Thursday, September 21, 2023

Radio Waves Podcast #382

 Radio: September 8, 2023

            Trends are funny. Funny in an interesting way, and often caused by forces not necessarily obvious.


            Such an example is top-40 radio, represented locally by KIIS (102.7 FM). The station that almost single-handedly brought the format back from its death in the early 1980s while hitting record high ratings for an FM station, is on hard times now. The July Nielsens had the station tied for 8th place with a 3.7 share of the audience … a far cry from the 10+ shares of the 1980s.


            But I am not here to bash KIIS. I am merely using it as an example of some trends that have come together, and perhaps help find a way out.


            First and foremost, the appeal of oldies cannot be denied. Out of the top-10 stations, fully six are either fully oldies-based or rely heavily on them in the music mix. KRTH (101.1 FM) KTWV (94.7 FM), My FM (KBIG, 104.3), KOST (103.5 FM) Jack (KCBS-FM, 93.1) and KLOS (95.5 FM) all predominantly play songs not released in the last year.


            KIIS is definitely not alone. Top-40, or Contemporary Hit Radio as it is called today. has taken a hit nationwide. As the format tends to attract younger listeners, the fact that many younger listeners are getting their music from streaming services and apps like TikTok, it seems to be the natural progression.


            Indeed, InsideMusicMedia’s Jerry Del Colliano has extensively covered the migration to and influence of streaming; a recent Billboard.com story spoke of TikTok’s appeal to young listeners; top-40 stations across the country have added more “gold” to their playlists; and the idea of playing music that is old but “new to you” has taken hold as an easy way to attract listeners.


            But it doesn’t work to attract younger listeners, thus top-40 as a format suffers.


            Yet the answer lies in the appeal of the very things that are supposedly killing radio. TikTok is exposing kids to music, new and old, from multiple genres. Streaming services use curators to find music that listeners may like, based upon the songs they play — and those they skip. 


            Add in Sean Ross, who writes in RadioInsight.com that most people fondly remember their own top-40 listening days from “when top-40 played it all,” and you have the answer: play it all.


            Top-40 has always thrived when it played it all, and has always stagnated when it limited itself. You saw it happen with too much “bubblegum,” too much disco, too much country, too much of “the Miami sound,” too much grunge, and too much Hip-Hop. All of those eras had temporarily success, but ultimately led to ratings declines as listeners left for other stations.


            Yet when “they played it all,” such as the 1960s where you could hear The Beatles, The Bee Gees, Jefferson Airplane and Cream all on the same station, it just worked. Same for when Prince, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, and Foreigner all shared space on the same station. Today KRTH is leading the ratings doing nothing more than playing the music that once played on KIIS … Naked Eyes, Wham, Soft Cell, Tears for Fears, Madonna, Depeche Mode and Outfield.


            That variety of music makes things interesting, and today’s teens especially are, according to research, more willing to listen to different genres right now than any other generation.


            Inside Music Media’s Del Colliano suggests that perhaps it is time to hire curators — locally, of course, so you can better match the audience — to find new music and present it. “Young audiences are more eclectic than baby boomers, Gen X or even older millennials - they mix genres,” he explains. They are “spellbound” when they find it, open to fresh musical styles, “and amazingly curious.”


            Radio is losing young people, he says in part because, aside from the commercial overload, “radio no longer breaks new music and acts.” Fix it by doing so, and become the influencers you used to be, Del Colliano advises programmers, instead of letting social media do it.


            Ross takes it a step further and blames, in part, the record companies for not even trying to promote new musical styles and acts to hit radio stations.


            I agree fully with all of the above, which you already know if you’ve read this column very long. Your responses to me tell me that you agree as well. And like the dark days of hit top-40 radio before, all it takes is a KHJ, a Ten-Q, a KIIS-FM, or the like to take up the cause and do it right. 


            Top-40 is not dead, it’s just dormant. And the time is ripe for a comeback. Hopefully sooner than later.


            Rumor Mill


            Is Saul Levine ready to test all-digital AM on his K-Mozart (1260 AM)? I’ve been told “maybe.” I hope it happens … I’d love to see how far an all-digital AM signal can carry both during the day and night, and if it helps reduce the interference between stations. If it happens, you’ll be the first to know.

            ///


Radio: September 15, 2023


Over the air television broadcasts are about to undergo another transition similar to the original transition to digital transmissions over a decade ago. Digital television broadcasts launched a few years prior, but in 2009 most analog television broadcasts were shut down, and digital, using what is called the ATSC 1.0 standard, was the default over-the-air standard.


More recently a new technology called ATSC 3.0  has been developed, offering more efficient signal use, better and easier reception, improved picture quality, and even streaming and on-demand services. One additional benefit: the system would allow for 50 — or more — full-fidelity radio stations to be sent along in the space of just one channel. That is if the industry decides to develop the concept.

According to an article at TechRadar.com, the idea was developed by Fraunhofer, “the company behind the original MP3 audio compression standard that ultimately led to the development of the best MP3 players and paved the way for music and internet radio streaming as well.


(full article at https://www.techradar.com/news/if-atsc-30-broadcasts-pack-50-radio-stations-in-one-tv-channel-im-all-ears)


“Fraunhofer is seeking to have its highly efficient xHE-AAC audio codec, which allows for high-quality voice transmission at a mere seven kilobits per second and stereo music at bit rates from 24 kilobits per second and up, ‘brought into the ATSC for standardization.’ Doing so would let ATSC 3.0 broadcast TV stations deliver a package of local and national radio services using just a small fraction of their spectrum bandwidth.”


What this means is that, if the standards committees agree, we could have an additional way to send and receive radio broadcasts over the air, receivable in cars and homes, … and if done right could be a true competitor to current AM and FM stations dominated by a mere three owners. 


I suggest the proposal include limits to ownership, such that only a small handful of stations could be owned and operated by any one company. This would avoid the mess we have now with stale formats and commercial overloads that push people away to other entertainment sources. I’d push for no more than two stations in one market and only seven nationwide … basically the same limits radio had back when it was a super-power listener and ad-wise.


YouTube’s “Antenna Man” has a little video on the concept at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDUotDRS1hs … check it out if you are interested.


Reception Questions


We live in San Juan Capistrano and enjoy listening to 91X.  We have radios in the master bath and garage.  


“The signal from 91X is highly variable. On some days the reception is great, on others the station barely registers. Any insight into why that’s the case? Thanks!” —  Eric Carlson


FM reception can be tricky for two reasons … under certain (usually bad weather) conditions, the signal just doesn’t travel as far, and it always has trouble with hills, since it travels in a straight line. Ironically, the other condition is when it’s REALLY clear, and the signal gets interrupted by neighboring stations on or near the frequency. HD signals make it worse because they add to the sideband interference. In some cases, stations once heard just disappear!

 

A house FM/TV antenna, if you can connect one, will usually make a huge difference. Just make sure it is designed for the FM band, which is between the old analog television Channel 6 and 7.

Of course the other solution is to use a smart speaker or smartphone app.


“For the past week I have been grumbling over my poor AM reception as I have been driving around the northern part of the San Fernando Valley in my 2006 GMC truck with my factory installed 31-inch stick antenna projecting from my front fender. 


“It is nearly impossible to hear clearly 710, 790, and 1020AM broadcasting. The interference and screeching is horrendous. As a result, I thought of you and writing you an email when your column appeared today. Thus, I look to you for a solution. What do I do to receive reception? Do I need to replace my antenna? If so, what do I replace it with? What is the solution? I would appreciate any advice and recommendations.” — The Reverend Greg Frost, Granada Hills


AM is a different animal reception-wise from FM. While FM is relatively statice-free (reference: Steely Dan’s hit song “FM”), AM can pick up interference from almost anything: cheap electrical transformers, ungrounded electric supply wires, light dimmers, cable boxes, LED traffic lights and much more. In fact, it is the response by radio manufacturers in reducing interference that caused AM to get a reputation as a terrible-sounding broadcast system. 


AM is actually capable of excellent fidelity. Many radios manufactured before the 1980s sounded good; many in the 1960s were excellent. The AM stereos of the 1980s and ‘90s often were superb. But too many are awful, and there is definitely a price to be paid with so much extra interference around us today.


Add to this the fact that too many station owners gave up their prime broadcast towers or allowed building in and around the transmitter site, and you have another problem - far weaker signals than ever before for many stations. 


In this specific case, in order to trace it out, it is important to know - did it come on suddenly? Is the antenna tight? Is there ay corrosion on the mast mount? Is the antenna grounded? Does the interference happen only when the truck is running, or all the time?


Often car radio interference can be traced to a bad ground wire, a loose battery connection, or in one case of my own years ago, a car phone charger that made AM reception almost impossible whenever it was plugged in.


I’d look for corrosion and grounds first, then move on from there.


Radio: September 22, 2023

            The August Nielsen ratings were released last week for Los Angeles, and while I will not be covering the entire list — I leave that for quarterly reports so as to not bore you too much — there was definitely a station worth mentioning: KFI (640 AM)

            The reason it’s worth mentioning has as much to do with the success the station has enjoyed as it does the dire predictions many made when programmer Robin Bertolucci adjusted the programming and moved a few hosts around in early January. 

            “They’re doomed,” cried some. No one will listen to John and Ken — who moved from their longtime afternoon drive slot to take on the 1 to 3 p.m. hours —  that early. Tim Conway will not attract an audience in afternoons like he had at night. Etcetera, etcetera …

            And ‘Mo Kelly? Who’s he?

            I even had people write in talking about the steep ratings drop KFI had due to the changes. There was only one problem: it never really happened, in a statistical sense. I looked it up … for most of the last few years, KFI ranged from the mid-high 3s to the low-mid 4s with a few periods even higher. So this year, ranging from 4.1 to 4.3 was normal.

            But the ratings for August had KFI at a recent high: 4.8, good for third place over all. Done with little promotion, no marketing (why is that, by the way?) … and all those changes that “killed” it.

            Why is KFI so successful? Isn’t conservative talk dead? Yes, it is … and it’s been decades since KFI was considered “conservative talk” even when it wasn’t. There have always been a balance of viewpoints on the station; as it moved away from politically-centered topics to more general topics, it matched the mood of listeners who wanted to be entertained more than they wanted to be angry.

            Thus, the idea of shortening the shifts to keep shows fresh and fast-moving, keeping all of the current hosts while allowing for afternoon exposure of the amazing wit on the Conway Show, and the introduction, or perhaps re-introduction of general talk in the evenings with the addition of  ‘Mo Kelly every evening at 7:00 … worked out perfectly.

            And having a stellar news department helps as well. 

            “I am super-proud of the KFI team,” said programmer Bertolucci. “In addition to being #3 overall — and the top-rated news or talk station — we are so happy to be the most streamed station on the iHeart app.”

            She said that on-demand and podcasts are doing great as well.

            “KFI is THE live and local station for Southern California, and I think the key is all the ways people can hear us. From streaming in your car to listening on your smart speaker at home, we’ve got you covered.”

            I asked her what she thought was the secret to the success of the station. Consistency? Fun? Yes, she said, to both. “Our hope is that any time you tune in, you are not only informed, but you are also entertained,” she said adding, “Thank you to all our wonderful listeners for their support!”

            1110 AM Gets Religion

            KRDC (1110 AM) was finally transferred to its new owner on September 8th. On that day it became KWVE, the AM simulcast of Calvary Chapel’s KWVE-FM (107.9). The format is Christian talk, which has been running on the FM signal for many years.

            With that strong FM signal, why did the church buy the one-time top-40 powerhouse? Better coverage in the northern and western parts of the city, I am told, and an extended signal reach up and down the coast. Obviously Calvary Chapel believes in AM broadcasting …

            And just to show that some things go full circle, 1110 AM, even though the station is not longer using the KRLA call letters it once had, is competing once more against KHJ (930 AM), which now airs Catholic talk programming. 

            Resting in Radio Peace

            Don Barrett announced his cancer diagnosis in mid August; last week the news came that he had passed. 

            I won’t write a new obituary here; the column honoring him that ran on August 25th will suffice. But I wanted to mention an interview — a rare one, since Barrett even to the end rarely did interviews — done by my podcast partner Mike Stark. It includes some wonderful memories of radio past and present, shows Barrett’s philosophy of always looking to the positive, and even includes some classic airchecks I had not heard before that Barrett critiques. It’s a great listen and can be found at youtube.com/watch?v=SJ6BjY2cwYc.

            In an ordinary instant, Don, you will be missed. God bless you.

            Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist covering radio in Southern California. Email rwagoner@socalradiowaves.com

            ///

           

            

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Radio Waves Podcast #381

 Radio Waves: September 1, 2023

Antenna Mania

I recently had a chance to try out a really cool looking — at least in the opinion of some — antenna for my truck. The brand itself doesn’t matter much as these are all similar in design: flexible rubber with some sort of spiral wire inside to, as the description says, optimize reception for both AM and FM bands.

Most modern cars and trucks have special antennas that barely stick out of the body, and rely on signal amplifiers to get good reception. And most do quite well, including the one on my son’s Chevy Cruze … that radio gets better reception than almost any car radio I’ve ever used. 

But my truck is a 1999 Silverado, with the old school antenna. The factory original sticking up 31 inches from the fender, it is optimized for FM frequencies but does quite well with AM too, including picking up the HD digital stream of KBRT (740 AM) from San Pedro. and occasionally getting the identification from KMZT (1260 AM) even though I can’t get the actual HD sound until I get closer. FM is similarly solid everywhere I drive.

But I couldn’t help wondering if the mini flex antenna — a “new generation” with a carbon-fiber base covering, built-in copper wire, and “optimized AM/FM reception by nearly 40%,” whatever that actually means — could live up to the hype and at least match or even beat my factory install.

Turns out, it couldn’t, and I realized that the 40% optimized reception means the reception is about 40% of what I used to receive with my original. 

Most people may not have noticed the difference in FM performance, but I have an HD radio head unit, and it likes a good clear signal. FM stations generally did come in well with little interference similar to the original, though a few stations were just missing, such as KFBG (100.7 FM) and KGB (101.1 FM), which usually come in decently due to the signal shooting straight up the coast from San Diego to San Pedro … at least on a clear day.

But the HDs were hit and miss, with more reception problems than ever. Even Go Country (105.1 FM) had trouble locking in the HD stream, and that is usually one of the most reliable where I like.

AM on the other hand, was an entirely disappointing experience. Static everywhere, even over flamethrower 50,000 watt powerhouse KFI (640 AM). KMZT could not even be heard, and mid-signal stations such as KLAC (570 AM), KABC (790 AM), and KHJ (930 AM) were essentially unlistenable.

To prove it wasn’t just weather or atmospheric conditions on the test day, I put my factory antenna back on and all the reception problems cleared up. Immediately.

I bring this up not to bash the manufacturer of the antenna I evaluated. Instead I want to highlight the fact that antenna design, including length and other aspects, is exceedingly important to good reception. AM likes an antenna as long as possible, FM seems to work well with — on a car at least — that 31 inches preciously mentioned. Something to do with wavelength as I recall — engineers, feel free to confirm or correct me.

Newer cars usually use special small antennas are just that: antennas designed to work with the car’s construction and electronics to optimize reception.

Home radios and stereos can suffer from the same issues, and reception there can often be improved for AM by rotating the radio or moving it away from other electronics to cancel out interference. For FM, if you can connect it to a house antenna just like most televisions used to be, you’ll hear stations from greater distances than ever before.

Of course all of this is moot if you listen via apps. But that’s another column …

Sound Science

Another new toy I recently evaluated is a special little box that turns my normal iPhone’s Car Play wired system into wireless. Not an amazing must-have, mind you, but really a nice thing if you do have it. When I start up the truck, the phone connects automatically and starts playing whatever I was listening to last.

Yesterday I was driving my dog Snoopy back from a check-up at the vet’s office, and Alt 98.7 FM came on. I really wasn’t paying attention, but it turned out it was playing through CarPlay via the iHeart app. How does it compare with the over-the-air signal?

I checked. While it does sound good on the app, over the air is vastly superior on a direct comparison. More open, more dynamic … just better.

This is not an indictment of apps, by the way. Some stations, including both over-the air simulcasts and internet-only stations sound absolutely phenomenal on apps. And Alt does sound fine. But the difference in quality was noticeable, and probably related to reducing bandwidth on the internet stream to allow more connections as well as cut streaming costs. Just a guess … again, engineers can feel free to confirm or correct me.

Where the apps excel, though, are areas of weak reception. As long as the internet signal is good, apps can work where AM and FM cannot. 

And while I am on the subject of Alt 98.7 … I mean this with love … The Foo Fighters and Maneskin both made more than one song each … just sayin’.

///

Radio: August 25, 2023

Don Barrett is one of the radio’s biggest supporters. Not only was he in radio — among other accomplishments, he launched KIQQ (now KKLQ, 100.3 FM) in the early 1970s — he is and has been a friend even to those radio personalities he never met.

His book, “Los Angeles Radio People,” set out to highlight every radio personality who was ever on the local airwaves between the years of 1957 to 1994 (First Edition) and 1957 to 1997 (Second Edition). As much as possible, many behind the microphone were also featured.  There was supposed to be a Third Edition, but a tragic hard drive crash and the lack of suitable backup caused the update to be abandoned.

In order to publicize the book, Barrett created the Los Angeles Radio People website, at laradio.com. At first it was just information about the book, but it soon grew in to a news and information site that quickly became a must-read daily gathering of radio people and radio fans alike. In time the site eclipsed the book in importance, with daily updates of the industry including what people were up to, the state of the industry, and even a call for help for those down on their luck. Kind of the gathering place at the company cooler.

Barrett always made sure that both in his books and the site, he was always positive. Rare was the case when he wasn’t presenting only positive vibes. Even after he decided to retire from the daily updates, he still maintained contact with his thousands of radio friends, updating the “Where Are They Now” listings, and continuing to act as radio’s cheerleader with re-posts of past columns highlighting various achievements, awards, and more.

Last week, Barrett posted something more serious.

“I discovered the writings of Joan Didion late in life,” he wrote. “She coined the phrase, ‘ordinary instant.’ Perhaps the phrase leaped off the page because death comes in such a rushing finality. She wrote: ‘Life changes fast/Life changes in the instant/You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.’ Joan’s husband was robbed of 3,500 days. In an ordinary instant.

“For the past two months, I have been in constant pain. Doctors, hospitals and ERs. Yesterday I was in the San Luis Obispo ER for more tests. And there it was in an ordinary instant – advanced stages of liver cancer that had spread.

“The doctor was sorry to pass on the news and couldn’t hold back tears. Cherie and I looked at each other, burst into tears and almost simultaneously said, ‘I think this is my ordinary instant.’

“I have been blessed with two great loves in my life. I struggled with relationships for the first 70 years. In 2012 the most amazing woman entered my life. Cherie taught me about unconditional love. She is the greatest blessing ever. It is never too late to start over. My three children embraced her from the beginning.

“My second love has been radio. Thank you for supporting my love affair for over a quarter of a century. I will be shutting down LARadio in the coming days.”

I asked Don if it was OK to share the news, and he told me that he keeps no secrets … and immediately thanked me for all I’ve done … typical Don … looking toward the positive. His positivity over time helped me to become more positive in life, a better person overall, and certainly a better supporter of the radio community. I have truly appreciated our friendship.

Barrett supported others as well, writing in that same post, “Another blessing, after 42 years of being clean and sober, I have been so privileged to share my experience, strength and hope with younger men on the path to sobriety.

“If we're lucky we get 28,000 days. Cherish them and don't waste one of them. God bless!”

The site’s front page is still up as I write this, but no content is available except for a mention of the shut down: “In an ordinary instant - cancer has taken LARadio.com”

Don - may your remaining time on earth be without pain and as positive as you deserve. Be with your family. And remember, you will forever and always be radio’s historian.

Condensed Access

AllAccess.Com founder Joel Denver announced in July that mid August would be its shutdown; early August bright some good news, with the following post on line … “The outpouring from the radio and music communities, our clients and partners since our ALL ACCESS closure announcement set for August 15th has been unbelievable. Thank you, so much. Your feedback gave us pause to review what could still be possible despite the financial headwinds we have been facing.

“ALL ACCESS has heard you loud and clear, so beginning AUGUST 16th, a modified/abbreviated ALLACCESS.COM site will be available with some basic services still intact.” 

The daily Net News updates have been discontinued, as have much of the original content. But various elements will live on even if just archival form. Of course I hold out hope that over the course of time, more original content will return. For now … it’s good news regardless.

Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist covering radio in Southern California. Email rwagoner@socalradiowaves.com.

/// 

Radio Waves: September 1, 2023

Antenna Mania

I recently had a chance to try out a really cool looking — at least in the opinion of some — antenna for my truck. The brand itself doesn’t matter much as these are all similar in design: flexible rubber with some sort of spiral wire inside to, as the description says, optimize reception for both AM and FM bands.

Most modern cars and trucks have special antennas that barely stick out of the body, and rely on signal amplifiers to get good reception. And most do quite well, including the one on my son’s Chevy Cruze … that radio gets better reception than almost any car radio I’ve ever used. 

But my truck is a 1999 Silverado, with the old school antenna. The factory original sticking up 31 inches from the fender, it is optimized for FM frequencies but does quite well with AM too, including picking up the HD digital stream of KBRT (740 AM) from San Pedro. and occasionally getting the identification from KMZT (1260 AM) even though I can’t get the actual HD sound until I get closer. FM is similarly solid everywhere I drive.

But I couldn’t help wondering if the mini flex antenna — a “new generation” with a carbon-fiber base covering, built-in copper wire, and “optimized AM/FM reception by nearly 40%,” whatever that actually means — could live up to the hype and at least match or even beat my factory install.

Turns out, it couldn’t, and I realized that the 40% optimized reception means the reception is about 40% of what I used to receive with my original. 

Most people may not have noticed the difference in FM performance, but I have an HD radio head unit, and it likes a good clear signal. FM stations generally did come in well with little interference similar to the original, though a few stations were just missing, such as KFBG (100.7 FM) and KGB (101.1 FM), which usually come in decently due to the signal shooting straight up the coast from San Diego to San Pedro … at least on a clear day.

But the HDs were hit and miss, with more reception problems than ever. Even Go Country (105.1 FM) had trouble locking in the HD stream, and that is usually one of the most reliable where I like.

AM on the other hand, was an entirely disappointing experience. Static everywhere, even over flamethrower 50,000 watt powerhouse KFI (640 AM). KMZT could not even be heard, and mid-signal stations such as KLAC (570 AM), KABC (790 AM), and KHJ (930 AM) were essentially unlistenable.

To prove it wasn’t just weather or atmospheric conditions on the test day, I put my factory antenna back on and all the reception problems cleared up. Immediately.

I bring this up not to bash the manufacturer of the antenna I evaluated. Instead I want to highlight the fact that antenna design, including length and other aspects, is exceedingly important to good reception. AM likes an antenna as long as possible, FM seems to work well with — on a car at least — that 31 inches preciously mentioned. Something to do with wavelength as I recall — engineers, feel free to confirm or correct me.

Newer cars usually use special small antennas are just that: antennas designed to work with the car’s construction and electronics to optimize reception.

Home radios and stereos can suffer from the same issues, and reception there can often be improved for AM by rotating the radio or moving it away from other electronics to cancel out interference. For FM, if you can connect it to a house antenna just like most televisions used to be, you’ll hear stations from greater distances than ever before.

Of course all of this is moot if you listen via apps. But that’s another column …

Sound Science

Another new toy I recently evaluated is a special little box that turns my normal iPhone’s Car Play wired system into wireless. Not an amazing must-have, mind you, but really a nice thing if you do have it. When I start up the truck, the phone connects automatically and starts playing whatever I was listening to last.

Yesterday I was driving my dog Snoopy back from a check-up at the vet’s office, and Alt 98.7 FM came on. I really wasn’t paying attention, but it turned out it was playing through CarPlay via the iHeart app. How does it compare with the over-the-air signal?

I checked. While it does sound good on the app, over the air is vastly superior on a direct comparison. More open, more dynamic … just better.

This is not an indictment of apps, by the way. Some stations, including both over-the air simulcasts and internet-only stations sound absolutely phenomenal on apps. And Alt does sound fine. But the difference in quality was noticeable, and probably related to reducing bandwidth on the internet stream to allow more connections as well as cut streaming costs. Just a guess … again, engineers can feel free to confirm or correct me.

Where the apps excel, though, are areas of weak reception. As long as the internet signal is good, apps can work where AM and FM cannot. 

And while I am on the subject of Alt 98.7 … I mean this with love … The Foo Fighters and Maneskin both made more than one song each … just sayin’.

///


Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Radio Waves Podcast #380

Radio: August 11


            Hearing Taylor Swift 24/7 wasn’t enough for you? You needed more?


            On the heals of Taylor 105.1 HD3, in which one of the HD radio streams tied to Go Country 105 plays nothing but Taylor Swift (you need a special HD radio to hear it; new cars often have them) came word that KIIS-FM joined the trend.


            Scheduled for August 3-9 — so depending on when you read this it may already be over — KIIS-FM became “SWFT-FM,” playing at least four Swift songs an hour. Last weekend included classic Taylor hits, Monday was Merch-Monday in which listeners could win official Swift memorabilia, Tuesday was Taylor TWOsday — back to back Swift songs — and much more.


            Even morning man Ryan Seacrest got into the act giving way a pair of tickets for the final show on August 9th.


            Not to be outdone, Alt 98.7 was doing an “anything but Swift” promotion. Different strokes.


            Stunting


            While 105.1 HD3 continues to play all Swift through the end of the month, rumors are circulating on what will happen when the stunt is done. I originally assumed that the format would revert to the Adult Standards format that focussed on Frank Sinatra and friends, but there is word on the street that something new night be coming. And you know what happens when one assumes.


            HD radio signals are a tough sell, as the reach is limited compared with regular FM signals, due to a far lower number of HD radios in the hands of consumers as well as reception problems  — dropouts — when the signal isn’t pristine. That can often be made up by the use of smartphone apps and smart speakers … unfortunately adding more costs, such as music streaming license fees and costs associated with computers. As most HD signals have few to no commercials or sponsorships, it is most definitely a labor of love for owners who truly try to make a go of it.


            Could the right format combined with the right promotion make an HD stream at least break even, if not profitable? That’s your question of the week: If you could program an HD stream, such as 105.1 HD3, what would you put on it and why? For extra credit, how might you promote the station to not only attract listeners, but advertisers? 


            In the meantime, I’ll keep an ear to the ground to see if a new format will indeed be replacing All-Taylor.


            Not Quite


            “In a significant change for Los Angeles radio listeners, KNX has stopped simulcasting its broadcasts on 1070 AM, a frequency it had occupied for over a century,” read the story posted at newsbreak.com.  “The shift comes about a year and a half after KNX moved its main broadcast to 97.1 FM.” The story — no longer available on line — went on to state that listeners were shocked when they tuned in to 1070 AM and didn’t hear the normal news format.


            A reader of this very column sent me the posting; at first I just assumed that management made a decision that was, um, questionable. Most people I know still tune to KNX on the AM band due to its significantly stronger signal, even if the fidelity on most radios is not quite as good. “Stupid,” I responded.


            But then I tuned in to hear it for myself. Same news as always, an exact simulcast as has been happening for the past year. That’s odd…


            Soon KNX management responded directly to the story: “Hi there, Alex Silverman here, Director of News & Programming at KNX News,” said the social media post. “Just want to clarify: we have not ended the simulcast. KNX News is still on both 97.1 FM and 1070 AM in all hours except weekend mornings (Sat 6-11a and Sun 6-8a), when 1070 AM airs some paid and specialty programming. 


            “This has been the case for more than a year, and there has been no change recently. During those hours the news is available on 97.1 FM as well as the Audacy app and by asking your smart speaker to 'play KNX News.’”


            So what happened? AI, or artificial intelligence that can be used to wrote stories. According to sources close to the subject, it was a story written primarily by artificial intelligence, and I will go out on a limb and state that the AI system involved probably just picked up a discussion by people related to the weekend morning paid programming. In the beginning of the simulcast, I am sure there were listeners surprised/shocked/etc. to hear something other than news in those time blocks. But weekend mornings does not translate to all the time.


            Luckily for you, we don’t use AI here. In fact, I try to avoid all intelligence, not just artificial. Just ask my editor - he’ll agree completely.


            Future Series


            I am planning to start a feature in stations that don’t exist any more. But not just the big boys, or even the big-boys’ big formats. Stations like the original KDAY when it played top-40 and rock. Magic Oldies Radio K-WOW. KBLA. Stations you loved, but were not necessarily the stations that made it big. 

            I can use your help on this … if you have ideas for stations — and the personalities involved — to cover, send them my way. 

Radio: August 4, 2023

 If you tuned in lately to digital HD Radio station 105.1 HD3 to hear Frank Sinatra and friends, you might have been shocked to find … Taylor Swift!

            In a nod to the format stunts of the past, station owner Saul Levine has changed the format of Unforgettable LA to Unforgettable Taylor Swift. I would have called it K-SWIFT, but I digress. In addition to the digital stream that requires a special HD tuner to receive, if you live in San Fernando, you can listen on a regular FM radio via the local low-powered transmitter that simulcasts the format.

            Originally scheduled to begin July 29th — my wife Jean’s birthday, by the way — it started two days early and is planned to run for 30 days. 

            Says Levine: “Due to the extreme interest in the coming tour of Taylor Swift, we are playing “All Taylor All the Time.” He added that the KKGO HD signals (there are four) have a potential reach of 12 million people, and that many new cars include HD radios as standard or optional equipment, depending on the manufacturer.

            Discovering Radio

            Something wrong with the software or a module in my wife’s car causes her radio to “forget” four of the preset pages, which also leads to the radio tuning in the last AM or FM station heard no matter what other setting you had. For example, you might have been tuned into SiriusXM’s Coffeehouse when you were driving … next time you start up, you’re back listening to the radio.

            I don’t think it’s a feature pushed by broadcasters in order to get people listening to traditional radio. But it is working … Jean has spent the last month listening to Alt 98.7 and KRTH 101. “It’s too much trouble to switch back,” she says, adding that she’s enjoyed the music.

            AM for All

            Though automaker Ford agreed to keep AM radio in its cars for at least one more model year, there are others that already removed it from the dashboard and the threat is there regardless. So work continues in the legislative arena.

            Last week the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation passed the “AM for Every Vehicle Act,” sending it to the full Senate for debate.

            According to industry newspaper Radio World (radioworld.com), The act “would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a rule requiring automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their vehicles without a separate or additional payment, fee or surcharge. It says AM should be clearly visible on the vehicle’s dashboard; and until the new standard would take effect, cars lacking AM radio receivers would have to be labeled as such for buyers.”

            Interestingly, the act was opposed by Senate Democrat Gary Peters (Michigan), who stated that the act is not only unnecessary, but that “Congress has never mandated radio features in vehicles ever before.”

            Ah, but while Congress may not have, the FCC required something similar in the 1960s when it mandated all televisions include UHF tuners (covering channels 14-83) in the days when most homes watched VHF (channels 2-13). So it’s not exactly unprecedented. In fact, had the FCC mandated AM stereo or selected a single stereo system for the band, we may not be in the position we are in right now.

            Some observers are concerned, however, that mandating AM without minimum quality standards for reception may make things worse. 


Radio Waves: July 28, 2023

Ken and Dave talk radio!

If you have not already subscribed to Ken Levine’s podcast — available on multiple sources including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, or even links at his blog page, kenlevine.blogspot.com — you owe it to yourself to start listening. Right now.

Go ahead … I’ll wait.

Levine is a multi-talented man, having worked in radio (aka Beaver Cleaver on Ten-Q and B-100 among others), written for television and movies, written books and cartoons, and even written plays. His intelligence, humor, and humble attitude shine through his writings, and his “Hollywood and Levine” podcast is superb.

Recently he interviewed former programmer of The Sound, Dave Beasing —now a podcast creator and developer himself, regarding all things radio: programming, music, competition, commercials and more. I won’t give away the content, but suffice to say that he talks about much of what is discussed right here … or when he guests on my own podcast I co-cost with Mike Stark (Radio Waves, also available on numerous platforms). Great minds think alike, apparently.

Beasing, or for that matter Levine, Stark, and myself, is a huge fan of radio and the potential it has still. Not that he would want to necessarily be directly involved in day to day programming right now. But his insight and knowledge of radio and podcasting is tremendous. Look for episodes 333 and 334.

Career-Spanning Interviews

Speaking of Stark and myself – over the years we have done numerous career-spanning interviews with people both in front of and behind the radio microphone who made huge contributions to our favorite medium.

The series actually goes back many years and includes some greats, including:

Los Angeles and surrounding city air personalities: Ace Young (KMET), Jeff Gonzer (KMET), Cynthia Fox (KMET), Dr. Demento (KMET), Elliot Mintz (KABC), Mo Kelly (KFI), Geno Michellini,(KLOS) , Shotgun Tom Kelly (KRTH), Dave “Hullabalooer” Hull, (KRLA), JJ Johnson (KDAY), Ken Levine (KTNQ, KABC), Poorman (KROQ), Thrasher (KNAC), Phil Hulett (KFWB), the “Insane” Darrell Wayne (KROQ), Lee Marshall (KHJ, KABC) and a tribute to newswoman  Liz Fulton (KIIS-FM).

Program Directors: Chuck Martin (KHJ) and Dave Beasing (The Sound).

Radio executives: Jeff Smulyan and Rick Cummings (Emmis Communications)

Radio historian: Don Barrett (LARadio.com)

Listen day or night – 24/7 on TuneIn at:  https://tunein.com/radio/LA-Radio-Studio-s196975/ or tell your smart device to “Play LA Radio Studio”.

The shows will run continuously — and randomly — through mid-August, and will be a regular part of the stream’s programming after that. 

We definitely need to do some more of them as well!

Where’s Kaplan

Where is Leon Kaplan, the longtime “Motorman” as heard weekends on KABC (790 AM) for, well, seemingly forever?

Retired, says KPFK (90.7 FM) “The Car Show” host Dave Kunz. Kunz posted on social media, “Congratulations to my friend Leon ‘Motorman’ Kaplan, retiring after an incredible 43 years on the air at ONE radio station.

No word on if it was his decision or not, but with new management coming in, perhaps he just decided to hang it up. 

State of the Industry

The news broke with an announcement on its own website July 14th: radio and music industry news site AllAccess.Com will be shutting down.

“It is with much sadness that we announce that in our 28th year of operation, ALLACCESS.COM will cease publishing at the close of business at 6p (PT), TUESDAY, AUGUST 15th, 2023 due to a marked decrease in revenues that makes moving forward impossible. The site will remain online for an undetermined amount of time.

“This was not a decision that was reached lightly nor without earnest tries to find a path forward. It comes on the heels of major changes in the music industry announced in JANUARY of this year. These strong financial headwinds also extend to our non-music partners as well. Both downturns have greatly affected how ALL ACCESS operates. The dollars are just not there to support our operation and staff any longer. “

The changes in the music industry mentioned reflect changes in promotions … and the budgets spent on said promotions, which are in decline. With the radio industry itself already having done that years ago, I can see why publisher  and site founder Joel Denver is pulling the plug.

But it is a huge loss for both music and radio fans … All Access has been a source of information and research since its founding in 1995. And a class act the entire time. I will miss it a lot. 

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