on the air at KFI. He was a Renaissance man and a radio chameleon who was able to adapt well, it seemed, to changes in our business. Of course, he was a pro’s pro, which I respect.

RIP, Scott.” – J.J. Johnson

** Knew Scott Greene at KYPA

“I’m sorry to read about Scott Greene passing at age 55. I'm 56 and after getting hit by a semi-truck a few months back I don't feel I'm long for this world either?  Scott also worked at KYPA and the KYPA network carried by ABC on 25 stations. He was a super nice guy and a horrible radio station.

I worked there for a week and then it moved to San Francisco and soon after folded, It did give me recent experience to obtain a broadcasting Job with the State Department in Miami, helping or harming the Cuban people? They have non-citizens making $150K a year.

We will miss you Scott!” - Scott Felten

** Friday Funnie "Try not to get sand in those grooves." – Mike Sakellarides