Radio Waves Podcast #233

Radio: August 17, 2018

This coming Monday, August 20, is Shotgun Day ... the day that “Shotgun” Tom Kelly finally makes his debut on SiriusXM’s Channel 6 - Sixties on Six. He’ll be on what has become his usual shift as of late, afternoon drive or 4-8 p.m. locally, though he has worked almost every shift throughout his long career.

I grew up listening to Shotgun, as San Diego stations where he worked - primarily KCBQ (1170 AM), KGB (now KLSD, 1360 AM) and B-100 (KFMB-FM 100.7) - came in as strong as locals where I lived in San Pedro.

I even aimed my house antenna toward San Diego in the 1990s when he was part of “Modern Oldies” KCBQ-FM (now KIOZ, 105.3 FM), a format that played hits of the 1980s ... a decade or two ahead of its time.

He is an amazing talent: always upbeat and high-energy. He was the perfect choice to take over the afternoon shift for “The Real” Don Steele on KRTH (101.1 FM) after Steele passed away far too young in 1997.

 

Why it took so long for SiriusXM to get him on board is a mystery. We’ve all known he was going there since early June; rumor is that negotiations actually ran about two years.

But all that is history. The exciting part is that one of my favorite DJs is back on the air. 

“You know, when I got hired at K-Earth, I thought that would be the last radio station I would ever work at,” Kelly told me. “I mean - how do you get better than that? But that was 20 years ago ... at the time, there was no satellite radio. Now I will be heard throughout the United States and Canada! I cannot even begin to explain how exciting this is to me!”

Kelly will be recording the show -- almost every shift at SiriusXM is “voice-tracked,” where the DJ records the intros and bits ahead of time rather than in real time -- from studios in San Diego.

Avoiding Fresno

Kelly’s first station in San Diego was at Boss Radio 136/KGB. Then-KCBQ programmer Buzz Bennett got wind that consultant Bill Drake might be planning to send him up to Fresno for some extra on-air development, and ended up hiring him ... and ultimately almost the entire KGB air staff ... for KCBQ.

 

The KGB-KCBQ battle went on for a few years with KCBQ eventually winning; San Diego was one of the few, if not the only city where a Drake station was beaten. KGB adopted an album-rock format in 1972. But I am told that the battle made for some of the most exciting top-40 radio ever. And Kelly didn’t have to move to Fresno.

Short Takes

• The latest Nielsens released this month had KKLQ (100.3 FM) at a 0.0 share of the ratings ... a far cry from the sub-3 shares the station had when it played classic rock as The Sound.

• The National Association of Broadcasters is busy trying to convince its own members that the plan they are pushing to more deregulation in the industry is a good thing. Having to convince your own membership that more of what destroyed them must make for an interesting campaign. Additional deregulation will no doubt cause even more stations and companies to go under; perhaps the NAB is secretly a spy organization for Apple Music, Spotify, and all the other music services that could not have thrived without radio’s decline directly attributable to decisions made under the deregulation model.

• The story last week on KPRO (1570 AM) going off the air brought in a few letters asking about the frequency or history being “wrong” ... No, it isn’t wrong but your memory is OK ... there was a station at 1440 AM in the IE that used the KPRO call letters until a format change in 1987.

• Is AM radio dead? Absolutely. The problem is with the owners and programmers, though, not listeners. Before I expand on this, however I am curious what you think ... can an AM station attract you as a listener if it played the right format? What would that format be?

• The LA Radio Studio at Ports O’ Call is gone, a victim of  - is it ok to call them corrupt, evil bastards? - officials from the Port of Los Angeles as construction continues on a new development planned for the area. But out of the ashes it looks like a new location will arise. Details when they are confirmed.

Radio Waves Podcast #232

Radio: August 10, 2018

The Inland Empire lost a radio station last Friday, as KPRO (1570 AM) left the air, a victim of declining listenership to AM radio and the vastly increasing value of property in Southern California, which makes the land many stations sit on with more than the stations themselves.

But it’s a station with a local presence dating back to 1957 when it was put on the air by husband and wife Ray and Helen Lapica and Helen’s sister, Ollie Shervan. After the three original owners passed away ownership transferred to Ray and Helen’s children, Ronnie Olenick and Larry Lapica.

According to Olenick, her father originally ran the station much like he thought a newspaper should run. “He’d go out to the City Council meetings and interview local politicians. He liked to editorialize,” she told me this week. “In many ways it was the beginning of local talk radio!”

“He thought he would be able to use the station to make an impact on the community,” Olenick explained. “What he didn’t realize is that you can’t make an impact unless you sell ads, and ads can be hard to sell.” Eventually Ray went to law school and left the running of the station to Helen and Ollie.

To show how much has changed in the years since the station went on the air, Ray Lapica once held a license for an FM station as well, which simulcast the AM programming. But it was sold to another company as there were so few listeners to FM radio at the time. The new owners eventually let the FM station go “dark,” or off the air. 

Over the years the call letters changed a few times. Originally they were KACE; 1976 brought KHNY; KMAY came in 1978, and the KPRO calls have been in sue since 1986. The station has broadcast at 1570 AM since the beginning.

Formats have changed over the years as well. Talk, country music, “you name it,” Olenick told me. For the past 30 years or so the broadcasts have been religious, the most recent years as block programming sold to ministers and preachers. That hasn’t paid the bills, though - Olenick explained that she and her brother have been putting their own money into the station for quite some time, though “we did it because we knew the land was worth something.”

In the end it was a tough decision to let the station go, due to the longtime family and local community connections. That longevity includes the staff: station general manager, Valorie Stitely has been with KPRO since she was a teenager, over 40 years.

“We tried to sell the station, but could not find a buyer for it and that’s why it is now dark. But the land the transmitter and studios are on was sold; the developer will be building new houses on the property,” Olenick said.

I personally hate to lose a local radio presence, but I can understand why it happens. Perhaps some day someone else can pick up the license for 1570 and share transmitter space with another station as has been done by numerous stations in populous cities throughout the country. In the meantime, I hold my glass high as a toast to a station that was run by the same family for 61 years. Ronnie and Larry: enjoy your retirement from radio!

Radio: August 3, 2018

The notice at the late-Richard Irwin’s reelradio.com was promising: “Please stand by. Reelradio will return. Thank you for your patience and continuing support.” 

Then for a day it came back, as a teaser to let fans know they were indeed working on a re-launch. “They” being the ReelRadio board of directors along with friends and family of Irwin, who are working behind the scenes to update files, get some site housekeeping done and eventually bring in new content and allow new registrations.

The radio recording museum -- featuring recordings, or “airchecks” of top-40 stations from across the country -- had been down since just before Irwin’s death, and many subscribers and donors had hope that his legacy will live on through others. It appears that will indeed be the case, and I for one am ecstatic.

As I write this, it the site is up once again, but it is unknown if this is another teaser ... or if it will be permanent.

 

The Return of Rock en Español

Entravision has brought back La Super Estrella, a Spanish rock and pop format that was last found locally on the 107.1 FM simulcast stations KSSE/Arcadia, KSSD/Fallbrook and KSSC/Ventura until a format change in December of 2016.

This time it’s on KDLD/Santa Monica and KDLE/Newport Beach, a simulcast at 103.1 FM which actually takes the format almost back to it’s roots ... the format originally began on KVAR/Riverside (now KLYY, 97.5 FM) in 1997 but was simulcast on then-KACD at 103.1 in 2001 before moving up the dial to 107.1 in 2003.

Whew! That’s a lot of moving!

The return of the format to the local airwaves -- it had been available online --  happened July 26, replacing a regional Mexican format called “La Tricolor.” The last ratings found KDLD in 38th place with a 0.6 share of the listening audience.

"Super Estrella has a strong legacy in Los Angeles that spans over 20 years, and it's coming back to where it all started,” said Nestor Rocha, VP of Programming for Entravision in a press release. “This distinct, iconic format has been loved by so many fans over the years that it was able to keep its large, devout following, and we're excited to bring this station back to listeners.”

Tamo’s Great

Alt 98.7 FM’s Tamo Sein new midday jock may have a shift that is way too long: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. But she sure is a good match for the station and one of the better-sounding personalities in town, with an on-air presentation nothing short of superb and an enthusiasm for the music she plays that comes through nicely.

I would not be surprised to see Alt’s ratings increase over the next few months.

Readers Talk Back

Quite a few of you responded after last week’s column on "things radio stations do that sound like good ideas, but are not." What struck me were the number of emails stating that you don’t listen to radio as much or at all. Yet you read this column, so there is still hope. After all, you are still interested in radio!

One email in particular caught my eye, from reader Clyde Boyd: “So you think 6 minutes of content and 9 minutes of ads every 15 minutes on KFI (640 AM) is reasonable?

“KFI is one of the worst offenders for ads. Your pimping them is particularly egregious. Time it yourself if you don’t believe me: there is exactly 6 minutes of content every 15 minutes. No more.”

In replies to each other we realized we were on the same page. Obviously too many commercials are bad. But commercials themselves can be good. The problem, of course, is that few actually listen to ads any more ... running so many is making air time far less valuable than it otherwise would be as listeners tune out totally.

That needs to change.

Radio Waves Podcast #231

Radio: July 27, 2018

Radio is still among the most popular of all available media, dwarfing the on-line services as far as reach and even beating television for overall reach. So what is causing revenue to stay far below what it should be, considering how far the economy has come since the drop in 2008?

My personal belief is that today’s young-buck programmers and executives don’t have history on their sides ... indeed, they seem to shun history, forgetting that what worked in the past will probably work today, as long as it is updated to match the modern audience. Yet often programmers seem ignorant of the elements of good radio.

You probably have your own ideas, and I’d like to know what you think as well. Here are some examples of what may sound like good ideas, but ultimately are not ... ideas intended to help but actually hurt a station’s success:

• Long music sweeps. This sounds like a great idea: keep a listener looked for 45 minutes and then run the commercials as a block. Ratings soar and advertisers and the station win. The reality: long sweeps of music force a station to group commercials together, so that the typical commercial break ends up as long as 10 minutes ... or more. No one will listen through that, so listeners change stations or tune out completely. Advertisements are thus worth less and stations must give price breaks to advertisers, lowering revenue.

Solution: Limit sweeps to three or four songs, with a maximum of 20 minutes. Commercial breaks should be limited to no more than three (two is better) ads. Listeners won’t tune out, commercials are actually heard, and both stations and advertisers win.

• Music marathons. Music sweeps on steroids. Many stations run 18 minutes of commercials per hour ... you think taking two hours or more of prime time and forcing those potential ads into other hours helps? Really? In the end, stations lose out on revenue, advertisers lose the ability to market products and services, and listeners lose out too.

 

Solution: Only run sweeps when -- and this should never happen if your sales staff is worth anything -- you truly have no ads to run. Ratings mean nothing if you can’t capitalize on potential revenue from advertisers.

• Thinking advertisements are bad. Yes, there are bad advertisements. But advertising in general should be considered a service and a positive part of your programming. I myself had windows installed on my house due to an ad I heard on KFI (640 AM). I had such a positive experience I have recommended the company to others and used them again for another project. I never would have found them without the help of KFI.

Solution: Embrace ads. Consider them a service to your listeners. But don’t abuse them: make sure the quality of the ad is as high -- including its entertainment value -- as is the rest of your programming. Never run more than three at a time. And never run ads for competing products or services in the same set.

• Accepting bad commercials. Yes, revenue is important. But just as the fictional WKRP in Cincinnati ended up dropping a very lucrative campaign for a funeral home, you cannot run ads that are tune-outs. No station should ever run ads from “Kars for Kids,” for example. Guaranteed tune out.

Solution: Your program director should have final say for everything that airs on the station. Don’t let the sales staff dictate what makes it on the air. And make sure your PD is good enough to know the difference between good and bad.

• Running too many commercials. It’s easy to think more ads bring in more revenue, but in fact the opposite is true. In their heydays, both KHJ (930 AM) and KIIS-FM (102.7 FM) set revenue records while limiting ads run per hour. The rule for KHJ in the 1960s was eight minutes maximum per hour and no more than TWO commercials per break. KIIS-FM limited ads as well when they almost single-handedly brought top-40 back from the brink of death in the 1980s ... then set ratings records.

Solution: Just limit the ads. Fewer ads per hour makes each ad worth more. Far more than the loss per spot with  more ads. Advertisers want to be heard. They will pay if you can guarantee it.

• Sponsoring everything. If you follow the above, your revenue has already increased. Having everything sponsored (“traffic brought to you by,” “weather presented by,” etc) just makes you sound cheap. Plus those quick mentions register as normal commercials to listeners.

Solution: Realize you are broadcasting in the public service. Some things should be considered as the cost of running the business. News, traffic and weather are but three.

• Forgetting what makes radio great. It is obvious that just playing music is what will keep listeners tuned in. Problem is, I can find music on my phone. Or on Spotify. Or on SiriusXM. Radio has to give listeners a reason to tune in.

Solution: Stop selling your listeners short. People want to be informed; some of the best, award-winning newscasts came from music radio stations: KHJ, KMET (now KTWV, 94.7 FM), and even the original KDAY (now KBLA, 1580 AM). Information tailored to listeners is a reason to tune in, not tune out. As long as it is entertaining, they will listen.

• Clutter. Many stations have dropped jingles, as jingles are old fashioned. In their place are highly-produced segments that are so full of clutter that they are actually annoying. 

Solution: Programmers need to listen to their own stations; so often what may sound great in the production room sounds horrendous on the air, especially if it is repeated often. And while jingles may seem old fashioned, one thing they have is they work. Is there anyone who grew up in Los Angeles who cannot sing the jungle for “93-KHJ?” “Kiss-FM?” Or even “A little bit of heaven, 94 point seven, KMET ... tweedle-dee?” 

Even if you shun jingles, your on-air presentation cannot be cluttered. Presentation is everything. Your station needs to be relevant to your listeners; stop giving them a reason to find other entertainment sources.

The preceding programming tips come from the heart.

ReelRadio Returning

The notice at the late-Richard Irwin’s reelradio.com is promising: “Please stand by. Reelradio will return. Thank you for your patience and continuing support.” 

The radio recording museum has been down since just before Irwin’s death, and many had hoped that his legacy would live on. I have no details right now but hope to in the near future.

Radio Waves Podcast #230

Radio: July 20, 2018

I’ve been listening to KOLA (99.9 FM) since I was in junior high school, about the time I figured out how to tune it on my family’s “Sonic Servant FM” home intercom system.

At the time it was an automated top-40 station; one of my memories of the time is when the automation system got stuck and the station played Paper Lace’s “The Night Chicago Died” something like 16 times in a row. Honestly I don’t know how I was able to listen that long, but I did.

Today the station is a live personality-driven oldies station. Or in modern vernacular, “classic hits” as the term “oldies” is apparently a turn-off. Perhaps more accurately, as rock and roll spans so many years, the term “oldies” connotes the era of the 1950s and ‘60s, something KOLA (and LA competitor KRTH) shuns.

With the current format focussing on ‘80s and ‘90s hits, KOLA certainly found its niche: it has consistently been among the most popular stations in the Riverside/San Bernardino area for years. The latest Nielsen Ratings have it number 2 in the area; prior to that and at least as far back as January, it was the top-rated station in the Inland Empire.

Knowing of and following KOLA for four decades, then, I have no excuse to miss the fact that they, too, carry classic editions of American Top-40 mentioned last week. In this case they carry recordings from the 1980s, every Saturday morning from 5 to 9 a.m. and Sunday nights from 7 to 11 p.m.

And if you can’t get enough of the ‘80s, KOLA features “Absolute ‘80s Weekends” that start Saturday mornings at 9:00 ... immediately following AT40.

Through August 3rd, KOLA is giving away tickets to listeners daily to a weekly featured local theme park as part of their “Summer Ticket Window.” The window opens every weekday at about fifty minutes past the hours of 7:00, 10:00 and 11:00 a.m., and 12:00 and 3:00 p.m. Listen for the window to open; the 19th caller to the station wins the tickets.

Ratings

Not much change in the Los Angeles ratings since last time I reported on them: KBIG (104.3 FM) won the most recent survey released July 10th with a 5.8 share of the audience, followed by KOST’s (103.5 FM) 5.6, KRTH’s (101.1 FM) 5.1, KTWV’s (94.7 FM) 4.5 and KIIS-FM’s (102.7) 4.3. These are roughly the same positions -- and ratings -- the stations held three months ago.

There were a few interesting results. For example, competitors KPWR (105.9 FM) and KRRL (92.3 FM) -- both playing a similar format -- tied in the ratings (along with KNX 1070 AM KLOS 95.5 FM and KXOL 96.3 FM) at 2.6. Alt 98.7 FM beat KROQ (106.7 FM) to take take the alternative crown, but just barely: 2.8 versus 2.5. And KPCC (89.3 FM) found itself in the top-10 -- tied with KAMP (97.1 FM) for 10th place -- with a 2.7 share.

KABC (790 AM) needs to give serious thought to making some major changes. The one-time talk format leader -- the station originated the format in the 1960s -- hasn’t broken a 1 share in quite some time; the June ratings found KABC at the bottom of the English-language talk format ratings at 0.4 ... tied with oldies KSUR (1260 AM), a station that doesn’t even reach much of the city. I think it is time to consider a full-service format similar to the original KMPC (now KSPN, 710 AM). As it is, KABC was beaten by every other English-language general talk and sports-talk station in town.

The full story: Each rating is an estimate of the percentage of listeners aged 6 and over tuned to s station between the hours of 6 a.m. and 12 midnight. 

1. KBIG (5.8) 2. KOST (5.6) 3. KRTH (5.1) 4. KTWV (4.5) 5. KIIS-FM (4.3) 6. KCBS-FM, KFI (4.1) 8. KLVE (3.5) 9. KYSR - Alt 98.7 (2.8) 10. KAMP, KPCC (2.7)

12. KLOS, KNX, KPWR, KRRL, KXOL (2.6) 17. KROQ (2.5) 18. KLAX, KRCD (2.4) 20. KKGO (2.3)

21. KBUE (2.2) 22. KSCA (2.1) 23. KXOS (2.0) 24. KUSC (1.7) 25. KDAY (1.5) 26. KJLH (1.4) 27. KCRW, KSSE (1.3) 29. KRLA, KSPN (1.1)

31. KLAC, KLYY (1.0) 33. KEIB, KKJZ (0.9) 35. KFSH (0.8) 36. KFWB, KKLQ (0.7) 38. KDLD, KWIZ (0.6) 40. KYLA (0.5) 41. KABC, KSUR (0.4) 43. KKLA, KWKW (0.3) 45. KTNQ (0.2)

Ratings are © 2018 Nielsen. May not be quoted or reproduced without prior written permission from Nielsen.

Radio Waves Podcast #229

Radio: July 13, 2018

Alt 98.7 FM (KYSR) will have a new midday personality as Tamo Sein replaces Marty Whitney in the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. slot at the popular alternative music station effective July 16.

Sein moves to Los Angeles from her former home of Charlotte, North Carolina where she had the same shift at co-owned alternative WEND. She is described as “relatable, down to earth” a fan of alternative music and “a food and wine enthusiast ... she will fit right in!” according to Alt programmer Lisa Worden.

While the move means Whitney will not be heard in Los Angeles, he will continue at KIOZ/San Diego (105.3 FM), where he hosts weeknight 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Hopefully, unlike Whitney, Sein will indeed be local.

iHeart Interest

While Liberty Media, a majority owner of SiriusXM Satellite Radio has long expressed an interest in buying at least a portion of bankrupt iHeart Media, word out this week is Silver Lake Partners, a private equity firm, is rumored to be interested as well. 

Any sale would not happen until iHeart emerges from its current bankruptcy in October or so, after which the company will “only” owe $10 billion compared with today’s debt just North of $20 billion. Yes, billion, with a b. The company is valued by some at about $12 billion.

My position, of course, is that neither company should take control. iHeart and the others are THE reason radio is undervalued. The company should go bankrupt and forced to sell stations off under rules that should be adopted by the FCC preventing a company from owning more than 50 stations nationwide ... a compromise, admittedly, as the limit should be closer to 10 or 15.

Bigger Neighborhood

Real 92.3 FM’s (KRRL) syndicated morning show Big Boy’s Neighborhood will be broadcast on cable television’s Fuse Network starting on Monday, July 30th. Broadcast on radio stations across the country through Premiere Radio Networks, the show is based in Los Angeles.

Big Boy -- also known as Kurt Alexander -- has been in Los Angeles since 1997: first at Power 106 and then beginning in 2015 at Real. 

“I can’t believe it’s been three years since I embarked on this incredible journey to bring Big Boy’s Neighborhood to my listeners on iHeart Radio’s Real 92.3 and stations nationwide, Alexander said in a press release. “Words can’t express how excited I am to bring the Neighborhood to millions of viewers through this television partnership with Fuse.”

Fireworks

American Top-40 celebrated its 48th birthday on July 4th.

The program was created by original host Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and legendary programmer Ron Jacobs, who at the time had recently left the programming position at KHJ (930 AM)

It launched on July 4, 1970 with just seven affiliates, but quickly grew to be one of the most popular syndicated programs on radio. You can hear classic 1970s recordings of the program hosted by Kasem on SiriusXM’s Channel 7 Saturdays at 9 a.m., Sundays at 6 a.m. and Sundays at 9 p.m.

KIIS-FM (102.7) morning man Ryan Seacrest hosts the current edition. But apparently no one really cares, not even Seacrest’s own station, as KIIS-FM doesn’t carry it ... the closest local affiliate is KFYV in Ventura. You can hear it on the iHeart Radio app though, which is pretty cool: Both Seacrest’s and Kasem’s ‘70s and ‘80s countdowns can be found there. All day, every day. You can even ask Amazon’s Alexa to “play American Top 40.”

Radio Waves Podcast #228 - Chuck Martin Interview

Interview with Chuck Martin, the last programmer of KHJ (930 AM) before the popular top-40 station went country in November of 1980.  Also on hand is longtime KHJ engineer/production director Douglas Brown.

Richard's column for this week:

Radio: July 6, 2018

The timing was perfect.

I had been thinking about the fact that it is hard to find “good” new music on the radio. Or anywhere else, it seems. What brought it to a head, ironically, was an ad on SiriusXM’s PopRock channel in which someone said it was their favorite channel because “I know every song.”

I’m not sure why but that struck a nerve in me. As much as I spend my time living in the past -- my wife Jean will attest to that -- sometimes it is not by choice. Perhaps by ignorance, but not always choice. I just have a hard time finding new music I like, and it is easier to go with the tried and true.

Problem is, I don’t want to be “one of those guys” who no longer evolves musically. That guy -- like my Dad -- who only listens to music of my youth. I don’t want to know every song!

So it was akin to the aligning of the planets when I recently attended a reunion of local radio personalities at Fuddruckers. I happened to meet Lee Wade, writer and editor of BoomerMusicUpdate.Com, an internet site dedicated to finding new music that may be of interest to the Baby Boom generation. “We find current songs that are similar on style to songs Boomers grew up with,” Wade explained.

My interest was piqued. Especially when I found out that the curator behind the songs is none other than Dave “The Duke” Sholin, a former personality and programmer of the legendary KFRC/San Francisco. Sholin is considered by many to be a top programmer and music director, able to pick out hits ... and he picked many of the hits played on KFRC, the influential Bay Area version of KHJ (930 AM) here in Los Angeles.

Boomer Music Update is much like a blog -- Wade has been a writer and editor for online blogs as well as newspapers including the Riverside Press Enterprise and the Pasadena Star News -- that also features the songs being compared. Categories include Pop, Top-40, County, Alternative, and “Everything Goes,” which can include, well, anything.

Can a blog get you up to speed on new music? It’s certainly worth a try. Check it out for yourself and let me know your thoughts.

The Chucker Speaks

The interview Michael Stark and I did with Chuck Martin --one of KHJ’s best program directors ever -- was scheduled to hit the netwaves on July 4th. You can hear it at tinyurl.com/RadioChucker.

Martin was the last programmer of KHJ before they went Country in November, 1980. He is the man responsible for bringing Rick Dees to Los Angeles, putting together an amazing staff, and super-serving the KHJ audience by making the station energetic and rhythmic. The result was the fastest increase in ratings the station ever saw and the highest ratings the station had seen in years ... or since.

The passion Martin has for radio is infectious, and he still has the knowledge and enthusiasm of radio programming, marketing and promotions that is unfortunately missing from so many stations today. 

While Martin spends much of the time talking about KHJ, the interview spans his entire career from his earliest days to his time at K-WEST (now KPWR, 105.9 FM) and beyond. It’s long but if you are a fan or top-40, KHJ or radio in general, I think you will like it.

Curtain Call

The interview with Martin was the last we were able to do before the “final broadcast” of the LA Radio Studio, which is located in part of the Ports O Call Village in San Pedro slated for demolition.

The studio itself is a public service of Jayme Wilson, located a short walk from the Ports O Call Restaurant that he owns. Live and recorded podcasts have originated from the studio for the past eight years; popular shows include Phil Hulett and Friends as well as Radio Waves, hosted by me and Stark among others.

June 29th was the last scheduled podcast, and it was an all-day event. Stark described the day:

“Friday was a great celebration of our eight-year history on the waterfront. I was blown away by the friends, supporters and fellow broadcasters who stopped by for our ‘last broadcast’ from this current location. There are many video clips of the event available on the LA Radio Studio YouTube channel (YouTube.Com/LARadioStudio).

“I can't thank Phil Hulett enough for anchoring the seven-hour event, with Ted ‘Thrashpie’ Prichard and ‘Gonzo’ Greg Spillane co-hosting.

“There is a saying that you are only as good as your last gig ... and I'm proud of this studio's ‘last gig.’ We WILL be back soon.”

The last Hulett show and the remaining hours of the “final broadcast” are streaming continually until further notice. Access via LARadioStudio.Com.

Radio Waves Podcast #227

Radio: June 29, 2018

KLOS (95.5 FM) has survived numerous competitors over the years and continues to prove it is still an amazing station and fully worthy of consideration for one of your radio presets.

This week (or last week, depending on when you read this) is a perfect example. Evening DJ Melissa Maxx has been out, so this week they are bringing in guests to handle the 7 p.m. to 12 midnight shift. Included on the guest list is none other than Rita Wilde, formerly heard on The Sound (now KKLQ, 100.3 FM), KEZY (now KGBN, 1190 AM), and of course KLOS. Rita ‘s shift is/was Thursday June 28th.

Jed the Fish of KROQ (106.7 FM) fame was the Monday guest; comedian label owner and Podcast Star Joe Sib Tuesday, and Full Metal Jackie and Munky from the band Korn on Wednesday. As I write this no one was scheduled for Friday but that may change, as this was being put together fairly quickly.

“It feels like completing the circle,” Wilde told me. One her Facebook page, she told went into more detail.

“I can honestly admit that I never thought I would be able to say the phrase " 955 KLOS" on the radio again. I had a wonderful ride at 3321 S. La Cienega and I am grateful for that magical time and my memories.

“Think about it. 955 KLOS has been a consistent presence in Southern California. Musical trends and personalities have changed but KLOS has remained a rock station for most of our lives. It is an iconic brand, a rock in our lives. I am so honored that I was asked by Program Director Keith Cunningham to be a guest DJ.

“I am blessed and grateful.”

The guest slots happen to be set during the station’s annual blood drive, which runs June 27-30 at locations throughout the area. 

All donors will receive a commemorative 37th Annual KLOS Blood Drive T-shirt, a voucher for a free combo meal courtesy of Wahoo’s Fish Taco, a discount ticket offer from the LA Galaxy and a voucher for one ticket to one of numerous concerts including Scorpions and Queensryche; Deep Purple and Judas Priest; Bush, Stone Temple Pilots and The Cult; Kid Rick; and Foreigner with special guests Whitesnake. Tickets are limited, though, so if you’re interested, reserve a spot online at www.955klos.com right away.

Passings

You may not know the name Arnie McClatchey, but if you grew up in 1970s Orange County, you probably heard him ... even if indirectly. He was a personality at KWIZ/Santa Ana (1480 AM) in 1966; in 1967 became programmer at  1190 KEZY/Anaheim and was the man who changed it to a powerhouse top-40 station around 1968. In 1975 he left to program and later purchase KYMS/Santa Ana (now KALI, 106.3 FM), a station he switched to contemporary Christian music -- among the first in the nation -- and was the start of a longtime association with the format.

He purchased KELP/El Paso, Texas in 1984 and moved to the area permanently in 1994. He passed away June 20th at the age of 76.

East Coast transplants know of Dan Ingram. His 50-year career in top-40 and oldies radio was spent on the giants of the East Coast, including WABC and WCBS-FM in New York. His quick wit and biting satire made him among the most popular DJs in the history of New York radio.

He was also known for playing “special” versions of (sometimes annoying” popular songs. Remember Paul Simons’ “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover?” Ingram’s version was “Fifty Ways to Love Your Leaver.” Paul McCartney’s “My Love Does it Good” became “My Glove Does it Good.” The stuttering on Elton John’s “B-B-B-Benny and the Jets” went on seemingly endlessly. He even re-arranged the letters for the spelling of Saturday in the Bay City Rollers’ “Saturday Night.”

Ingram passed away June 24th at the age of 83.