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| ** Stop with the Vacations
“First, welcome back, Don. It sounds like you had a great time. Re all the LARP deaths while you were away: Obviously, we need you to stop taking vacations so people will stay alive! LOL” – K.M. Richards ** Vacation Miss “We missed you while you were on vacation! My years-long LARadio.com habit kept me checking each morning, just in case you decided to say hello from wherever you and Cherie were traveling. Then with your return, your vacation report and movie review and updates on our industry, we’re reminded what an accomplished, compassionate and talented bunch radio people are. This neighborhood you’ve created, right here, is special. Welcome home!” – Anita Garner ** Ral Donner Song? “Glad to have you back. When my site’s been down or you’re on vakay and not publishing, I always seem to hear Ral Donner’s You Don’t Know What You’ve Got (Until You Lose It) in my head.” – Rich Brother Robbin ** Other Anniversaries “I’m glad to hear you had a great trip. We have our momentous month coming up. On September 22, married 40 years, October 19, our son gets married, October 24, I am 70. Take care, nice to have you back!” – Mike Nolan
** Case and Point “I was sad to hear of the passing of Dwight Case. He had the lightest management touch of anyone I ever worked for when I was at K-Earth in the late 1970s. Dwight hired the right people and let them do their jobs. We often talked when I finished my morning newscasts. I wrote about those meetings in my memoir, But First This Message. Some mornings there would be a very pleasant man seated in one of the chairs, waiting to see the manager. I didn’t really know who he was, but we developed a nice conversational relationship over several weeks’ time. Our talks invariably turned to the idiosyncrasies of K-Earth manager Allan Chlowitz, though in a light vein. By the time I realized Dwight Case was President of RKO, it was too late to stop kidding around.” – Steve Fredericks Liddick ** Case Provided Helping Hand “I was very sad to hear of the loss of Dwight Case. In 1967, I had just left a job as Top 40 dj and Jack Hayes hired me to be news director at KROY in Sacramento. Dwight was the general manager and gave me a helping hand, both personally and professionally. In 1974 I was at a crossroads in my career. I had an offer from CBS to become a tv anchor and be groomed for a network job. It was tempting, but I had not gotten radio out of my blood and wanted to program a station. I knew there was one person I trusted to go to for advice and that was Dwight. It was then he hired me to fix a broken WFYR in Chicago. It was the correct move for me, as Dwight would then send me to KRTH where I would spend the next 29 years. Dwight was one of the very few CLASS ACTS in the business and I owe a great deal of my career to him and thankful I had him as mentor.” – Brian Beirne, Mr. Rock N' Roll ** Roger Carroll a Mensch “Thanks for the great tribute to Roger Carroll. He was a very special, dear friend. A real ‘mensch’ by all standards. Roger died a humble and gracious man, tremendously devoted to his family.” – Bob Sirkin ** Former KMPC PD Remembers Roger Carroll “I had heard that Roger Carroll had passed a while back, but saw nothing in the trade press. Thanks to you, now I probably will! One point of order: Roger’s real last name was actually Rutkin. Kolman C. Rutkin. And, he actually was co-owner of KWIP (AM) in Dallas/Salem, Oregon, with the late Mark Blinoff [also of KMPC]. They hired me to run it 1981-86 [I was Asst. PD at KMPC 1972-75, and then moved to Portland to pd at KEX]. We had considerable success with KWIP in those years. Roger and Mark also worked together in presenting for Disney the ‘National New Year’s Eve Party at Disneyland,’ and later also at Walt Disney World [and I was the anchor at Walt Disney World, when they did it from both locations]. It was on an impromptu national network, and on AFRTS around the world...in the 1980’s. And Roger also did recorded shows on Armed Forces Radio well into the 1970’s, which made him especially well-known to folks in the armed forces. One little bit of trivia not many may know: When Robert W. Morgan was at KMBY in Monterey, California, in the 1950’s – just before he went on to Fresno, and KMAK with Ron Jacobs – he was known on the air as Mark Carroll, because KMBY already had a ‘Bob Morgan.’ He mentioned to me once, when I was running the board for him at KKDJ on a program being recorded for NBC’s ‘Monitor’ – that he chose that name in tribute to Roger Carroll, whom he did not know personally then, but who he certainly was aware of at that time. Thanks again for calling the industry’s attention to the passing of a major figure.” – Eric Norberg, Portland, Oregon ** Zambia Trip “Our family took a National Geographic excursion to Africa, and, certainly, conditions in Zambia were beyond poverty. There is nothing in America that really compares to it. We are extraordinarily lucky to be living here, a fortunate circumstance that shouldn’t be taken for granted.” - Al Gordon, Del Mar ** More Zambia “Congratulations on soon becoming a grandfather! My situation is similar in that my son, who is 31, has not even a girlfriend right now and my daughter, who is 24 and has a boyfriend, no prospects for being a grandparent for me right now. Wonderful that your son is helping these folks in Zambia. My Church has as one of our many Missions, for the children in a small village in Zambia, one called Milk and Medicine. We raise thousands of dollars every year to provide these essentials to the kids there.” – Bob Whitmore, Chino ** Prager Pulpit “I sure am surprised that they would allow Dennis Prager’s videos to be played in public schools and in college. These ‘education’ facilities are nothing more than indoctrination centers...especially LAUSD. I speak from experience on that one. Nice to hear that Dennis is doing so well. He's a great person and a great American.” – Craig Roberts Productions / The Promo Guys, Hollywood and Las Vegas ** See Once Twice “Hollywood movie... had interwoven threads touching experiences and enlivening memories. To read all the pre-press I was somewhat surprised to realize that it wasn’t about ‘us’ at all. We were a ‘backdrop.’ This movie was entertaining with something for everybody, even if you weren’t part of that scene. If you were, it held even more meaning but not at the expense of the audience, like a private joke. Tarantino closed that gap. Genius. Here are a couple of examples: I’m remembering the tab on the KHJ jingles in the 60s being around 10k. I think it’s particularly odd for the diehards here in the LARadio.com group, since we take ourselves so seriously, that no one made any comment about an item that stood out to me in the credits. But of course, for the majority of people that left before the credits were finished, they would’ve missed it anyway. The Mann jingles were published by EMI for the movie. I wonder if it can net more than the original fee. By all means, if you have a chance to see the movie a second time or more, you will pick up on many of the little Easter eggs he left flying around. I can’t imagine the expense he must’ve gone through for the over 1000 vehicles that were all date-accurate. The freeway scenes where they must’ve had to close down the entire freeway and be surrounded by these cars stuns the imagination. Every single scene has something I could relate to. Some even closer to home than others. The house on Cielo drive had its house number changed years ago to throw off tourists. I only know this because of an association with the agent who sold the adjacent property. One thing I’d kind of hoped for was a scene in the Formosa Café, recently re-opened if you can’t get a table at Musso because of all the tourists, Martoni’s on Cahuenga [a Radio / Records hang, oft-visited by Frank], and a ‘to die for’ clip of ‘Tina Delgado is alive, alive.’ Maybe in the sequel. [I jest]. And by all means, if you go back to see it a second time, don’t leave early.” – Don Elliot ** Loved Los Bravos “I DO agree that Once Upon A Time in Hollywood could have used some editing. The same story could have been told in far less time. BUT! It was wonderful to hear Los Bravos’ Bring a Little Lovin. I still have that 45 on Parrot records. [I’m sure if KRTH had their way, we would have been treated to the millionth rendition of Black is Black.] Even more satisfying was to see the movie Manson family get the justice the real members should have gotten! And ALL of the music was heard as it should be without the annoying MP3 compression! Tarantino gets it, wish LA’s current radio market did likewise.” - Bill Schwarz, Ontario ** Sweet Dick Update “Good hearing from you. Before answering your email, I must acknowledge the diary of Andrew Oda. For a boy to have not only personal insight, but to describe the volunteer work performed each summer should make us all think about our priorities. I am humbly proud that I know the Oda family, and that such people in our world still exist. Now for your reader's questions. One: I do not have a brother, however I do have an alleged sister, whose existence is hard to acknowledge since my late mother on her deathbed vehemently insisted that she was a virgin. Secondly, as far as my book is concerned: I finished it ten years ago, and one of these days I’ll get around to reading it. Judging by my forward, the experience will be ‘God-awful.’ To summarize: I was born, I will die. In between those two statements, not a lot happened except my birth certificate never being found, and I died prematurely. Thank you for asking.” – Sweet Dick Whittington |
Koz on Podcast
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(August 30, 2019) Dave Koz,
former morning man at KTWV and saxophonist extraordinaire,
recently appeared with Bob Lefsetz on his podcast.
Here’s how to write a great promo for the podcast: “To hear how a middle-class boy from the Valley, with a dermatologist father and a cookie-baking mother, made it in music. How he picked up the saxophone to be in his brother’s band and didn’t decide to turn professional until after graduating from UCLA. Dave’s weathered the changes. The soft jazz WAVE format was burgeoning when he began and eventually faded. Dave toured relentlessly and then started his own cruises long before that became de rigueur. In other words, Dave Koz pivoted and has found his way in the twenty first century by being in the Dave Koz business. And he lives to collaborate, hell, he’s even played with the Foo Fighters!" |
| In other news: The day’s best and most inspiring news about some challenging journeys comes via Twitter. The results of Jillian Barberie’s CT scan are in for her lung. “My oncologist said it’s BENIGN!!!!!!!!! Been crying tears of joy with the kids for a half an hour. I’m so beyond grateful for your love and support here in my twitter family.” … Thanks to all who sent notes about my impending grandpahood ... KNX’s Chris Madsen is celebrating 29 years of marriage to the "dazzling Mrs. Madsen!" … Ira David Sternberg, checks in from Las Vegas with news that Hooters Hotel has been sold to an India-based hotel company. “Will it be renamed the Taj Mahal?” he wonders … Country music fans of Christine Martindale are rejoicing with her return to afternoons, following a prolonged hiatus for personal reasons … Winter Horton joins Meruelo Media after serving more than 20 years in the same role at LBI Media, Inc. “It’s truly exceptional to have an opportunity to work for one of the most dynamic and exciting companies in the industry today,” said Horton … Morning Answer’s (870 AM) Jennifer Horn sat in for middayer Dr. Sebastian Gorka’s syndicated show earlier this week. Whotta’ treat to hear local girl make good on the Salem network … Valerie Geller will take her proven and compelling programming methods to Istanbul and Greece in the coming weeks … Rich Brother Robbin had to move across town in Tucson and wasn’t sure his radio station, RichBroRadio.com, would make the trip. It did. You won't hear a better selection of 50s/60s music anywhere and NO commercials with an exciting presentation! … Is radio stronger than ever? Washington Times makes a case here ... Remember one of the sexiest movie scenes ever? It was in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as Katherine Ross sat on the crossbar of a bike steered by Paul Newman. The Oscar winning song, Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head, was sung by BJ Thomas. He will be guest with Peter Dills Sunday morning on KKGO. Hope Thomas shares how he got that gig. Fascinating … It didn’t take long for Rick Thomas, former pd at K-EARTH, to land a new gig when he left Cox Media Group’s Tampa stations. Rick is now vice president of programming and operations for rhythmic oldies KJHM “Jammin’ 101.5” and hip hop KFCO “Flo 107.1.” in Denver … The winner of the Darwin 2019 Awards: When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked. |
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KHJ VP/GM Dwight Case Dies
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(August 29, 2019) During
our holiday break, a number of LARP passed. We are
attempting to give each individual a last spotlight. Earlier
this month, Dwight Case, a
behind-the-scenes giant of radio, died at the age of 90.
Born on July 29, 1929, Dwight passed away at his Los Angeles home, surrounded by family and friends on the evening of August 9. Born in Modesto in 1929, Dwight is a fourth generation Californian. He started in 1948 as a copywriter for KFRE-Fresno. He worked up and down the coast, arriving in the Southland from KROY-Sacramento in 1972, where he ran the hugely successful Top 40 outlet. Dwight was appointed president of RKO Radio Division in 1975, which included KFRC-San Francisco, WRKO-Boston, 99X-New York, as well as KHJ. He stayed with RKO until 1981. Dwight founded the first 24-hour satellite delivered programming, Transtar Satellite Radio Network in 1981, which eventually became Westwood One. He was also president of Sunbelt Communications, which owned tv and radio stations. Dwight was publisher and ceo of R&R between 1983 and 1987. In 1988, Dwight was president of Networks-America, from where he launched all Asian KAZN (1300AM). Since 1989, Dwight had been president of Motivational Incentives Group and an officer of Western International Media Corporation. He earned his B.A. cum laude from the College of the Pacific (now University of the Pacific) and was an Accelerated Masters’ Program (AMP) graduate of the Harvard Business School. Eric Rhoades of Radio Ink shared a delicious story in his own publication: “I can’t remember when I first met ‘DC,’ but the first time we worked together was when I hired him to help me and Rich Marston launch my first FM in Salt Lake City. Dwight taught us his folder system for managing salespeople: He wanted them to keep a folder for each client, and asked the sellers to open every folder every day. When I attempted to modernize the system, he showed me why that wasn’t a good idea. We went into a sales meeting, and the sellers had all brought in every folder they had. He asked one of the sellers, “Did you look at every account? Look in every folder?” When she said yes, he opened a folder and pulled out a $100 bill he had planted earlier. “You would have gotten to keep this if you had been looking, but since you didn’t look, it’s mine again.” “Dwight Case was a true leader and visionary of the radio industry,” wrote Erica Farber, ceo of RAB, in Radio Ink. “He had a profound impact on my career and on my love of radio. He opened up many doors for me both professionally and personally, for which I will always be grateful. He supported me as a female in the industry when it was not fashionable or commonplace and helped me to find my voice. I look back on the many spirited conversations we have had over the years and can only hope we provided him as much inspiration and thought as he provided us.” |
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Purely Personal
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(August 28, 2019) A year
and a half ago I was a man late in life with three kids, but
none of them had married and there were no grandkids yet.
Part of that changed a year ago when my only daughter,
Alexandra, married over Memorial Day 2018. Whotta’ thrill to
be the Father of the Bride. I never thought it would happen.
As many of you know, I don’t share much on social media and consider the LARadio community my extended family. Well, here we are 15 months later and I’ve learned that Alexandra has great news to share. But first, a side note. You might remember her as the tooth fairy when our LARadio.com community joined my family as we went together with her on a grueling journey extracting her wisdom teeth. There was nothing simple about that trip. In fact, one tooth got “lost” and became embedded in her cheek. But onto happier news. Today, Alexandra is expecting and my first grandchild, a boy, will be born in January 2020. Now, I just have to live long enough to be the doting and loving and possibly overly-indulgent grandfather I’ve always wanted to be. |
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Alexandra’s brother, Tyler, is in
his fifth month in Zambia, an African country that ranks
among the countries with the highest levels of poverty and
inequality globally. He is in the midst of a two-year
commitment to the Peace Corps. My 32-year-old Millennial is
learning a new life filled with challenges. He lives in a
hut behind a home where the father has two wives and 10
children. He eats with them every night.
Tyler had to get a cat to help eradicate the spiders in his hut, and he told me the other day that he’s considering a dog to warn him about the snakes. He’s recovering from a collarbone break, suffered when he fell off his bike on a bumpy dirt road. (One of the daughters on the land where my son lives absolutely loves him and is like a sponge learning English and he learning Tonga. On the right a baboon greeting Tyler on the trail) |
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With another birthday coming up for me, it
is a constant reminder of the precious shortness of time
that I have left. There were five of us in Santa Monica from
the late fifties/early sixties who piled around together.
The gruesome fivesome. Notorious by description
only. We grew, got married, confronted challenges, lived our lives and one by one they’re gone. Three have died. The last one lives in Seattle. He sent me a 3-D photo of a sandy beach with two Adirondack chairs and an umbrella, asking if he could come down during a September weekend. He will leave his Friday dialysis treatment, jump on a plane to Santa Barbara and we’ll find some secluded beach with two wooden chairs and share a lifetime of memories. On his framed photo of the beach was an inscription: “Now there are two.” My life is blessed. I get to share with you my passion and love affair with radio on a daily basis. My wife and I live in an idyllic part of the Central California Coast in Avila Beach. My daughter’s new life with her new husband will soon be blessed with a baby boy. I am embracing the challenges in my son’s life as I visualize him learning the Tonga language and teaching a roomful of Zambian women about gardening. And we just got to spend 10 days with my older son in Naples. I never take a day for granted and I’m so thankful for the blessings I have received. Sometimes it feels good to say so. |
Sluggo Now At Bat for KLOS
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(August 27,
2019) KLOS has been on fire since
Meruelo Media purchased the legendary Classic Rock station.
Now, the station is stoking the flames by naming
Doug “Sluggo” Roberts assistant pd / music
director. Doug was associated with KROQ for most of the
nineties, plus working swing until 2017. Additionally, from day one of the very
successful JACK/fm format, Sluggo has been a writer and
music scheduler since 2005. He held that position until a
few months ago. Doug arrived at "the Roq" from
KZZP-Phoenix. In the spring of 1996 Sluggo joined WXRK-New
York before returning to KROQ in late 1997. He stayed until
2004 working nights and afternoon drive, then returning to
KROQ frequently working until two years ago. “The last shift I
did at KROQ was on the day that I was interviewed for Adam Carolla’s
[hopefully still] forthcoming documentary about The Roq. I
figured that would be a nice way to wrap up my tenure there,
and I quit doing air shifts after that day,” emailed Sluggo. “I started radio at
an MOR in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1984 when I should have
still been in high school.” He remembers talking to Casey
Kasem on the phone for about 10 minutes as an impressionable
teen. “I was asking him all about being a dj and he
thoughtfully answered every question,” Sluggo remembered.
“His best advice was ‘Get used to playing records that you
hate, kid. Over and over again. It’s part of the
job.’” |
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Sluggo was born and
raised in Phoenix. To pursue his radio dream he attended a
6-month radio course at Arizona Tech. “I drove all over
Arizona dropping off audition tapes I made at Arizona Tech. Carlos Ibarra, one of the best bosses I’ve ever had, at 600
AM (KCLS-Flagstaff) was the first to bite.” And how did he get
the nickname Sluggo? “The Sluggo name story is pretty
boring! Haha. My buddies
Jed the Fish, Freddy Snakeskin,
Swedish Egil
determined that I, Doug Roberts, should be Doug The Slug. I
slowly morphed it into Sluggo. For the first couple of weeks
on the air, though, I was both Frank Distortion, the Father
of Mayhem and Thurston Howell, The Monster. Still use
that one sometimes.” Sluggo was the
voice of MTV2 for half of the broadcast day during their
first year on the air. “Also, I got to be on Guy Zapoleon’s
legendary Top 40 powerhouse KZZP-Phoenix with Kevin Weatherly,
Kevin & Bean,
Jimmy Kimmel
and all the rest from 1986 – 90.” While assuming his new duties at KLOS,
Sluggo stated: “I’m staying with SiriusXM on both 1st Wave
and Lithium Monday – Friday, and have been there since June
of 2015.” |
710 /KMPC's Roger Carroll Dies
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Roger Carroll, a versatile personality for decades on
the L.A. airwaves, died July 30 2019, at the age of 90. “His
passing was peaceful, and he was surrounded by family,”
wrote his son. He worked at KABC from 1946 – 59 and 710/KMPC
from 1959 – 79.
Born Kolman C. Rutkin III in 1930, he grew up half-way between Baltimore and Washington, DC. Roger never another thought but to pursue a career in radio. His older brother was an announcer at WCAO-Baltimore and at the CBS network in New York. Roger’s brother never returned from World War II, so Roger became the announcer in the family. His first radio job was WFMD-Frederick, Maryland at the age of 15. At 18, he was the youngest staff announcer in the history of the ABC network. During his two decades at KMPC, he was also the tv announcer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, plus for shows hosted by Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Redd Foxx and Pearl Bailey. He was the announcer on NBC's Bobby Darin Show and the nationally syndicated Mancini Generation, as well as hundreds of commercials. Interestingly, for all his voiceover success, he never made an audition tape. Roger was one of two announcers represented by William Morris, and he attributes much of his work to the agency. “I believe you get assignments because of relationships, but you have to be very good at what you do.” Roger offered some real creativity on the air. In the early 1970s, Roger ran a nightly five-minute feature called “The Golden Days of Radio,” which he considered “one of the most successful segments I’ve ever featured.” He loved to broadcast from unusual venues. In a promotion co-sponsored by United Airlines, Roger’s show was broadcast live from a 747 en route to Hawaii. Long before the accessibility of satellite transmission, KMPC leased transmitter equipment from NBC to beam the radio signal from the airplane off a satellite stationed in the Pacific. On arrival in Honolulu, he broadcast four one-hour shows live from the beach at Waikiki evenings preceding KMPC’s coverage of Angels baseball. In 1979, Roger moved to evening talk, as KMPC moved out of its MOR/full-service status. When the station changed formats in 1980, Roger became head of Golden West Syndication Features, a new wing for Gene Autry’s company. In 1981, he resigned from Golden West to become executive producer of the “Lawrence Welk Radio Show” and owner of KWIP-Salem, Oregon, which he sold in 1991. Roger claims the enormous success of KMPC was a direct result of “management of attitude. The station manager treated us like professionals and we, in turn, performed like professionals.” “My 22 years at KMPC were the best years of my career and ending my time at Golden West Broadcasters / KMPC as a Vice President of GWB,” Roger said. |
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For Sale Hundreds, perhaps
2,000 audio tapes or more
From legendary Disc Jockey Humble Harve's personal collection... Air-checks & interviews & various radio production recordings including: KHJ/AM, KRLA/AM, KKDJ-FM, KIQQ-FM, KVI-AM, KRTH/FM, KCBS-FM, WBGI-AM, KBLA-AM, KUTE/FM, KZLA/FM And several other stations. Most of these air-checks are of Harve's own shows, however, some are also of his contemporary D.J. air personalities. These tapes consist of all sizes of reel-to-reel tapes, cassette tapes, As well as hundreds of Cart tapes (containing ads, & I.D.'s, promos, inserts, logos, songs, etc...) Most of these tapes are in their original individual tape boxes. Also homes are needed for Harve's audio equipment, including mobile D.J., tape decks, etc. Any questions please contact either: Timmy Manocheo ( tele: 530-243-1658 / email: TICDS@SBCGlobal.Net ) Or: Darrell Wayne ( tele: 805-749-3924 / email: DDoubleU@AOL.Com ) |
Reb Foster, One of the 11-10 Men at KRLA, Dies
(August 26, 2019)
Reb Foster, one of the great 11-10 Men during the
Top 40 heyday of KRLA (1962-65, 1967-69, pd and 1973 and
1982-83 and 1985-87), has died suddenly. No immediate cause
of death. He was 83.
Born on March 18,
1936, he started in Texas radio in the mid-1950s working in
Ft. Worth and Amarillo. Before Los Angeles he was heard at
KYW-Cleveland, KCIN-Denver and at KISN-Portland, where he
was known as Dennis James.
He arrived in Los Angeles
from KYA-San Francisco. Reb was pd for a time at KRLA. One
of his famous characters was Maude Skidmore.
He put
on dances at the Retail Clerks Union Hall Auditorium in
Buena Park with the cry "Let's Wail at the Retail." Reb had
his own nightclub in Redondo Beach imploring the kids to "Be
There or Be Square."
In 1967
Billboard
listed Rebel as the best midday dj. He also had time at
KFWB, which he left to affiliate with
Ted Randal in
consulting radio stations. He made a third return to KRLA in
1973, when the Pasadena station went to an MOR format from
contemporary music and experimented with teams in every time
period. Rebel worked the afternoon drive shift with Bob
Dayton.
In the '70s Reb managed Three Dog Night, the
Turtles and Steppenwolf.
He had been living in
Amarillo for at least the last ten years, according to his
cousin, Trish Vallet.
KRLA's Dennis Prager Lead Story in LA Times
(August 26, 2019) LARPs
have been on the front-page of the LA Times over
the years, but I can’t remember when one was the subject of
the lead story. And then yesterday, Dennis Prager made
not only the lead, but a full-page inside. The thrust of the
story is the power of PragerU, a digital empire that “isn’t
truly a university and doesn’t have a campus,” according to
the story by Times reporter Evan Halper.
“PraegerU videos are becoming a staple on college campuses.
PragerU boasts that thousands of college and high school
teachers screen its video in their classrooms.” The 300+
lectures produced by Prager features a diverse array of
stars from various segments of the ideological right.
Dennis spent almost two decades at KABC before moving to
KRLA / 870 AM in 2000. For many years he billed his program
as “talk about social issues from an ethical perspective.”
Previously, Dennis hosted “Religion on the Line,” a popular
Sunday evening show on KABC for 10 years, featuring a Rabbi,
Protestant minister and Catholic priest.
Dennis did
his undergraduate work majoring in Political Science at
Brooklyn College and the University of Leeds in England,
then graduate work as a fellow at Columbia University's
School of International Affairs and Russian Institute.
In 1969, at the age of 21, he was the national spokesman
for the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry and a delegate to
the first Brussels World Conference on Soviet Jewry.
President Ronald Reagan appointed him a U.S. delegate to the
Vienna Review Conference on the Helsinki Accords to
negotiate human rights with the Soviet Union.
His
on-air personality deals with moral issues. Dennis advocates
moral revenge, with capital punishment as an useful
instrument of revenge.
In late 1984 an early
evening slot opened up on KABC when Hilly Rose retired,
allowing Dennis a nightly platform primarily during the
Dodgers’ off-season. Worth noting is the LA Times story
never mentioned KRLA, 870 AM or “The Answer,” KRLA’s
moniker. But the story did mention that Prager and Adam
Carolla will release No Safe Spaces, a
documentary about one of their favorite subjects,
intolerance for conservatives on college campuses.
“Prager is dead set on overturning liberal orthodoxy…Videos
are straightforward, five-minute lectures…ripping into
pillars of the left: multiculturalism, climate action, equal
pay, Medicare for all, gun control, gay right.” The story
concluded with a quote from Prager’s producer, Allen Estrin,
about their mission: “Dennis said, ‘I feel like I have
penicillin for the mind of this country.’”
LA Times Letter to the
Editor, 8.25.19
Email Saturday, 8.24.2019
| ** Enjoyed Tarantino Movie
“Welcome back! You were missed! Re: Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood: it was the first Tarantino movie I truly enjoyed. But, way too long. Based on your site and LARP responses I was looking forward to the KHJ airchecks and songs capturing the spirit of the time. Hearing the jocks/jingles fit perfectly. Song choices? Some I've never heard; some I'm guessing never hit the air on KHJ. More fitting song choices would've made the movie much more enjoyable for me! Keep up the great work my friend!” - Greg Mills ** Humidity in Hell “Welcome Back! Yea I wondered why you would continue into ‘humidity hell’ in the summertime but I do know that is a beautiful part of our country with some interesting history. Your son is a GREAT man for saving those two beautiful dogs. I love them all. Thanks for the review on the Tarantino movie - sad. He has always been a sick, twisted man.” – Mike Butts ** SoCal Loved Tarantino Movie “I saw the new movie by Quentin Tarantino and really enjoyed it. I am a Southern California guy and have lived in this part of the state all my life. All the sights and sounds you see in the movie were there and really happened. In 1969, I was in my last year of junior high school, ready to move on to high school. I, like many of my peers, listened to KHJ on the table radio at home, at school, and at lunch over the PA system. The music, djs and commercials heard is what you got when the dial was set to 930 KHz. The sounds of the station bought back a lot of memories. Most cars for the period had an AM radio as standard equipment, so any car you got into had an AM radio built-in, so it was easy to listen to any local station. The radio was right there in the dash ready to go. KHJ along with KRLA and KFWB were the stations I went to for the current pop music of the day. Listening to the stations bought a sense of community, as you knew others like you were listening to the same station and ‘dug’ the music played that ‘squares’ couldn't understand. No Sinatra for me. In that time, Los Angeles was a less-populated city and was somewhat easier to get around. I was amused of the scene where Cliff picked up the hitchhiker in Hollywood and got on US 101 aka the Hollywood Freeway. Wow, the only time that freeway is moving is maybe on a weekday night. Forget rush hour or any time during the weekend. Last week, I attended a couple of film screenings on Sunset Blvd. that ended at 11:30 p.m. I knew I had to take US 101 South to get back to my hotel and dreaded the drive back. When I got on the freeway, I was shocked the traffic was free-flowing. No slowing at all. Pretty nice if you ask me. It’s too bad the movie producers didn't think to include airchecks from other LA stations of the era. The Al Pacino character, Marvin Shwarz, could have been shown listening to KMPC or KGIL, the middle-of-the-road stations heard in LA. The Pacino character was older, so it would have been a kick to hear Roger Carroll of KMPC doing one of his shows. It probably would have cost more to get the authorizations to use those sources, but overall using KHJ as a sound post was smart. I read the last posts mentioning this movie and it seems a lot of LARadio folks liked the movie. There is talk it will be nominated for an Oscar, but we will have to see.” - Dan Ramos, Joshua Tree ** Quentin's Movie is Epic "Actually we’re glad you’ve returned from rest and rehab away from the chatter that does matter. Once a Upon a Time in Hollywood is better on second viewing. I’m confessin’ I did get the drowsies on my first time seeing Quentin’s epic opus. The dawning of another revelation occurred last week as the film’s grosses to-date were posted—only about $60+Million [ed.note, grosses now over $200 million]. Hollywood may be the glamour Capitol of the World but there are lots of people out there in the world who won’t spend their movie money to flashback to the legendary 60’s. OR Lots of people who DO REMEMBER the 60’s of their past and once was enough. My number is 8 for the score." - Dandy Don Whittemore ** Music Clever "I saw your comment on the Tarantino film. I don't agree that the KHJ material used as part of the 'scenery' was not as clever as the use of radio in American Graffiti. It put the story right in the middle of L. A. 1969 with cars, advertising, tv, places. etc. It is very cool that the box office is >$200 million so far. I also never thought I'd hear Buffy Saint Marie doing a Joni Mitchell song in feature film! One picky detail struck me only for L. A. geeks. Before the final attack scene in Dalton's house, Booth tunes the fm radio to 93. This probably seemed like a good idea as 93/KHJ was everywhere in the film. However, the music on 93.1 FM, which was KNX/fm at the time, would not have been playing Vanilla Fudge in 1969. It would have been more realistic to have made it 94.7 KMET or 106.7 KPPC. Welcome back from vacation!" - Douglas Brown ** Period Music Blew Me Away “Didn't know what to expect when I saw the movie but was blown away by all of it. Thankfully no one who reviewed the film (as far as I saw) explained the real premise, but the use of the period music and the KHJ airchecks was fascinating. Bring A Little Lovin' by Los Bravos was a highlight. Twelve Thirty by The Mamas and The Papas another. Paying tribute (twice) to Neil Diamond (twice) by using Kentucky Woman (Deep Purple) and Brother Love's Travelin' Salvation Show. Tarantino's a genius when it comes to bringing us back to what appeared to be a dark time in our history but he found a way to make it [in his own strange way] fun. I had the pleasure of working with Charlie Tuna for a time at K-Earth, and met Humble Harve on a couple of occasions. This movie is a tribute to what they brought us then - and their place in history. [Can't minimize Robert W. Morgan's contribution either. Or Bill Drake's. Or Johnny Mann's jingles.] The music may be disappearing from the radio, but for 10 bucks we can re-live it again. It's well worth seeing at least twice.” – Dave Mason ** Francis Gary Powers Plane Crash “Thank you, Randy Kerdoon, for directing attention to the anniversary of the tragic deaths of Francis Gary Powers and KNBC cameraman George Spears. I was the Day Assignment Editor at KNBC then and, when Powers came to work with us, he introduced himself to me as ‘Frank Powers.’ He was a great colleague and an extremely conscientious employee. The helicopter was hangered at Burbank Airport and usually Frank's on-board camera operator was Tony Neece. Those two were always ready to go. When they got to work first thing in the morning, they would open the hangar doors and roll the bird out onto the tarmac. We had a direct non-dial ‘ringdown line’ between the Assignment Desk and the hangar. I picked up the handset and it rang. Tony or Frank would always answer by the second ring. I don't recall working with George Spears but that's only because I'm old. In any event, I was on vacation the day of the crash and learned about it up at Lake Tahoe after my son saw the story on the Sacramento NBC station KCRA. I phoned my boss at KNBC and learned the sad details. That had to be the darkest day in the history of KNBC.” - Warren Cereghino ** Re. Peter Fonda: "I interviewed him years ago at the Del Mar Mile [motorcycle race] where I was the announcer. I brought him up on stage at the trophy presentation to talk about his career. Then I asked him if he’d take questions from the audience. He said he would and one of the questions was 'what do you remember that stands out when you were filming ‘Easy Rider’? He replied, “I was soaking in the tub in a small motel in Texas smoking a joint with the radio on. Suddenly, a bulletin came on that Robert Kennedy had just been shot. I jumped out of the tub and yelled at the crew to get packed as I wanted us out of there immediately! I thanked him after we went off stage and he replied, 'Larry, these people buy tickets to my movies!'" - Larry “Supermouth” Huffman ** So God Made a Deejay “Put a smile on your face. Listen to ‘So Put a smile on your face.’ https://youtu.be/jRmj6QcLX8s Listen to ‘So God Made A Deejay.’” - Wink Martindale |
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(August 23, 2019) My
son owns two rescued pit bulls who are the sweetest
animals in the world. This is a picture of Miss Daisy,
cowering in her safe spot during a massive lightning and
firestorm in Naples, Florida last week. On top of that,
she and her brother Papi, have Asperger’s.
With our own family dynamic and issues dating back 40+ years, I don’t let a year go by without a visit to see my son who works for a law firm in Naples. That’s where we have been since late July, coupled with a trip to Sarasota, Winter Park, a train ride to Savannah and riding a motor coach to Charleston. We stayed in bed & breakfasts and old antebellum homes along the way. Getting home and being able to step into my own shower, as opposed to navigating the tiny tub/shower accommodations that seem to be ripe for a slip and fall, is a small comfort that too often I take for granted. Friends wondered why the South in August. Great question. The heat, humidity and constant rain was certainly an opportunity on an almost daily basis to mutter, ‘Gads, I’m glad we are on the Central Coast.’ For me, the killer was the air conditioning. I had to wear a sweater during our dinners because these restaurant owners crank it so high that frigid air pours out. We saw the Quentin Tarantino film shortly before leaving. It was a major disappointment. Quentin just doesn’t know when to put a period at the end of a sentence. His scenes go on incessantly forever. Would it ever end? And his use of LARP and music of the time? On our flight to Florida, American Graffiti was offered. Now that was a movie that punctuated the story with amazing songs. And what George Lucas did with Wolfman Jack helped move the story in a very meaningful way, along with the fact the movie really does hold up well over time. Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood seemed to insert old airchecks and music in a willy nilly fashion. If the performers never got in a car, we would have missed out on Charlie Tuna, Robert W. Morgan, Humble Harve, and The Real Don Steele. And then Peter Fonda dies. In the late 1960s, he and Dennis Hopper completely revolutionized movies … forever. Music played such an integral role in Easy Rider. And so it was the convergence of Lucas and Fonda’s movies that put into focus the haphazard way Tarentino used music and radio airchecks. And Once Upon a Time suffers by comparison. It’s a shame. While we were gone, there were a number of LARP passings. We will feature their careers in the coming days as we update The Passing Parade. |
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Not much changed in the July '19
ratings from June. In the monthly PPM 6+ Mon-Sun,
6a-12mid (first numbers are June, followed by July): 1. KOST (AC) 5.8 - 5.9 2. KRTH (Classic Hits) 5.4 - 5.2 3.KTWV (Rhythmic AC) 5.0 - 4.8 4. KBIG (Hot AC) 4.6 - 4.6 5. KFI (Talk) 4.5 - 4.3 6. KCBS (JACK/fm) 3.8 - 4.0 7. KIIS (Top 40/M) 3.7 - 3.6 8. KLOS (Classic Rock) 3.3 - 3.3 9. KPWR (Top 40/R) 3.1 - 3.1 10. KLVE (Spanish Contemporary) 3.0 - 3.0 |
Alan Oda Returns from Japan
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(July 30, 2019)
We’re back from Kumamoto, Japan, a rich ten days working in
a post-disaster area. We again served in the aftermath of a
7.0 earthquake in Southern Japan in 2016. About 20,000
people are still living in temporary housing, our visit this
year was about serving these communities.
I want to personally thank the many words of encouragement we received, with special shout-outs to Steve Hafen of KVIP-Redding who was kind enough to interview me about our work, and the generous support of sportscaster supreme Jeff Biggs. I’ve been part of Japan volunteer teams seven times. For six of these visits, my younger son Andrew has come with us. Every visit we keep a blog about what we’re doing (http://ayoda.tumblr.com). Last week, my 15-year-old son asked if he could post something. Thanks to Don Barrett, I have the privilege of sharing what he wrote about our time there, I think it captures the spirit of our trip. He titled this “A Paradox or So”: |
| It’s been a challenging trip.
There’ve been years with more intense physical labor, years
where the weather was worse, years where we didn’t have all
the resources we needed. I was not well prepared for this
year’s trip. My mindset just wasn’t up to the challenge, and
I faltered. I had many anxious moments and all the nervous
energy that followed intensified my introverted traits.
Missions, to me, at one point was just an annual thing that just happened. I’ve spent some time thinking why I even participate in our disaster relief missions trips to begin with. Here’s what I came up with. People have a tendency to forget. Its just a human thing. I forget things, my family forgets things, my friends forget things. When I can check the news any time of day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 12 months a year, we get information in real time, a constant stream of issues and incidents and things getting done or not done. After a disaster, the whole world can see and hear and learn about the trials others go through. This can be great. In the first year following the earthquake, missionaries from all corners of the globe watched and came and helped. But as always, people lost the drive, they lost the passion, the determination. They forget. And they move on. Eventually, the severity of the disaster is thought of less and less until it becomes a few photos and a blurb in a history book or a retrospective news story.
I feel called here because I don’t want to forget, and I don’t want my church to forget, and most importantly, I don’t want the people here to feel forgotten. I want the residents to know that we still care, that the church still supports them, and that we don’t have to remember them because we never forgot to begin with. There seems to be a need about leaving an impact in this world. I have this need (maybe a fixation or even an obsession), and I know when the obsession is in the wrong hands, it can become a dark yearning for infamy of attention. Nonetheless, I think this trip helps address my obsession, the feeling of being able to do something worthwhile in this world and help others. Empathy is what makes us human, and showing love and care to a stranger in need can mean as much to you as it does to them. I hope that more brothers and sisters will direct their passion and use it to help someone else. I’d especially like it if more of my peers can come to Japan next year with us and bless more people in need. This post is disorganized, a representation of my current state of mind, messy yet sometimes coherent. I’m not going to sugarcoat this: It’s not all perfect. The things we do are not all rainbows and sunshine and pure, unfiltered happiness. At the same time, it’s not miserable and terrible and depressing. I guess it is a paradox, straddling a line between unrealistic idealism and counterintuitive cynicism. But, between the extremes, I’m doing OK. I’d be happy to say that we still did what we came to do, and I hope that more can help us do it again. DFTBA, Andrew Editor Alan’s note: Andrew shared much of this at the Kiyama Christ Church this past Sunday, where we were asked to speak briefly about our work as a Japan Rebuild team. And the blessings continue. |
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Ron Brewington is a
versatile performer. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he was
heard on KLON, KGFJ, and KJLH. Ron has been the bureau chief
of American Urban Radio Networks since 1983. He is an
entertainment guru whose reviews appear frequently in
advertisements for major motion pictures.
In 2015, Ron made the transition to tv and has hosted The Actor’s Choice with over 150 episodes. The program was a television entertainment talk show, which centered on actors and actresses, as well as directors, producers, publicists, stage managers and other theatrical performers. His show continues on the Internet: https://www.facebook.com/ron.brewington.98 at 11 a.m. every Monday. Now Ron imparts all his universal media in a new broadcasting class at Santa Monica College this coming Fall semester. Broadcasting Announcing and Production starts August 27. The class and this course offers training and practical experience in announcing for radio and television and for radio control room operation, combining voice, recordings, editing, and other elements in broadcasting performance and production. Ron was born and raised in New York’s Harlem area. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 1984, where he served for almost two decades as a journalist covering worldwide assignments. He worked at a number of stations in Corpus Christi and Seattle before settling in Long Beach in the early 1980s. He was instrumental in leading a worldwide campaign on behalf of the late Marvin Gaye for a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ron is a stringer for UPI radio and has written for Crisis magazine and Black Diaspora. Ron’s course is offered every Tuesday afternoon (2:15PM-5:15PM) at the brand new Center for Media and Design Building (CMD), 1660 Stewart Street, in Santa Monica. Ron is such a talented and knowledgeable media executive it is perfect for anyone wanting to get into broadcasting. For more information, please see the catalog at www.smc.edu |
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Carlucci on the Move
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(July 29, 2019) Mike Carlucci is
headed to announce at the Pan-American Games in Lima, Peru.
“I'm hoping there is a day free to visit Machu Picchu, but
doubtful with the long days of competition,” emailed Mike.
“Got my vaccination shots, so I’m good to go. I’m also
heading out to Taiwan and Japan in November to verbalize at
the Premier 12 Baseball tourney that precludes the Tokyo
2020 Games and just moments ago I got the word I will handle
Baseball duties next July.” Carlucci said his 22-year stint as the P.A. Voice on the MLB: The Show Series for Sony Computer Entertainment America has come to an end. “Sad to end my tenure, but it was time for a change and time to pass the baton. It was a great run and I'm very grateful. I will miss our long recording sessions. Most importantly, I cherish the friendships that developed and the superb production from the SONY team thru the years...Friends for life...Continued good journey with MLB: The Show,” Mike concluded. |
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Once Upon a Time.
No one thought Quentin Tarantino’s Once
Upon a Time … in Hollywood would
open at #1 or beat The
Lion King, but the
director won his best opening weekend on record. Reaction to
Quentin Tarantino’s new release, Once
Upon a Time in Hollywood,
has been mostly positive with its Boss Radio and Boss Men
soundtrack. “It’s another wild offering from the Pulp Fiction master,” said John Sebastian. “This Quentin depiction of the happening in LA in 1969 struck a particularly powerful chord. KHJ, a radio station I was honored to program practically a decade later, is the soundtrack of the movie from the very first to the last moment and everything in between. I was further fortunate to have known all three of the disc jockeys featured ... Robert W. Morgan, The Real Don Steele and Humble Harve.” Neil Ross enjoyed the movie. “The first 2/3 almost didn’t even seem like a Tarantino movie. More straight-forward, less quirky. Nice job of re-creating the ambiance of 1969. As Rick and Cliff tooled around L.A. I got caught up in the moment and found myself thinking, ‘I’m 120 miles south right now. Working at KCBQ.’ Ross continued: "I found the Rick Dalton story line interesting too. Would have happily followed that without the Manson stuff. A washed up tv Western star, fading into irrelevance. We remember the ones who made it – the McQueens, Garners and Eastwoods – and forget the ones who didn’t. KHJ is all over this movie. Just about any time someone starts up a car, the KHJ jingle blasts out of the radio setting up one of the great tunes from that era. In fact, the last thing on the soundtrack, just before the screen fades to black and the house lights come up is the instrumental version of the KHJ jingle. As for the ending. Well, I found it strangely satisfying. If only it had gone down that way back on that hot August night in ’69.” “What a smart, classy move to use KHJ as the film's soundtrack,” enthused Rochelle Staab, who was once the pd at KIIS. “Tarantino couldn’t have used a better background – music and jocks – to create the feel of 1969 Los Angeles. Loved this movie.” When KZLA was Country music, RJ Curtis was the programmer. He “absolutely” loved Tarantino’s new film. “It’s a fantastic, spot on period piece that captures Los Angeles – and within it, Hollywood – during 1969 to a tee. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt (IMO) turned in powerful, gripping, and often hilarious Oscar-nomination-worthy performances,” said RJ. “The vintage LA / Hollywood area scenes were like watching a home movie for me. I’ve eaten or drank (or both) at every restaurant and bar I saw in that film, and grew up in Chatsworth, which got a shout out by Pitt as he picked up a hitch-hiking Manson follower. But here’s what made me really love this film: Its true (but unbilled) supporting-role star, which, even more than Pitt and DiCaprio, maintained a constant presence throughout the film: the iconic 93 KHJ-AM. The voices of The Real Don Steele, and Robert W. Morgan were like comfort food; that famous, Boss Radio jingle package triggered flashbacks of listening to that station at all times during those years (my nightstand radio was never off!). Much like Wolfman Jack and the giant, hit songs of the early 60s were omnipresent in American Graffiti, so too was KHJ and late-60s Top 40 music in Once Upon A Time ... but with a stronger sense of stationality, and its important cultural, symbiotic connection to Los Angeles in ‘69. Having experienced that as a KHJ P1 back then [even though I was still too young to drive!] I can say director Quentin Tarantino has given us an authentic snapshot of a colorful time, with an equally colorful and unpredictable plot as well,” RJ concluded. Jerry Lewine saw a whole lot of free publicity for KHJ in Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood. “Kinda’ doubt it’ll give them a bump in the ratings, though,” he quipped. In other news: Sports Talker Dan LeBatard is set to turn to ESPN Radio today. On July 19, LeBatard ripped ESPN for what he called its "cowardly" stance restricting its personalities from voicing opinions on political or social issues. Apparently the network and Dan have made up and are on the same wavelength … KFI news director Chris Little took a tumble at #marshallcanyon on his bike and “came down on the seat hard enough to bend it, got a little road rash (despite protective gear), and hit my helmet hard enough to crack it in two places [that’s what they do to save your brain]” … Tom Krug of Playa del Rey wrote the LA Times that a Sandy Koufax statute is a great idea as part of $100 million renovation to Dodgers stadium. “But where is the Vin Scully statue?” Krug wondered. |
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Thanks to Steve Nieto for the reminder of the Ron Jacobs book, Inside KHJ
Email Saturday, 7.27.2019
** More Tarantino Anticipation “So glad to hear that the new Tarantino film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, will feature actual KHJ airchecks of Robert W., Charlie Tuna, Humble Harve [and perhaps, some others]. I was afraid that they would go with some re-creates by VO folks. No matter how hard they tried, it would have come off as lame. Kudos to Mr. Tarantino! I was already looking forward to this movie. This whets my appetite even more!” – Neil Ross **RDS Epitome of KHJ "The Real Don Steele was THE epitome of the dj during those days. Why was there not even a mention of him during your extensive coverage of the Tarantino film today? We can't forget The Real Don Steele!" - Shaune McNamara Steele ** Del Colliano Speculation "In today’s column, you mention Jerry Del Colliano’s description of Entercom and you ask, 'wonder what he knows?' My guess is that the answer is 'very little.' This is the same Jerry Del Colliano who predicted the demise of Iheart and Cumulus, and despite restructuring through chapter 11, both are still in business. Jerry is the king of rumor and innuendo and occasionally, something he throws against the wall sticks......but not very often." - Bob Scott ** Lefsetz Letter “Actually, I airchecked KUTE on December 31, 1982 and among their Top 102 of the year was that Thompson Twins song, In the Name of Love.” – Chime Hart ** Tami Heide Serving Up Goofballs “Really love listening to Tami Heide’s bits. She’s an educated goofball for educated goofballs! Wish I could find her more often on the radio.” – Daniel O’Donnell ** Sweet Dick Story “Sometime in the early-mid 1950s Dick Whittington was at KSFO doing an afternoon drive-time dj show. My younger brother shared my irreverence and penchant for the absurd so he called a traffic tip in to Whittington. We lived in Redwood City some 25 miles down the Peninsula from San Francisco. Two houses from ours was a one-block street called Opal Avenue. No other segments of it in Redwood City. It was a quiet little residential street that ran between two main streets. My brother, Len, called KSFO to report that ‘traffic is moving smoothly on Opal Avenue in Redwood City.’ A short while later, Whittington aired it intact and with a straight ‘face,’ if you will.” – Warren Cereghino
** Radio Versus Records “Thanks for sharing the Celebrity Access article. For those who haven’t figured it out, ‘Celebrity Access’ provides unparalleled, detailed information on over 50,000 Entertainers, Speakers, Celebrities, and their representatives, as well as, hundreds of thousands of records for venues, agents and managers, including their direct phone numbers and email addresses. Members can also instantly access FREE Box Office Scores, dates of live bands on tour, artist avails and news archives.’ It's a music industry publication. The music business and radio have had a love / hate relationship for years. ‘Radio doesn't play enough new music.’ ‘Radio has gotten a great deal on airplay without compensating the performers.’ But without radio, a lot of these performers would never have been discovered. The same publication in an earlier article (about iHeart) said: ‘Things have even changed with college radio, which was once a major source of music discovery with the demographic most interested in music. For budgetary reasons, many colleges have sold off their terrestrial transmitter and moved their station online, and have lost much of their audience as a result. Record labels still view radio as important though, not so much for breaking an artist, but for taking what already has traction to the next level. Radio may not deliver the prime music lovers, but it does deliver casual music consumers, which is a bigger market but tougher to crack." https://celebrityaccess.com/2019/04/16/iheartmedias-ipo-may-reveal-the-future-of-music-radio/ No, you can't ignore the issue of the seven-minute commercial sets, but there’s something about ‘college’ radio losing audience when it lost its transmitters. In this on demand world, will broadcasters be able to eke out a worthwhile business model for future consumers? That’s the big question, isn't it?” – Dave Mason ** Bob Ray to Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame “I appreciate your sharing my news. It is a humbling, wonderful acknowledgement to be included in an elite group of my radio heroes and mentors. I’m still swimming in the emotions of hearing the news.” – Bob Ray ** Judgement Time “Three men are standing in front of the entrance to Heaven. St. Peter asks the first man about himself. He asks how much money he made the previous year. The man said, just under 200 thousand dollars.’ St. Peter said, ‘Have you done anything to benefit humanity?’ The man replied that he was a doctor, and saved many lives and cured a lot of people who were ill. St. Peter told him to enter Heaven. He asked the second man about his income. The man said, ‘About 240 thousand dollars.’ His reply to the second question was how as an attorney he helped many people who had legal problems, and how he aided those who needed him. He was told to enter also. St. Peter turned to the third man and asked how much money he made the year before. He said, ‘Thirty thousand dollars.’ St. Peter asked. ‘What were the call letters?’” – Tony Jones, Topeka |
They’re Happy Together in Post-Scully Booth
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(July 26, 2019) The
current tv Dodger broadcasters are having a lot of fun. Last
week, the LA Times devoted a front-page story to
Joe Davis and
Orel Hershiser.
“Laughter filled the booth, echoing through the empty
ballpark. Joe Davis’ voice, rich and full when calling
Dodgers games, was cracking. Next to him, Orel Hershiser’s
giggle had turned to a guffaw,” wrote the
Times’
Jack Harris. The two started working together four years ago, according to the Times story. “Davis, a Michigan native who played Division III football, quickly moved through the baseball broadcasting ranks. With Vin Scully nearing retirement, the Dodgers hired Davis to call road games in 2016 before handing him the full play-by-play job the next year.” When Davis met Cy Young winner Hershiser they became fast friends. Despite the fact they are from different generations – Davis a young 30 and Hershiser a young 60 – Hershiser chuckled, “An old soul and a young soul.” |
| In other news: Condolences to KLOS’ Frankie DiVita on the passing of her father. “He was ready to go but are we every really ready to let someone go?" Frankie asked rhetorically … Part of Peter Bart’s review of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood that appeared in Deadline.com: “So, did Tarantino capture the 1969 zeitgeist? He is meticulous about the details: The cars are vintage, so is the wardrobe, and the strains of KHJ, the fabled rock ‘n’ roll radio station, pervade the soundtrack. The legendary Hollywood hangout, Musso & Frank, serves as a background for two scenes, though Tarantino shows it to be brighter and cleaner than it was at the time.” … Last week we did a story on Bob Ray and his induction into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame, Class of 2019. Earlier this summer, the former 710 / KMPC personality enrolled in EMT school, training to be a first responder, and he has now graduated. “Knowing I can help save lives in an emergency is a wonderful personal confidence,” said Bob … Vocal Recall: A Life in Radio and Voiceovers, Neil Ross’ tasty book now has an audio version available on Audible, Amazon and iTunes. Also still available at www.neilbook.com … Big Boy’s Neighborhood has been renewed for its third season on #FuseTV … KLOS’ Frosty Stilwell is vacationing for a week in Ireland ... “Troubling trends,” is the way Jerry Del Coliano describes Entercom. Wonder what he knows? … Baseball fans are thrilled with the announced major renovations at Chavez Ravine. Randy Lewis loves the quote from when Koufax visited the White House in 2010 and President Obama said, "We are both lefties. He can’t pitch on Yom Kippur. I can’t pitch.” |
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Radio Guide, February 1989
Days of Boss Radio Become Soundtrack of New Tarentino Movie
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(July 25, 2019) If you
are a movie buff, you are already aware that Quentin
Tarentino’s movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is
opening tomorrow. If the hype has escaped you, after Friday
your media sources will burst with Twitter, Facebook,
emails, and news reports about this movie set in 1969.
Apparently the soundtrack is chock-a-block with Boss Radio, Charlie Tuna, Humble Harve, and Robert W. Morgan. Tuna’s son Bryan attended the premiere this week, and was absolutely blown away. “My dad’s voice is featured in the morning scenes from the start through the middle of Quentin Tarantino's amazing new film. My brother, Daniel, and I have been working with Tarantino's team this past year, along with other family members of Sam Riddle and Robert Morgan, to unearth original KHJ air checks from the late 60's.” After you see it, let us know what you think. Did Tarentino transport you back to this slice of time with feeling, sensitive, and caring? |
| Lefsetz Letter. I am a regular reader of the Lefsetz Letter. It is primarily about music and the industry with a political bent. Bob Lefsetz recently wrote about we chronicle at LARadio.com. This is part of a recent Letter: |
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KROQ was a
free-format station. No radio market was like Los Angeles,
where there were five rock stations on the FM dial.
And KROQ’s niche was playing those acts that never got airplay, the deep cuts from their albums, breaking acts that you immediately had to go see and did. This is where the ska revolution started, at least in the U.S.A. But at the turn of the decade, Rick Carroll flipped the format to the "ROQ of the 80’s," which was top forty for the new and different. It was KROQ that broke not only Human League’s Don't You Want Me and Soft Cell’s Tainted Love, but so many other acts, which may have been forgotten but are embedded in my brain. Like the Polecats’ Make A Circuit With Me. Suddenly it was hip to write pop songs, albeit in the new style, and the Polecats song had such a hook, I had to buy it, I had to hear it over and over again. And of course KROQ played a lot of Depeche Mode. But they also played this cut that slapped you in the face immediately with the popular synth sound, and was a joy to hear every time KROQ played it, and no one else played it. That song was the Thompson Twins’ In The Name Of Love, which in my mind was always an update of Ian Dury’s Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, it had a similarly propulsive chorus, you felt like you were being banged on the head, and it felt so GOOD! But the Thompson Twins were just another KROQ band, you didn’t buy the records. But I knew Lies and Love On Your Side by heart. And then came Hold Me Now. So simple, yet so right. But this was in an era where people didn't make records like this. Nothing was relatively quiet and simple, everything was dressed up in instrumentation. Hold Me Now was almost like a love song from the sixties, especially the chorus. And then suddenly Hold Me Now was everywhere, it crossed over to pop and other rock formats, suddenly the Thompson Twins were ubiquitous. |
More on the Lefsetz Letter at: https://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
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It Takes a Bunch to Tango These Days
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(July 24, 2019) Today it takes two or three jobs to make
ends meet. Or a radio job will act as a launching pad for
other opportunities. Sisanie, co-host of KIIS’ morning show with Ryan Seacrest, has added a new gig. She will serve as a correspondent or NBC4 Southern California’s "California Live" program. The half-hour lifestyle and entertainment show, airing on KNBC, KNTV and KNSD, showcases CALIFORNIA entertainment, leisure travel, fashion trends, food and restaurant reviews. Watch Sisanie’s visit to Crumbs & Whiskers, where customers can drink coffee while cuddling rescue cats who are up for adoption. |
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Fairness Doctrine. Cumulus put the kibosh on airing
Blair
Garner’s interview with Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg.
In running the story yesterday, I confessed to ignorance as
to whether the fairness doctrine was still being upheld. Or
was the equal time rule in effect. Cumulus has received many
questions about their decision.
TALKERS magazine legal editor Steven J.J. Weisman says, “As it applies to advertising, the rule means that if a station sells advertising to one candidate, it must offer the same amount of time to other candidates. Where the rule gets confusing to some is that if the station offers free air time to a candidate, it must offer free air time to other candidates. However, the [four] exceptions to the rule effectively eliminate this as a concern because free air time to other candidates is not required if the air time being used – as with the Buttigieg interview – is a bona fide news interview. Other candidates are not required to be given equal time. Therefore, the position of Cumulus Media that they are not running the interview because the provisions of the equal time rule would require them to provide air time for interviews with all of the other candidates, is an inaccurate interpretation of the rule.” TALKERS magazine speculates that it’s possible that Cumulus is choosing to avoid the political “can of worms” entirely by not engaging in political content on a Country music show. Some critics, perhaps cynically, are suggesting the company’s true motive centers on the fact that Buttigieg is openly gay and the Country music audience is traditionally conservative. Garner said it all started when he was approached by Buttigieg’s campaign ahead of his appearance in Nashville. Garner agreed to the interview because Buttigieg requested it. In other news: Since leaving his longtime programming post at Cumulus, Mike McVay has been busy. Mike has been named a Senior Consultant for Benztown, which is run by former MY/fm program director Dave ‘Chachi’ Denes … Had enough memories of Jim Healy? Well, there’s never enough with Healy. Tom Hoffarth wrote a half-page story earlier this week in the LA Times … KABC’s Dr. Drew Pinsky said Los Angeles faces an imminent outbreak of bubonic plague because of the growth of the homeless population … A KROQ fan was listening to the Alternative station when the announcement was made that concert tickets to see Smashing Pumpkins were available to the correct caller. Tom Burkhardt was stuck in traffic on his way to the hospital in L.A. when he decided to call in to KROQ to try to win Smashing Pumpkins tickets on the Stryker and Klein show. Burkhardt was in fact having a heart attack. Listen here. |
Bob Ray, Former 710/KMPCer, Inducted Into Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame
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(July 23, 2019) Bob Ray,
a veteran of KSRF (1967-68) and KMPC (1968-70), has been
inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2019.
(By the way, this begs the question why southern California
doesn’t have their own Radio Hall of Fame). Ray said that
radio has been his lifetime mistress since he was eight
years old. “Thanks are due everyone who supported, believed and helped me along the path over my 25-year career. I wouldn’t have been able to climb this mountain in performance without the fabulous people who extended their open hand, gave me guidance and opportunities to succeed. Truthfully, the price of my pursuit was costly: Two failed marriages, lost time with family and friends while pursuing my career from coast-to-coast. I am blessed to have had powerful, influential women in my life who were instrumental in maintaining my focus,” he wrote on Facebook. “I’m still doing 9-noon on BossBossRadio, which is simply a dream gig,” he emailed. “I love the music, know it well from living it well. Being on-the-air with the opportunity to talk about artists, events and life is a gift I appreciate every single day. Off-the-air, I am a featured speaker on rock ’n roll for Crystal, Silversea and Princess Cruise lines around the world. My multi-media presentations resonate well with cruisers as rock ’n roll is the soundtrack of their lives. And mine, too! Plus my love of photography has added two books to my bio and I’m still producing 8-day adventures to Italy for people who love taking pictures. |
Franken is Frank. A major story on Al Franken is in the current issue of The New Yorker. Al hosted a Talk show on KTLK (1150AM) for two years. He left the Air America network in February 2007 to run for the Senate and he won and then resigned. The story is fascinating for a number of reasons. “A remarkable number of Franken’s Senate colleagues have regrets about their own roles in his fall. Seven current and former U.S. senators who demanded Franken’s resignation in 2017 told me that they’d been wrong to do so. Such admissions are unusual in an institution whose members rarely concede mistakes,” wrote Jane Mayer. The story also covers his downfall during the #MeToo tumult. Franken’s accuser was eventually attributed to KABC morning co-host in 2017, Leeann Tweeden. “The damning image, Tweeden said, was the culmination of a campaign of sexual harassment that Franken had subjected her to after she had spurned his advances at the start of the U.S.O. tour, which lasted two weeks. It was Tweeden’s ninth U.S.O. gig, but her first with Franken. Tweeden concluded her statement by declaring, ‘Senator Franken, you wrote the script. But there’s nothing funny about sexual assault.’” She continued, “You knew exactly what you were doing. You forcibly kissed me without my consent, grabbed my breasts while I was sleeping, and had someone take a photo of you doing it, knowing I would see it later, and be ashamed.” How Leeann released the information and the role KABC management handled the situation will make you scratch your head. It is a fascinating read. In other news: The headline blared in CelebrityAccess.com: “Radio Listening Decline Globally.” You can read the story here. The final paragraph is: “The writing seems to be on the wall here. Young people are voting against radio with their non-consumption and the situation will only grow worse as they grow older. And who can blame them? Being used to an on-demand world makes linear entertainment feel old and frustrating. Having to wade through 6 and 7-minute commercial blocks is enough to have anyone, regardless of the age group, turn to something more user-friendly” … Blair Garner, former KLAC Country jock, is syndicated on more than 150 radio stations. He recently conducted an interview with Presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg on his program, yet Cumulus wouldn’t let him air it. A Cumulus exec told AllAccess.com, “As broadcasters we are subject to the FCC’s equal time rule.” LARadio is not a political sounding board on Democratic Presidential candidates, but we thought the fairness doctrine was long gone. Wikipedia says: “The fairness doctrine is not the same as the equal-time rule. The fairness doctrine deals with discussion of controversial issues, while the equal-time rule deals only with political candidates.” |
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| Thanks to David Schwartz |
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(July 22, 2019) The last
few years have seen mighty tumultuous times in LARadio and
throughout the rest of the country. Much of it is because
the parent companies – some view them as the broadcast
conglomerates – have carried some exorbitant debt. iHeart
Radio reduces their debt by $10 billion, makes a public
offering, yet still has some major challenges. KIIS is the
biggest biller in the market, yet there has to be some
concern that the Ryan Seacrest-led station
has ratings going the wrong direction.
In the last book, the Top 40 station (and previously the predominant leader) was in seventh place. CBS Radio and Entercom merged to become the second largest radio group in the US. Yet merging the corporate culture of the two companies – often at odds with each other – has been challenging at best. Local challenges include the also-ran ratings of Top 40 KAMP and all-News KNX failing to lead the market, despite the successes of Entercom all-News operations in other major markets. Cumulus has now a minimal presence in the L.A. market, given the incessantly poor ratings of talk KABC, a station that didn’t even make break the 40th position in the most recent Nielsen ratings and the sale of KLOS. The legendary rocker was sold to locally owned Meruelo Media, owners of Power 106 (KPWR) and the former KXOS (now Cali 93.9 / KLII). Plus given the sale of heritage New York stations, talker WABC and rocker WPLJ, who knows if and when (and for how much) KABC will be sold? How are the personalities doing with all this upheaval? |
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Kevin “Slow Jammin’” James got
his nickname because he was the first to play mellow r&b
music, where his voice is a near-perfect match for the
primarily soulful ballads he plays. Talk about a voice that
could cut butter with one easy slice. He works best at night
when the lights are low.
Kevin has been heard on Hot 92.3 plus a couple of runs at KKBT ("the BEAT") during the 1990s. Kevin even owns the ‘Slow Jams’ trademark. As budgets got tight, evening shifts and all-night personalities got squeezed out. Among the many unique personalities given the short shrift, Kevin is one of casualties. He’s struggled to make a living with a “Quiet Storm”-type show on weekends only. Now, Kevin is heard on Snoop Dogg’s Dash Radio. Kevin wrote a piece for his Facebook page. As stations voicetrack more and more, greater numbers of personalities will get tossed out. Kevin’s piece is important:
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Email Saturday, 7.20.2019
** Hall’s Illustrious Career “You refer to David G. Hall's career as ‘illustrious.’ I call Hall’s tenure at KNX, during the two years I worked there, as more of a theater manager. In my opinion, Hall has not a single journalistic bone in his programmer’s body!” – Bob Sirkin
** Coinkydinky? “I'd like to ask the good folks at Oldies 1260 a question. The song Good Thing by Paul Revere & the Raiders is featured in the trailer for Quentin Tarantino’s new film Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. If you wanted to see the movie at the theater Quentin owns, (New Beverly Cinema) tickets went on sale online last Saturday. I was sitting in my car in Hollywood at noon logging onto my phone to purchase said tickets when at exactly 12 noon Oldies 1260 played Good Thing. Was this planned by some clever programmer or just an odd coincidence?” – Gary Gibson ** Summer Story “That was an excellent piece on John Summers. I’ve known him for 20 years. John’s a gifted talent who deserves to be acknowledged.” – Larry Boxer ** Martindale Missing “I was wondering if you knew what is going on with Christine Martindale at KKGO. She is listed as part of the air staff but I haven’t heard her in several months.” – Alex Bernstein ** What’s Going On? “I saw the blurb in today’s column about RB Greaves being Sam Cooke’s nephew. I agree that Sam Cooke epitomized soul music and his song, A Change is Gonna Come as a landmark recording. His successor was Marvin Gaye and his song, What’s Going On was equally impactful. Definitely two of the finest voices to ever grace our ears.” – Bob Scott |
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| Charlie Tuna's 1982 commercial for K-HITS |
Reggae is Movin' to 93.9
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(July 19, 2019) Meruelo
Media is fast becoming a major radio entity in Southern
California. The company announced earlier this year that it
had purchased KLOS and KXOS. The FCC approved the sale
Wednesday and wasting no time making their move, KXOS is the
all-new KLLI, “Cali 93.9, #1 for Reggaeton and More!”
A press release states: “Cali 93.9 is a music station created by Southern Californians for Southern Californians with a completely bilingual presentation. In addition to the format change, Meruelo Media has started the process of changing the station’s call letters from KXOS to KLLI to match the new format.” What to expect? Uptempo hit music by today’s Latin superstars like J Balvin, Maluma, Bad Bunny and Cardi B. The station claims these artists are mass appeal, from being featured at Coachella to performing at the Grammys, “Cali 93.9 is the sound of Southern Cali,” is their slogan. At one point, Emmis owned the frequency featuring Movin’ 93.9 and KZLA. In other news: Finalists for the 2019 NAB Marconi Radio Awards have been released. Nominated for Legendary Station of the Year: Local stations KNX and KRTH, KCBS-San Francisco, WBAL-Baltimore, and WBAP-Ft. Worth. Two LARP have been nominated for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year: Rush Limbaugh and Ryan Seacrest. Ellen K, mornings at KOST, has been nominated for Major Market Personality of The Year … Dean Martin’s daughter Deana appears with Mike Horn on The National Lounge this afternoon at 4 p.m. on www.crntalk.com … Ever wonder what goes on at a radio convention? This is a rare opportunity to read, watch and listen to what happened at the recent TALKERS convention. You will gain insights from the hierarchy of the Talk industry. To see the videos and convention video page, please click here ... Moulin Rouge is being turned into a Broadway musical with over 70 songs credited songs to 161 writers. Enough music for you, honey? … In the fall of 2018, Rocio Rivera took over the weekend news shift at KFI. She’s got more news. “Santa isn’t the only one coming this Christmas,” she wrote on Facebook. “We’re having a baby! Noah and I are over the moon excited to welcome our little babe this December.” … KROQ’s Kevin & Bean will be broadcasting live this morning from the Comic-Con convention in San Diego ... Jason Pullman, former STAR 98.7 afternooner from 2003-05, is taking over mornings at US99-Chicago. |
New Sound Master at 88.5/fm
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(July 18, 2019) Member-supported Southern California
88.5/fm has given additional duties to his afternoon drive
responsibility Andy Chanley. He has been promoted to music
director at the public radio Triple A outlet. The move marks
the latest enhancement to 88.5’s programming department,
coming a week after the promotion of former music
director Mark “Mookie” Kaczor to program director.
Andy spent nearly a decade with former Entercom (previously Bonneville) Classic Rock KSWD (100.3/The Sound). He was the first jock on the air when the station launched and the final personality on The Sound when it signed off on Thursday, November 17 2019 when it was sold to EMF. He joined 88.5 in the spring of 2018. Earlier in his career Chanley worked at the former KACD (Channel 103.1) and KLYY (Y107). “Andy has done it all in this market — mornings, middays, afternoon drive — and has vast experience in all the rock format genres,” said 88.5/fm general manager Patrick Osburn. “We are fortunate to have ‘Mookie’ at the program director post, and Andy working closely with him on music. They are a real one-plus-one-equals-three kind of complement to each other. I’m happy to say we are operating at full strength with great, experienced broadcasters in every position. “There’s no station in the world like 88.5/fm,” said Chanley. “It’s a special blend of music and people — on both sides of the transmitter — that makes radio fun again.” Lopez for Access. Mario Lopez, syndicated evenings locally at KBIG (MY/fm) is jumping ship from Extra and headed to the competition. Mario is now the new host of NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood. Starting in the Fall, Lopez will host of both Access Hollywood and its daytime counterpart, Access Daily (formerly Access Live). Additionally, Lopez has signed an overall development and producing deal for both scripted and alternative programming with Universal Television and Universal Television Alternative Studio. There are conflicting reports as to whether current Access host Natalie Morales is pissed or not at Mario. She moved across the country, leaving the Today show, to take on the Hollywood assignment a couple of years ago. This should be an opportunity for Billy Bush (ex-KBIG) to take-over the Extra slot. This will be a new opportunity for Billy who got caught on a bus with you know who talking about you know what. |
Gee Whiz, David G Celebrates 30 Years in the Biz
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(July 17, 2019) David G. Hall has
had an illustrious career spearheading the fortunes of KFI,
KNX, KFWB and KABC. Today marks his 30th anniversary in the
radio business. “I can’t believe I’ve been here this long,”
exclaimed David. “The day I started at KFI was July 17. I waited outside of then-general manager Howard Neal’s office to meet him, and he was in his office behind a closed-door (firing Gary Owens, who had been doing the morning show with Al Lohman until that day. Gary left the office and introduced himself to me. I was star struck. I introduced myself as the new news director and he said ‘welcome to Los Angeles. I sincerely hope this market is as good to you and your career as it has been to me.’ And he meant it. If only he could know just how right he ended up being!” ] Michael Hagerty sent the LA Times story about Hall's arrival to KFI from Sacramento with the following story here. In other news: Christine Martindale has been missing from her midday shift at Country KKGO. She’s still listed on the stations website, and listeners are concerned. “Christine has taken time off for personal reasons. We hope she will return soon,” responded Saul Levine … Was listening to Take a Letter Maria and was surprised to learn about the artist, R. B. Greaves. Pat St. John revealed that Greaves was a nephew of Sam Cooke. Who knew? Cooke had a voice like butter and could have been the next generation of Nat King Cole. One biographer called him the “inventor of soul music.” Sam was killed at 33 …: “Yesterday we noted the front-page stories about Univision and the desire of Haim Sabin to exit his ownership of Spanish-speaking media. In my mail was a front-page story from The Hollywood Reporter on Saban being named Philanthropist of the Year with his charitable giveaways totaling $420 million. Recipients of his riches took out an estimated $100,000 in congratulatory ads in THR. Barbra Streisand and Jim Brolin called them “bold philanthropists” in their full-page ad, which said in part: “We are proud to honor your generosity, compassion and pubic spirit. You have been wonderful friends and role models.” |
Media Disruption
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(July 16, 2019) At first, it seemed
like a great investment. When Haim Saban (I always think Mighty
Morphin Power Rangers) and his group bought Univision
for $13.7 billion in 2007, we’re now finding they either
paid too much, made lousy investments, had bad timing with
the 2008 financial meltdown, or media is in worst shape than
we think. A front-page story in the LA Times details Saban’s immersion into Spanish-language media company. Saban is listed as the 232nd richest man in the United States. The Meg James story cites that Saban and his partners now are eager to sell the company – even at a discount. “Internal problems include years of boardroom bickering and missteps, including a disastrous foray into “English-language media, as well as rising competition from rival Telemundo and shifting demographics,” writes James. One might guess they are truly desperate with this negative publicity on selling at any cost removing any potential negotiating advantage. Locally, in addition to KMEX/tv, Univision owns KSCA/fm (Radio Estacion), KLVE, KRCD / KRCV (Recuerdo 103.9), and KTNQ. |
| In other news: Karen Harlow, former reporter for KNX, left the all-News outlet for XHPRS-San Diego. Due to money disputes, XHPRS (MAX/fm) was taken off the air. She has just joined music KFMB/fm-San Diego to work weekends … George Johns thinks the Nielsen ratings service is very vulnerable. “If I were Eastlan, I’d take them on,” wrote Johns in his newsletter. “Not only are their rating estimates wrong, they underestimate morning listening, and overestimate the rest of the day but they’re probably cutting corners too, now that they’re for sale.” … Mason Dixon is to Tampa / St. Petersburg what Don Sherwood was to San Francisco and J.P. McCarthy was to Detroit. Dixon’s contract has again been extended with WRBQ, his Tampa / St. Pete home for decades. In the spring of 1995, Mason saved several men who were capsized in Tampa Bay while piloting his cruiser, The Radio Waves. Mason briefly worked at 93/KHJ in the 1970s …. Steve Mitchell, former jock at K-100 in the 70s is doing just fine three years after surgery for two stents. “Normally they put you on a treadmill for this test to get the heart rate up to 85% of maximum but because of my knees they injected a drug to speed up the heart. So, I got a workout while laying down” … Nancy Plum has sold out her first printing of her book, Do Not Air: Radio Stories and Other Stuff. You can order her book now at www.nancyplum.com … Mike Stark is almost finished building his new studio. His first podcast when everything is ready will be with OC radio writer, Richard Wagoner talking about radio ... Interesting item in LAObserved about the chronic homeless problem in LA. Read it here. |
Radio Hall of Fame Voting Begins
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(July 15, 2019) Here’s your chance! Fans of radio get an
opportunity to vote for their favorite LARP to be inducted
into the Radio Hall of Fame. The voting starts today through
July 28. Listeners can vote for their favorite radio
personalities in two categories to be inducted this
November. This year the inductees of two categories will be determined by the public and the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. Fans can vote for one personality in each category online at radiovote.com or via text to 877-370-VOTE (8683). |
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In the category of Music
Format On-Air Personality, the nominees are: Sean "Hollywood" Hamilton (text 10), Lon Helton (text
20), The Mark and Brian Show (text 30) and Ryan
Seacrest (text 40). For Spoken Word Format On-Air
Personality, the nominees are: Joe Madison (text 50), Scott
Slade (text 60), Stephanie Miller (text 70) and Suzyn
Waldman (text 80).
Kraig Kitchin, Chairman of the Radio Hall of Fame, said: "Listener engagement is an important part of this process as they're given an opportunity to directly support their favorite on-air personality. Kidding With His Kidney? Kevin Ross, veteran of KGFJ, KKBT, KACE, publishes a tasty radio and entertainment column called Radio Facts. He’s been following a story about Don Amiche, former KJLH personality. Don asserts he donated a kidney to Stevie Wonder. Najee Al, ceo of Project Islamic Hope, claims it is not true and fired off this rhetorical question: “What kind of sick mind lies and jokes about anyone going through this, much less one of our national treasures, Mr. Stevie Wonder? Who does this? The facts are Don Amiche lied on his Facebook page about being the kidney donor to Stevie. Amiche is nothing but a disgruntled washed-up jock who was fired by KJLH.” Amiche posted on his Facebook page: “Just so you know, I’m donating a kidney to #StevieWonder. please pray for both of us that the surgery will be a success in September.”
Jason knew by the time he was 12 that radio was his calling. He earned his degree in Radio-TV-Film with an emphasis in Media Management from Cal State Northridge, but says his real “schooling” came at KEARTH 101, where he started as an intern in the promotions department. Jason went on to become the director of music programming for one of the worldwide leaders in commercial music distribution, Mixhits Radio. While working for Mixhits, he became an expert on Selector programming software and worked with some of the biggest companies in the world including McDonalds, Disney, Foot Locker and Applebees, Jason also served as the music director and assistant PD at The Wave 94.7 (KTWV). |
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Oda Update.
Alan Oda, along with his son Andrew and
four other teammates, are settling in preparing to do their
volunteer gig in Kumamoto, Japan. You can follow the team's
journey at http://ayoda.tumblr.com.
"Three of our teammates have never been to Japan," emailed Alan. "They're rather impressed by the country and at the quality of the food from the local 7-Eleven stores, which actually carry quite decent Japanese grub." |
Email Saturday, 7.13.2009
| ** Where Will USC Games Go?
“Curious when Cumulus does sell KABC, which I assume they will since they sold the sister WABC, does that mean the new owners have to honor the airing of all the USC games or will that contract be null and void?” – Patrick Breen ** KABC Sale Price? “So how much do you think KABC would garner if it's sold anytime soon?” – Perry Osteen ** KABC a No-Show “I realize that the formats of KSUR and KABC are completely different today. But I have to wonder if back in the talk days of KGIL when KABC was the king of L.A., could the folks at KGIL ever imagine a day when their 1260 AM signal from the north San Fernando Valley would beat 790 AM in the ratings - even if by a tenth of a point? It's a new day!” – George Fair ** 21 Years Ago Feature “I must admit to a chuckle or two, in reaction to your ‘Nostalgia Sunday’ of 7.7 featuring newly arrived program director Drew Hayes. Ah, those heady days of 1998, barreling down the road toward the technological advances and social uncertainties of the 21st Century, it is hard to believe those memories are now actually old enough to go out and buy us a drink. Without recalling the exact years and time frames involved [it's all somewhat of a blur to me], Hayes eventually left KABC to return to Chicago, where he presided over the destruction of WCFS, for CBS. Eric Braverman hung on for a spell, before finally winding up with the Dodgers. Some years ago, Hayes bounced back into KABC, where he remains to this day ... and where the numbers certainly speak well to his talents, and to the applications of such in his efforts.” – Greg Hardison ** Serving Up Oldies “I read some of the comments about the changing format at K-SURF, 1260 kHz on the AM dial. I am sure a lot of people were against the changes at the station, so it seems Saul Levine will leave everything alone for now. For me, K-SURF and the old KGIL is a ghost to me. I lived in Downey and Long Beach when I was younger (1960s,1970s) and heard about KGIL and its middle of the road format. Whenever I would tune in 1260 kHz, I could not hear the station very clearly. The audio was low and the signal would fade in and out. I checked its specifications and found the station was only 5 kilowatts with a directional antenna that favored the San Fernando Valley. It got worse at night when other far-away stations would interfere. No matter what radio I used [home, car], I could not get good reception at any time. I gave up after a while. I looked at the current specifications now for K-SURF and see the station runs 20 kilowatts watts during the day and 7.5 kilowatts at nights. I probably could pick up the station in Downey now that the signal is stronger. Of course, I don't live there anymore. For myself, whenever I want to listen to the old MOR format and its music, I listen to KWXY out of Palm Springs. They are on 92.3 mHz FM and 1340 kHz AM on-air and on the Internet. I listen to them at home over the Internet and when I am in Palm Springs visiting, I use the car radio and a portable radio if I am staying with friends. There is a website that has the technical specifications of any AM or FM station you might be interested in. The website is radio-locator.com and is free to use. I think there is a limit on how many stations you can check before you are asked to pay for a subscription. On the web site, you can find the transmit power, location of a transmitter and signal pattern of any broadcast station. Ownership information is also included. I find this easier to use than the FCC website.” - Dan Ramos, Joshua Tree
** Healyisms “After seeing the picture of Jim Healy on your site, I just had to go back to YouTube and relive some of those amazing shows. They were just so hilarious. I could listen to those forever compared with anything that counts as radio entertainment these days. He was truly a gift to us.” - Steve Chang, Venice ** Georgia on My Mind “The Jim Healy bit was so good and glad to see so many responses. Then I look at it again and find another slight 'issue.' Sorry! But when Jim played the ‘Georgia’ clip in reference to Georgia Frontiere, it was actually Willie Nelson’s version, not Ray Charles’s. I promise I will not go back and look for more issues! [Or if I do, I will keep them to myself.] But you do a terrific job and obviously you bring back so many memories of radio when it was king [for the record I am 60 years of age, so I got in on most of the ‘golden days’ and lament the current state of the medium].” – Tim James
** In Bed “Thanks to the success of my best-selling*** book, In Bed with Broadcasting, this fall I'm going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of Pasadena's John Muir High School. This is the institution that gave us baseball legend Jackie Robinson, musician David Lee Roth, and radio's Jim Carson. **if course, the term 'best-selling' is arbitrary :-)” – Ken Davis |
3 LARP Updates
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(July 12, 2019) The
lifeblood of LARadio is the listeners and LARPs (Los Angeles
Radio People) themselves. Readers and non-LARPs hopefully
get insights into what goes on behind the scenes of LARadio.
The updates on the bios of LARPs is largely dependent on the
people listed in the “Where Are They Now” section of the
site. This past week we heard from three LARPs.
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| MY/fm Winner Winner |
KFI Talks Its Way Into #5 in June '19 Ratings
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(July 10,
2019) Even though KOST dropped almost a full point,
there was enough of a cushion for the “soft hits” station to
remain #1 in the just-released PPM for June '19. Entercom
and iHeart share the top seven positions, with KFI making a
nice move to #5. Meanwhile, Top 40 KIIS, home of
Ryan Seacrest, has dropped to #7. KLOS, recently
acquired by Meruelo Media from Cumulus, made a very
impressive move into the #8 position while Meruelo sister
station KPWR had one of its best books ever. Other notables
in the ratings include all-News KNX at #14, Top 40 AMP Radio
(KAMP) remaining in place at #16. The two sports stations –
KLAC and KSPN – are tied at #27.
Saul Levine’s
Oldies K-SURF hits #40, while legendary talker KABC fails to
make the Top 40. The ratings are for June '19 PPM 6+ Mon-Sun
6a-12mid:
1. KOST (AC) 6.6 - 5.8 2. KRTH (Classic Hits) 5.8 - 5.4 3. KTWV (Rhythmic AC) 5.2 - 5.0 4. KBIG (Hot AC) 4.5 - 4.6 5. KFI (Talk) 3.9 - 4.5 6. KCBS (JACK/fm) 4.0 - 3.8 7. KIIS (Top 40/M) 4.0 - 3.7 8. KLOS (Classic Rock) 2.9 - 3.3 9. KLAX (Regional Mexican) 3.1 - 3.2 10. KPWR (Top 40/R) 2.9 - 3. |
| 11.
KLVE (Spanish Contemporary) 3.0 - 3.0 12. KRRL (Urban) 2.8 - 2.9 KXOL (Spanish AC) 3.2 - 2.9 14. KNX (News) 2.8 - 2.7 15. KRCD (Spanish Adult Hits) 2.7 - 2.6 16. KAMP (Top 40/M) 2.4 - 2.4 17. KKGO (Country) 2.2 - 2.3 18. KLYY (Spanish Adult Hits) 2.6 - 2.2 KYSR (Alternative) 2.2 - 2.2 20. KROQ (Alternative) 1.9 - 2.0 21. KSCA (Regional Mexican) 1.7 - 1.9 KUSC (Classical) 1.9 - 1.9 23. KPCC (News/Talk) 2.3 - 1.8 24. KBUE (Regional Mexican) 1.6 - 1.7 KKLQ (Christian Contemporary) 1.4 - 1.7 26. KJLH (Urban AC) 1.6 - 1.6 27. KLAC (Sports) 1.2 - 1.4 KSPN (Sports 1.3 - 1.4 29. KCRW (Variety) 1.1 - 1.3 30. KDAY (Rhythmic AC) 1.2 - 1.2 KXOS (Regional Mexican) 0.9 - 1.2 32. KEIB (Talk) 1.0 - 0.9 KKJZ (Jazz) 0.8 - 0.9 34. KFSH (Christian Contemporary) 0.7 - 0.7 35. KFWB (Regional Mexican) 0.5 - 0.6 KRLA (Talk) 09 - 0.6 KWIZ (Spanish Variety) 0.7 - 0.6 38. KCSN (AAA) 0.4 - 0.5 KDLD (Regional Mexican) 0.5 - 0.5 KSUR (Oldies) 0.3 - 0.5 |
In other news: one of my favorite character actors, Rip Torn, died earlier this week. The 88-year-old made The Larry Sanders Show must-watch tv. Week in and week out, Torn made that show stand out from all the other talk shows of its ilk … John Monds, formerly with KKBT, has exited Urban AC WMMJ (Majic 102.3/92.7)-Washington, DC … Congratulations to Sam Rubin on 28 years as part of the KTLA/Channel 5 morning crew. Methinks he wishes it was also 28 years in radio. He followed Howard Stern with a Talk show at KLSX in the late 90s and early 00s … Craig Powers wrote on Facebook that back in the day he paid $20 to see Prince in concert, but partied like it was $19.99. |
New Programming Chief at Triple AAA 88.5/fm
 |
(July 10, 2019) KCSN/KSBR
has a new program director for the Triple AAA outlet at
88.5/fm. Marc “Mookie” Kaczor takes over
the vacant spot since Sky Daniels retired
in March. “Mookie” has been a dj and music director at the
campus station for the last three years.
“Mookie has great relationships with the labels, promoters, venues and our on-air staff,” said newly installed general manager Patrick Osburn. “He is very well liked in the industry. His grasp of the Triple A and Alternative formats make him a natural choice to lead 88.5 into the future, growing our audience and ratings.” Kaczor enthused: “All I have ever wanted to do was to program a relevant Rock station, and to do it in my hometown in Southern California makes it even sweeter. We will leave no creative stone unturned during the process of creating great radio.” In other news: Is Univision Communication looking to sell? The Spanish-speaking media group, which locally owns KSCA, KLVE, KTNQ and KRCD, may put itself on the block after announcing that its board is "reviewing strategic options for the company" … The June '19 PPM ratings will be sent to your email box this afternoon ... The KGIL reunion pot-luck is set for this Saturday at noon at Michael and Joyce Weinper's house in the West Valley. Tom Patterson sent invitations to everyone from KGIL who are in his database. In case you moved away and want to attend, contact Tom at: TomPatterson69@yahoo.com Who Goofed? I've Got to Know. Wow. Just the mention of sportscaster Jim Healy prompted a number of emails. It hardly seems possible that it has been a quarter of a century since Healy signed off for the last time. Great radio just hangs in there timelessly. Jim Duncan sent along a classic link to dozens of Healyisms that was provided by longtime Lakers radio producer/board op-engineer Frank Polak: … Former anchor for the LARP Rewind, Steve Thompson, wrote to say the "unidentified voice" saying “Yeah I did” is Ray Stevens, from his 1974 hit The Streak. The Howard Cosell imitator is former KLAC disc jockey Gene Price … Tim James of Suss MicroTec AG in Corona emailed to say the voice saying “Riiiight!” was none other than Earl Scheib, the legendary auto painter (who could paint any car for only $29.99 back in the long-lost day) … Cam Currier was one of thousands who timed their commute home to be in the car at 5:30 (I’m raising my hand). “A million years ago when I was producing syndicated programs and in-flight programs for Billboard Publications in Hollywood, I would time my exit from the studio at 5:25 p.m. so I could enjoy Jim Healy on my drive home. Even though I’m not into sports he was one of the most entertaining broadcasters I ever heard. What a talent!” exclaimed Cam … The Bay Area’s Ira Lawson also loved the Healy trip down memory lane. |
Earthquake King Remembered
 |
(July 9, 2019) Coverage of the earthquakes over the
weekend always prompt warm memories of
Jack Popejoy’s
stellar coverage over the years. He worked at all-News KFWB
until a format change, then to KNXNews Radio. Greg Tantum, program director of KFWB in the nineties, remembered Jack in this photo on the right. “I hope everyone is safe as the earthquake swarm rattles the Southland. It's nice to see the many comments about our good friend Jack Popejoy. I was looking at some pictures of our annual 4th Of July parties over the years. Aside from his seismic / scientific genius he was a master on the grill.” Jack died February 5, 2011. He was 63. At the time he was part of a three-person anchor team at KNX along with Dick Helton and Vicky Moore since February 2009. Born in Austin in 1947, Jack grew up in the Delaware Valley, living in New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. He graduated from Amherst College with a B.S. in astronomy. He worked as gm of the campus station as well as other area stations. After college and Army basic training to become a reservist at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, he worked at WMEX-Boston. He next spent a year as a news guy at WPEN-Philadelphia. Jack moved to Southern California to be production manager for Joey Reynolds & Associates, a jingle company. At KIIS, Jack was hired as weekend dj and weekday newscaster. He was the first national pd for the “KIIS Concept Syndication” (under Chuck Blore) before Popejoy was named KIIS pd at age 24. |
 |
| In 1976,
he started as newscaster for KPOL AM&FM before being named
pd of the fm station in 1977. He changed call letters to
KZLA, a soft album rocker, before the station was sold to
Malrite Communications and changed formats to Country.
Popejoy also did work on tv. In the early 1980s he was news director and anchor for a San Francisco tv station, then in 1983 Jack joined KCOP / Channel 13 as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Among Popejoy’s passions were astronomy and earthquake studies. During the California earthquakes, he was the go-to guy for KFWB and later KNX. Jack was a long-time consultant to the Southern California Earthquake Center. Additionally, he was an emergency management associate for the City of Los Angeles. A multiple-award winner for broadcast excellence, Popejoy was locally recognized in 1998 as Journalist of the Year by the Society of Professional Journalists. He won 27 Golden Mikes from the Radio Television News Association of Southern California, including a best newscast award just last month for Best News Broadcast. He won eight Press Club Awards. |
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Inspired by Steve
Harvey of the LA Times
a heavenly broadcast from up above. The show begins with the strains
of a song...
Healy:
How do you do? I'm Jim Healy on K-H-V-N,
K-Heaven. Dateline
Pearly Gates
Ray Charles:
Georgia, Georgia...
Healy:
Carroll Rosenbloom's heavenly Los Angeles Rams. Excuse me, St.
Louis Rams.
Howard Cosell:
Who goofed? I've got to know.
Unidentified
voice: Yeah, I did.
Healy:
No, I did, you twit. The fans at the Heavenly Bowl were ecstatic
about the win.
Benoit Benjamin:
I don't give a (bleep) about the fans.
Healy:
Yes, we know, Benoit. Anyway, when the team moved from Anaheim
to St. Louis to Heaven...
Tim Conway:
Get to the point will you, Jim?
Healy:
All right, all right, I'm trying. When a team loses its popular
owner, the fans become upset!
Charles Barkley:
Bad team, man. Bad (bleeping) team.
Cosell imitator:
Jim Healy, you've got a sick show.
Healy:
Angels beat the Mariners by 10 points. Tagline. A press box
comic quipped: They musta thought they were playing Bo Derek.
Gave 'em a 10.
Cosell imitator:
I don't think that's funny.
Healy:
Me neither, but I promised my butcher I'd use it.
Vin Scully:
I can't beee-lieve it.
Healy:
Dateline Hollywood. Whatever happened to female sportscaster
Jayne Kennedy?
Song:
You've come a long way baby.
Healy:
Stay tuned. Kennedy grew up near the river in San Antonio.
Superfan Ed
Beiler: And of course, San Antonio
has the river, the San, what is the name of the river that goes
through...? The San Antonio River goes through the heart of
downtown Los Angeles.
Cosell:
Who goofed? I've got to know.
Johnny Carson:
I thought it was (bleeping) brilliant.
Healy:
Dateline Chavez Ravine. Was the circus in town or are the
Dodgers that bad?
Jerome Brown:
We didn't come here to act monkeys for everybody.
Lasorda:
This job is not that (bleeping) easy.
Healy:
Dateline Indianapolis. Bobby Knight has never had a monkey on
his team.
Knight:
I forgot more about this (bleeping) game than all you people
combined are ever going to know.
Nixon imitator:
That's just plain poppycock.
Voice:
Riiiight!
Chick Hearn:
We've got to get off the air.
Healy:
You mean the dreaded 6 o'clock tone is coming up? Then let's
pause to savor it.
(Sound of tone.)
Healy:
Now we can relax again. Dateline Toluca Lake. At the monthly
sportscasters luncheon the other day, Silver-Tipped Stu, the man
who never met a meal he didn't like, was asked by Dodger coach
Billy Russell "What do you think is under more strain, the
cables on the Golden Gate bridge or the suspenders on Stu
Nahan's pants?"
Cosell imitator:
Jim Healy, that's your lowest shot ever.
Healy: You might be right about that. Jim Healy. Good night.
"Chris Hughes Out!"
 |
(July 8,
2019) “Chris
Hughes OUT! After 21
years in broadcasting (mostly radio) I've just finished my
last day,” Hughes announced on his Facebook page. Chris is a
much beloved traffic pro who worked at AirWatch, iHeart,
Total Traffic and Salem. You may remember him singing the traffic reports with Jamie White at “Star 98.7” (KYSR). Even during the holidays, he sang the traffic using Christmas tunes. It was so much fun. Said Jamie at the time: “We’re trying to change up a lot of crap here … Maybe that wasn’t the best idea, they all can’t be gems. We’re going to try them as we go along.” Chris is headed to the IT team at the BMG music group in Los Angeles. “I won’t be straying too far from the biz,” said Chris. Don Bastida, head of AirWatch Traffic for many years, produced a 9-minute video for a national traffic meeting for Clear Channel Traffic/then called Premiere Traffic. It is now on YouTube.com. It was a goof of the Randy Newman's I Love LA video. It featured reporters Nancy Bond, Stew Berger, Georgiann Keller, Mickey Laszlo, Rosie Wedel, Sabina Mora, Alan LaGreen, Angel Martinez, Kaci Christian and Claire Beverly. Chris directed the whole package. You'll have so much fun seeing the traffic reporters come alive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICBhO0pkwqU Chris also was known by the moniker Jason Kennedy on KTLK. “Everyone of Chris’ reports paints you a picture of the traffic situation. He never delivers a laundry list of stalls and accidents as so many traffic reporters think is acceptable,” said Bastida. In 2008, Chris moved to Oahu to be director of operations for an 18-station Hawaiian group. He was there for a couple of years. When Chris was asked about the move to BMG, he responded, “I think the post says it pretty much. I would just add that management at both iHeart/Total Traffic and Salem have been great to me, but this opportunity came up and it was too good to pass up. Looking forward to a new chapter and the chance to work on some new projects after a little down time.” |
In other news: “Lucky enough to land the announcer gig on the new Press Your Luck game show, hosted by Elizabeth Banks,” posted Neil Ross on Facebook. “The show airs Wednesday evenings on ABC. The producers were kind enough to give me a solo credit, which is a nice surprise and much appreciated” … John Sterling has been the radio play-by-play for the NY Yankees since 1989, according to Houston Mitchell of the LA Times. Since the start of the 1990 season, he has missed a total of zero games. That is, until July 4th when the 80-year-old was under the weather. Mitchell wondered how you put up with a guy who misses a game every 30 years. “The Yankees need to get someone a little more reliable to do that job.” … Bob Gowa: “Oh boy, here we go again... My third right rotator cuff repair didn't hold, so on August 2, I’m having a ‘full reverse shoulder replacement’ procedure. I know this is a nothing deal compared to the serious issues I read about in posts here; I just had to tell someone … KABC’s Jillian Barberie was thrilled to get a birthday call on air from Howard Stern. “I was so stunned,” Jillian revealed on Twitter … Don Imus says before you bitch about anything “you need to find somebody who gives a fuck” … For those of you playing golf this summer: When play is slow, here’s a joke you can share with your caddie, or vice versa. Golfer: “I think I’ll drown myself in the lake.” Caddie: “Think you can keep you head down that long?” … The 61st annual Southern California Journalism Awards were held recently. KFI’s Dr. Wendy Walsh and ABC7’s entertainment reporter George Pennacchio were presenters. |
 |
Jason Bentley Explains Why He’s Stepping Down at KCRW
Email Saturday, 7.6.2019
“Responding to Bruce Chandler’s concerns about the new construction planned for the current site of Amoeba Music at Sunset & Cahuenga. I read an item earlier this year about intense development in central Hollywood: In the area bordered by Gower St., Hollywood Blvd., La Brea Blvd., and Santa Monica Blvd., there are more than 30 high-rise projects currently under construction or approved for immediate construction. Two of these projects are under active construction along Cahuenga, between Sunset & Hollywood [just north of Amoeba]. Not only is the Amoeba building being replaced by a high-rise, but the tiny little plot of land across the street, currently housing a Jack in the Box, will be replaced by a 90+ unit HOTEL. Picture that: A fast food hutch with drive-thru and 10 parking spaces, on a small corner lot, replaced by a hotel. Construction of this hotel will take place at the same time that the Amoeba building is being razed and replaced. Traffic on this corridor is already horrible. It’s about to become impassible.” – Rick Sietsema
** KABC’s Future “Just read that KABC’s sister up here, KGO Radio is also on the market. By the way, just screened Corporate.FM and said ‘Kaddish’ for radio when it was over.” – Ira Lawson ** Radio Potpourri “I’ve had a lot of fun reading your posts these past few weeks and thought it time to share some thoughts. You’re a pretty experienced radio guy so you’ve been through this. I applaud Saul Levine for trying to keep the music alive on K-Surf, and understand his troubles. We’ve been told that ‘baby boomers’ have a lot of money at their disposal and they would support advertisers to his format. Where are they? Time buyers are still trying to sift through the 25-54 numbers in placing their buys and finding it hard to justify a format that reaches those 65+. Al Ham did it with ‘Music of Your Life’ but that was when AM radio was populated with more mass appeal stations. Chime and Suzy Hart suggesting that K-Surf go digital only could create more problems for the beleaguered signal. Most people don’t know what a digital radio is and trying to find one is all but impossible. Fry’s has a few on the shelf, but there’s no way to sample them in the store since AM doesn’t go through the steel structures. I bought one a few months ago and the audio quality on AM is marginal at best. There are only two stations in our area that broadcast in HD and one of them speaks Spanish. AM has turned into a shopping mall that only has one or two viable outlets. Have been discussing with friends the shocking price of WABC in New York, selling for $12 million. Cumulus bought a batch of stations from Citadel in 2011 for 2.4 billion dollars. WABC now goes for a fraction of the price. You’ll never get the ‘Swingin’ 7’ back on the air but we’re sure Dan Ingram is rolling over. Haven’t finished Corporate.FM yet but it brings up part of the problem. In 1996, the consolidation intent was explained to me by Randy Michaels, then ceo of Jacor (which was rolled into Clear Channel/iHeart). The major print media was getting 80-90% of the print revenue from a given market. Radio, when consolidated, could perhaps give one company 30-40% of a given market if it were done right. Randy also explained that radio automation should be used as a ‘tool’ so jocks didn’t have to juggle carts and CDs, and they could focus on their on-air work. He also wanted to see voicetracking as a way to get better more experienced talent into smaller markets, but they would do it for that specific station. At one point, I was tracking up to six Clear Channel stations a day in markets from Santa Barbara to Dallas. The crash of 2008 wasn’t kind to radio and companies had to trim budgets to satisfy the shareholders. Therein lies the issue. In 1955, Walt Disney’s vision of a land where people could forget their troubles came to be. In 2019 Disneyland Resort continues to be ‘the’ destination for vacationers, and Disney continues to invest in its parks. Somehow, they found a way to spend money to make money and see their stock value increase. The adage that you have to spend money to make money still holds true in 2019 and Disney is the model to subscribe to. One could say that radio can’t afford it, but with increased competition, can it afford NOT to? Finally, that picture of Stan Freberg with Shotgun Tom and Freddie Snakeskin reminds us all of what’s missing from radio these days. Stan was the master, filling Lake Michigan with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=USotnlORBZ0 Here’s a link to a batch of spots he made for radio, including the Lake Michigan fill. Imagine if radio [with more competition than it had in the 60’s when this campaign started] MARKETED radio. Living in Southern California lets us rub elbows with the masters of our medium. Hope we find her [or him] before it’s too late. Thanks for letting me ramble. Your articles are always stimulating and LARadio is a first read every day.” – Dave Mason ** Michael Jackson Story “I loved the Michael Jackson story. A KRTH listener told me about the time he and his crew were working near the Neverland Ranch on some telephone cable project when all of a sudden, Michael showed up where they were taking a break and asked if he could get them some water or if there was anything they’d like to drink. The listener went on to say what a nice person and down to earth guy Michael was!” – Bruce Chandler ** Foxy Anniversary “My wonderful wife, Valerie, and I celebrated our 66th anniversary yesterday. She is the best thing that ever happened to me. Years ago, I was interviewed by Radio and Records and was asked why I hadn’t expanded and purchased stations in other markets. I replied that when I awakened in the morning that my main priority was when I could get home and be with my wife. Wow, I was really lucky.” – Bob Fox ** MIA Country “My father had a Country swing radio program in the early - mid 1960’s, in Los Angeles. His show was somewhat popular, as I was told growing up, he had led the Rose Bowl Parade one year, suspended upside down, playing the fiddle for the entire route. I do not know the radio station where he hosted his show. He went by the stage name of Johnny Lee, but his name was John (or Johnny) Rankin. He would play live swing music during the broadcast. His program was once a week. Would you know how or where to find out more?” – John Rankin, 559.626.7866, coveprinting@att.net ** Listening for Melinda Lee “It was great to hear Melinda Lee back doing commercials for the Kitchen Store on KNX. Wishing her the best.” – Bill Mann, South Pasadena |
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Hollywood Landscape Is on the Up and Up
 |
(July 3, 2019) Bruce Chandler
(l), veteran of K-100 and “The Oldies Channel” on
Westwood One, sent a note about the action of the L.A. City
Council, voting to give the go-ahead for a new 26-story high
rise in Hollywood. “Unfortunately, the victim of this latest
project will be Amoeba Records,” emailed Bruce. The location
is at Sunset and Cahuenga, which is the same corner CNN has
called home for years as well as the old K-100 (KIQQ),
K-West (aka Magic 106) and the Transtar Radio Networks, just
west across Cahuenga from Amoeba Records.
“I remember, and you probably remember too, having also worked at KIQQ, the great view from the 11th floor of KIQQ looking east down Sunset Blvd. You could see the Cinerama Dome half a block down Sunset and on a clear night the lights of Dodger Stadium way in the distance to the right.” Bruce said: “This new project starts in a year or so, goodbye view and hello 26 stories of concrete staring everyone in our old building right in the face, right across the street. I don’t know if you’ve been in the area of 6430 Sunset recently, but just past the CNN building and down the street south of Sunset there are at least three new projects being built. You wouldn’t recognize the old neighborhood.” When Cosmic Communications purchased 100.3, we had a tough time finding a location for the studio that had line of sight to Coldwater Canyon. The transmitter was on the old K-JOI stick. When negotiating for the 11th floor space, building management suddenly got cold feet for fear that the parabolic dish on the roof would dissuade doctors and lawyers from renting space. The irony is that when CNN moved in years later, the top of 6430 building now looks like an Erector Set. Another long-gone landmark was the Jolly Rogers restaurant that was on the ground floor, and home to many drinking sessions. “I’m hearing Amoeba Records may be looking for a new space somewhere, or, maybe if the rents are too high, it will also be a fondly remembered relic.” Bruce concluded: “Time marches on...” |
| In other news: Oldies 103.3 in Santa Barbara have reclaimed the KRUZ call letters. Concurrently, Classic Hip Hop station 103.3 The Vibe (KVYB/fm) signed off in the Santa Barbara market, debuting in the Oxnard market as CHR formatted “106.3 The Vibe, Oxnard’s Hit Music Station” … New Power 106 morning man Nick Cannon is now a member of the Motion Picture Academy … Front page LA Times Calendar section story featured the new studios for SiriusXM in Hollywood at 953 N. Sycamore Avenue. 26,000 square feet. Two LARP were mentioned, former KROQ personality Rodney Bingenheimer and his 3-hour Sunday night show, plus Pat Boone who provides special programming on the “50s on 5” channel. Rodney and Pat certainly play to the diversity of the Satellite service … If you are a fan of doo-wop music, you surely know There’s a Moon Out Tonight by the Capris. The song was originally released in 1958 and never charted. Three years later it was re-released and became a classic smash … Congratulations to Brad “Martini” Chambers on 31 years of marriage! |
Is KABC Next to be Sold?
 |
(July 2, 2019) “The sale of legendary New
York radio station WABC last week sent shock waves through
Cumulus Media Chicago where employees of news/talk WLS
890-AM wondered if their station could be next,” wrote
Robert Feder in his Chicago media blog.
WABC, boasting a coverage reaching over 100 miles, was sold for an eye-widening $12.5 million. Mary Berner, Cumulus Media ceo, told her staff: “In New York’s case, we’ll be exiting a market that has been tough for us, and through these deals we will be able to realize significant value for the company – over and above what we could have generated from continued operations. And for anyone who is still listening to rumors out there, I will say again that there is absolutely no grand plan to exit our big markets.” KLOS, one of two Cumulus stations in Los Angeles, sold last April for $42 million. KABC, once a pioneer in Southern California Talk Radio, is the only Cumulus station left in L.A., but for how long? In other news: Tom Joyner, best known as the jock who did mornings in Dallas, then following his shift he jumped on an airplane to do afternoons in Chicago. Tom eventually went into syndication which he’s been doing for a quarter of a century. He brought his Urban syndicated show to KKBT, the BEAT, on June 19, 2006 before the show was dropped December 15, 2006. Some nationally syndicated shows work in L.A., like Howard Stern. And some don’t, like Don Imus. Tom is retiring and his replacement will be Rickey Smiley. “It’s an honor to continue the legacy of my boss and frat brother Tom Joyner. Not only has he been a friend to my family and me over the years, but we consider him family. Tom’s mentorship has instilled in me valuable wisdom that I will carry with me through this new morning show,” said Smiley ... KLAC's Fred Roggin thinks the move for free agent Kawhi Leonard is down to the Lakers or Raptors. Clippers now out of the picture for the NBA superstar. |
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Alan Oda Heading to Japan and Could Use Your Help
 |
(July 1, 2019) Alan Oda is
an intricate part of LARadio. His invaluable insights,
writing and editing paves the way for staying on top of the
daily news and views in the world of radio in southern
California. Alan and his family, residents of Santa Monica
are active in the Japanese American community and church.
Since the 2011 Great Tohoku (Northern Region) Earthquake and Tsunami, Alan gives up part of his summer vacation to participate in disaster relief. “It’s a life-altering experience, seeing total devastation yet also signs of hope. Each year I either have people interested in joining disaster relief work or we receive opportunities from Japan to continue assisting the rebuilding both lives and livelihoods,” said Alan “First, I never, ever expected to be part of volunteer disaster relief work and disaster relief networks, yet this seems to be something I consider to be a Divine appointment. Second, I really don’t think there’s anything exceptional about me, not any specific gifts or talents for this sort of work. Maybe my most important role is to show anyone can be helpful when others are recovering, I just happen to have been given the opportunity these past few years. That being said, I've worked with some incredible people whose dedication amazes me. |
 |
Alan is headed back to Kumamoto, Japan still recovering from an earthquake three years ago, assisting the Kyushu Christ Disaster Relief Center. They are presently serving the 20,000 individuals still residing in temporary housing, people who were supposed to return to their communities more than a year ago. “My son Andrew (Drew) and I will be part of a six-man team heading to Japan from July 12 - July 23. Besides the usual logistical issues, we had a major challenge to find affordable flights to Kumamoto. It's apparently a busy time of the year. We're paying more than originally hoped.” You can help Alan in his efforts: https://www.shelbygiving.com/App/Giving/veni4871191. Under FUND choose Japan Short-Term Mission Trip. “You can let us know you'll be praying for our team.” Alan never knows that is in store until they arrive in Japan, and even then two years ago, mudslides left at least 11 dead and 600,000 people needing to evacuate in the neighboring prefecture of Fukuoka. “My team has shown great flexibility and grit extending themselves by doing manual labor in 90+ degree temperatures and 90+ percent humidity, digging mud, dirt, and rather large rocks. I'm honored to work with this team.” Hopefully you can help Alan on behalf of Japan Rebuild 2019. His team and he offers his thanks for any support you can give, signed with his name in Japanese, 織田幸夫 |
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|
LA Times ad from David
Grudt's collection appeared on July 1, 1974,
which marks 60 years since Airwatch moved from KABC to KMPC |
Email Saturday, 6.29.2019
| ** K-SURF Kerfuffle “Love the kerfuffle about KSURF. I think Saul Levine got some attention for once! Hopefully he nixes the less 50’s-add 80’s idea and works on the signal! I'm sorry about Larry Van Nuys losing his KSURF show, but Levine was right to stick with his current 50's-70's mix. He could consider doing a 'Saturday Night' show just featuring 60's-80's music or a theme show-might set KSURF apart as a 'good-time' station. Worth a try.” Thank you for the great story about Michael Jackson. I never heard that one before and it boggles my mind that such an event could end far differently today. I love hearing about your different careers-my Uncle Ruben started out working for the studios through Pacific Title and did hundreds of movie title sequences before becoming a courtroom sketch artist for KTTV. – Julie T. Byers ** Corporate.FM “Thanks for the heads up on Corporate.FM, which I watched last night with Beth. I’m glad they produced this movie. It was well done and really showcased the greed and the damage done to so many talented people, as well as the death of everyone's trusted companion – radio. I was glad that they exposed the greed of Hicks-Muse and the Dickeys, but was very disappointed that they left the Mays family (Lousy Lowry), Scandal Randall and Snark Mark unscathed. While they mentioned Bain Capital, Mitt Romney didn’t catch any grief either. Shameful but well done.” – Mike Butts ** More Documentary “Amen. I’ve been showing Corporate.FM to students in my radio classes at Long Beach City College since 2012.” – Ken Borgers ** Lew Dickey’s Performance “Thanks for the heads up on this documentary about the downfall of local radio. It was produced four or five years ago, but still relevant. I had to laugh at watching Lew Dickey testify before congress and spread his bullshit – without big corporations and consolidation local radio would be out of business! I recommend this video to everyone who was in radio in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.” – Bob Koontz ** Michael Jackson at 30,000 Feet “Your Michael Jackson story is a good read. It confirms other nice things we have heard about him. And the photo is just great, too.” – Don Graham ** George Putnam in Tarentino Movie “The new movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will have a quick glimpse of George Putnam on the side of a bus billboard, “News at 10 see you then.” When they first started getting the movie ready, they called me to track down film of him doing the news around the time of the Tate Murders. Guess what, nobody came up with any. I had sound, but no film. Too bad. George was one of a kind.” – Chuck Wilder, CRN Radio ** Greg Tantum Celebrates 41 Years of Love “Doesn’t surprise me a bit. Great team those two. Live and LOCAL, was in play every day, under Greg Tantum’s watch at KFWB News 98. All the best.” – Jeff Baugh ** Early KBCA “Re your ad display for KBCA, do people know those were the call letters of 105.1 from 1959 to 1978? In the 1960s KBCA was active in presenting public affairs such as Tom Bradley’s Daily Talk to City Hall. And on Sunday Evenings, political discussions. In 1960 Hal Fishman, then a teaching aid at Cal State LA, called me offering to work for experience for minimum wage. I took him up on it and in the early 60s, Hal and KBCA scooped the media with the breaking story of the U2 plane shot down over Russia. He also followed the sinking of the Andrea Doria. And he covered local elections all night long. Eventually Hal ended up at KTLA News.” – Saul Levine **A Loyal K-SURF Listener Checks In “My wife was born in 1964, loves 50s/60s, and says ‘good music never goes out of style.’ I’ve always enjoy up-tempo 50s – and especially Rockabilly – with over 3,200 45s in my personal collection. So we’ve turned on many drivers to LA Oldies. Speaking of 1260, having the station go into digital immediately would be a real treat, bypassing the analog signal. If KSUR was digital only, they wouldn't be the first, as 820 WWFD in Fredrick, Maryland has been digital AM only for some time. And even without more talent, with an addition of jingles, reverb, and adding novelty records, K-SURF station would enjoy a more 50’s radio feel. Lastly, since Monday I notice only KKGO HD1-and-4 are in stereo, while Oldies (HD2) and Jazz (HD3) are in mono. Thanks in advance for considering these suggested improvements. – Chime-and-Suzy Hart, Sherman Oaks ** Static “I’d like to ask the engineers out there a question about hum / static on my clock radio. It is the only radio in my place that experiences it, and it only occurs at night, and not every night. The other night it was unlistenable. Sometimes it ceases as if someone turned off a switch. Is there a filter I can put on? Unfortunately, Radio Shack is gone but maybe Fry’s would have something.” – Andrew Schermerhorn, andrewschermerhorn@dslextreme.com |
Podcasting Challenges
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(June 28, 2019) There
are about 750,000 podcasts ready to be downloaded at any
given time, according to the stats of those who track this
arena. Dunno how many give up after a few podcasts, because
it is tough to create compelling content for the length of
the podcast. We asked Valerie
Geller what were the
challenges in monetizing podcasts.
“You sign up with a podcast agency,” emailed Valerie. “They group together several podcasts, all carry the ads, to reach the 500k specifically targeted group. So, for example, if you work with Omny Studio, Midroll or one of those companies, they sell the ads, and you get a percentage.” The world of podcasting is the hot audio topic. The rate of new podcast titles being added was approximately 2,000 per week. Mercifully, the rate of podcast entries has slowed now to about 3,000 new podcast titles a month (not episodes) according to Blubrry. When does the novelty of doing a podcast fade? “Only 18% of podcasts added an episode in the last three months. “More podcasts (60%) are out of production than in, according to Todd Cochran, ceo of Blubrry. Todd estimates that more than half of the new podcasts in the past 12 months have not produced a fresh episode. If you are still contemplating a podcast and want some professional help, there is a San Diego group led by Tracy Johnson Media Group that will air check your podcast and provide talent coaches to critique the podcast based on the user’s goals an objective. These results are discussed in a one-hour personal coaching session, followed by a detailed written strategy review, including recommendations and next step advice. "The No. 1 thing air personalities tell me is they just don’t get feedback on a regular basis,” said Johnson. “Many aren’t getting it at all. And programmers tell me they don’t have time to spend with talent like they would like. Our new service fills those gaps. It’s for personalities who want direct, honest, positive feedback, programmers who want another set of ears on their talent, and forward-thinking managers who realize developing talent is the most important asset for their future." The Air Check Coaching Sessions service is regularly priced at $499 per session, but they have a 50% discount for their new venture. |
| In other news: Larry Van Nuys will be leaving K-SURF after his morning drive show this morning. “I still have affection for Saul Levine and the staff at the station,” emailed Larry. “It was a fun ride. NEXT!” … "Larry Vany Nuys is the nicest guy I have ever worked with," emailed Saul. "Our plan is to keep KSUR going for long term success with the format. but cut the overhead and rely on existing staff to program. So far there has not been enough revenue to pay the power bill. When we tried to expand the audience, and hopefully revenue by making KSUR more contemporary, you know that ran into a brick wall with our audience." ... Tough to believe that WABC (KABC’s sister station in New York) just sold for only $12.5 million. Ten years ago, the station was billing over $21 million … Jeopardy star James Hozhauer failed to cash in the events he entered in the World Series of Poker, going on now in Las Vegas … Howard Stern asked Joe Namath who he considered the best quarterback of all time. He answered “Tom Brady” … Allie Mac Kay thinks that in any debate, you can go over your time once. Next time, you are allowed to finish that sentence. “After that, the floor opens up and you’re dropped through a trap door. Bye,” wrote KROQ’s Allie on social media … DJ Amen has been upped to music director at Urban KRRL (Real 92.3). He has been with the station since 2015 and in 2016, contributed to the launch of Real 92.3’s “Young California Radio.” … Power 106’s Cece Valencia joins Romeo in morning drive at KDAY. |
Michael Jackson Breaks Up Fight at 30,000 Feet
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(June 27, 2019) The
singer Michael Jackson died 10 years ago this week. On the
day of his death Twitter went down and other social media
outlets either crashed, sputtered or had severe technical
difficulties. AOL declared: “Today was a seminal moment in
Internet history. We’ve never seen anything like it in terms
of scope or depth.”
Jackson’s passing also put Harvey Levin’s TMZ on the map for good. They called Michael’s death. Not the LA Times. Not AP. But TMZ. Buzzfeed declared “a seismic shift in the news business.” TMZ was legitimatized as a news gathering source and decimator of news about the entertainment cultural business. |
We had our own
story. I was curious how the story of my encounter with
Michael Jackson being a peacemaker at 30,000 held up. When I
Googled, my story came up as #2 on the first page. If you
would like to relive it or read it for the first time:
When I was laid off (fired) from MGM/UA in 1994, I opened my own movie marketing consultancy. I decided to concentrate on animated films. Over the years, I was fortunate enough to work on wonderful animated projects like Steven Spielberg’s An American Tail, among many others. Before long, my business was booming. I was making more money than I ever did with Columbia, Universal or most recently MGM/UA. And more importantly, I didn’t have that awful commute I did for years, plus no committee diluting some wonderful ideas that talented individuals conjured up. I was exposed to the international marketplace (my movie career with the studios was confined to domestic) and found myself at the Cannes Film Festival numerous times exposing and selling some of the animated projects I was representing. Yes, Cannes is beautiful, sexy, sensual, alluring, intoxicating, exciting and downright the bomb, to use an old expression. One year on my way to Cannes, I had to travel from LAX to Berlin and then make a connecting flight to Cannes. In first class there were five rows with two seats on each side of the plane. I was sitting in the aisle seat in row three on the left. In front of me was a single gentleman. The front two seats were occupied, but they were already seated when I got comfortable for the 12-hour flight. The man in front of me asked for a cocktail prior to take-off. Once airborne, he was the recipient of a steady stream of drinks. About a half-hour into our flight, the man on the aisle in the front seat stood and moved to the center of the cabin. His seatmate got up and stood behind him. Another man who was in the front seat on the aisle on the right side of the plane got up and joined the two standing in the cabin and got behind the second man. In almost lock step they walked to the toilet. The cabin lights were dim for those who wanted to sleep on the long flight. As they walked by me, it was clear that the center man in this abbreviated parade was Michael Jackson. The flight progressed, but the man in front of me never stopped with requesting more booze. Eventually the steward cut him off. I could only guess the perfect storm that was brewing. Frequently raising his voice in the quiet cabin, it was easy to hear his entitlement demands after paying so much for a first-class ticket and that they had no right to stop serving him. The steward was firm. The boozy man kept ringing the call-button and the steward reluctantly would come to his seat, only to be greeted by insults for refusing his right to service. After a third call-button ring, the boozy man apparently was waiting in wait for the steward. The steward repeated what he had told the man about no more service. The boozy man leapt like a gazelle onto the steward and they both crashed to the floor. They wrestled. You could hear another steward frantically summoning the pilot, who quickly came down to see what the commotion was all about. With no fanfare, no lights, no audience, a concerned Michael Jackson got up and separated the two sparring men. As soon as they realized that the King of Pop was acting as peacemaker, they sheepishly stopped like school kids busted by the principal or even their own mom. The captain (or co-captain) arrived on the scene to see that peace had been restored, with no bloodshed. Michael asked his bodyguard friend to sit in the boozy man’s seat and invited the inebriated man to sit with him. I couldn’t hear a word that was spoken by Michael nor his new seatmate, but they were talking away for 20 minutes. Michael signaled to his bodyguard to help the boozy man back to his seat. Within minutes he had passed out and slept for the duration of the flight. Michael and his bodyguard were both back together to complete the remaining hours in relative silence. It was a rare glimpse into Michael Jackson. Who knew he would be a peacemaker at 30,000 feet on what could have erupted into an ugly confrontation? |
New Boss at 88.5/fm
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(June 26, 2019) KCSN
looked for a new general manager and found him – already at
KCSN. California State University, Northridge has named Patrick
Osburn as its new boss, replacing the retired Sky
Daniels. Osburn will be in charge of 88.5/fm at
KCSN-Northridge and KSBR-Mission Viejo (Saddleback College).
Patrick joined KCSN in 2017 and had been serving as its director of business development. He has spent more than 30 years in the radio industry, with 20 years at Triple A stations. After receiving a Business / Marketing degree from San Diego State University in 1985, his career transitioned into media sales and management. “I have sold for and managed sales departments for small, medium, and large publicly traded organizations as well as Public Media,” he wrote on his LinkedIn account. “As the industry and technology has evolved, I now create, sell, and manage multi-platform solutions for sponsors. I have vast experience in sports sales and marketing, News-Talk-Sports formats, as well as several music formats. I have also had success creating content, which included building channels of distribution, and monetizing the projects.” |
| In other news: Larry Levy, administrative assistant in the International Studies & Languages Division at Pepperdine University, sent along a link to a classic aircheck from Michael Horn. Mike was hosting his CRN Digital Talk Radio show with the legendary Sweet Dick Whittington and the late Scott St. James as guests. Sweet Dick set some parameters for being a guest. He said he would not talk about Bruce Jenner, who traded in her Olympic Gold medal for a mother of pearl necklace. Take a listen to fun Talk radio here. They also talked about regular caller, “Suicide Bob” who called every week with a different problem … James Holzhauer, the recent 2 million-dollar winner on Jeopardy, is playing in his World Series of Poker debut currently in progress in Las Vegas, giving a partial part of any winnings to charity ... Former KOST personality from 1971-73, Ira David Sternberg thought he might participate in two categories: “He will probably win” and “Ways to spend Jeopardy money.” … The family of the late Dick Enberg has his La Jolla estate on the market for $9.8 million. Records show Enberg paid $850,000 for the property in 1999. Enberg, who died in 2017 at 82, had a career that saw him win 13 sports Emmy awards in addition to being honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Basketball Hall of Fame and National Baseball Hall of Fame. He had deep ties to Southern California and provided play-by-play and analysis for the UCLA Bruins, Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Angels … KFI’s John & Ken are soliciting daily homeless experiences for a new feature … Michelle Visage, mornings at HOT 92.3 from 2002-05 and pictured in the above gallery, subs for Larry King on his tv show, available on Hulu and RT America. |
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Corporate.FM is a Must-See Documentary
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(June 25, 2019) If
you love radio and care about its future, Corporate.FM is
a must-see documentary. “The radio industry… is an example
of an industry that was doing pretty well, and they gutted
it.” This documentary deserves your look-see. The “they” is
the private equity industry, which provided the financing to
large companies to go on the epic buying sprees that
resulted in today’s enormously consolidated commercial radio
landscape. The film debuted six years ago at the Kansas City Film Festival, it’s now available for streaming on Amazon Prime. Investigative reporter Josh Korman does a great job explaining how the radio business made a major shift from local ownership to corporate consolidation in the documentary Corporate.FM. The opening scenes in the documentary explains the power and strength of local radio. “The power of radio is that our neighbors are listening to it at the same time, and together we create a critical mass of support at the local level.” The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is the bugaboo in the story. In simple terms, the filmmaker presents a simple picture of how ownership deregulation cost hundreds, if not thousands of jobs by shifting away from local emphasis in radio sales and programming to a more McDonaldization centralized point of decision making. Live and local seems to have all but disappeared. Corporate.FM streams on Amazon Prime and it’s a must-see, even if you are experiencing the story firsthand and know the ending. Click the artwork to watch the trailer. In other news: Congratulations to former KFWB programmer Greg Tantum on 41 years of wedded bliss … Did you happen to see that Elliot Field, the last original on-air jock at Top 40 Color Radio/KFWB just turned 92 this week? He wrote a great book, Last of the Seven Swingin' Gentlemen … Last week KABC’s Jillian Barberie and John Phillips were talking about the movie openings last week. Jillian went on and on about Toy Story 4. John was silent but sparked when chatting about Child’s Play and Jennifer Tilly. “I’d rather see Chucky getting lucky.” |
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| KRLA Sunday LA Times Calendar ad from June 23, 1980 from David Grudt's personal collection ... Fun promotion! |
Muhammad Takes Over Programing at KJLH
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(June 24, 2019) Compton’s
only local station, KJLH, has a new programmer.
Jamillah Muhammad will now oversee radio
programming and marketing. She will be reporting to Market
Manager Elston Butler at the Urban AC owned
by Stevie Wonder.
Muhammad has an impressive resume that includes stints in Charlotte at WPEG (Power 98) and Urban AC WBAV (V101.9). She also programmed Radio One Urban AC WMMJ (Majic 102.3) and Gospel WPRS (Praise 104.1) in Washington until 2012. Earlier in her career, Muhammad programmed WKKV (V-100)-Milwaukee and WMXD (Mix 92.3)-Detroit, plus duties as apd/md of WVAZ (V103)-Chicago. She also served as program director for the Premiere-syndicated “The Sweat Hotel with Keith Sweat.” "I am extremely excited to join the KJLH family as the new operations manager," said Muhammad. "With my passion for radio, serving the community and improving brands, I know we can lead this heritage station to success!" Concurrent with Muhammad’s arrival, Aundrae Russell continues at KJLH as the station’s new Community Relations Director. In other news. Larry Gifford, former pd at KSPN has been promoted to National Director of AM Radio for Corus Entertainment. “Super excited to work with great talk radio stations across Canada. And we get to stay in Vancouver,” said Larry … Sad to learn that Jim Pike, co-founder and lead singer of The Lettermen, one most popular vocal groups of the 1960s, has died from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. He was 82 … Christina Applegate, KPPC’s Bobby Applegate’s daughter scored big with the first season of Dead to Me and earns a second season. Dead to Me is one of the best ever offerings on Netflix and the writing is superb … Following a routine blood test, Kenny Noble was told he needed a sonogram of his liver. “The sonogram (which was kind of weird BTW, lol) revealed a gall bladder filled to the max with stones. Doctor urged removal asap,” said Kenny on Facebook. He’s having surgery today. Wish him well … Saul Levine emailed to say that KSUR will go back to original 50s to 70s Oldies. On another note, later this week KKJZ will expand its coverage when KKGO will carry jazz on its 105.1 HD 3 channel. “This will increase coverage of KKJZ to a whole new audience in the West Valley and the Inland Empire.” … Congratulations to Pam Baker on celebrating ten years with Entercom/CBS Radio. |
Email Saturday - 6.22.2019
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** Northern California Radio
“Thanks for re-visiting Detroit and WDRQ. Loved your story. That's one I had never heard. I watched the Northern California Radio video when Dr. Don Rose choked up I did too. What a talent and KFRC what a station.” – Mike Butts ** 80s Music on K-SURF “I’ll preface this by saying I’m an LARL [L.A. Radio Listener], not an LARP. K-Surf’s Facebook page is lighting up with negative feedback on their addition of 80s music. I’m only 32 and prefer the 50s and 60s tunes that they started out with. Not only that, plenty of stations in L.A. already play music from the 80s. K-Surf was unique. Not anymore. I hope that, at the risk of sounding like the late Bill Drake, ‘The backlash just keeps on coming.’ Here it is: https://m.facebook.com/laoldies/posts_to_page/” – Joey Schwartzman ** Portrait of My Love “Greg Hardison's tribute to Steve & Eydie moved me! So sad to read about Steve's Alzheimer Disease. Several times a month I go to You Tube to replay some of Steve & Eydie's television and concert appearances. In my opinion, they were, unequivocally, THE finest, most consummate live performers of my time. Eydie and Ella remain my two, all-time favorite female singers. Steve's phrasing and the quality of his voice are second only to Sinatra. Donn Trenner, the 91-year-old former musical director to Steve Allen, Ann Margaret, Nancy Wilson and others also worked with Steve & Eydie. Donn, now director of The Hartford Jazz Orchestra, speaks glowingly of Steve & Eydie; both as performers and persons. Thanks for publishing Greg Hardison's tribute.” - Bob Sirkin ** Craig “Sea” Carpenter “I had to write when I saw Craig ‘Sea’ Carpenter’s pic in your column this week. When I first started part-time at KFXM in 1978, he was the afternoon jock. Great, high energy delivery. He sounded major market to me. Sadly, he left shortly thereafter and I never heard anything more about him until today!” - Neil Young ** Newman’s Business "I barely remember Jim Newman from the ‘NFB’ all-News experiment at KMEX/34, but then it came and went so quickly ... http://www.uhftelevision.com/articles/nfb.html But I do remember, when the AP Radio Network started in 1974, him being the first anchor of their hourly ‘Business Barometer’ financial and stock market reports. [I was with KOVA - now KFYV - in Ventura County then; we were one of the charter affiliates of APRN.] Link is to Clarke Ingram's ‘History of UHF Television website, where I am content coordinator and have written a fair amount of the content personally.” - K.M. Richards ** Nathan’s News "Great to see the piece on Nathan Roberts. I enjoyed working with him at KCOP in the '80s and was happy to hear his voice on KNX after missing him in this market for a number of years. Nathan's always been one of the smoothest pros on the air.” – Mitch Waldow |
Nick Cannon Looking for Love
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(June 21, 2019) Have you
heard the new Power 106 morning show, hosted Nick
Cannon? He plays lotsa Hip-Hop music with E-Man in
the mix but when the music stopped the other morning, Nick
talked about love and finding love.
Now here’s a guy who was married to Mariah Carey for six years. Got to be tough to find a date? Nick was pretty clear on what he is looking for. “I don’t want love unless it’s that old school 90s love. There’s a lot of slippin’ and slidin’ for me but it is too wet. I’m getting out of the pool. I’m done. Nick declared. “I don’t think this generation knows what love is.” Nick took some calls with callers trying to convey what works for them. “Remember when the songs were about problems like my girl left me, my dog died? That was real love.” Perhaps you have a love match for Nick? |
Stab Myself. In 1971, I was the general manager of a Bartell-acquired fm property in Detroit that we named WDRQ (formerly WDEE/fm). There was a void in the marketplace for a news/talk station. It was chancy because we were the first in the country to try this on fm. One of my marketing efforts was with the morning Detroit Free Press. LARadio reader Tony Martin wrote me recently with a copy of an August 14, 1971 column by Charlie Hanna in the Free Press. Tony loves to discover nuggets with on-line archives. I had forgotten about it. Charlie wrote: “The thing I like about WDRQ/fm, I said to Don Barrett, general manager of Detroit’s newest radio station, ‘is that the listener is not bothered by a whole lot of commercials.’ Whereupon Barrett picked up the table knife by his plate and pantomimed placing the pointed end precisely in the area of his own heart. Barrett was attacking the prime rib on his plate with zest as he said, ‘We’re going to knock WWJ [stodgy all over the place format owned by the afternoon Detroit News] radio out of the third place within 18 months.’ What if you don’t? ‘We’re going to knock WWJ out of third place within 18 months,’ he repeated. Later he said that thus far they have 20 accounts on the air.” The Detroit Free Press story brought a smile to my face. I was only 28 at the time and fairly dramatic with the faux stabbing of the heart. I knew it would go into the story and make for some fun copy. To launch WDRQ, I commissioned Art Vuolo to produce a 6-hour History of Detroit that we would run continusly the weekend before a Monday start. It was narrated by our morning news anchor, Richard Mock, a giant at KCBQ-San Diego. Click the DRQ artwork to listen. |
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| Northern California Radio |
Dave Beasing Has Another Sound In Him
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(June 20, 2019) Sound
That BRANDS, the Los
Angeles-based podcasting studio specializing in branded
audio content for national advertisers, is teaming up with
Emmis Communications for a round of funding that will allow
rapid expansion. “At Sound That BRANDS, our motto is ‘Be the
content, not the interruption,’” said Dave
Beasing, ceo of Sound
That BRANDS and a veteran
media consultant. "With Emmis’ support, we'll grow quickly, producing audio that is not only entertaining and informative, but builds brand loyalty.” Previously, Beasing was the pd for The Sound / 100.3 for a decade. “We’ve monitored the early stages of global brands telling audio stories through branded podcasts that dramatically enhances loyalty and preference,” said Emmis chairman/ceo Jeff Smulyan. “Sound that BRANDS has already become a leader in branded podcasting and is uniquely positioned to work with marquee brands to build episodes that make you laugh, feel and think in a way that reinforces the brand. Dave is a great audio storyteller, and we look forward to helping him accelerate Sound that BRANDS' growth.” Major brands like Trader Joe's, Facebook, Smead, Tindr, General Electric and McAfee have recently produced branded podcasts. Fast Company has called branded podcasts, “the ads that people actually want to listen to.” According to survey data released by Edison Research, podcast listenership is booming, as 32% of Americans aged 12 and older say they have listened to a podcast in the past month. Of those, 54% say they are more likely to consider the brands they hear advertised on podcasts. Sound That BRANDS is seeking motivated talent for several key roles, including VP/Revenue and Brand Partnerships. Former KPWR svp / gm Val Maki is heading the search. Interested parties should apply confidentially on the company's website, SoundThatBRANDS.com. |
| In other news: Joey Reynolds, a distinguished veteran from numerous high-profile stations over the decades, including KMPC, KRTH and KMGG in L.A., acknowledges that the Year of the Women last season was black. “What about age?” asked Joey. “Isn’t it our turn?” I suggested to Joey that our time for acknowledgement seems to be when we die. Get in line … Jeff Penfield, interim program director, is leaving KCSN (88.5/fm) after six years for KERA and KXT-Dallas. Expect a major announcement from KCSN soon …David McCullough’s book The Pioneers knocked Howard Stern Comes Again out of the top spot on the LA Times bestseller list. |
| The Day the Music Burned - - New York Times Magazine |
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New King of CBS
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(June 19, 2019) Gayle King,
better known for being Oprah’s best friend, will certainly
see her fortunes turn as she becomes the new lead anchor
for CBS This Morning.
Gayle was featured with a cover story in the current issue
of The Hollywood Reporter.
Following graduation from college in 1976, Gayle was hired as a production assistant at WJZ/tv in Baltimore and it was there she met Oprah, who was an anchor. That was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. A pragmatist at heart, when looking for a journalism job in the mid -70s, she targeted stations in the 20th through the 30th markets, not the top 10. “I asked to speak to the assistant of the news director and would introduce herself by saying, ‘I’m 22, I’m black. I don’t have a lot of money, so I don’t want to send resume reels if you don’t think I have a shot. I knew if they already have two black women, they’re not hiring me.’” She spent decades in local news – in Baltimore, Washington, DC, Kansas City, and Hartford where she spent 18 years at CBS affiliate WFSB. Gayle hosted a radio Talk show on Sirius and Westwood One that was heard on KTLK (1150 AM) in 2010 and 2011. She received the American Women in Radio & Television Gracie Award for Outstanding Radio Talk Show. King’s favorite song is Walkin’ on Sunshine. “Winfrey needles her that she needs to ‘take her yellow-colored glasses off.’ But there’s little chance of that. Definitely not now,” according to the THR article. In other news: Lisa Worden, ALT 98.7 (KYSR) program director, will be presented as MUSEXPO "International Music Person of The Year" award during a special VIP Awards Gala Luncheon on in the spring of 2020. Other LARPs who have received the award include Kevin Weatherly, pd at KROQ and Jimmy Steal, longtime pd at Power 106, who is now at WTMX-Chicago … Congrats to KKJZ pd Mike Johnson on 12 years of wedded bliss … Johnny Wendell, veteran of KFI and KEIB, has a new gig. “So, as I was being interviewed at KPFK, I was sitting with the program director and general manager and about to launch into why they should hire me when this woman bursts in and says, ‘is this Johnny Wendell, the Johnny Wendell? I thought I recognized your voice, guys we gotta have him here, he's a legend!’ End of pitch. Hired. Serendipity like that has never ever happened in my life,” Johnny wrote on his Facebook page … Think being a reporter is a stressful life? Robert Feder posts a compelling experience with a Chicago journalist … Those connected with the Internet version of KNX/fm (www.KNXfm93.com), a popular format in the 1970s, celebrated the legacy of the station over the weekend. Pictured In the gallery photo: Kevin Speaks, Rick Shaw, Craig "Sea" Carpenter, Andy Mars, Pat Veling. Also attending but not pictured: Chris Ames, Douglas Brown, and Steve Marshall. |
LARPs in the TALKERS Heavy Hundred
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(June 18, 2019) Every
year TALKERS Magazine publishes the list of the 100
Most Important Radio Talk Show Host in America. About
one-third of the list consists of either previous or current
talent heard in Los Angeles.) Coming up with any list is tough and subjective. TALKERS publisher acknowledges the difficulty of culling through thousands of talk show hosts across the country. The editors “painstakingly compile this super-list that is drawn upon a combination of hard and soft factors.” They evaluate the Talkers for: courage effort impact, longevity, potential, ratings, recognition, revenue, service, talent, and uniqueness. “We acknowledge that it is as much art as science and that the results are arguable.” Here are the Los Angeles Radio People who appear on the 2019 TALKERS Heavy Hundred: |
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11. George Noory 12. Ben Shapiro 15. Lars Larson 18. Hugh Hewitt 19. Jim Bohannon 20. Michael Savage 21. Armstrong & Getty 22. Bill Handel 24. Doug Stephan 27. Sebastian Gorka 28. John & Ken 33. Dennis Prager |
34. Michael Smerconish 35. Larry Elder 37. Stephanie Miller 40. Kim Komando 43. Michael Medved 44. Todd Schnitt 45. Tim Conway, Jr. 54. Clark Howard 58. Terry Gross 87. Heidi Harris 91. John Batchelor |
Shot Out of Power Cannon
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(June 17, 2019)
The
ratings in LARadio show Adult Contemporary, Hot AC, Top
40/M, and Classic Hits lead the mornings. Spotify and other
music services indicate Hip-Hop is number one with their
subscribers, though currently the stations offering this
music is not tops in AM drive. Yet there has been
competition. A few years ago, iHeart swooped
Kurt
“Big Boy” Alexander from Power 106 (KPWR), his home
for many years. He’s now the morning man at REAL 92.3
(KRRL). Now the new owners of KPWR are making their move in the morning. “Nick Cannon Mornings – Power 106 #1 for Hip-Hop” will debut this morning and will be heard daily on the Meruelo station from 5 – 10 a.m. Cannon is a tv / radio host, comedian, actor, producer, rapper, writer, philanthropist, children’s book author, and social activist. “Nick is the quintessential entertainer and content creator who will take our media game to the next level,” said Otto Padron, president/coo of Meruelo Media, “His tremendous success across television, film and music is testimony of his unique talent, work ethic and impeccable reputation. Nick is the absolute right talent to start our mornings on Power 106 – this is an incredible match and we’re fortunate to have him on our family!” Cannon said, “Power 106 is one of the most substantial fixtures in our Hip Hop culture that has proven time and time again that they are #1 and not going anywhere! Los Angeles is used to star players joining star franchises! I’m just honored for the opportunity to make our community and Culture proud. All I can say is it’s Ncredible!” Power 106 pd, E-Man said, “Nick Cannon is that fresh sound we were looking for on Power 106. Nick is an incredible entertainer who embodies Hip Hop, pop culture, comedy, and community all in one! We are very excited to have him on our team.” Cannon is the host and executive producer of Fox’s #1 hit tv show, The Masked Singer, as well as the creator, host, and executive producer of MTV's Wild ‘N Out, which will begin production on its 15th season later this year. Wild ’N Out’s YouTube channel has amassed almost 5 million subscribers since its official launch approximately 6 months ago. |
| In other news: Dave Cooke reached out to welcome Bob McCormick to Texas. “Dave hired me in 1974 to come to KFRC-San Francisco from the midwest. Quite a game changer for me (photo in gallery above).” … I love Facebook on Mother’s and Father’s Day. To see photos and read the stories of the role parents played in your life is illuminating ... The Eric Weiss Agency has partnered with John Wiley & Sons on the production and distribution of “For Dummies: The Podcast,” hosted by NBC daytime star Eric Martsolf. |
|
The
iconic WPLJ-New York ended a 48 year run recently. The
video, on a standard DVD, is available at www.vuolovideo.com/videovault/reunions. It
runs 95.5 minutes and is priced at just $20 plus $4 shipping
and handling. |
Email Saturday, 6.15. 2019
** LARP Passings “I know I share your feelings about the deaths reported in your column. I can’t add anything to Alan Oda’s fine story about Jim Newman. He was a true gentleman. Thank you too for mentioning Lew Klein. Lew was an instructor at Temple University when I went there in the mid-50s. He was also a pioneer in tv having started at WFIL/tv several years earlier. As pd by then, he was able to get us into the station once a week [Thursday afternoons] for a production class with real equipment at a real station. Next to us, in the big studio, they were feeding the network American Bandstand. Lew also had a radio connection. When the Philadelphia Inquirer spun off the stations [ABC bought channel 6] Lew was part of a group that bought WFIL/fm and it became WIOQ. He was active at Temple til the end. It’s a cliche but he will be missed.” – Bernie Alan Canter (Class of ‘59)
After the station was sold to Salem, Gregg gave his last show. I made a point to listen and he greeted his audience with a huge ‘HELLO COUSINS.’ You could hear the professional ‘all smiles’ broadcaster through what must have been a sad evening. I honestly don’t know if there ever was a place for a show like this in a city as big as Los Angeles but the Beatons kept him on the air for many years. I know that his audience must have loved them for doing so as much as they loved Gregg.” - Gary Gibson, Montrose ** Humbleness “Had to laugh that John Sebastian tried to make himself a hero in hiring Humble Harve at KZLA. ‘Hurting’ for a gig? Kind of a cheap shot. Harve told me JS was a nut, he would schedule meetings with Harve only to emphasize that, in Sebastian’s opinion, Harve was giving the call letters out wrongly ‘it's K-ZLA not KZLA.’ Finally, Harvey had enough and quit. He was the greatest night jock ever in LA, bar none, and one of the top five Top 40 jocks in history.” – Wade Collins, Hermosa Beach
** Death of Bo Leibowitz and More “I was looking for news of the death of Bo Leibowitz, the jazz dj at KCRW Saturday mornings, when I thought of your web site and wondered if you were still around. Yes, you are! I started listening to Bo several years ago when I would get up early to go somewhere on a Saturday. It is a habit of mine to turn on the radio for music. I always had the set tuned to KCRW, especially on the weekends. I would be waiting for Morning Edition to start, so the radio would be set for that channel. Occasionally, I would just wake up, for no reason, early on a Saturday and listen to Leibowitz with his selection of jazz tunes. Very enjoyable and I learned a lot. I normally would listen to KLON [now KKJZ] for my jazz stuff, but Bo was the exception for me. There are no other standalone jazz show on Los Angeles radio. It is becoming rare to listen to such an experienced jazz expert. He will be missed. Elroy Downs has been doing the show for a couple of months without mentioning the status of Mr. Leibowitz. It looks like he will be the new de facto host of the Saturday morning show. He is a good choice, as I am familiar with him from KKJZ. Looking around the site, I was saddened to learn of the death of Humble Harve. As if the loss of Mr. Leibowitz wasn’t enough, this happens. I remember Harve from KHJ. He sure was a character. Little by little, our AM radio past is slipping away. I had a subscription for your website some years ago and I remember when you discontinue the subscriptions. I figure you were going to retire and turn off the LARadio site. Imagine my surprise when I typed in the URL and saw the web site pop up with the current news. I guess you couldn’t stay away from doing the site. Wow, I see you moved to a wonderful beach area, Avila Beach. I hope it is quiet for you. As for me, I retired and decided to move away from Huntington Beach after 29 years of living there. The changes there were unwelcoming and I wanted a slower lifestyle. In 2013, I moved to Joshua Tree, and just love it here. It is somewhat rustic and the environment can be harsh at times, but I enjoy it.” – Dan Ramos, Joshua Tree
** Word Usage Chart “That word usage chart was amazing. That’s what happens when the pajama boy – snowflakes – everyone must get a trophy crowd infiltrates the media. Good for Jhani Kaye!! I have spent some time with him and like him a lot! – Mike Butts ** Word Use “Cool to see the New York Times word usage data. Love to see how these two over exposed adjectives would look: Awesome Epic As radio fades...” - Douglas Brown
** 80s Oldies “Wondering why massive 80s hits by Cameo, Shalamar, Atlantic Starr, Junior, the S.O.S. Band, New Edition, etc. are missing from many of radio’s so-called 80s formats. WTF? No, it’s not ‘disco’ grandpa. Someone who’s brilliant over at TuneIn’s ‘80s Hits’ is spiking them in along with the GoGos and Night Ranger, and it sounds damn good!” – Christina Kelley |
The Phrase That Pays
 |
(June 14, 2019)
When
media people get together, they tell stories. Martoni’s in
the 60s and 70s used to be the media watering hole. Over the
years, add Nickodell’s, Le Petit Chateau in North Hollywood
and radio reunions.
Warren Cereghino was a
tv news assignment editor at KTTV for many years, news
director at KTLA/Channel 5, and worked at KNBC/tv. He used
to be in radio. A recent cartoon at LARadio triggered a moment 60 years ago when he risked his job to spontaneously, and very irreverently, skewer an on-air promotion at KBUZ-AM in Phoenix. Warren’s story: “KBUZ's owner turned the station upside down in the Fall of '58 when he brought in three former Mc Lendon guys, one of whom was Bob (Doc) Holliday, to give it a McLendon-type sound. Bob went on vacation over the Christmas-New Year's period in 1958-59 and the pd told me, the college-boy weekend man, to fill in for Bob. The station had a hokey on-air promotion called ‘The Phrase That Pays.’ The log called for it to air at :15 after the hour throughout the day. Holliday's shift was 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This was the day after Fidel Castro's revolutionary army had driven Fulgencio Batista out of power and out of Cuba. These little ‘phrase that pays’ entries were things like ‘a stitch in time saves nine.’ The jock would read an intro announcing the name and hometown of the winner of that hour's $5.00 cash prize. [Five bucks then would be about $43 today.] After announcing the winner, the jock pushed the mike filter button to emphasize the phrase. At 10:15, I said that the winning phrase that hour was from 'Fulgencio Batista, somewhere in exile, whose winning phrase is ‘sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes you're rained out’ into the record that had been flying on the turntable. An hour later, I read: ‘this hour's winning phrase comes from Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba: ‘if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.’ Five minutes later the pd burst into the control room and yelled ‘you're mocking our promotion.’ I nodded agreement. He said I would be fired immediately and he'd take the board if I did it again. I'd had my fun; I behaved myself after that. Holliday heard about it and told me he thought it was funny.” |
| In other news: Services for Jim Newman will be held tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. at St. Victor's Catholic Church, 8634 Holloway Drive, West Hollywood … Congratulations to Phil Hulett on 37 years of wedding bliss … Lew Klein, a broadcast pioneer who helped create American Bandstand, died at 91 … Condolences to Dave Gyurina on the loss of his youngest child, Marc. “He passed away in our new home in Cedar City and we couldn't save him. He was a very sweet, private, sensitive and loving young man. I am completely heart-broken, my soul is crushed and our world has caved in on us. Without the rest of my family coming together, I don't think I could deal with this. I will always love you dearly Marc” … How long is long when you talk about holding a job? Kevin Gershan is celebrating 40 years with CBS. He’s currently producer of Entertainment Tonight … Jason Bentley is stepping down as KCRW music director and host of Morning Becomes Eclectic … Sad news about singer Steve Lawrence. He has Alzheimer’s … ESPN is shutting down its Spanish-language radio business. Thirty-five lose their jobs. ESPN Deportes’ tv and digital will continue to operate. … Condolences to Nancy Cole on the loss of her father. “I was with him last week, when I flew to Phoenix to get him into a nursing home and I was on the phone with him today when he passed. I asked the nurse to put the phone to his ear, told him I loved him and he was in God's hands. He passed seconds later. Go with God, dad. You were the best.” |
Financial Guru Jim Newman Dies at 86
 |
(June 13, 2019) Jim Newman
was more than just a voice heard twice an hour offering
financial news, he was an admired journalist once described
by a former U.S. Treasury Secretary as “an extremely capable
and thoughtful member of the Fourth Estate.” Newman died
this past Tuesday at the age of 86. He was an on-air
presence for over three decades.
Newman arrived at KFWB from ABC / Group W’s Satellite News channel where he was Business Week Magazine’s tv correspondent. Prior to that, he was heard on both the NBC and CBS Radio Networks. In the early 1970s, Newman started the first all-news television programming on a UHF station. “It laid the ground work for CNN, which prospered over cable a few years later.” Born in Oklahoma, he received his B.A. from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri and attended the London School of Economics. Newman received numerous awards, including the prestigious Janus Award for Excellence in Financial Broadcasting and the Overseas Press Club Award for International Business Reporting. Locally, he was a two-time winner of the Los Angeles Press Club’s “Business News Reporter of the Year” and has three Emmys for TV reporting. |
“Growing up in Los Angeles, my dad listened to KFWB ‘News 98’ in the car at all times,” said KTLA entertainment reporter Sam Rubin. “So I heard Jim Newman for years before I ever met him. The power and eloquence of his radio reports always left an impression on me, and then to discover that off-air in real life he had the same extraordinary qualities that I admired on the air was a real treat.” Newman offered live financial updates from the Pacific Stock Exchange first on KFWB, then on local television. “You can’t overstate the value that Jim brought to all of us on the air and off the air on the KTLA Morning News,” said Rubin. “Here we were – this very ragtag group trying to find our way – and suddenly the very credible Jim Newman was added to the mix as our business reporter live from the Pacific Stock Exchange.” After seven years at KTLA, Newman switched to KABC/tv in 1999. “He was (always) immaculately dressed with a tie and matching handkerchief,” said John Brooks, retired KFWB street reporter. He remembered when Newman would laugh “in that booming voice” and proclaim “Brooks, cut your hair and get a real job!” Brooks was one of many who recalled Newman was a “true gentleman, supportive and helpful with his colleagues…he was so generous with his time. When I needed explanation about something fast, his door was open at the Exchange.” Lysa Barry, whose media company coordinated news about medicine for KFWB said Newman “was my Uncle Jim…a classy, sweet, humble and gentle man…a walking example of what broadcast history was, with class.” |
 |
| KTLA reporter Eric Spillman admired
Newman the journalist, but added Newman “enjoyed the finer
things in life, such as classical music, thoroughbred
racing, and good restaurants,” noting the business reporter
was a great patron of the arts. “I recently saw him at a
reunion. He was the same bon vivant I remember,” said
Spillman. Former KFWB anchor and part-time KABC anchor Ken Jeffries also recalled Newman was a true connoisseur of music. “He hosted Friday nights at the Hollywood Bowl…one night, he mentioned my name from the stage! It was a thrill.” Jeffries said Newman appeared last month at a retirement party for former KFWB Executive Editor Bill Yeager on May 7. “I saw him a few weeks ago. He was using a walker but he had the same booming voice he’s always had,” said Jeffries, who then reiterated what many said about their departed colleague: “Jim Newman was a class act. RIP.” (Story written by LARadio senior correspondent Alan Oda) |
 |
| #1 on LA Times Best Seller List - Howard Stern Comes Again |
LARPs Nominated for 2019 Radio Hall of Fame
|
(June 12,
2019) The nominations are out for the 2019 Radio
Hall of Fame, with many LARP among the nominees. There are
six categories and 24 nominees. Four of these categories
will be voted on by a panel of nearly 1,000 professionals.
Two of the categories – Music Format On-Air Personality and Spoken Word On-Air Personality – are nominated by the Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee, but voted on by listeners nationwide. The voting by the public commences July 15. LARP nominees include: Longstanding Local/Regional (20 years or more): Bob Rivers, Seattle; Charles Laquidara, Boston. Active Network/Syndication (10 years or more): Coast to Coast AM (Host, George Noory (bottom right); The Glenn Beck Program (Host, Glenn Beck); Intelligence for your Life (Host, John Tesh); The Kim Komando Show (Host, Kim Komando, bottom left). Active Local/Regional (10 years or more): Kevin and Bean (Kevin Ryder, Gene "Bean" Baxter (top right) Longstanding Network/Syndication (20 years or more) -- The Jim Rome Show (Host, Jim Rome) The nominees voted on by listeners and the HOF nominating committee include: Music Format On-Air Personality -- Sean "Hollywood" Hamilton, Lon Helton, The Mark & Brian Show (Mark Thompson, Brian Phelps (top left), Ryan Seacrest. Spoken Word On-Air Personality: Stephanie Miller The 2019 Radio Hall of Fame 2019 inductees will be announced on August 5. |
|
 |
Buckets of Money.
In 2012, Ray Lucia was a big advertiser at
KFI. Bill Handel, the second biggest
endorser of products among LA broadcasters, was a huge fan
of Lucia and frequently co-hosted Buckets of Money weekend
seminars. But then the SEC accused the talk radio host and
investment counselor Lucia, of misleading investors to think
that his strategy helped retirees "generate
inflation-adjusted income for life."
When the charges were looked at objectively, Handel believed they were without merit, Bill said in a phone conversation at the time. Due to federal regulations, there are restrictions on what Bill can and cannot say, e.g. whether he invests with Lucia, but his unwavering support for Lucia was evident. “I listen to Ray’s advice. I continue to listen to Ray’s advice. And I will listen to Ray’s advice.” Bill was unwavering in his support of Lucia, with Clear Channel (now iHeart) / KFI continuing to air his seminar appearances. Yet SEC regulators felt otherwise. The Commission ordered Lucia and his firm to pay hefty fines for making what the SEC considered inaccurate claims. Lucia was fined $50,000 and his company was fined $250,000. Additionally, Lucia's advisor registration was revoked by the judge. SEC banned him from associating with an investment adviser, broker or dealer, revoked his license and that of his former company, and slapped both with a fine. All this becomes part of today’s news, as Ray Lucia announced he is retiring from broadcasting after his last program on June 28. “The Ray Lucia Show” debuted on KFMB-AM in San Diego in 1990. “I have spent decades telling others how to enjoy their retirement years, and it was time to listen to my own advice.” Strangely enough, Lucia’s woes with the SEC were not mentioned in many of the industry stories this week. |
In other news: KABC’s Jillian Barberie announced her radiation schedule on her Twitter account. “I start next week. Every day for six weeks. I’ll be done end of July and looking forward to a new beginning! Can’t wait to put this journey behind me. #breastcancer” … Don Parker, former program director at KCMG (“Mega 100”) is iHeart’s regional vp of programming for San Francisco / Sacramento. His duties have been expanded to include general manager for iHeart’s Pride Radio. “Pride Radio has grown significantly over the years and has the ability to reach both a local and national targeted audience across multiple markets through its audio, digital, social and live event assets,” said Don … Dave Mason is the latest to get caught in the Entercom downsizing. He joined Sunny 98.1 (KXSN / San Diego) two years ago, “but economies and expenses vs. revenue are affecting the industry everywhere. I'm (obviously) no exception,” Dave explained on Facebook. He had a run at K-EARTH a few years back. “If anyone needs a squeaky old guy to do some voiceover work, please don't hesitate to let me know.” … Ira David Sternberg, formerly with KOST in the 1970s, is now a blogger in Las Vegas. He said a Pahrump brothel is hosting an adult prom for clients who want that high school feeling. “Wouldn’t it make more sense for the brothel to host a backseat experience?” asked Ira. |
Jhani Kaye Earns MVP Honors in Latest Ratings
 |
(June 11, 2019) The
just released Nielsen Audio PPM for May '19 6+ Mon-Sun,
6a-12mid reflects not much variation from month to month for
most stations. #1 KOST is up three-tenths of a point, as is
#2 K-EARTH. The biggest jumper within the Top 10 is KBIG
(MY/fm). Country KKGO fell to its lowest level in the last
half year. The two sports stations - KLAC and KSPN are
virtually deadlocked. KLAA, the Angels station is not
listed. 1. KOST (AC) 6.3 - 6.6 2. KRTH (Classic Hits) 5.5 - 5.8 3. KTWV (Rhythmic AC) 5.0 - 5.2 4. KBIG (Hot AC) 4.1 - 4.5 5. KCBS (JACK/fm) 4.2 - 4.0 KIIS (Top 40/M) 4.0 - 4.0 7. KFI (Talk) 3.7 - 3.9 8. KXOL (Spanish A) 3.1 - 3.2 9. KLAX (Regional Mexican) 3.3 - 3.1 10. KLVE (Spanish Contemporary) 3.0 - 3.0 |
| 11. KLOS (Classic Rock) 2.8 - 2.9 KPWR (Top 40/R) 3.0 - 2.9 13. KNX (News) 2.8 - 2.8 KRRL (Urban) 2.8 - 2.8 15. KRCD (Spanish Adult Hits) 2.6 - 2.7 16. KLYY (Spanish Adult Hits) 2.5 - 2.6 17. KAMP (Top 40/M) 2.3 - 2.4 18. KPCC (News/Talk) 2.3 - 2.3 19. KKGO (Country) 2.6 - 2.2 KYSR (Alternatie) 2.3 - 2.2 21. KROQ (Alternative) 2.0 - 1.9 KUSC (Classical) 2.3 - 1.9 23. KSCA (Regional Mexican) 1.8 - 1.7 24. KBUE (Regional Mexican) 1.7 - 1.6 KJLH (Urban AC) 1.5 - 1.6 26. KKLQ (Christian Contemporary) 1.6 - 1.4 27. KSPN (Sports) 1.1 - 1.3 28. KDAY (Rhythmic AC) 1.1 - 1.2 KLAC (Sports) 1.3 - 1.2 30. KCRW (Variety) 1.1 - 1.1 31. KEIB (Talk) 0.8 - 1.0 32. KRLA (Talk) 0.8 - 0.9 KXOS (Regional Mexican) 1.3 - 0.9 34. KFI Stream (Talk) 0.7 - 0.8 KKJZ (Jazz) 0.9 -0.8 36. KFSH (Christian Contemporary) 0.8 - 0.7 KWIZ (Spanish Variety) 0.7 - 0.7 38. KABC (Talk) 0.5 - 0.5 KDLD (Regional Mexican) 0.5 -0.5 KFWB (Regional Mexican 0.5- 0.5 KKLA (Religious) 0.4 - 0.5 |
|
In related
news: Randy West
took a look at the ratings sent out to readers of LARadio
yesterday and he enthused: “The
Jhani Kaye legacy. I kid him most
times I see him, but Jhani modestly laughs it off. Fact is,
he was pretty much the architect for each of the top three
LA stations. 1. KOST (AC) 6.3 - 6.6 2. KRTH (Classic Hits) 5.5 - 5.8 3. KTWV (Rhythmic AC) 5.0 - 5.2
I don't know any
other market where any single programmer has left such a
legacy," Randy concluded …
Ira Lawson had another response:
“Wow. News stations are nowhere to be found in the Top
10.” …
Phil Harvey
was equally impressed with the top numbers: “Impressive top
four numbers. Especially KOST.” |
Ashley Paige Syndicates The Ranch from Simi Valley
 |
(June 10, 2019) Ashley Paige is
one of those perky morning personalities you may remember
from "Lite 92.7fm," or co-hosting with Peter Tilden during
KZLA’s foray with Country music. She split her co-hosting
four years at the succeeding Country outlet, KKGO, sharing
the mic equally between Shawn Parr and Ryan
Fox.
Since 2015 Ashley has been doing mornings at KWSV, a non-commercial Country station at 99.1, based in Simi Valley. The station has the moniker The Ranch, where she is partnered with Brad Abrell. He is a Los Angeles based on-camera actor, voiceover actor and radio host, with past on-air duties at WMMO-Orlando, and WZTA-Miami. Despite the fact The Ranch is a non-comm, the duo has been honing their skills and it is paying off. “About a year and a half ago we decided to nationally syndicate the show thru Envision Networks,” emailed Ashley. “We now have 10 affiliates across the country. They are various formats and the stations just pick up the content of our show. It’s great because we still have the ability to tap into the local Los Angeles talent. There are so many actors, comedians, and personalities that can come into the studio but still be part of our affiliate family.” Last week Ashley and Brad had Wink Martindale in studio. “What a blast!” enthused Ashley. In 2010, Ashley and her husband opened East Coast Pizza Company in Simi Valley. In other news: Frederick M. Dolan, professor of Rhetoric, Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley is looking for any information about KHJ radio in the second half of the 1940s. “My father, Mike Dolan, was there and looking for pretty much anything there is to know about him, but especially in any recordings of broadcasts that may exist.” You can reach Fred at: fmdolan@berkeley.edu … Neil Ross continues to be aggressive in the marketing of his book, Vocal Recall. He just did Kiff Vandenheuvel’s “All over voiceover” podcast. Here’s the link … Wendy Williams, former personality at KDAY, seems to generate as much publicity off air as she does on her syndicated tv show. Her son Kevin Hunter was arrested recently following a physical altercation with his father. Wendy filed for divorce after more than 20 years of marriage. She received a lot of press when it was learned that she was living in a sober living residential facility … What TMC classic had this line: “I’d like to run barefoot through your hair?” … Scott Lowe, former Y107 personality is now with Post Modern ALT 92.3 (WNYL) in New York … Jason Insalaco came across an incredible New York Times word graph. Below check out radio (2nd to the bottom right) … An article in The Guardian about the disappearance of rural radio stations has been all over social media this weekend. Read it here. |
 |
Email Saturday, 6.8.2019
 |
** Humble Harve Made History
“Living in central Illinois at the time, I first became familiar with Humble Harve in 1969 when WLS in Chicago broadcast the 48-hour syndicated version of The History of Rock 'n' Roll, which Harve narrated. I remember racing to Radio Shack to buy enough quarter-inch tape to try to aircheck the whole marathon. I didn't get it all – as I fell asleep about 40 hours in – but hearing that special turned my life around. I became an avid rock musicologist, leading to my creating my own ten-part radio special [The Evolution of Rock] in college in 1971. It became the blueprint for my stem-to-stern rebuild of The History of Rock 'n' Roll [completely reformatted, rewritten and expanded to 52 hours] in 1978. I wanted Harve to narrate it but that idea was turned down flat by Bill Drake, who wound up narrating all 52 hours himself. The love of music history Harve instilled in me lead to my interviewing thousands of hitmakers. I also pursued writing books, articles and countless liner notes, and teaching pop music history at UCLA. I also had a 20 year run as the Music & Entertainment Editor of Reader’s Digest, where I assembled and annotated hundreds of LP and CD releases, each one, in many respects, a miniature History of Rock ‘n’ Roll. I kept in touch with Harve, and he later sent me CDRs of his doo-wop series which proved that the master had never lost his touch over the years. Harve Miller was a wonderful guy, both professionally and personally, whose life included some unbelievable triumphs alongside a great deal of grief, but he never gave up on his goal to make the music that spoke for and to his heart do the same for people of all ages.” – Gary Theroux, The History of Rock ’n Roll (and ex of KIIS, KRLA, KSRF, KDAY, XERF, etc.) |
| ** Another Boss Jock Gone
“I am so sorry to hear about the passing of one of THE boss jocks, Humble Harve. Another part of my childhood love affair with radio gone. I had the star-struck opportunity to meet him at one of my high school reunions, when he made an appearance to dj our event and have a trivia contest. Several of my classmates weren’t into music trivia. So I got up the nerve to answer one of his questions, and he gave me a certificate towards his hosting another event. So cool. I was never able to use it, but I have it in a scrapbook somewhere! God bless him and his family.” – Julie T. Byers ** Fun Harve “So sad to hear that Humble Harve died. I worked w him at KRLA. He was such a fun character. He’d call me ‘Bro’ and say I was the son he never had. RIP, Harve.” – Maggie McKay ** Humble Harue “A funny moment was when the LA Times radio listings set type as ‘Humble Harue’ on the KHJ listings. So, Robert W. Morgan comes on the next day and promos…‘Humble Harue from 6-to-9-tonight…’ Just one of the many great things about a great jock…and I’ll never forget his recorded ‘STONES,’ ‘STONEDEX,’ or ‘MOTOWN’ drop-ins over the talk-up. A true legend has passed.” – Jeff Prescott, La Jolla ** Gavin Panel “Sad news. Had Humble Harve on a panel in L.A. I moderated for a Gavin session about 20 years ago. He had some stories. Appreciate you letting me know.” – Dave Sholin ** Humble Harve Coverage “It's refreshing and decent of you to post a real classy memorial to Humble Harve. When I used to listen to him in the late 60’s and even through his great doo-wop days at KRLA during the 80’s, it was as if being a member of an exclusive car club of some sort. He was THE COOLEST airman of his time. Thank you. You're OK in my book, bro!” – Timmy Manocheo ** New Reader “My name is John Baker. I’m 69 and have listened to rock ‘n roll radio since 1957. My favorite station was KRLA and actually, KXLA wasn’t too bad itself. I know you had a list of L.A. people which told us ‘Where are they Now,’ but I no longer have the link to it. Anyway, thank you for putting me on your list and yes, I remember Humble Harve from KBLA and KHJ vividly. The best to you.” – John Baker ** Easy on K-SURF Oldies “Saul Levine wants to add 1980s hits to the KSUR playlist. I would advise against adding AOR songs that are already being played on KLOS, KOLA, KRTH and JACK/fm. I would also suggest dropping most of the AOR songs that are already on the playlist, including All Right Now, I Got a Line on You, Reeling in the Years, Bang a Gong and One of These Nights. KSUR should add 1980s pop songs such as Maneater, Steppin’ Out, Nobody Told Me, Tired of Toein’ the Line, Uptown Girl, Elvira, Joanna, Freeway of Love, Stray Cat Strut, You Make My Dreams and La Isla Bonita. Playing 1980s pop songs would set KSUR apart from other Classic Hits stations and would likely attract more listeners in the 18 – 34 and 35 – 54 age groups. And if Saul could purchase another station and move the Oldies to FM, that would be even better.” – Steve Thompson ** Save the Oldies "I agree with the rest of fellow LARPs on Saul Levine playing 70's up to the mid 80's. Don't do it. I live in Long Beach, and it's difficult to clearly receive K-SURF here, but I do listen. Nobody but you Saul offers true oldies but goodies. I never listen to KRTH, and haven't for a long time. Oh, how I miss my radio and music days with Tom Clay, Jimmy O'Neill, Lee Sims and Sie Holiday." - Gary Lane ** Saul a Character “All of us at KSURF have listened to your reader’s concerns about an enlarged play list which will not be fully implemented until the end of June. What I have observed so far is ‘awesome.’ KSURF will rely mainly on 50s, 60s, and 70s, and a few 80s, only if compatible. I believe a reader referred to me as a ‘character.’ I am delighted and consider it one of my best compliments.” – Saul Levine ** Country Question “I gave up on the Country station in L.A. a while back and now listen to a wide variety of Country music on Satellite radio. I read with interest that KKGO will have a new announcer in the morning. Might be worth checking out but it didn’t sound like he’s funny or have ever been on the radio before. What can you tell me?” – Dwight Gentry |
Revenue Challenges for LARadio Stations
 |
(June 7, 2019) Whew
… whotta’ week for losses in the world of Los Angeles Radio
People. A Boss Jock, a Talker, a jazz enthusiast, and a PR
maven. No one died last night (that I know of) and so we
can get back to covering what’s going on today across the
dial. K-SURF /AM 1260 is a great reservoir of Oldies of an earlier era. Previously, K-EARTH was the longtime purveyor of 50s-70s music. Over the last few years, the station keeps moving the stick to incorporate more 80s and 90s music, allowing K-SURF to fill that musical void. The move for K-EARTH has been very successful, according to recent ratings. The challenge for KSUR is a limited, directional signal and on the AM band. Besides the limited fidelity of AM for music, a friend recently bought a Tesla and was aghast to learn that AM radio does not exist. Apparently, the batteries in electric cars creates static on AM. Then there are some Oldies fans who are distressed to learn that K-SURF was moving in the same direction as K-EARTH, adding newer Oldies while cutting out some of the 50s records. I was curious how K-SURF will integrate the newer Oldies and how the sound stacked up against the older selections. But the word from K-SURF owner Saul Levine owner of K-SURF, is the more recent Oldies will not be heard for several weeks. “We are very aware of the hazards of going heavy into the 80s,” emailed Saul. “We’ll most likely be stopping at the mid-80s songs. The success will depend on the right mix.” While I was monitoring K-SURF, after several hours I realized that I hadn’t heard one commercial. Now if we complain that the leading stations have numbingly too many commercials, one could surmise that without commercials, K-SURF won’t be around much long. No so, according to Saul. “K-SURF is a labor of love. I hope to achieve higher ratings and make it easier to obtain advertiser support.” Saul’s Mt. Wilson FM Broadcasters is solely owned by his family, with no debt. An enviable position in this day when we see large companies in LA fail to make budget quarter after quarter, as well as debt to the point where stations are being sold off at bargain basement levels. How would you make changes to grow the industry? |
| In other news: Houston celebrated Dr. J Thomas Smith Day this week (photo above in gallery). Dr. Smith was part of the “Soul Express” on XERB (1090 AM) in the 70s. He’s currently on Majic 102 in Houston … What is all the buzz about KPCC taking over KCSN in an LMA? So where would that leave KSBR, Saddleback College’s station which LMA’d itself to CSUN? … Bill O’Reilly’s new syndicated 15-minute show is now heard on 125 stations after a month in syndication. Nothing in L.A. … Another Saul Levine item: His radio empire is moving around his HD channels. KKGO will now simulcast KKJZ on 105.1 HD 3, while Smooth Jazz 105.1 HD 3 will move to 88.1 HD 2 and be re-named ‘Cool Jazz” … Country K-FROG (KFRG) pd and afternooner Scott Ward has exited the Inland Empire Country station, after nearly 25 years in the building ... Ira Kosberg checked in with news that KFRG is now on KCBS HD2 and CBS sportsradio is on KCBS HD3 ... Joey Reynolds was recently honored with a joint resolution from the New Jersey Senate and the New Jersey Assembly. He was presented with a “Distinguished Achievement in Broadcasting" proclamation. Over a career that spans nearly 60 years, Reynolds has worked at nearly 40 radio stations. He is one of only two djs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland ... Sad to learn about the passing of Dr. John, at the age of 77. |
Three Additional LARP Deaths
 |
(June 6, 2019) With
the announcement of the death of
Humble Harve on
Tuesday, we are sad to acknowledge the passing of three more
LARP over the last few weeks.
Veteran entertainer, print and broadcast journalist Gregg Hunter, died on May 15 in Los Angeles. He was 87 years old. Gregg had a 30-year run with KIEV / 870 AM when the station was owned by the Beaton family. Son of a prominent movie theater manager in the Midwest, Hunter’s show business career started at the age of 13, when he began by hosting his own nightly radio show on KTTS in his hometown of Springfield, Missouri. Hunter attended Columbia University while pursuing a theatrical career that included off-Broadway, repertory, and summer stock. He moved to the Southland in 1952 and appeared on KPOP / KFVD. At KIEV, he had a variety of shows including Meet Me at the Derby, recorded live at the world-famous Hollywood Brown Derby, where he interviewed top Hollywood personalities. The easy-going host generally avoided the usual talk show agenda of “hot” issues and contrived hype. “There’s plenty of shouting and political controversy around the dial, but it seems to me that late evening should provide a time to wind down and relax,” he insisted. When Salem Communications purchased KIEV in 1998, Hunter signed on with Mike Horn’s CRN Digital Talk Radio Networks. Gregg also wrote for the Glendale News-Press and Copley Papers as the entertainment editor, followed by a dining and restaurant column in the Tolucan Times. Often asked about the diversity and longevity of his career, Hunter emphasized: “I love survivors in show business. In fact, I intend to be one of them as long as anybody will listen, read or watch what I have to say!” |
Another LARP, Bo Leibowitz, passed away last Monday, June 3. He spent 40 years at KCRW playing jazz, the music he adored. Tom Schnabel wrote a warm and loving tribute that appeared on the KCRW website. “KCRW just lost a hero and benefactor of the jazz genre,” wrote Schnabel. “I hired Bo Leibowitz to produce Strictly Jazz way back in 1979, the year I came to KCRW as music director. It was a time when jazz was changing. The local jazz station and other radio stations were featuring Smooth Jazz to try to increase listenership. KCRW needed to do something of better quality. Bo was the right man for the job. Bo never compromised, preferring to showcase Classic music that has stood the test of time. He treated jazz with the respect that the artform has always gotten in Europe and Japan.” After attending Penn State, Bo moved to Boston, where he ran a Harvard Square record store and hosted a jazz show on KBUR/fm, according to the obit in the LA Times. “At KCRW, Bo played nothing but the top musicians in jazz music: his three-hour tributes to Thelonious Monk, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald offered the most complete radio portraits ever heard on radio. Bo was uncompromising in his taste, a true jazz purist,” Schnabel continued. “His knowledge of the genre was encyclopedic. Whenever I went to him with a question, he had the answer. I never ceased to be impressed by him.” “Mostly, I prize the fact that he presented the immortals, not the ephemera. When labels like Blue Note got sold and changed or tried to boost sales through crossover albums, when newspapers stopped covering jazz, Bo was unwavering in his commitment to the artform and devoted 40 years to honoring it. KCRW and the rest of us out in the jazz universe are better for it,” Schnabel concluded. On Bo’s love affair with Jazz: “People who say jazz is dead just aren’t listening. It will never die. It just needs exposure.” |
 |
|
Cheryl Whitaker |
|
Cherie Whitaker, a
producer with Mark & Brian at KLOS, died
May 31. Her obit described her as “a ray of sunshine for the
entire community. Always giving and donating her time to
others, Cherie had a special love for the veterans. For many
years she produced the Salute to Arms luncheons inviting and
honoring all veterans in Simi Valley.”
Cherie’s career in public relations led to the promotion of numerous performers and personalities, including Frank Zappa and Sony Records. In addition to working with Mark & Brian at KLOS, she also worked for KMET and toured with Judas Priest. Other professions included working as an emergency nurse and a paralegal. |
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| LA Times ad on August 13, 1966 from David Grudt's collection |
Boss Jock Humble Harve Dies
 |
(June 5, 2019) One of the
most distinctive voices of the Boss Jock era, Humble
Harve, died yesterday morning at his home in
Camarillo. He was 84. Born Harvey Miller, he started his radio journey when he was 17. Harve arrived in Southern California from a Top 40 powerhouse, WIBG, in his birth city of Philadelphia. He started in Los Angeles at KBLA, where he was an on-air pd, before he joined the Boss Radio lineup. While at 93/KHJ from 1967-71, Harvey said, “I realized my greatest achievement of a 21.0 share doing 6 p.m. to 9 p.m." Harve underlined that it was a 21.0 and not a 2.1. By 1971, Harve was working on AFRTS. He joined KKDJ in 1974, and was at the station In October 1975, when KKDJ became KIIS/fm. In 1983, he hosted the syndicated “National Album Countdown” show. Harve had a brief stay in 1985 at Oldies WFIL-Philadelphia, before traveling to KVI-Seattle in 1986. Harve was the dj in the 1991 movie, There Goes My Baby. In the same year he hosted the syndicated “Rock ’n Gold” for 350 Westwood One affiliates. In a 1993 LA Times interview, Harve commented: “Life at KHJ in the ’60s was like New Year’s Eve every night. We played happy, fun music. The music was inspired. It was the poetry of a generation. They used real instruments, instead of electronic crap. Milli Vanilli could never have happened then.” In addition to his work on air, he ran a very successful mobile dj business for many years. In the spring of 1996, Harve was back in L.A. to join KZLA for weekends. In 1997, he joined Bill Drake in Dallas for an aborted attempt to create an Oldies syndicated service. |
| So many colleagues and fans reacted to
Harve’s passing. “So sad to hear these about Humble Harve
Miller,” wrote Randy West. “There was such
an infectious personality and hip-ness in his voice. It was
combined with the tymp/fanfare (this must be serious)
stagings of Bill Drake and the production of Bill
Mouzis for the WOR/fm 1969 airing of ‘The History
of Rock and Roll.’ It so impressed me as a kid that I stayed
awake rolling the few reels of precious 1/4 inch tape of
highlights during the entire four-day, 48-hour Labor Day
weekend airing of that masterpiece. While it’s all
subjective, Harve’s narration was the most exciting and
compelling. Best wishes to an L.A. radio giant. We love you,
Harve." Rick Thomas, former K-EARTH pd, wrote: “Hurts. Even though a few of us were in the loop and knew his hospice status. Harve defined a LA legend and was a good man who welcomed this 18-year-old kid at KUTE 102. He will be missed.” Larry/Jack Boxer has another perspective: “I want to mention one aspect of his talent that was under appreciated. His live copy was stellar. In his boss jock days, live 60-sec spots were still common, and Harve was flawless. During the time we worked together at Westwood One, we went through a particularly nasty contract negotiation. On the few occasions I filled him in on what either management or the union had said, and a few times at actual negotiations, he would bellow out ‘BOOLSHIT!’ It was hilarious, and you never doubted what his opinions on something were.” “Oh Dear,” wrote Keri Tombazian. “The passing of a generation of incredible innovators.” |
|
 |
Jeff March was a fan. “Oh
gosh, I’m sorry to hear that Don. I hope Harvey wasn’t in
pain. Another one of the all-time greats is gone. Among the
airchecks I recorded over the years were two of Humble
Harve; on KKDJ, Saturday, July 19, 1975 and on KRLA, Sunday,
March 31, 1985. I listened to him on KBLA, but never
airchecked him while he was there.”
“Sad news that one of the voices of my youth has been silenced. Although I sent this some months ago, here’s a reminder that Humble Harve will be immortalized by Quentin Tarantino in his new movie Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, which will be released next month,” emailed Gary Gibson. At one stage, John Sebastian helped Harve. “So sorry to hear. I loved listening to Harve on KHJ, back in the day. I was honored to have hired him at KZLA when he was hurting for a gig.” Howard Lapides emailed: “Another Boss Jock…to that great station in Heaven.” (Humble Harve far left at KRLA 2015 reunion with Lori Lerner, Paul Freeman, Brother Bill, Rochelle Staab, Mike Wagner, Jane Platt) |
LARadio Bulletin - Humble Harve passed away this morning at 9:45. He was 84.
Go Country Adds Another Morning Personality
 |
(June 4, 2019) KKGO
continues to revamp their mornings, as singer/songwriter Tim
Hurley joins AM drive. The station recently announced that Angie
Fitzsimmons, former sidekick with Carson
Daly at AMP Radio, was taking over mornings. Hurley
begins at Go County 105 on July 1. In 2014 Tim was
discovered singing Karaoke at a local bar in Playa del Rey.
Just two months later, he was performing onstage for the
first time, opening for John Michael Montgomery at Fort
Bliss in El Paso. After a tremendous reception, he decided
to pursue his own career in music. Originally from Rhode Island, Tim was raised on a variety of musical genres, but in college, the songwriting and lyrics in Country music won him over. In other news: Dave Koz, former morning man at KTWV (the WAVE), kicks off his Summer Horns tour next month in Jacksonville … KIIS’ Ryan Seacrest was in the lead paragraph of the LA Times review of Wango Tango. “Again and again Saturday night, Ryan Seacrest described Wango Tango as the kickoff to the next three months of summer. But the artists he was bring to the stage? As often as not, they were looking back, not ahead.” … KABC’s Jillian Barberie has lost her hair, yet continues to be upbeat and positive about her cancer journey. “It’s just hair. It grows back and I love the time my wig saves. It’s incredible. My radiation starts in two weeks and I go daily for six weeks” … Chris Carmichael has over a thousand shoes at home. Why? “I am saving all the lost soles.” |
| Pick a Track and listen to the sounds of early LARadio |
|
Former KPOL Veteran Dies
 |
(June 3, 2019) Murray Westgate,
a veteran of KPOL (1540 AM) for most of the sixties, died
July 26, 2014, from apparent complications of a stroke he
suffered a few months earlier. He was 85. About two weeks
after Westgate’s death, he was posthumously inducted into
the Nevada Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. We missed
his passing five years ago, so we are now updating his entry
for posterity. Murray was an independent entrepreneur with business interests in the Far East. He was the Sacramento reporter for KPOL, providing a number of phone reports daily. He eventually joined the L.A. operation full-time. In 1969, Murray moved to Las Vegas where he broadcast news for a number of radio and tv stations. Eventually he became the longtime director of public affairs for Nevada Power and Light. Westgate was born September 5, 1928, in Saskatchewan, Canada, later graduating from Midwest Broadcasting College in Chicago. He began his career in Canadian radio. Prior to coming to Nevada, Westgate served as a correspondent for 23 radio and tv stations nationwide and all three major television networks. In 1969, Westgate relocated to Reno and worked as a reporter for KTVN-TV, Channel 2. A year later, he settled in Las Vegas, where he received several awards for covering the education beat for radio station KLAV, of which he was news director. In 1972, Westgate was appointed news director for KLAS-TV, Channel 8 and worked for most of the tv stations over the year. In 1978, Westgate ran unsuccessfully for the Clark County Commission. In recent years, Westgate split residency between Thailand and Las Vegas, serving as president of the Thailand-America Educational Foundation, Inc., a Nevada-based, non-profit corporation, which promoted educational and cultural exchange between Thailand and the United States. |
| In other news: KNX Traffic maven Barbara Brooks had a big surprise last week. She was rushed to ER and had her gallbladder removed … Remember Preston Epps, the percussionist who had a huge hit in 1959 called Bongo Rock? The song helped introduce bongos and conga drums to mainstream pop. Epps died May 9 at the age of 88. It was Art Laboe who discovered Preston. Laboe told him: "You play pretty good, but you’re going to have to cut that 15-minute solo to a minute and a half." Epps whittled it down to about two minutes. It became the first hit for Laboe’s Original Sound label, spending 13 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, getting as high as No. 14 and going gold … Chuck Rowe, former KNX Traffic reporter, was returning home yesterday from a Phoenix hospital. “The cardioversion seems to have gone well and no clots have been found. Treatment at this hospital has been amazing. Staff has been very caring and professional. Still, I can’t wait to get home and sleep in my own bed,” Rowe wrote on Facebook … Was KDIS (1110 AM) just off the air temporarily or is something going on? Chime Hart has been trying to listen and reported the station is dark … Rob Barnett, former head of programming at CBS Radio and founder of My Damn Channel, has launched a company to help those who are unemployed or looking for another opportunity. If you are in the job seeking mode, check out: RobBarnettMedia.com ... Gina Grad from the Adam Carolla podcast had some scary stuff recently. “Airways clamped up. Unable to breathe twice in one hour. Very, very, very scary,” she relayed. “There’s talk of clots but mostly there’s lots of talk of this virus that’s been going around,” she wrote on Facebook. “My profound gratitude to Officer Kimball and the EMTs who rushed right over and didn’t leave me until I was placed in a room, and thank you to all the amazing people at the hospital.” |
Email Saturday, 6.1.2019
| ** Condolences to McCormick
“My sincerest condolences to Bob McCormick. Although I did not know your father, to have raised a son such as you, he had to be a great man. You are proof that he left the world a better place than he found it.” – Bill Mann, South Pasadena ** Roberts on KNX “Thanks for the update on Nathan Roberts. He sounds great on KNX, better than many of the full-time anchors, but then with that resumé, why wouldn’t he? Hat tip to Ken Charles for adding Nathan to the KNX lineup.” – John Leader ** Early Nathan Roberts “In the spring and summer of 1964, I worked with Nate Roberts (Nathan Rosumney) at KVEC in San Luis Obispo, when it was located in the World-Famous Motel Inn, the World’s first motor hotel. Great memories. He did the morning show, while I worked 6p-midnite, playing Jazz and Middle of the Road, plus running Dodgers baseball.” – Joe Collins
** Compressed Music “Brian Perez wrote: ‘I think people are so used to listening to low-quality mp3s on their phones that they don’t know what music is supposed to sound like!’ Boy, he hit that nail on the head. And I've had one radio engineer tell me the same. People listening to high compression mp3s think they're getting a BMW when all they’re getting is a Yugo.” – Bill Schwarz, Ontario ** Canceling Sounds “Our apologies to Gary Gibson of Montrose. Yep, our bad. We have problems with that stereo / mono thing once in a while. It is a result of us being bounced back to our backup exciter once in a while when we have a technical glitch like a lightning strike knocking something out. Our normal main exciter does a good job of delivering both channels into mono for most AM listeners. I’ll have to follow up and see why we have this problem with the backup. We DO want to keep delivering the stereo experience for people. We have more and more people streaming us worldwide and at their desk at work on their earbuds, and we want to encourage people to hear how good AM can sound when they spring for an HD radio. We listen on nice big studio monitors at work, and it sounds great in stereo there. We often forget to pop it into mono and see how it sounds that way. The big fix though, would be to get that backup exciter set up so that it is properly converting the stereo into mono. BTW Gary, get a good set of headphones, like Grados, and listen to the live stream on Disco Saturday Night! You won't believe how good that sounds, and you won’t want us to sacrifice the stereo experience on that!” – Fred Missman ** Keep Oldies “I complained about the sound of K-SURF, not the content. If I really wanted to hear 80s music on the radio, I would switch to the far superior sound quality of the fm dial and listen to KRTH. It was the deep-digging of stuff from the 50s and 60s mixed with songs thru the mid-70s that set you apart from the other Oldies stations. I read someone’s comment on this site that he wanted to hear mostly familiar hit songs on 1260AM. That’s what KRTH was doing a few years ago [and maybe still today] by playing something like the top 300 requested songs ONLY. I can remember working in my yard one Sunday afternoon/evening listening to KRTH and hearing Eddie Money’s Two Tickets to Paradise three times. It was hearing songs like Connie Francis’s V.A.C.A.T.I.O.N., In the Summertime, followed by James Taylor's Fire & Rain that made your station such a special mix. That’s my 2 cents.” – Gary Gibson ** Don’t Change K-SURF “A few days ago, I read in your column that Saul Levine has decided to alter its format a bit to include more songs from the 70s and to also include hits from the 80s in K-SURF’s (1260) format. KRTH regularly boasts that it plays all the top hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s. And it currently has excellent ratings. To compete for almost the same audience as KRTH would be a big mistake for K-SURF. I think that it should stick to the music of the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and play mainly the major hits of those decades, including rock ’n roll, MOR, Country-crossover songs, as well as instrumentals. The reason I do not listen anymore to KRTH is because I do not identify with the music of the late 70s, 80s, and 90s, with a few very rare exceptions, such as Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York, Bobby McFerrin’s Don’t Worry, Be Happy, and a few disco songs.” – Carl Spring, Jr., West LA ** River Deep Credits “Gary Gibson mentioned hearing River Deep – Mountain High on KSUR. The label credits Ike & Tina Turner as the artists but Ike had no part of the recording. Producer Phil Spector paid Ike $20,000 in exchange for creative control of the recording session and a promise to include Ike’s name on the label. In her biography My Name Is Love, background singer Darlene Love said Ike was not even in the studio. ‘For all we knew, he was in Alaska,’ she wrote. In tiny print under the name ‘IKE & TINA TURNER’ on the label are the words ‘Featuring TINA.’" – Steve Thompson ** Out of Range “Thanks for a very informative LARP.com. I just wish I could get a better signal for K-SURF in the Arcadia-Pasadena area. I love the mix they have but the reception is just too fuzzy to listen to for long. I was saddened by the story of how you worked with Joe Brooks on You Light Up My Life but the kicker to the success of the song was that the original and what was heard on the soundtrack was by Kasey Cisyk. I remember the bruhaha and how long it took Cisyk to get paid. That song was played so often [thanks, Don!] that I couldn’t stand to listen to it for years! I’ve been into radio and the business since I was a kid. I used to listen to KMPC, KHJ, KRLA and KFWB [before they went to news] regularly and followed all the djs. When I discovered that out-of-state radio stations would come in stronger after dusk [back when KGBS would go off and KSWS-Roswell, New Mexico would come on], I would write to their promotions departments and tell them I got their programming. I still have many of the buttons and brochures they sent me. That’s what made me fall in love with all the aspects of promotions. I even took radio and public relations classes so I could get into radio. The closest I ever got was working public relations for the student side of KPCC, but it still is something I enjoy hearing about. Thanks for sharing all the facets of your work in radio and all the people you’ve worked with!” – Julie T. Byers ** KRLA Trade Winds “Talk about weird coincidences...I was just reading your website a few minutes ago, and reading the Email Saturday comments while listening to the KFXM stream. I was just reading the email titled ‘Melinda on KRLA’ and New York’s A Lonely Town by the Trade Winds was playing, and I heard ‘missing KRLA’ in the lyrics. Huh?!? What are the odds of that? Googling, I found that there was indeed such a version: Stuff like this is why I love KFXM!” – Dwaine Maggart
** Funnie “Great daily cartoons ... LOL!” – Rich Brother Robbin |
