Radio Waves Podcast #63

This edition of LA Radio Waves http://laradiowaves.com is our first "live" version of the show.  We cover the column and a lot of different radio topics, leading up to our marathon of our "career spanning" radio personality interviews, which can be heard until January 6th on the LARadioStudio.com "stream".......

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It was almost two years in the making, but it finally happened. Dave Beasing, programmer of The Sound (100.3 FM) was (with the help of general manager Peter Burton) able to convince Mark Thompson -- aka “Mark” of Mark and Brian fame -- to return to radio. He’ll be paired with Andy Chanley in the morning shift beginning some time in February. Current morning man Joe Benson will take over Chanley’s mid-day shift at that time as well.

“Mark in the Morning” (I sincerely hope they come up with a better name for the show by the time it hits the airwaves) will air 6-10 every weekday morning, promising, according to the press release, “a rich mix of music and fun conversation, celebrity interviews, comedy, and the type of spontaneous moments that happen naturally when Mark Thompson and a radio microphone are in close proximity.”

I know what you’re thinking. It’s either “I can’t wait to hear him.” Or “I hate that he’s coming because I like hearing music.”

And I understand both sides. Mark and Brian (Phelps) were a staple in Los Angeles for a quarter century on KLOS (95.5 FM). They were very popular. But they played almost no music, which gave competitors like The Sound itself, ironically, a chance to gain listeners by playing the songs that KLOS to this day still does not in the morning. 

Which begs the question: Why do this? The Sound is currently the top-rated classic rock station in town ... why startle the audience by turning off the morning music?

One thing is being left out, though: Who says music won’t be part of the morning? Beasing says that music will indeed be part of the morning show, though he did not get specific. My hunch is that Chanley -- a music expert -- will handle those duties while also acting as a sidekick. At least I hope so.

Some of the most entertaining morning shows have been a combination of music and entertainment. Lohman and Barkley, London and Engelman, Robert W Morgan and the like graced the airwaves of Los Angeles in the past. Currently Kevin and Bean on KROQ (106.7 FM) are music intensive AND have entertaining talk. In my opinion, music helps make the bits better, since they are a transition and buffer. Frankly, I’ve never cared much for most all-talk morning shows.

Plus, Beasing is not stupid. If listeners want music, he’ll give it to them. In the meantime, he freely admits that in a year he’ll either be thought of as a genius or a moron. 

I’m just wondering what confusion will result from the fact that another Mark Thompson can be heard on KFI (640 AM) afternoons 1-3 p.m. as half of Thompson and Espinoza? 

Sounds of the Season

Ken Borgers and David Grudt are once again presenting Sounds of the Season on Borgers’ internet tribute to the original KNOB (now KLAX, 97.9 FM). You can find it at www.JazzKnob.org.

It’s a 36-hour program that starts at noon on Christmas Eve. A highlight of the annual program is a reading of the classic “Twas the Night Before Christmas” by the late, great LA Jazz DJ Chuck Niles, to be heard this year six times: noon and 6 p.m. December 24th; and at midnight, 6 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m. December 25th.

Then on December 31st, hear A Big Band New Years Eve from 4 p.m. to 1 p.m. This program features recording of Big Band concerts including Duke Ellington and many more. 

JazzKnob.org harkens back to Sleepy Stein’s KNOB/Long Beach, playing straight-ahead jazz 24 hours a day. Stein was the owner of the original KNOB, launched in 1957 with 320 watts at its original frequency of 103.1 FM. One year later, he was able to increase power just a bit ... to 79,000 watts ... by moving to 97.9. He sold the station in 1966.

Radio Waves Podcast #62

The Sage from South Central is no longer gracing the airwaves of KABC (790 AM): Larry Elder was let go from the talk station he called home for most of the last 20+ years. He was informed of the move after what turned out to be his last show on December 2nd.

 

Rumors of Elder being replaced have actually been around for a while. He’s been working on a month-to-month contract for the last year or two, according to sources familiar with Elder and the station. Why he was let go so suddenly and without an obvious replacement is unknown, but those same sources hinted that salary may have played an issue.

 

Former local talk host and current internet host Tom Leykis (www.blowmeuptom.com) was the man who broke the story; I asked him -- halfway joking -- if he would be Elder’s replacement. “No,” came the immediate reply, “but you’re not the first to ask me,” he said. 

 

Regardless, for now at least, no replacement has been named.

 

I personally think Leykis would be a good choice, if anyone could talk him into it. There are a few issues, though, for anyone who gets the shift. Primary problem: The Kings. KABC is the Los Angeles flagship for the LA Kings hockey games, and many of the games begin during the late-afternoon/early-evening shift vacated by Elder.

 

While I would be hesitant to say that “no one” listens to the Kings on the radio, that statement would not be far off. Any host hoping to build ratings would be at a huge disadvantage compared with competing stations. At least during hockey season.

 

So who are the potential candidates? Names thrown around include Leykis and Joe Crummey, who took Elder’s place and did a stellar job last week. Rumor had the station courting John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou from competitor KFI (640 AM).

 

On the other hand, the station could do some switching around of the current programs. 

Here’s what is definitely true: For the first time in years, KABC has a chance to make a play against perennial talk leader KFI. KFI is vulnerable. Ratings have been off for various reasons (including questionable methodology on the past of ratings company Nielsen), and some of the shows have gotten a little too predictable.

 

Personally, I would have kept Elder on, but tightened up his format. Elder is an intelligent host who covers issues from a totally different angle than most. Regardless, if KABC makes the right changes, they could start making headway. They already have strong shows in the morning with Doug McIntyre, the vastly improved (compared to his early days on the station) Bryan Suits, and Mid-Day LA with John Phillips and Jillian Barberie. Get a decent show in the evening and dump the weekend infomercials and KABC could make a comeback.

 

Not that I am necessarily counting on them actually doing all that ...

 

As to Elder, if management of KEIB (1150 AM) was smart, they’d hire him. Yesterday. Not only would Elder better complement morning host Rush Limbaugh better than anyone currently on the station, he’d actually be a breath of fresh air on the station. 

 

Elder is more intelligent than the vast majority of talk hosts. He has a BA in political science from Brown University, received a law degree from the University of Michigan in 1977, was recruited by the 9th largest law firm just out of law school, and worked as a commercial trial lawyer in Cleveland before starting his own company and eventually switching to radio.

 

The combination of Limbaugh-Elder on KEIB could really pull some ratings ... IF -- and that is a big if -- KEIB management and owner Clear Channel actually want KEIB to succeed. You see, KEIB is sister to KFI. And if KEIB succeeds at the expense of KFI ... let’s just say that will never be allowed to happen. 

 

For now, Elder can be heard on the internet at LarryElder.Com

 

Career Spanning Radio

 

Michael Stark and I have been doing interviews with some of radio’s recent greats. Fun, career-spanning interviews, in fact, recorded at the LA Radio Studio in San Pedro. 

 

Beginning at 7 PM on Wednesday, December 17th, Stark will be running a marathon of these interviews played randomly. Podcasts on Shuffle, you might call it, repeated continually for about three weeks.

 

You’ll want to hear them too. The list includes Dave Hull, Lee Marshall (recorded fairly shortly before his death), Jeff Gonzer, Darrell Wayne, Mo’ Kelly, Gino Michelini, Dr. Demento, Cynthia Fox, JJ Johnson, Dave Beasing, Elliot Mintz, Ace Young, Jim “Poorman” Trenton, a tribute to Liz Fulton, and the just-completed super-high-energy interview that will start off the marathon: Shotgun Tom Kelly!

 

For information, head over to www.LARadioWaves.com.

Radio Waves Podcast #61

KMET Alumni and other friends planning benefit concert for Paraquat Kelley.

 

Most people remember Patrick “Paraquat” Kelley from his work as a newsman at the legendary KMET (now KTWV, 94.7 FM). His years there included the glory days of the station under master programmer Sam Bellamy, and he is certainly one of the reasons for the station’s success.

 

Kelley’s training began in his younger years when he landed a job as a delivery boy at the original KMPC (now KSPN, 710 AM). He got to hang out with the likes of Gary Owens, Geoff Edwards, Jack Angel, Ira Cook, Dick Whittinghill and Roger Carroll. He later worked at stations in Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and West Covina.

 

But it was at KMET where he shined. Perhaps it was a match made in heaven, but the time was right for his style of news on a station that took news seriously. Or at least the type of news that would appeal to the type of person who would listen to KMET.

 

Most stations felt that the FCC news requirement was a drag. Interestingly, successful stations such as KHJ (930 AM) and KFRC/San Francisco didn’t. Their idea was to make news as interesting as it could be. KMET followed suit.

 

“We decided to make the news a tune in feature rather than tune out,” Kelley told LARadio.Com’s Don Barrett. “So we’d start off the news with something that was so bizarre you’d go, ‘What?’ How could you turn that off? My lead story might be about a guy that makes jewelry out of quail dung. Nobody was doing this kind of news in the seventies. If you were in your car, you’d have to stop, pull off the side of the road and listen to this guy. That’s how we did it.”

 

The Paraquat nickname actually came from a news story about the herbicide of the same name that was being sprayed on marijuana plants in Mexico by the US Drug Enforcement Agency in an attempt to kill the “weed.” Turns out that remnants of the chemical were left on plants and traces were found on marijuana confiscated at the US/Mexico border. Smokers of the tainted weed, doctors were finding, could suffer irreparable lung damage. Kelley was reporting on the story when he quipped “What? Somebody smokes pot that listens to KMET?”

 

After that he became Paraquat Kelley, which meant that every time the news on the issue was reported, Kelley got free press. Including on competing KLOS (95.5 FM). Ironically, my understanding is that Kelley himself never did illegal drugs, including marijuana.

 

In 2003, Kelley was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, is a disease in which someone’s immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerves. Myelin damage disrupts communication between the brain and the rest of the body, causing problems with movement and speech. Another irony: marijuana may have a beneficial affect on MS sufferers.

 

Kelley is now battling advanced stages of the disease. He is confined to a wheelchair, and the mounting medical bills are putting a lot of pressure on him and his wife, Melody Rogers. So some friends, including musicians and KMET alumni, are putting together a one-night (December 14th) special event at the Canyon Club, 28912 Roadside Drive in Agoura Hills to help raise funds for his treatments.

 

It’s called The Mighty Met Acoustic Flashback Honoring Paraquat Kelley. Confirmed performers include George Thorogood, Little Feat's Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett and more, but the real treats are the hosts of the event: KMET alumni Jeff Gonzer, Jim Ladd and Cynthia Fox. I’d expect more to arrive as well. Gonzer is retired, but Fox can be heard evenings on The Sound (KSWD 100.3 FM) which is one of the event’s sponsors, and Ladd is playing freeform rock on Sirius/XM satellite radio Channel 27.

 

Tickets for the benefit concert can be purchased through Ticketmaster (or pay with cash at the box office and save on processing fees) and range from $29 to $58. Go to www.canyonclub.net or call 818-879-5016 for information and to and reserve dinner. Doors open at 6 p.m.; show starts at 7:30.

Radio Waves Podcast #60

Every year, Don Barrett has taken a poll of subscribers and visitors of his radio “watercooler,” LARadio.Com. The results have been trickling out over the past week or so, and as it turns out, they are a list of the heavy-hitters in Los Angeles radio. Barrett says that over 200 people participated in the poll this year.

 

The morning favorite was Doug McIntyre of KABC (790 AM) followed by Bill Handel of KFI (640 AM), KROQ’s (106.7 FM) Kevin and Bean, KNX’s (1070 AM) morning duo of Vicky Moore and Dick Helton, Joe Benson of The Sound (KSWD, 100.3 FM), Colin Cowherd on KSPN (710 AM), KPWR’s (105.9 FM) Big Boy, KRLA’s (870 AM) Brian Whitman, Ben Shapiro and Elisha Kraus, and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio’s Howard Stern (Channel 100).

 

Favorites from 9 am to 12 noon were, in order, favorite Dennis Prager (KRLA), Jim Carson (KRTH 101.1 FM), Rush Limbaugh (KEIB, 1150 AM), KABC’s Bryan Suits, KFI’s Bill Carroll, Linda Nunez and Tom Haule of KNX, Andy Chanley of The Sound, KFWB’s (980 AM) Jim Rome, Kat Corbett (KROQ) and Kychal Thompson (KSPN).

 

From Noon to 3 the winners were John Phillips and Jillian Barberie (KABC), Mason and Ireland (KSPN), Jim Carson (KRTH) Sean Hannity (KEIB), the wild mixture of people on KNX, Andy Chanley again (his shift overlaps), Michael Medved (KRLA), Larry Mantle (KPCC, 89.3 FM), Jack on KCBS-FM (93.1), and KFI’s Thompson and Espinosa.

 

And finally, just this week, afternoons came out with the winner being John and Ken (KFI) followed by Diane Thomson and Jim Thornton (KNX), “Shotgun” Tom Kelly (KRTH), Larry Elder (KABC), Julie Slater (The Sound), Hugh Hewitt (KRLA), Rich Capperela (KUSC, 91.5 FM), Gary Moore (KLOS, 95.5 FM), Deborah Howell (The Wave, 94.7 FM), and Petros Papadakis and Matt “Money” Smith (KLAC, 570 AM).

 

Heavy hitters, yes. But did you notice something interesting? If you go by this list, AM radio is on par with FM in popularity, and talk and sports dominated. Obviously there is a little skewing going on.

And of course, there is. The responses came from readers and subscribers of LARadio.Com, a website that tends to attract radio fans (fanatics?), probably (read: definitely) skews older than the average radio listener and in general attracts people like me. Would my votes be the same as the results? In some cases yes, but for the most part, interestingly, no. But that is because of my aversion to political talk radio.

 

Yet without exception (or perhaps more accurately with few exceptions), I respect and admire every broadcaster on the list. And it does make you realize that radio is still a powerful medium that reaches the hearts and minds of listeners. As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week and spend time with our families, I, for one, am thankful that I can still hear my “radio family” on the air. No other medium is so intimate, so personal. 

 

Happy thanksgiving, and I hope you enjoy the start of the holiday season.

Radio Waves Podcast #59

Malibu is about to get its own radio station.

 

Hans Laetz announced that construction will begin soon for the transmitter system that will broadcast KBUU (97.5 FM), a brand-new low-power FM designed to cover Malibu with a city-grade signal and coverage extending from the tunnel off the 10 Freeway in Santa Monica all the way to the Ventura County Line. All that with about 100 watts of effective radiated power.

 

The plan is to become an affiliate of National Public Radio. Yes, I thought the same thing: do we really need another NPR station when Southern California already has about 400 such affiliates? Laetz explains it this way: 

 

“Malibu is arguably the only municipality in all of California without reliable NPR coverage. The mountains block KCRW and KPCC and we are getting a lot of requests from Malibu people for ‘Morning Edition’ and ‘All Things Considered.’” He says the current affiliates have been supportive, but he has not heard anything yet from NPR itself.

 

The good thing is that Laetz isn’t planning NPR all day. Frankly, it would defeat the purpose of low-power community radio to have a national programming service. Northing against NPR itself, but my main complaint of current college-owned stations is that they are almost all professionally-run and staffed stations -- with no students involved other than as peons -- and thus are not following the terms and requirements of their educational licenses. But I digress.

 

Laetz appeases me when he continues. “We have some very exciting ideas for 9a-5p and after 7. We are going to let community members program their shows. Daytimes, overnights and weekends will be modern rock with a coastal twist. A little Hawaiian slack key and Texas roadhouse rock thrown in.

 

When will it happen? 

 

“Quite literally, the engineer and I are going to go up the hill with shovels to dig the hole for the 97.5 tower foundation next week,” Laetz said. “We've ordered and paid for the antenna and transmitter. We could ... emphasis could ... be on the air for testing and calibration around December 10. We are awaiting fiber lines to be trenched up the hill by the phone company and can't really go on the air 24/7  until that happens (although we could park a laptop up there and read the meters via cellphone email).

“I am telling my board of directors I plan ... emphasis on PLAN ... to do a soft rollout on Jan. 5 or so ... This is going to be fun.” 

It certainly will. More on this as it develops.

 

KLOS Property Sold

 

Not the station, just the property. The land that houses the studios of KLOS (95.5 FM) as well as the studios and transmitter of KABC (790 AM) is in the process of being sold, according to industry reports. A contract to sell the 10 acre parcel -- located in Baldwin Hills -- for about $125 million has been signed and will take 12-18 months to close.

 

What will happen to the land is unknown. Right now reports are that Cumulus will lease it back, but longterm the land would have to be developed to bring in that kind of cash. And if it is developed, you can kiss goodbye any chance of KABC being heard from that location ... engineers I spoke with explained that any building on the land will destroy the AM ground system buried there, rendering the KABC signal essentially worthless.

 

So when it comes down to it, Cumulus seems to have decided that the land underneath KABC is worth more than the station itself. Regardless, the sale will help Cumulus pay off some of its staggering debt, estimated right now at $2.5 billion.

Radio Waves Podcast #58

Old news that I neglected to report: Don Barrett’s LARadio.Com is officially back in action after being shut down for the “last time” in 2012.

 

The local radio news site was only truly down a short while. After some time off for relaxation and thinking, Barrett began to do occasional updates when big or newsworthy events came around. 

Now its updated pretty much daily, or at least weekday daily. The site itself is free, though readers can support him with a modest donation that brings in extra coverage of radio events via email.

If you’ve never been to LARadio.Com, you owe it to yourself to visit. Barrett is a big supporter, critic, cheerleader, and historian for Los Angeles and Southern California radio. 

 

ReelRadio Limbo

 

The ReelRadio.Com saga continues, with absolutely no new word yet on their negotiations with the Recording Industry Association of America (aka “the evil” RIAA) to try to run “unscoped” (i.e. including full song recordings) airchecks of classic radio from the past.

 

The main page just mentions that “patience is a virtue.” Hopefully that means some real headway is being made in the organizations discussions with attorneys.

 

Shannon in LA

 

Scott Shannon returns to the Los Angeles airwaves ... via a syndicated program heard Sundays from 6 to 10 a.m. on KRTH (101.1 FM).

 

I’ve only heard (part of) it once, so far, but it is an oldies-based show featuring the top hits from a particular month and year, from what I can tell. Called “America;s Greatest Hits,” it essentially replaces the Beatles programming formerly heard on KRTH Sunday mornings.

 

Shannon was the creative force behind Pirate Radio KQLZ (now The Sound, 100.3 FM) back in the 1990s. Hard to believe its been that long.

 

Readers Revenge

 

You had some interesting insights and opinions on some of my recent columns. Here’s a sample:

 

“I would like to get in on this Christmas music pool. I believe KOST 103.5 FM will start playing all Christmas and winter songs starting on Thursday, November 13, at 12 noon.  I believe KTWV 94.7 FM will be the only other local radio station that will be playing all Christmas and winter songs, starting on Wednesday, November 12, at 6:00 p.m.  I don't think either station will start any earlier than that, they usually wait until the Veteran's Day holiday is over. 

“It will be fun to see what others think. If KTWV does play all Christmas music, I think they will stop on Christmas day, at midnight, December 26. I think KOST will stop sometime on Friday, December 26, probably around 6:00 p.m.” -- Russ, Glandale 

 

Regarding my living in the past and my constant talking about Boss Radio: “You think the 1980s was ‘long ago.’ I remember when KHJ was part of the Mutual Broadcasting System, and Frank De Vol had the staff band. -- Ray Sherman

Radio Waves Podcast #57

November 17th is the expected launch date of the all-new, all-Catholic 93/KHJ (I sincerely hope they don’t do the lame “AM-930” type of name made popular by such stations as KFI ... AM 640).

There is somewhat of a cosmic force at work here. For those who are as insane as I am about radio (and KHJ in particular), you may remember that it was on a cold, dark night almost to the day 34 years ago -- 9 PM on November 7, 1980 -- when the suits at RKO forced KHJ to make the ill-fated switch from top-40 to country. The world of radio was never right again.

Too melodramatic?

Anyway, Immaculate Heart Radio expects to have full control of the station and change over to their syndicated religious programming sometime on  November 17th. They are planning a big launch event, which you can read about as it develops at http://ihradio.com/khj-invite.

I suppose this means I need to start lobbying hard to try to convince them to allow me to run a weekly upbeat, positive-message pop music program to keep the real spirit of Boss Radio KHJ alive. I’m not thinking actual religious music, but pop music with upbeat, positive lyrics very similar to what KHJ tended to play during its top-40 days ... an era when one station could actually appeal to the whole family.

Wouldn’t it be cool to have the old KHJ back (with some current music), if only for a few hours a week? I’m sure the chance of doing so is nil, but still ... It could even attract listeners to the regular format. I do understand that Immaculate Heart Radio founder Doug Sherman grew up listening to KHJ. Perhaps at least he could run the old jingles.

What Went Wrong

So what went wrong in the dark days of 1980? What made KHJ change to country in the first place, only to stumble for a few years before being sold off twice and changing to Spanish music sometime around 1988?

Most observers blame FM. With better fidelity, there is some truth to it. But far more important was the revolving door of programmers, and inept upper management in the ranks of owner RKO General who essentially destroyed any real chance KHJ had to compete. As my friend Michael Stark says, bad management is not a new thing ... it goes back decades.

What did they do? First off, constantly changing focus. KHJ had one programmer -- ONE -- from the top-40 launch in 1965 to when Ron Jacobs left in 1970. Jacobs had a laser focus on everything, supported by consultants Bill Drake and Gene Chanault, who were forced out soon after Jacobs left. After that, a new programmer seemed to arrive every year or so, often tweaking the format in negative ways, but many just living off of KHJ’s past. Just as FM competition was heating up, KHJ added to their commercial load each hour. Music narrowed. Disco arrived. Talent was under-appreciated, causing some of the station’s best talent to jump ship.

When great programmers did stay around a while, the RKO suits often interfered, such as the rumored forcing of Chuck Martin -- KHJ’s last top-40 programmer and the man who brought it back from the dead -- to remove “ethnic” music from the playlist. Some felt it was a way to save face when the ratings were good and the suits had already made the decision to go country. In the end, listeners didn’t leave for FM, they were pushed.

This is all ancient history, of course, and it ultimately wouldn’t matter. In 1987, RKO was found by the FCC to be unfit to hold a broadcast license due to fraudulent billing practices and related company actions dating back years, and they were forced to divest all stations, including KHJ.

Hard to believe it was that long ago. I really do need to spend some time in the present ...

Christmas Music Pool

Anyone want to guess the correct date and time of the switch to Christmas music by KOST (103.5 FM)? Second contest: will any other local stations make the switch this year? For KOST, it’s always been a ratings booster. For others, not so much. But the temptation is always there.