Radio Wires (April 27, 2002)

Inside Radio:
GO>>>
The record industry is planning a response to groups who have them by the.... Labels are irked at the big groups - especially Clear Channel - because they have no choice but to work with them to gain necessary airplay on the influential Clear Channel radio stations. The labels also are feeling angst over the fact that Clear Channel's entertainment division is aggressively seeking to represent their artists and the two (airplay and touring) seem to be tied together. That's one of the things California Congressman Howard Berman is investigating. Berman has already gotten the DOJ to gather evidence. Berman represents a district in LA where some of his constituents are in the music and entertainment business. What's ahead is significant because the labels appear to want to find another path to get airplay and to do touring. Alternative airplay sources like satellite delivery now enabled by the FCC, satellite radio and - not now, but ultimately the Internet where AOL's Jimmy de Castro has a plan that may be very meaningful to labels. Then they want an alternative to Clear Channel Entertainment and the answer is pitching some of radio's best sponsors. (Inside Radio subscribers get a full report and a follow-up tomorrow. Click here to subscribe).

News Wires (April 27, 2002)

Actor Alan Alda and the rest of his surviving pals from the 4077th will be returning to prime-time television for a "M*A*S*H" reunion, but not on the network that originally carried the show, CBS.

The Fox Broadcasting Co., too young to fully indulge in the wave of TV nostalgia sweeping the networks, will present a two-hour "M*A*S*H" 30th anniversary special on May 17, courtesy of the network's sister studio, 20th Century Fox Television, which produced the series.

The original show, which became one of the most enduring hits on television, debuted in the fall of 1972 and aired for 11 years on CBS.

The series was based on the hit 1970 anti-war movie directed by Robert Altman and adapted from a novel of the same name. It centered on the antics of Captain "Hawkeye" Pierce, played by Alda, and fellow doctors and nurses of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, or "M*A*S*H," as they struggled to keep their sanity and save lives during the Korean War.

Resonating with the anti-war sentiment of the time, the series, like the movie, became a critical and commercial hit.

The last original episode, a 2 1/2-hour finale on Feb. 28, 1983, was a highly publicized national event that drew the biggest U.S. audience ever to watch a single TV program.

The Fox special will feature a reunion with all the surviving regulars, including Alda, Wayne Rogers ("Trapper John" McIntyre), Mike Farrell (B.J. Hunnicut), Loretta Switt "Hot Lips Houlihan), Gary Burghoff (Corp. "Radar" O'Reilly), Jamie Faar (the cross-dressing Klinger), William Christopher (Father Mulcahy), Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman Potter) and David Ogden Stiers (Charles Emerson Winchester).

The show also will include clips and interviews with real-life doctors and nurses who served during the Korean War.

Fox is part of Fox Entertainment Corp., which is a unit of News Corp. Ltd. , while CBS is now owned by Viacom Inc. .

Radio Wires (April 26, 2002)

News Wires (April 26, 2002)

USA Today TV stations signal a slow pace to digital broadcasts... Two weeks before a government deadline, only 15% of the nation's commercial TV stations are transmitting a digital TV signal over the air. A USA TODAY examination of Federal Communications Commission data and other reports shows that the transition to the next generation of TV broadcasts has fallen far behind schedule. The FCC set a May 1 deadline for stations to be broadcasting DTV signals over the air along with their current analog signals. Reasons for delays vary, from a lack of finances to transmitters that were destroyed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Your likelihood of getting a digital signal depends on where you live. In the nation's 10 largest broadcast markets, 41% of stations are transmitting DTV. But just 7% of the nation's smallest markets have commercial DTV signals, according to data from the FCC and the National Association of Broadcasters. Even if you are receiving a digital signal, it may not be in full high-definition, the long-promised and pristine viewing format. Two-thirds of the 189 stations that are transmitting at least some high-definition shows fill most of their time with footage artificially enhanced from analog broadcasts. There are at least two sides to the DTV transition, says Decisionmark president Jack Perry. So far, more than 2 million digital TV sets and tuners have been sold, but only a fraction have the tuners to pick up broadcasters' signals. "When you consider the number of high-definition sets out there, then really it's extraordinary the amount of broadcasters who have a digital signal," Perry says. But when you consider that more than 800 of the 1,400-plus TV stations asked the FCC for an extension, "then some might call it a dismal failure."

TV Viewers Fed Up With Mediocre Programming

An independent survey of U.S. households showed that more than 60 percent of the U.S. viewers are so bored with broadcast network television that they can't determine what the point was of the programs they watched, according to an independent research team.

Among those surveyed: 70 percent watch mostly cable and DVD fare. 15 percent don't bother with broadcast television. 40 percent watch most of the broadcast network shows regularily though 25 percent of those stated that they can't recall anything notable about the episode they just watched.

40 percent watched TV for lack of anything else to do aside of other forms of entertainment costing too much.

But even if viewers cannot remember much about what they have seen, 43% still said television gave them something to talk about with friends and strangers.

In another disturbing statistic, 80 percent stated that broadcast television has gotten too family unfriendly, 55 percent said that they showed too many reality series, 65 percent stated they don't show enough sitcoms that don't depend on toilet humor, 20 percent complained that network programming they want to watch such as those on PAX, UPN and WB are not available in their market, 60 percent stated it was too topical, 45 percent said that there was too much sex in the early network hours, and 90 percent stated that broadcast television is just not programming new programming that appeals to them.

In the question of cancellations: when their favorite network show is cancelled, 35 percent watch cable or DVD, 55 percent try another new program on network TV, and 10 percent reassign the time they watched their favorite show for other recreational non-TV activities such as going out or playing video games.

The Ashford Centre of America took a survey of 5,000 people chosen at random whose resonses were compiled for the report.

Radio Wires (April 26, 2002)

Next Wednesday, May 1st, hundreds of Internet radio stations and channels will communicate their "Mayday! Mayday!" message regarding the CARP-proposed royalty rates to listeners, the press, and Congress -- as the Internet radio industry unites as never before.

You can read more in "RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter" right now, at http://www.kurthanson.com.

P.S. This is the ideal opportunity for BROADCASTERS who stream to join forces with Internet-only webcasters in SOLIDARITY against the crippling royalty rates that the CARP proposed!

If you'd like to add your station to the list of participating webcasters, or would like to discuss your broadcast group's participation further, pllease let me know by replying to this e-mail or e-mailing me at kurt@kurthanson.com. Thanks!

Inside Radio:
GO>>>
The record industry is planning a response to groups who have them by the... Labels are irked at the big groups - especially Clear Channel - because they have no choice but to work with them to gain necessary airplay on the influential Clear Channel radio stations. The labels also are feeling angst over the fact that Clear Channel's entertainment division is aggressively seeking to represent their artists and the two (airplay and touring) seem to be tied together. That's one of the things California Congressman Howard Berman is investigating. Berman has already gotten the DOJ to gather evidence. Berman represents a district in LA where some of his constituents are in the music and entertainment business. What's ahead is significant because the labels appear to want to find another path to get airplay and to do touring. Alternative airplay sources like satellite delivery now enabled by the FCC, satellite radio and - not now, but ultimately the Internet where AOL's Jimmy de Castro has a plan that may be very meaningful to labels. Then they want an alternative to Clear Channel Entertainment and the answer is pitching some of radio's best sponsors. (Inside Radio subscribers get a full report and a follow-up tomorrow. Click here to subscribe).

Sets' Circus Stars WHO??? (April 25, 2002)

Your friends, Madison & Tony, Meg, Robert, Jodina, The SETS 102 Rock and Roll Circus starring David Tanny, and Mike Dale, Kenny Weissberg, and Bob J.

I'd like to know who this David Tanny is that's part of the circus. I thought I was the only one.

News Wires (April 25, 2002)

Rukeyser rides again... Early returns show that Louis Rukeyser, sacked by PBS as host of "Wall $treet Week With Louis Rukeyser," is scoring with his new program on cable's CNBC. And at the expense of PBS. With Rukeyser, "W$W" averaged a 1.3 rating this season (each point means 1.055 million households). But he's been gone for three weeks, and last week's show, hosted by onetime CBS financial reporter Ray Brady, dropped to a 0.7. That was also the rating for the new "Louis Rukeyser's Wall Street" in its debut last Friday, opposite "W$W."

News Flashes (April 25, 2002)

North County Times "San Diego Radio Static" - Randy Dotinga
Live (on tape) from Charlotte... see his website for more on that!

The San Diego Union TV/Radio
GO>>>
KBZT has new morning team designed to appeal to women... KBZT/FM 94.9 "Best of the '80s" has a new morning drive-time team. "The Bob and Sheri Show" from 5:30 to 9 a.m. weekdays made its debut Monday, but the duo isn't broadcasting from KBZT's studios (and Jefferson Pilot-Communications' offices) in Mission Valley. Bob Lacey and Sheri Lynch are based in Charlotte, N.C., and are syndicated in 62 radio markets across the country. Darrel Goodin, Jefferson-Pilot's San Diego vice president and general manager, described "The Bob and Sheri Show" as "anti-shock radio" designed to appeal to women listeners. "Sheri does more than just sit there and giggle. She is the lead person on the show. She's contemporary, funny and outspoken." (Hmmm. Sounds a lot like San Diego's savvy and witty Delana Venrick on "Greg and Delana" that rules the daytime lineup of Binational Broadcasting Company's XHRM/FM "Magic 92.5" managed by Clear Channel Communications.) With the coming of "Bob and Sheri," KBZT has moved Dave Smith to 9 a.m. to noon, Jane Asher noon to 3 p.m., and Jeff Stewart 3 to 7 p.m.

Radio Wires (April 25, 2002)

P.S. A majority of the largest independent webcasters have now committed to participating in a "Day of Silence" on May 1st, hoping to send out a "Mayday! Mayday!" regarding the impending Copyright Office decision and its potential to decimate the Internet radio industry. If you'd like to add your station to the list of participating webcasters, let us know by replying to this e-mail, or e-mailing Kurt at kurt@kurthanson.com. Thanks!

Radio Wires (April 24, 2002)

Anyone wish to take over the site? (Clear Channel need not respond)

Halloran Suffers Heart Attack (April 24, 2002)

We wish Halloran a full recovery. Radio needs more rebels like him to run radio on the local level.

News Flashes (April 24, 2002)

A Rough Oversight on Smooth Jazz? Finally, someone aside of Dave Rickards reads these things (cept I didn't write a thing about the station he worked for which is why I didn't get an e-mail).

From Mark Zegan... "None of the arists you listed in your piece of 4-23 are on the Smooth Jazz 98.1 playlist. You MUST be thinking of KYXY! You might have been better off mentioning Peter White, Boney James, Wayman Tisdale, Simply Red, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis, Ottmar Libert, Norah Jones, Jeff Golub, Dave Brubeck, Rick Braun, Marc Antoine, Grover Washington, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Peter Gabriel, Everything But The Girl, Earth Wind and Fire....I could go on....

Homework, Dude! Do it!

LOve your show, nevertheless...."

D.T. responds: KYXY, KIFM. Now you know why I don't compose music pieces from the soft music genre cluster. A few I do recognize and I classify the following for the genre:

Simply Red ... adult contemporary ... heard on Q106
Grover Washington ... soul ... heard on KIQQ
George Benson ... jazz flavored soul ... heard on KCBQ 1170
Peter Gabriel ... alternative rock ... heard on 91X
Everything But The Girl ... Modern AC ... heard on The Flash and Star
Earth Wind and Fire ... R&B, soul, disco ... heard on Magic 92.5

I'm not knocking the music. Congratulations on the #2 rank, but where's the jazz in these acts?

News Flashes (April 24, 2002)

Wagner sez: "The last time KIIS was on a downward Arbitron ratings trend, it was due to overconfidence on the part of management which felt it more important to make tons of money than to really program the station. That was 1986, the year that KPWR came to Power (pardon the intended pun). It took KIIS -- the dominant top-40 station in America from 1982 to 1985 -- literally years to recover."

D.T. replies: "You haven't been listening to Power 106 in its heyday from 1986-1991 when it merged in alternative pop with R&B and dance with remixes of popular songs to create a hybrid Churban format that dominated the Los Angeles basin for that long a time, so dominant that listeners from San Diego, including myself who had to buy a better radio to get Power 106 so I can tape the songs off the air, took notice of the new wave in music and turned off the stale KS-103 in favor of Power 106 in L.A., and later Q106 in San Diego with a similar format."

Wagner sez: "Well its happening again, only this time it took longer for the effects of poor decisions -- temporarily syndicating morning star Rick Dees, having no DJ in late mornings, focussing on advertisers instead of listeners -- to manifest themselves into a ratings drop. And this time it is not just Power that's beating KIIS, it's KROQ. And KOST."

D.T. sez: "This time, there's no equivalent of 1986's Power 106 in Los Angeles to compete with KIIS, but the reason KIIS's ratings slid is because the music mix is simply stale and dated, appealling to just the younger below 18 years of age demographics, as opposed to the KIIS that appealled to the 18-34 crowd in 1986, but Power beat it on music merits alone."

Wagner sez: "To be fair, KIIS still has a great rating (I'm just still used to the 10+ shares they earned in the 1980s ... and I miss the jingles). [The ratings drop] doesn't look good; if I were in management, I wouldn't panic. But I would be concerned, especially since KIIS has no direct competition ... and yet it competes with everyone due to the nature of its top-40 playlist."

Don Burns, the voice and afternoon personality of KTWV for 14 years has left the station. Burns says it was the money and the atmosphere of radio in general that made him decide to leave.

Dennis Prager, heard locally on KRLA weekdays from 9 am to 12 noon, will broadcast from Jerusalem April 29th through May 3rd.

News Wires (April 23, 2002)