Radio Waves Podcast #23

Two new talk shows may help make for an interesting battle between format leader KFI (640 AM) and rejuvenated original talker KABC (790 AM).

 

KABC’s “Mid Day L.A.” began on the President’s Day holiday last Monday and pairs together Jillian Barberie and John Phillips. The two had done a impromptu trial run a while ago last year as fill-ins for morning man Doug McIntyre, This time they take over the 12 noon to 3 p.m. slot left open when Sean Hannity’s program moved from KABC over to KEIB (1150 AM) in January. Phillips had been handling the shift himself while KABC management decided what to to.

 

Barberie will be familiar to television viewers as the longtime -- 18 years -- co-host of KTTV Channel 11’s “Good Day LA,” as well as working with the Fox NFL Pre-game Show for about a decade. Phillips was the youngest major-market talk host when he joined KABC, and has spent most of his time working various shifts in the morning as the station tried to figure out what to do with him ... and the station.

 

This takes KABC, as they say, live and local throughout most of the day, sans traffic reports that originate in Dallas, Texas in case you wondered why the traffic reporters cannot pronounce local street names. And it also gives the station a viable format for the first time in years, at least from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Doug McIntyre and Terri-Rae Elmer in the morning, Bryan Suits at 9, Mid Day L.A. at noon, and Larry Elder at 3 p.m. It isn’t until Mark Levin at 6 p.m. that KABC loses it, and by that time most people are eating dinner and switching to television or KFI’s Tim Conway, Jr.

 

For their part, KFI added a show I didn’t think it would add. After moving Limbaugh to KEIB, the station expanded and shifted some programs slightly, leaving an opening in the afternoon from 1-3. As owner Clear Channel has been pressuring local management to cut costs, most observers, myself included, figured they’d just expand Bill Carroll and John and Ken by an hour each to cover it.

 

Instead, they paired up Mark Thompson and Elizabeth Espinosa for what the station is calling “Thompson and Espinosa.” The pair started on February 10th.

 

When I first heard of the program my thought was of Thompson from Mark and Brian fame. Wrong Thompson ... this is the television version, former nightly weather anchor and environmental reporter from KTTV Channel 11’s evening Fox 11 News.

 

Espinosa is the host of “Sin Limites” on cable television’s CNN Latino, and has also done reporting with KTTV on the Fox 11 Morning News and Good Day L.A. I am sensing somewhat of a trend here ... I guess KTTV is now the training ground for talk radio ...

 

This move finalizes KFI’s change to all local programming outside of the overnight Coast to Coast AM that airs from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. And it adds to a strong lineup that includes Bill Handel, Carroll, John and Ken, and Conway. So any thoughts of KABC overtaking KFI any time soon are perhaps a pipe dream.

 

But for the first time in years, there is actual competition between the two talkers, and one might notice that both stations are moving sway from the political talk that was their image for a long time. Suddenly, talk radio became interesting again ... I may have to break my self-imposed ban of the format and give the stations a longer listen. 

 

Hutchinson Report

 

KTYM’s (1460 AM) Hutchinson Report often tackles issues that other shows ignore. February 14th, host Earl Ofari Hutchinson conducted an interview with Dr. Robert K. Ross, chairman of the California Endowment, in which the topic of an education achievement gap was discussed.

 

“Dr. Ross brought out some issues that not even I was aware of,” Hutchinson said in a press release. “The poor school performance of many African-American and Hispanic males is tied into the health care crisis that currently exists in our communities. As these students get passed along there begins a process of doubt that gets imbedded in their mind. This leads to poor eating habits along with a hostile environment that too often leads to incarceration, even death."

 

Hear the Report Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on KTYM.

Radio Waves Podcast #22

Chuck Cecil and K-Jazz (KKJZ, 88.1 FM) have parted ways. His Swingin’ Years program that highlights Big Bands, began on KFI (640 AM) in 1956 and has been on the air in Los Angeles ever since, though the stations carrying the program have changed through the years.

 

According to a story printed in the Los Angeles Times, Cecil says he decided to leave the station because of technical problems producing the show, along with his feeling that it is time to start winding down the program that he’s produced himself for more than 50 years. “It really hurts me to stop, but I feel I can’t continue and do justice to the musicians who made the music,” he told the Times.

Only one problem: the show isn’t actually going away, as he will still produce it for WPPB/Long Island, and it will still be available via WPPB’s internet stream Sundays at 5 PM locally, at http://peconicpublicbroadcasting.org. So I’m not quite sure what to make of the departure from KKJZ.

Regardless, K-Jazz has already found a replacement in the name of legendary broadcaster Johnny Magnus. Magnus will preside over the K-Jazz airwaves Saturday and Sunday mornings -- beginning February 15 -- from 6-10 playing the same style of big band music from the swing era that Cecil played for so many years.

Of course the big question remains: will Magnus bring back Weather with a Beat? We’ll have to tune in to find out.

Inland Empire Limbaugh

At the risk of receiving the rash of emails chastising me for saying anything about Rush Limbaugh, Salem Communications announced last week that the syndicated talk host has a new home in the Inland Empire on its KTIE (590 AM), aka The Answer ... though many in the area fondly remember when 590 was the local top-40 giant KFXM.

The move came about due to Clear Channel’s decision to move Limbaugh from KFI -- which reaches from Mexico to Fresno during the day and covers half the United States at night -- to KEIB (1150 AM) -- which reaches somewhere across the street from its transmitter site. That left Limbaugh fans in the Inland Empire unable to hear their favorite show until now; KTIE carries the program weekdays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Changes in HD

A few weeks ago I happened to catch a very interesting format on The Sound’s (100.3 FM) HD-3 digital sub channel. An eclectic mix of songs that I found quite pleasing. Turns out it was just filler supplied by station Chief Engineer Terry Grieger, who utilized an automation system he had on his computer to fill the time until a new lessee took over the programming just a day or two later. The HD-3 signal now carries foreign-language programming, moving the Mormon Church programming formerly heard on the HD-3 stream to HD-4. Of course only a handful of us with HD Radio tuners can hear any of this.

Over on KCBS-FM’s HD-2, you can now hear the CBS Sports Radio format, which is about as bad of a sports format as I have ever heard. Not just in content, but in engineering, with sound levels so inconsistent I thought I was listening to a test.

Of course that’s what it is, essentially. Amp Radio, now on KAMP (97.1 FM) was once an HD stream. CBS wants to make their new sports radio format viable, and whether or not it ever makes it to a “regular” signal locally (it is available in other cities already) or it stays on HD, it will evolve. For now it’s kind of neat to listen to a station that only a few of us with HD Radios can hear.

Radio Waves Podcast #21

Chris Carter knows just about everything there is to know about the Beatles. As host of Breakfast With The Beatles, heard every Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon on KLOS (95.5 FM), he has to.

 

It’s not something you can fake; it has to be in your heart. And it is definitely in Carter’s heart.

 

He has been hosting the show since 2001 when he took over following the death of original host, Dierdre O’Donoghue, who launched the program in November of 1983. What started as an idea to just play some Beatles records as a fun diversion on Sunday mornings (originally on KMET, now KTWV 94.7 FM) has evolved into the longest-running Beatles program anywhere, playing not just a few records but rarities ... and the stories and trivia behind the songs, the band, and the fans.

 

Carter has taken the program and made it his own, though he doesn’t quite see it that way. “I’m just the host of the program, much like Jay Leno and now Jimmy Fallen are hosts of The Tonight Show on NBC-TV,” he says humbly.

 

Yet under his guidance, the program has expanded its scope to include rare records, bootlegs, interviews and much more, as opposed to the original focus on playing commercial releases. He does the program live every Sunday and shows no signs of being burned out on the concept.

 

“I take the songs and put them into perspective,” he tells me after I ask him how he keeps the program fresh. “Using the music, I try to tell a story, follow a theme, place the music into a certain context, and keep it timely.”

 

Trivia and fascinating facts tied to people, places and dates in history are a huge part of the program’s appeal, something which Carter says he enjoys.

 

This week’s program will be particularly interesting on that front, as Breakfast celebrates the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Beatles in the United States to appear on CBS Television’s Ed Sullivan Show February 9th. In fact, Breakfast this Sunday will feature audio from the entire Sullivan show of February 9th, 1964 ... including commercials. “Commercials help keep the historical perspective accurate,” Carter says.

 

Fascinating facts regarding the appearance? Turns out that the performance on Sullivan was coincidentally the three-year anniversary of The Beatles’ first live concert at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, February 9th, 1961. And the third appearance on Sullivan later in 1964 was actually the first one performed ... it was a taped recording of the afternoon dress-rehearsal at CBS studios in New York.

 

Carter has every Beatles album -- including those released on real to real tape -- ever made. Commercial releases, bootlegs, imports ... all. Multiple copies in most cases, part of his collection of music from all artists that includes vinyl records numbering close to 7000. And that’s after he cleaned out the duds. His collection of Beatles records began in earnest when he owned a record store in Wayne, New Jersey.

 

But The Beatles are not his only interest. He’s been in a band himself, one that KROQ (106.7 FM) and Alt 98.7 FM fans will know: Dramarama. Their alternative hit Anything Anything is still popular 28 years after its 1986 release. He produced a critically-acclaimed film that told the story of KROQ personality Rodney Bingenheimer, The Mayor of Sunset Strip. He’s managed bands. But from what I can tell, his first love is The Beatles.

 

“My first album I bought, when I was about seven, was Rubber Soul.” In an interview with Riprense.com, he explained how at every birthday, every holiday, he would ask for another Beatles album. From there, he says, it just took off.

 

Carter’s version of Breakfast With The Beatles is good enough to have Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney as listeners and contributors: both have called in to the show in the past. And the program has now been around long enough to out-live two of the three stations on which it has been carried: KMET where it originated, and KLSX (now KAMP, 97.1 FM) where it moved in 1987. KLOS has been running the program since 2006.

 

In addition to Breakfast, Carter has a program on SiriusXM’s Underground Garage (Channel 21) focussing on the music from the more general British Invasion. Hear that program at 6 a.m. -- rebroadcast at 9 p.m. -- Sundays.

 

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Radio Waves Podcast #20

KFI (640 AM) and KPCC (89.3 FM) were the big winners in the 64th Annual Golden Mike Awards presented January 25th by the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California. Each station ran away with seven Golden Mikes, the highest number of any stations winning awards for the year.

 

But that wasn’t the only big news. KNX (1070 AM) won six Golden Mikes, including Best Newscast Over 15 Minutes. Not to be outdone, little KCLU/Ventura (1340 AM, 88.3 FM) on the campus of California Lutheran University won four Mikes including Best News reporting, and little student-run K-BEACH out of Cal State Long Beach, broadcasting on the HD-3 digital sub-channel of KKJZ (88.1 FM) won a Mike for Best News Public Affairs Program via their program entitled “Daily 49er News.”

 

Other winning stations included KFWB (980 AM): two Golden Mikes; KVTA/Ventura (1590 AM): two Golden Mikes; Pomona College student-run KSPC (88.7 FM): two Golden Mikes; KHAY/Ventura (100.7 FM): one Golden Mike and KCSN (88.5 FM) from Cal State Northridge: two Golden Mikes.

 

The full list of awards, including the programs that won the awards, is available on the Radio and Television NEws Association’s website, rtna.org. 

 

Jarrin Honored by PPB 

 

Dodgers broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, who has done play-by-play for the Dodgers in Spanish since 1958, was honored with the Art Gilmore Career Achievement Award presented by the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters at their monthly luncheon held January 24th at the Sportsmen’s Lodge.

 

Jarrin is the second-longest tenured broadcaster in Major League Baseball. The longest-running? None other than fellow Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully (with the Dodgers since 1950), who was on hand to help present the award.

 

Jarrin was born in Cayambe, Ecuador and began his broadcast career t the age of 16. He arrived in the United States in June of 1955 ... and he had never seen a baseball game in his life.

 

By 1958 he was the news and sports director at Spanish-language music station KWKW (then at 1300 AM, now at 1330 AM). When the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn, New York, KWKW obtained the broadcast rights and Jarrin began his Dodgers play-by-play career.

 

The early years of Dodgers baseball for Jarrin did not include traveling to the actual ballparks. Instead, he would broadcast what might be called recreations or translations of games by listening to the English-language broadcasts of the games in a studio. Sometime in the early to mid 1960s, he began broadcasting directly from the games.

 

From 1962 to 1984, Jarrin called almost 4000 games without missing any of them during the 22 seasons. The string of games was broken only when he was put in charge of all Spanish-language radio coverage of the 1984 Olympic Games.

 

Today, the Dodgers are carried in Spanish on KTNQ (1020 AM).

 

Hull Signing

 

Longtime broadcaster Dave “Hullabalooer” Hull, associated primarily with the top-40 heyday of the original KRLA (now KDIS, 1110 AM) will be reading from and signing copies of his book, “Hullabaloo! The Life and (Mis) Adventures of LA Radio Legend Dave Hull” on Thursday, February 6th from 7 to 8 p.m. at Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood.

 

Hull is one of the nicest guys I have ever met in radio, and he was in some ways a thorn in the side of the jocks at 1960s competitor KHJ (930 AM), which just couldn’t knock him down in the ratings in spite of KHJ’s overall dominance. I expect this to be quite a fun evening.

Radio Waves Podcast #19

KNX (1070 AM) takes an in-depth look at the Crescenta Valley next Friday, January 31st as “KNX on Your Corner” heads North.

 

“Corner” was a program originally launched by sister station KFWB (980 AM) to get out into the local communities and highlight the areas through discussions and live broadcasts. KNX took over the series when KFWB changed from news to a news/talk format.

 

This time the programming will focus on the group of communities lying between the San Gabriel and the Verdugo Mountains: Sunland, Tujunga, La Cañada Flintridge and La Crescenta-Montrose. Civic and business leaders will be on hand to discuss the areas advantages and challenges.

 

KNX will broadcast live throughout much of the day from the Black Cow Cafe, 2223 Honolulu Avenue in Old Town Montrose. The morning newscast anchored by Tom Haule and Vicky Moore will start the day’s broadcasts from 5-9 a.m. It’s back to the studios at 9 while locals hear roundtable discussions with area leaders.

 

At 1 p.m., Frank Mottek will host the Business Hour live again from the Cafe, then at 2:00 Chris Sedens and the great Diane Thompson will anchor the afternoon news from the Cafe as well.

 

I think the Corner series is one of the best special events carried by KNX. Listeners can learn a lot about areas of the County that they may never have even visited, and it gets the station involved locally ... exactly what radio needs to do. It seems I am not alone in thinking that way; the series was honored in 2013 with a Golden Mike from the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California.

 

Upcoming Corner visits for 2014 will include San Gabriel Valley, Orange County and Marina del Rey.

 

Digital Bliss

 

You may remember a while back that I was looking to install a new car stereo “head unit” in my truck to take advantage of some newer technology. Namely digital HD Radio and a built-in bluetooth cell phone connection. In took a while, but I finally found one I like, that also includes a new SiriusXm tuner add-on.

 

Without getting too technical, I learned a lot about about some of the newer equipment. For example, with SiriusXM Satellite Radio, there are actually three systems: the original Sirius system that uses the Sirius satellites. the XM system that sues the XM satellites, and the SiriusXM system that uses XM satellites but isn’t compatible with the other two systems and was the solution to the FCC requirement to offer receiver compatible to both Sirius and XM.

 

So my findings? I love the new radio. Not enough to marry it (I am already happily married anyway) but a fun toy nonetheless. In spite of its technical problems with interference, I do like the sound of digital HD Radio on AM. KNX, in fact, has a superb-sounding signal on HD that puts many FM stations to shame. KFI (640 AM) is nice as well but doesn’t have the smooth high-end that KNX offers. KABC (790 AM) sounds like the highs are overemphasized and not good to my ears. Where I drive, KNX, KFI, KABC and KFWB stay locked onto HD fairly well, while KDIS (1110 AM) has trouble. KBRT (740 AM) is somewhere between. As expected, KOGO (600 AM) from San Diego goes in and out of HD as I drive.

 

The extra channels offered by the newest SiriusXM system include some fun ones, such as Carlin’s Corner ... all George Carlin all the time. And for reasons yet unknown to me, the SiriusXM system seems to sound better than either of the old Sirius or XM system receivers. I am not sure if they are using a different compression scheme of it’s just a better amplifier on the new radio, but it is better to me ears. And I can now rewind the audio if I miss something.

 

Overall, call me a happy camper.

Radio Waves Podcast #18

KDAY Format Safe

 

... at least for now. After searching for the past year or so for a buyer of it’s KDAY/Redondo Beach and KDEY/Ontario (simulcast on 93.5 FM), Magic Broadcasting has agreed to sell the duo to Meruelo Media, owner of KWHY Channel 22 in Los Angeles.

Meruelo took over control of the stations through what is called an LMA, or Limited Marketing Agreement, January 1st in order to effectively run the station as the sale progresses through the regulatory and financial process. According to the company the classic hip-hop format is safe. 

 

“Los Angeles has saved KDAY” according to Mereulo CEO Alex Meruelo in a prepared statement. “I’ve been a longtime fan of KDAY and I’m excited to have the opportunity to re-energize such a beloved Southern California cultural institution. KDAY is L.A.”

The original KDAY at 1580 AM was the station that actually did the ground work for the format that eventually landed on 95.5 FM, known at one time as KFOX. The original 1580/K-DAY had great success playing Hip-Hop and Rap music in the late 1970s and early 1980s that had previously never made it to commercial radio stations anywhere else. It truly was a trendsetter.

 

That KDAY featured a staff of some phenomenal DJs that included one of my all-time favorites, JJ Johnson, and King News from legendary newsman (and current voice of Tony the Tiger) Lee Marshall.

 

The problem with KDAY today is the limited signal. Of course that may be a good thing, since a general mass-appeal format would have a tough time competing there, while a specialized format will attract an audience that is fiercely loyal. KDAY’s audience? Fierce! As long as Meruelo makes money, the Hip-Hop on KDAY is safe.

 

Mail Bag

 

“Do you have any idea if there are any audio clips of the late Jim Healy who used to do a brief, comic type spoof of sports news back in, I believe, the 80's or early ‘90s prior to his death? I thought it was a blast listening to his short, I believe 30 minute broadcast. He would interject the Tommy Lasorda cussing tirade from way back when with all the "bleeps". It was hilarious! I can not find any clips/shows on the internet and thought I'd run the question past you.” -- Alan Kaliff, Lancaster

 

Healy was one of a kind; his drop-ins of the various swearing and other elements are legendary. I did find a few on YouTube of all places, one can be found at http://tinyurl.com/KMPCH, and with that link you can find quite a few more.

 

“With all the radio stations in the Los Angeles area, you spend an inordinate about of time talking about a mere few, and for the last few columns all you have talked about is Rush Limbaugh and the obvious bromance you have for John Phillips. Both of whom I consider the worse things to happen to radio and this country. All this shows me is where your bias leanings are. 

 

“How can you have a radio column in this city, with it's large hispanic population, and not give a mention to any of the many stations and their hosts that cater to that population other than the ratings? I would think again its conservative selectism (sic) at work, ignore it till you need it.” -- Paul M. 

 

There are a few things at work here. First is that in reality, over the past 26 years, I have covered Limbaugh, and political talk radio in general, very little. The past few weeks are due to the fact that his move to KTLK (1150 AM) -- and the station’s format change itself -- is big news. Secondly, due to my limited linguistic brain power, I don’t speak any foreign languages and thus it is difficult to cover foreign-language stations. On the other hand, I would not expect a foreign-language newspaper to cover English radio often either.

I cover radio from my perspective. What I like and don’t, from the viewpoint of someone who loves “good” radio ... as defined my me. I cover stations regardless of audience demographics. Ironically, I actually try to avoid much on political talk formats partly because get accused of being either a right-wing wacko or a left-wing fanatic ... from the same column!

 

And as always, if you want something covered, just send me a note. I do my best to answer all mail, electronic or not, though I admit to be awful in replying to standard US Mail.

Radio Waves Podcast #17

Stereo Limbaugh

 

It has been common knowledge for the past month or so that Rush Limbaugh would be moved from his longtime home of KFI (640 AM) to the new “Patriot,” KEIB (formerly KTLK, 1150 AM), so when I logged onto the KFI website Monday to find out who the new host was for the unfilled 1-3 p.m. shift, I was surprised to see Limbaugh still listed as the 9 a.m. to 12 noon host.

 

I was ready to call KFI/KEIB marketing manager Neil Saavadra and give him a hard time about the mistake. Until I tuned in and discovered that Limbaugh was indeed on KFI. As well as KEIB. What gives?

 

“We wanted to make the transition an easy one,” Saavadra told me. So through January 17th, you can hear Limbaugh on two local stations. January 20, then, will mark the beginning of KFI’s almost-all-local format. Oh, and the new 1-3 p.m. shift? Nothing to announce yet; it appears that a selection is being made as we speak.

 

Weather Beat

 

I received more emails on Johnny Magnus’ “Weather with a Beat” this week than on any topic in recent memory. More than even the political talk radio letters. It seems that Magnus has a lot of fans still.

 

More than a few people wrote to give me the name of the song, which turns out to be “Cute,” arranged by Neal Hefti and performed by Count Basie and his orchestra.

 

Reader Mike Dangott wrote also to tell of a website that showcases the Golden West era of KMPC, at www.710kmpc.com. KMPC is one of Magnus’ longtime stomping grounds. But others -- including former KMPC master programmer Chuck Southcott himself -- recall Magnus on other stations as well. “I recall first hearing Magnus doing ‘Weather with a Beat’ when I was in high school and he was at KGFJ,” he said. “Johnny used several themes for the bit, but most often the music was indeed Hefti's ‘Cute.’”

 

KMET Connection 

 

I asked former KMET (now KTWV, 94.7 FM) newsman and morning co-host “Paraquat” Pat Kelley if “Weather with a Beat” was the genesis behind Kelley’s famous “Fish Report with a Beat” as heard on The Mighty Met. Turns out, it was. “Sure, it was a parody of The Magnus thing. We used The Band’s rendition The Third Man Theme. (Pink Floyd’s) Roger Waters recorded the theme and put it on an album.” Somehow this all makes sense now.

 

Radio History

 

I knew someone would come to the rescue.

Jim Hilliker is Los Angeles radio’s official historian. I know of no other single person who possesses the vast knowledge of Hilliker, and I have been hounding him to write a book (a series of books more likely) on the subject of Los Angeles broadcasting. He sent along this note:

 

“The license for 1150 AM has had 8 combinations of call letters, but the station used the KIIS call letters two separate times, 1970 to 1980, and again from 12-1-84 to 8-17-97. The change from KTLK to KEIB is the 9th set of call letters used by 1120/1150.” 

Those calls are KMIC, KMCS, KRKD, KIIS, KPRZ, KIIS (again), KXTA and KTLK.

 

As it turns out, 1150 is not the only frequency used by the station, which complicates the story a bit. As Hilliker explains, “Between 1927 and 11-11-28, the licensee used 775 kilocycles, 1140 and 1340 kilocycles (or kilohertz today) on the AM band. The station moved from 1340 to 1120 on November 11, 1928, but had to divide air time with KFSG. The change from 1120 to 1150 took place on March 29, 1941. The KRKD calls were used the longest from January 21, 1932 until May 1, 1970, 38 years.

 

“Trivia about the station history:  Network radio and TV announcer Harry Von Zell started in radio at KMIC/Inglewood in 1927; Also, movie and later radio and TV cowboy star Roy Rogers first sang on the radio over station KMCS/Inglewood in 1931 on a midnight talent show using his given name of Leonard Slye.”

 

So there you have ... the rest of the story.