Radio Waves Podcast #40

New programmers at KRTH and KTWV

 

I don’t have much information on new KRTH (101.1 FM) programmer Chris Ebbott, but almost everything I have heard sounds positive, save for the fact that he helped launch Jack-FM (KCBS-FM, 93.1) ... can you tell I am still not a fan of the station with no soul?

 

Ebbott has experience in adult hits, classic hits, and traditional top-40, which is a good match for KRTH -- an oldies station with a top-40 approach. KRTH itself is in good shape already, with some of the highest ratings in years. It will be interesting to see what Ebboott does with the last remnant of Boss Radio in Los Angeles.

Taking a much harder job is Ralph Stewart, just-named programmer of The Wave (KTWV, 94.7 FM). The Wave is so bad off that my suggestion would be to just jettison the entire format, move Jack-FM to the frequency and launch a hot adult contemporary format on 93.1, called 93/KHJ.

 

Why so harsh? The Wave launched in 1987 as a “new age” station (aka “lava lamp” radio), morphed into smooth jazz, and then into the mess it is today ... smooth jazz, smooth rhythm and blues, or smooth doo-doo ... take your pick. The name has no meaning any more, having been so damaged over the years as programmers tried to salvage what was left of a once decently popular station. Stewart has his work cut out for him, and he’ll have to do it all while maintaining his current job as operations manager at sister Jack-FM.

 

Talking to Animals

 

This is a program you have to hear to really understand, but SiriusXM’s (subscription required) Animal Intuition is one of the more entertaining shows on the satellite service’s talk channels.

Hosted by Sonya Fitzpatrick, the program involves listeners calling in to find out about their pets. Through their pets. You see, Fitzpatrick can talk to animals.

 

Or so she says she can. And who am I to doubt her?

 

According to a program description, Fitzpatrick “helps pet lovers connect with their pets -- both living and passed on -- and teach you how to see things from a pet’s point of view.”

 

A typical call involves the listener giving Fitzpatrick the name of their pet, followed by the host asking questions or making statements often from the viewpoint of the (alleged, just to keep it legal) pet. Not probing questions, in the traditional sense, and according to stories written by people who have had one-on-one sessions with her, not “fishing” questions that can then be mixed up and parroted back either.

 

A recent show got into specific items such as “who is the woman who took care of (the cat) while you were gone recently? And “who is the man with the golf clubs?”

 

Fitzpatrick calls herself an “animal communicator,” and claims that she realized from an early age that she had a special connection with animals .... that she found it easier to communicate with animals than humans.

 

Now don’t get me wrong ... I’m not saying that I necessarily believe she is a “pet psychic.” But I’m not saying she’s not either. Regardless, her show is extremely entertaining, and she is pretty darn convincing. In fact, if I had the time to sit on hold, I’d call in to see what she could tell me about my own pets, past and present.

 

Hear her program live Sundays from 2-4 pm (with a repeat airing 6-8 pm) locally on SiriusXM “Stars” Channel 106.

 

Album Sides

 

In case you read this in time ... The Sound (KSWD, 100.3 FM) is playing the top-25 favorite album sides as chosen by listeners beginning July 4th at 8 am. Programmer Dave Beasing claims that he is indeed counting the votes to determine the list. Album sides only, by the way ... not full albums.

 

Not to be outdone, KRTH presents the Firecracker 400, the top-400 songs of all time as (also supposedly) determined by listeners beginning at 10 am July 3rd and continuing all weekend long.