Radio Waves Podcast #92

KNX (1070 AM) recently won three awards for editorial excellence from the Los Angeles Press Club at its 57th Southern California Journalism Awards dinner held in late June at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.

 

Programming (as well as producers and anchors) that won the awards included Investigative, for “Running on Empty: Our Epic Drought” (Charles Feldman and Laraine Herman; News/Feature Short Form, for “Ed Begley’s Not Running on Empty” (Chris Sedens); and Talk/Public Affairs, for the continuing program “Ask the Mayor” (Charles Feldman, Tom Haule, Jonathan Serviss, Diane Dray, and Logan Moy).

 

KNX celebrated its 47th anniversary in April and has been serving Southern California for 93 years.

 

Digital Mozart 

 

I had read in the trades that K-Mozart (KMZT, 1260 AM) had started broadcasting using HD digital radio streams in addition to the regular analog signal most people hear. 

 

At first I thought it was a mistake since I could not even receive the text data that shows up on an HD radio receiver prior to you being able to hear the improved signal quality.

It turns out I was just too far from the transmitter, which is located deep in the San Fernando Valley. As I traveled recently to Studio City, I was finally able to hear it for myself. And it sounds impressive.

 

Keeping in mind that my ears are novices when it comes to classical, I thought the HD signal sounded superb. No noise, clear highs, and an overall sound that I considered superior to that found on the 105.1 HD2 simulcast. If I lived locally, that’s how I would listen; those like me further away would either need to listen to analog or the FM HD simulcast.

 

This “listening test” came about the same time that a report was released studying the feasibility of an all-digital AM band. I asked KMZT owner Saul Levine his thoughts on the issue. It’s a risky venture, as all digital would make the vast majority of AM radios obsolete.

 

“I believe the future of AM radio is full HD digital operation,” he told me enthusiastically. “I am prepared to go all HD at least part time in the future.” It appears that the broadcasting maverick -- he launched one of the earliest FM stations in Los Angeles back in 1958 -- is still a maverick. 

 

Yet over at KFI (640 AM) the HD signal has been of for close to a month. I tried unsuccessfully to get through to the engineering department by press time to find out why; I’ll (hopefully) have an update soon.

 

New Weekenders

 

Alt 98.7 (KYSR) has added Marty and Ashlee to the weekend air staff. I think it’s great that iHeart Media is finally working on building up local talent, As you know radio will only survive if if does what it constantly claims to do: serve the local community.

 

What’s that? “Both Marty and Aslee will still continue in their current roles at sister Active Rock KIOZ (Rock 105.3)/San Diego,” according to the press release. So iHeart, er, iHate Media is still too cheap and, let’s just use the correct word -- stupid -- to actually program a local station? You mean to tell me there were no local DJs that could have helped develop a station for Los Angeles? Or put another way, you mean to tell me that a major Los Angeles station cannot afford -- or lacks the drive -- to hire their own talent for their own station?

 

Seriously?

 

Tell me again why I should bother listening to an iHate Media station rather than my iPod? Crickets ...

 

I cannot wait for iHate, CBS and Cumulus to just implode from the staggering debt they have collectively taken on by destroying radio as we know it.

 

Cuts

 

Nationwide cuts at CBS Radio and Cumulus Media have been in the news lately, though determining who was cut where is proving difficult. The only one I can verify locally is Freddy Snakeskin, who was the “image writer” for Jack FM (KCBS-FM, 93.1) as well as the programmer for the Roq of the 80s format heard on digital 106.7 HD2.

 

As these companies amputate appendages and sever arteries in an attempt to make money before their business model fails ... again, one thing stands out: a rumor that CBS radio stations are going to be offered up for sale and that Cumulus may be the buyer.

Radio Waves Podcast #91

“My mom passed away early this morning in Detroit,” began the message posted to Shana Livigni’s Facebook page last weekend by her son Tony. “There is nothing at all to indicate how she passed away; it happened in her sleep.”

Livigni (born Margaret Reichl), who on the air was known only as “Shana,” was a pioneering female in male-dominated top-40 and album-rock radio. She was the first female DJ on top-40 KFRC/San Francisco back in 1974; in 1976 she became the first female DJ to hit the airwaves of top-40 KHJ (930 AM) when programmer Charlie Van Dyke lured her to Southern California.

“She worked overnights,” said Van Dyke on Facebook. “Our shifts crossed every day at 6 a.m.; I loved driving in, listening to her skills on the air. Her first language was German, so her English had a unique quality that you couldn’t nail down. KHJ’s first lady DJ. A lady, indeed.”

After KHJ she moved on to KEZY (now KGBN, 1190 AM) during its AOR years, followed by a year at KROQ (106.7 FM). But it was at KLOS (95.5 FM) where she really made her mark.

She started at KLOS in 1980. But in 1984 she was paired with newsman Chuck Moshontz to replace Frazier Smith in the morning shift, one of the few times -- still -- that a woman hosted a morning show. Interestingly, the same “experiment” was happening at crosstown rival KMET (now KTWV, 94.7 FM) where Cynthia Fox was paired with newsman Pat Kelley. Shana is still fondly remembered for her work -- including a sense of happiness and humor that permeated her shows at KLOS and later KLSX (now KAMP, 97.1 FM), where she stayed until 1995. 

She was a writer and editor for Album Network Magazine, taught broadcasting classes at UCLA and Pasadena City College (even hosted at show at KPCC 89.3 FM in 1996 and 1997), worked as a talent coordinator for the syndicated radio program Rockline, did voiceover work and hosted fundraising events. Her last regular on-air shift locally was at KCBS-FM (93.1) in 2005.

She had just recently moved to Michigan to be closer to her family. According to her son Tony, “She was very happy in recent months and living some of the happiest days of her life.” 

“I worked with Shana twice, once indirectly and more recently, a lot closer,” Mary Lyon -- another female LA radio pioneer -- told me. “She was already a pioneer, as one of the first women to break into major market rock radio in the mid-70s, at KFRC in San Francisco. I first met her after she arrived in L.A., at what was then the Top-40 powerhouse 93 KHJ-AM, where I handled morning news. She ruled late nights, and thus became a distinguished member of the then-fledgeling L.A. radio sisterhood.

“She later took over morning drive on KLOS -- the first woman to do that. Her face was on every bus billboard in town! I felt so proud of her, because women at the helm in morning drive were rare back then. It was a HUGE accomplishment at that time. “She was funny, too, with her smoky voice and quick wit. Great show - very irreverent, a touch rowdy, add some rock 'n' roll gossip and lots of laughs, plus, she sure knew her music and most of the artists behind it. If you were marooned in morning traffic, she was always terrific company! 

“And all the while she was a devoted mom juggling the responsibilities of three kids she adored. Shana eventually became a rock 'n' roll godmother to my son's rock band, ACIDIC, when they were just starting, and she helped guide them on their way to becoming a national touring band. I was so glad to have her as a friend! We all were. I miss her a lot.”

We all do. Services are pending.

Safe and Sound

When word came down last week that Bonneville Broadcasting was going to trade The Sound (KSWD, 100.3 FM) to Entercom in exchange for a cluster of stations in Denver, I assumed the worst.

As of now, however, it seems I was wrong. With the station hitting a high in the ratings and it seeming to be on a roll, it appears that Entercom will let it roll, and no staffing changes or changes in direction are expected. That is good. Entercom assumed operations of The Sound July 13th.

In other news, The Sound was nominated for a Marconi in the category of Rock Station of the Year for the second year in a row ... the only local album rock station to be nominated.

KIIS-FM (102.7 FM) was nominated for Major Market Station of the Year; My FM (KBIG, 104.3 FM) for Adult Contemporary Station of the Year, KKLA (99.5 FM) for Religious Station of the Year, and KIIS-FM’s Ryan Seacrest was nominated for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year.

The Marconi Awards are presented by the National Association of Broadcasters and winners will be announced October 1st.

Radio Waves Podcast #90

Any doubts regarding the direction of the music on KRTH (101.1 FM) have been put to rest with the release of the June Nielsen ratings. The oldies -- er, classic hits -- station had the top spot to itself, completing at least six months as the top-rated station in Los Angeles with the exception of April, in which it was 2nd.

And for one of the very few times since I have been writing this column, KIIS-FM was not in the top-two. It was close, but the longtime leader was bested by sister stations My FM (KBIG, 104.3 FM) and KOST (103.5 FM) which tied for 2nd, leaving KIIS-FM at 4th. A very close 4th.

 

Generally speaking, all the regulars were in their place ... The Sound (KSWD, 100.3 FM) as the top classic rocker 6th, followed by Jack (KCBS-FM, 93.1) in 7th, for example. But two stations managed to either make or solidify previously-made moves and each one is worth mentioning.

First is The Wave, (KTWV, 94.7 FM). As Dan Kearney, Senior VP and Market Manager of the station explained, “What began as a hip-hop battle between Power 106 (KPWR, 105.9 FM) and Real 92.3 (KRRL) has turned into a bigger story for The Wave. We were already making changes to the Wave’s sound and then caught a break when Hot 92.3 decided to go after Power and switch to Real.”

The result? In October, the Wave was #22 in the Los Angeles ratings market. Now it is 5th ... with the highest share of the ratings since ... I can remember, perhaps since it was album rocker KMET. And it’s not a fluke ... outside of a slight statistically insignificant drop this month to 4.2 rating compared with May’s 4.4, the station has been building a steadily and has added nearly a million listeners. I guess those old-school hits The Wave added when Hot dropped the format are a little more appealing than thought ...

The second station with big news is Go Country (KKGO, 105.1 FM) which jumped more than half a point to its highest rating. For the frequency. Ever. It’s 12th place 3.0 share along with a daily cumulative audience of over 1.3 million places it in the coveted position of being the most-listened-to country station in the United States. 

Ironically, Go Country beat Power 106 (2.7 rating; ted for 15th) which is owned by the company that dropped country years ago because of owner Emmis’ thinking that the potential country audience was too low. I’m not sure what this means for Power 106, which has been hard hit by competitor Real 92.3 (11th place at 3.1). Is Power on its way out? Can we get Chuck Martin to recreate K-West 106? Hey, I can dream ...

KLOS (95.5 FM) is finally moving in the right direction, tied for 16th at 2.7. Just two months ago the station was on life support at 2.0, the rating it held since at least January. Why the move? KLOS programmer Keith Cunningham is deliberately differentiating the station from the competition playing a different mix of music.

Correction: Last week I mentioned talk station KRLA but had a flashback to the old top-40/oldies station. The correct frequency for talker KRLA is 870 AM).

The full story; Each rating is an estimate of the percentage of listeners aged 6 and over tuned to a station between the hours of 6 a.m. and 12 midnight as determined by Nielsen Ratings:

1. KRTH (5.2) 2.KBIG, KOST (5.1) 4. KIIS-FM (4.9) 5. KTWV (4.2) 6. KSWD (3.7) 7. KCBS-FM (3.6) 8. KFI (3.5) 9. KAMP (3.4) 10. KLVE (3.3)

11. KRRL (3.1) 12. KKGO (3.0) 13. KLAX (2.9) 14. KRCD (2.8) 15. KLOS, KNX, KPWR, KROQ (2.7) 19. KSCA (2.4) 20. KLYY, KYSR (2.3)

22. KPCC (2.0) 23. KXOL (1.8) 24. KBUE (1.6) 25. KUSD (1.5) 26. KCRW (1.4) 27. KSPN (1.3) 28. KDAY (1.2) 29. KJLH (1.0) 30. KEIB, KFSH, KLAC, KSSE, KWIZ (0.9)

35. KKJZ, KRLA (0.7) 37. KKLA (0.5) 38. KABC (0.4) 39. KLAA, KTNQ (0.3) 41. KFWB, KPFK (0.2)

Radio Waves Podcast #89

Last month I mentioned just a handful of what I consider interesting non-political talk shows, including some on the air and one available as a podcast. This was in response to a letter from reader Evelyn in Sylmar, who lamented a lack of choice regarding many talk shows.

The limited handful was on purpose. I didn’t want to mention many because I wanted to see what you thought. And as always, you came through. Here is a sample:

Michael R. Moore or Duarte, who has been reading the Pasadena Star News for over 52 years (thank you!) wrote, “I could not believe you overlooked one individual. I will assume it was simply an oversight ... I am referring of course to Leon Kaplan's "Motor Man" radio show on KABC every Sunday morning from 8:00 am to 10:00 a.m., where he helps so many callers with their car, truck, motorcycle, and airplane questions. He has been on the air for DECADES. It is a first class show and very educational.”

Saundra Sheffer of San Dimas says: “Anybody who wants humor, stories, memoirs, issues, etc, etc. would do well to check out KPCC (89.3 FM). Weekend programming is different from weekday programming. Try it all! 

“I especially recommend Larry Mantle (weekdays 11 - 1) for issues. The wonderful Click and Clack the Tapit Brothers are still on via re-runs on Saturday mornings, along with the quiz show Wait, wait, don't tell me! Then there's Garrison Keillor and his weekly mix of humor, fake ads, corny jokes, the week in Lake Wobegon, some hymns thrown in now and then--real down home stuff. Science, recipes, you can find it all on KPCC. They strive to be non-partisan and equal when it comes to politics and controversial issues”

Edward Larkin of San Gabriel wrote: “Here is one I enjoy ... it's on Saturday morning 7-9  on KSPN  710 AM) and it's called “Weekend Warrior” and it features an Orthopedic Doctor who answers questions from the listeners on their sports injuries. The show is part medicine and part philosophy ... Give it a try.” (I can use that one).

One reader mentioned Dennis Prager, heard locally on KRLA (1110 AM) 9 a.m. to 12 noon or on KTIE (590 AM) in the Inland Empire 7 - 10 p.m. I had to disqualify his program from the discussion, though, since it is a political talk show (even if it is one of the better of the genre) and this discussion is on non-political shows.

Other shows mentioned by readers include Tim Conway (KFI 640 AM weekdays 7 - 10 p.m., Coast to Coast (KFI weeknights 10 p.m. to 12 midnight), Dr. Drew Midday Live (KABC 790 AM weekdays noon - 3 p.m.), John Phillips and Julian Barberie (KABC  weekdays 3 - 6 p.m.), and a few that I already mentioned including podcast Phil Hulett and Friends available at PhilHulettandFriends.Com.

Of course what column on non-political talk shows would be complete without mention of The Tom Leykis Show? Yes, he does get political -- politics was Leykis’ first entry into talk -- but for the most part it is politically incorrect. Relationship advice from a male perspective (i.e. how to bag a chick) along with ... well, maybe that’s about it ... (BlowMeUpTom.Com).

Have SiriusXM? Talk with your animals with host Sonya Fitzpatrick on Animal Intuition (Sundays 1-3 p.m. and 7 - 9 p.m. on Channel 109); and hear Dr. Laura still giving advice to people who should already know what she’s going to say (weekdays 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Channel 109)

Shutting Down

LARadio.Com is shutting down. Again. This time I think it’s for good. It was actually supposed to be gone already but site owner Don Barrett just can’t get radio out of his blood. The problem is the site still makes little money for the time spent reporting and Barrett wants to spend more time with his family. Expect it to shut down by the end of the month, after he is done highlighting radio’s best on and off-air people, and allowing readers to reminisce.

Radio Waves Podcast #88

The goal for the “We Want More ...” fundraiser at Long Beach State’s student-run K-Beach Radio (heard on digital HD radio’s via 88.1 HD3) earlier this month was a modest $5000.

Modest or not, listeners and supporters -- including Turkish Airways and HD Radio developer Ibiquity Digital -- helped them zip right past that goal ... the 88.1 hour event raised over $9000. This will go a long way toward improving and modernizing the station that is already lightyears ahead of what I remember from my college days at UCLA’s student run KLA.

As to the weekend fundraiser itself, it was quite fun hearing the student DJs live rather than prerecorded as is usual. Everything went smoothly according to station adviser Danny Lemos ... perhaps this will mean more live programming in the near future.

Sound Donation

For one week, June 15 - June 21, The Sound (KSWD, 100.3 FM) ran a contest of sorts: counting the number of commercials played on KLOS (95.5 FM). The bit? Mark “in the morning” Thompson would donate $1 for every commercial played on the Sound competitor to SPCA-LA (spcala.org), dedicated to the prevention of cruelty to animals since 1877.

It’s an ingenious promotion, hearkening back to the days of the old KMET-KLOS rivalry and essentially all in fun. In the end, KLOS played 2165 commercials between the hours of 6 am and 12 midnight, according to Sound programmer Dave Beasing. “We didn’t count overnights because we didn’t want them to jam extra commercials in to overnights just to run up the total,” he tole me.

Where did that 2165 -- meaning a $2165 donation -- come from? I figured they pulled it out of their, er, hat. I was wrong ... it turns out that they used an industry monitoring service that does the counting for them. “It got crazy how much money it became” Thompson told his “therapist” (a dog) in a video available on the Sound website (TheSoundLA.Com).

Where are the home HD radios?

I had a chance to talk with Joe D’Angelo, senior VP of Ibiquity’s marketing and broadcast business, to discuss the current state of HD Radio. The conversation was inspired by a column earlier this year in which I lamented that HD radio is still relatively unknown by much of the general public. And I’m not referring to the ‘80s alternative band.

HD sends digital signals as a “sandwich” around the main analog signal of a radio station; AM stations using the technology sound much cleaner and FM stations can offer extra channels such as K-Beach mentioned above.

After talking with D’Angelo, I will stand somewhat corrected. Awareness is going up, he says, due to the simple fact that the technology is being found in cars (every manufacturer offers at least one model with HD, and the number is increasing) as well as aftermarket stereos at competitive price points.

“There have been 25 million HD radios sold,” according to D’Angelo. And those who own the radios are discovering the improved sound and extra stations ... and telling their friends. There are also many compelling stations to be heard, such as KROQ’s Roq of the ‘80s format (106.7 HD2) and the Smooth Jazz format (94.7 HD2) that used to run on the main channel of The Wave.

But what about home radios, I asked ... apparently living in the past. With just a few exceptions, they are not found on the shelves of local electronics retailers.

“You won’t find many traditional stereo receivers or table radios at all in those stores,” D’Angelo explained. “That category of products is going away, replaced by such things as bluetooth speakers that tie into your iPhone, Android or iPod. In response, electronics manufacturers are developing some exciting products including an HD network radio that streams to everything connected to your home network and tuned through an app on your smartphone or computer.

This sounds exciting. In the meantime, if you want to know what HD stations are available to you locally, you can download the “HD Radio Guide” app on your phone. I did, and I found it quite helpful.

Radio Waves Podcast #87

I received a very passionate letter recently, from reader Evelyn in Sylmar:

“First, understand that I am a true OLDIE.  That includes taste in music. However, what I miss terribly is not radio music of ANY kind. What I miss is something other than music and news!

“In my old listening days, L A's radios offered interesting and intelligent and purposeful TALK. Like, for instance, Clark Howard and Dave Ramsey, and going back even further, names I can no longer recall (which could be said about almost anyone' s name nowadays). So now I have only KFI's Saturday morning legal beagle to look forward to....and I DO.

“You appear to present only a music (if it can be called that) profile. Is that because you are still too young to appreciate entertaining and practical information? Well, not all of us out here with home radios are that young and cold to the sound of a speaking voice: Why do we not have any of these choices available to us?”

Interestingly, I have the same lament as does Evelyn... one of the reasons I tend to gravitate toward music more and more these days is the dearth of what I consider informative talk radio programs. For a time I found political talk radio interesting, but I’ve grown tired of the constant negativity, and in many cases the truth-stretching and occasional outright lies stated by some hosts to further their agenda. And no, I am not referring to Rush Limbaugh.

But the question is one I have as well ... what happened to the informative brand of talk radio, as opposed to what you might call Agenda Talk? Bruce Williams ... Hilly Rose ... well, the good news is that there are still shows around like that; you just have to search for them.

You mention a few. Bill Handle’s morning program on KFI (640 AM) is superb, though I know you are actually referring to his Saturday morning Handel on the Law program that airs from 6 to 11 a.m. KFI weekends, in fact, are full of entertaining non-political shows including Leo Laporte (technology, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays) and Ric Edelman (investments, 2 - 4 p.m. Sundays).

Dave Ramsey and Clark Howard can still be heard on KEIB (1150 AM)  3-6 and 6-9 p.m., respectively.

 

Phil Hulett can’t be heard on local radio any more, but you can catch his “Phil Hulett and Friends” talk about almost anything but politics via his online feed at philhulettandfriends.com. Recent topics ranged from dinosaurs to relationship skills to lemonade stands.

I’ve noticed that these and similar shows seem to have a buzz about them as of late, and I personally believe they will be the future of talk radio. Not that political talk will completely go away, but I can see an era in which we return to more generalized, informative shows on stations that tend to be more balanced in perspective. Stations dedicated solely to politics just don’t cut it with audiences any more. 

But it will take a while and it will require stations to do some real marketing and promotions to let people know about the programs ... does anyone else find it interesting that radio stations do such a bad job promoting themselves when they are in the business of promoting businesses through their advertisements?

All Digital Radio

The National Association of Broadcasters released a white paper that discusses the feasibility of an all-digital broadcast service on the AM band, looking at the engineering problems involved. In general, the study found that all-digital can work, can reduce interference compared with today’s analog or analog-digital hybrid system, and can increase fidelity.

The problem, of course, is that moving to all-digital would render millions of radios obsolete.

 

Much of the paper was technical, so I asked one of my engineer friends to comment. His reply could have been written by me: “My personal opinion: AM owners and engineers need to realize that most of the problems with AM aren't technical, they're programming problems. Look around the country ... if there's some compelling programming on an AM radio station it still gets ratings.”

Radio Waves Podcast #86

K-Beach (88.1 HD3), the student-run HD radio station on the campus of California State University, Long Beach wants more. More awards, more opportunities for graduates to get jobs in the industry, more equipment and more programming.

To do that, they plan to raise money. All this weekend, beginning Thursday, June 18th at 8 a.m. and running all the way through midnight on Sunday, June 21st, they are hosting an 88.1 hour marathon featuring live programming simulcast on both the HD station and their online stream at KBeach.Org.

This is a break from normal. The online stream usually has its own separate programming, and the on-air HD signal (you need an HD Radio to receive it; many newer cars and trucks have such tuners built in) tends to run taped programming (one of my few complaints about K-Beach ... radio should be live whenever possible).

The goal is to raise at least $5000 for the station’s operating budget. Donations may be made through the station’s website via a PayPal link.

“The entire weekend will be music-intensive,” station manager Danny Lemos told me. “The programs will run three-hours each and all will be live except for a taped concert running Sunday evening.

“The hosts will be playing their favorite music on each shift along with promoting the various programs that air on K-Beach,” he said.

Lemos says that there is excitement and support from everyone ... from the students at K-Beach to the staff at KKJZ, which hosts the station via their HD radio signal. Even Turkish Airlines is supporting the event by donating a trip to anywhere in the world Turkish Airlines flies; that prize will be given away via a drawing from those making donations.

On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be a reunion of CSULB radio alumni, including those from K-Beach as well as the former student-run station forced off the air by inept University staffers in 1981, KSUL. Many of those involved with KSUL and K-Beach have gone on to careers in radio and television ... meaning that KSUL and K-Beach have done exactly what a student-run radio laboratory should do.

Problems at Nielsen

The problem with the PPM system of collecting ratings data at Nielsen was dealt another blow this week when it was announced that Canada has asked all member stations to cease using the controversial Voltair system to boost station ratings.

Voltair is a system added to a station’s on-air signal that essentially boosts a PPM encoding signal, making it easier for a PPM -- Portable People Meter -- to “hear” and correctly decode and credit a station’s listenership.

The problem for Nielsen is that Voltair does seem to work. And if it works, Nielsen has a flawed system ... meaning the ratings collection and calculations used since PPM was adopted are just slightly better than worthless.

In Canada, stations using Voltair were asked to cease using it pending the outcome of a study expected to take about 60 days. Having an even playing field is the issue involved.
Here in Los Angeles, it appears no station wants to necessarily admit using it, but I am told by insiders that many do. And I wouldn’t blame them ... a lot of money is riding on the ratings. Nielsen could be in for some trouble.