Los Angeles Radio Wires 12-28-02

Rick Dees falling out of favor with Clear Channel... "Management is not happy with the fact that most of his morning shows on Clear Channel have flopped and they are still paying him a TON of money for them. They have wanted him to repay Clear Channel for "The Farm" facilities they built for him in Kentucky (which he won't do). They are worried about KIIS and that his show is may be hurting the rest of the station. He's got a contract for a few more years but it will most likely be his last with them (unless he takes a pay cut, for one).

"Remember, John London was once on top of the world with The Beat and AMFM but many factors within Clear Channel took him down. And if you think it can't happen to Rick Dees, think twice, and think Ryan Seacreast too (who is their darling now)...

"I do expect to see him moved from KIIS if not dinked completely over the next few years. Maybe sooner. The on-air staff at KIIS is all over 40, how much longer can any of them continue to relate or make appearances to a CHR audience?

"BTW, Ellen K just signed a long-term contract...she'll be at KIIS until Roy croaks...

"For those who want to reply to this. talk to someone you know at KIIS...they'll tell you the same."

Los Angeles Radio Wires 12-26-02

12-26-1976 was the birth of The New Ten-Q! 1020 KGBS switched to KTNQ with Chuck Browning, The Real Don Steele, Beaver Cleaver (Ken Levine), John M. Driscoll, Willie B., Dave Conley, Nancy Plum, Rich "Brother" Robbin, and Tony Evans. Let's all pay former PD, Jimi Fox, a visit at his Orchids Limited in Carson and say thanks for some great radio!

"The new Ten-Q is coming soon...stand by KHJ."

Added by Glenn: And during their nearly 3 year run, don't forget the likes of Machine.Gun Kelly, Leather Lou (Richards), Jack Armstrong (& The Gorilla) and Nancy Plum, among others. And thanks to Paul Cassidy and Storer Broadcasting. As far as I am concerned, there hasn't been as good a station in Los Angeles since Ten-Q. Great studios too, for the time (incredible on-air board). There was nothing like broadcasting out of a former mortuary at 338 S. Western...

Added by David Eduardo: Don't forget the presence of Mike McVay, too. Unfortunately, KTNQ never made a cent in its CHR run. It's first year in Spanish was profitable. Factoid: the floor in the back part of the building sloped slightly to the corner to drain body fluids in the embalming area! (Courtesy of Jeff Williams, former Storer/KTNQ GM from the Top 40 period)

San Diego Radio Wires 12-26-02

Say goodbye to Viva 107.1. Industry reports have the station moving to the Super Estrello moniker soon under Entravision. KSYY-FM in Fallbrook is one of the three stations at 107.1 FM that "trimulcast" in the area. Before the current operation, Y107 was an alternative rocker .....

Los Angeles Radio Wires 12-24 1/2-02

The sale of the Los Angeles stations to Entravision is being undertaken in accordance with Big City Radio's previously announced auction of all of its radio stations. Big City Radio currently owns and operates radio stations in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, three of the largest radio markets in the United States, and an in-house radio rep firm.

Entravision Communications Corporation is a diversified Spanish-language media company utilizing a combination of television, radio, outdoor and publishing operations to reach approximately 80-percent of Hispanic consumers across the United States, as well as the border markets of Mexico. Entravision is the largest affiliate group of both the top-ranked Univision television network and Univision's Telefutura network. In San Diego, Entravision's holdings include KBNT-LP TV 17, KHAX-LP TV 49 (Oceanside), XHAS-TV 33 (LMA'd with Mexican owner), XHUPN-TV 49 UPN (LMA'd with Mexican owner Televisora Alco), and XETV FOX 6 (LMA'd with Mexican owner Televisa). Entravision also owns KAMP 1430 in El Centro, KWST 94.5 in Brawley, 94.7 KLOB in Thousand Palms, KSSE 97.5 in Riverside, KMXX 99.3 in Imperial, KSSD and KSSC 103.1 in Newport Beach and Santa Monica, plus KVER 4 and KEVC 5 in Indio, KYYE 7 in El Centro.

According to the Entravision Communications press release, Entravision currently owns three FM stations in Los Angeles (KSSC-FM, KSSD-FM and KSSE-FM) (even they don't know where their other two stations really are!), the largest Spanish-language media market in the United States. The acquisition will give the company an opportunity to strengthen its market position through the consolidation of its Super Estrella format on 107.1 FM. Super Estrella is a music-driven, pop and alternative Spanish rock format targeting Hispanic males and females ages 18-34. Entravision expects to begin managing the three Big City FM stations under an interim time brokerage agreement during the beginning of 2003.

Business Wire http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/223582020&ticker=yfm also reported the story, but Cal Radio news corrected the origins of the stations in the press release. It suggested that the Ventura and Fallbrook simulcasts are part of L.A., and Chris Carmichael's sdradio.net site erroraneously reported that the Ventura station was one of two L.A.-based stations.

Orange County Radio Wires 12-24 1/2-02

Station will change to a Spanish-language format. Cool Radio 94.3 FM - KMXN - is being sold to Liberman Broadcasting, which will switch it from a pop alternative-music format to Spanish, possibly within the next two weeks.

Art Astor, president of Astor Broadcasting, on Monday informed the staff, which includes such personalities as Taz and Karen Kay.

"It was an economic decision. It just wasn't performing up to expectations," said Astor. The Libermans, who also operate KWIZ/1480 AM, KBUE/105.5 FM and KBUA/94.3 FM in the San Fernando Valley, plan to simulcast the KBUE and KBUA signal - "Que Buena," a regional Mexican format - on 94.3 FM in Orange County.

Astor ran 94.3 FM in Anaheim for years as KIK-FM, a popular country music station. But he switched the format to alternative a couple of years ago when he thought the country format was waning.

The purchase price was not immediately known. The Libermans are expected to operate it under a Local Marketing Agreement, which allows the proposed buyer to quickly take over.

Astor said he has no plans to sell his four other radio stations - adult standards KSPA AM in Ontario, alternative KFSD FM and classical KFSD AM in Escondido, and business news/talk KCEO-AM in Vista.

San Diego Radio Wires 12-24 1/2-02

Hi-Favor Broadcasting owns KEZY 1240 in San Bernadino.

Other Radio News

The merger of XTRA Sports 690 and Fox Sports 1150 will be complete on January 6, 2003, as announced in a spot on Monday Night. The station will be called XTRA Sports 690/1150.

Chris Carmichael - San Diego Radio Net
B94/9 prided itself on not-being corporate (it is) and especially having live D.J.'s all day long. When the change happened, Jeff Stewart made the grade and went from then-80s B94.9 to the new alternative B94/9. Today, Jeff came back from a holiday in Europe ... and with echos that sound familiar ... was fired today. .......Stay Tuned

Kool 95.7 FM kicks off it's refined Oldies on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

Los Angeles Radio Wires 12-24-02

INTERNET RADIO FEES: The Recording Industry Association of America doesn't like the fact that internet radio stations weren't paying fees that regular broadcast stations don't have to pay. So they endorsed a plan that was so costly, it would have put the vast majority of internet-based stations out of business. Congress got involved, and while the issue continues to be unresolved, stations CAN now negotiate what all involved parties feel is fair. 2002 could have been the year that internet radio disappeared, so while not perfect, the new fee plans are a start.

CLEAR CHANNEL: The company that owns the world would naturally earn a place in a top-story recap. Various versions could be used: that Clear Channel dominates listening across the country, that the company dominates the radio advertising world, that they dominate the use of computer-based voice-tracking ... the list goes on and on. My nod goes to their recognition that bad publicity was beginning to get in the way of the company's plan to dominate not only the world but also the universe, so they replaced flamboyant radio CEO Randy Michaels earlier this year with John Hogan. True or not, many associated Michaels with all the bad that Clear Channel has done to radio (forgetting for a second that other companies have done much the same thing, on a smaller scale), and he became a liability. Michaels ended up heading another, less visible division of the company, and the press has pretty much left CCU alone since the change. Perhaps it worked, or perhaps Michaels really was evil ...

More at his website.

KOGO-FM Changes Calls 12-23-02

Los Angeles Radio Wires 12-22-02

Next, expect XTRA Sports 690 AM and KXTA "Fox Sports 1150 AM" to morph into one sports superstation Dec. 30. It will be what they call a soft launch, with lots of "best of" programming over the holidays and the real debut to take place Jan. 3. Although changes are still possible, the reported lineup is to be Tony Bruno, 5-9 a.m.; Jim Rome, 9 a.m.-noon; Steve Hartman and Bill Werndl, noon-3 p.m.; Lee Hamilton, 3-7 p.m.

FABULOUS 570 FEEDBACK...Dozens of you e-mailed to say you really enjoy KLAC "Fabulous 570 AM." The adult-standards format includes lots of Sinatra, and readers say they love it. One sour note on the debut weekend, many listeners complained, was the infomercials Saturday and Sunday morning.

HOLIDAY SPECIALS Many stations go to all-Christmas music in the next several days - KOST/103.5 FM, KBIG/104.3 FM, KRTH/101.1 FM and KTWV/94.7 FM are among the best.

Next week: a year-end review of the ratings and New Year's programming on KKJZ/88.1 FM.

Don Barrett - Los Angeles Radio People
Here's what local personalities are saying and doing on Don Barrett's laradio.com Web site.

John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou dominate the afternoon drive voting in the LA Radio.com 2003 Listener Poll. The KFI/640 AM pair has had an incredible year stirring up headlines of their own during the Westerfield trial in San Diego and reading purloined e-mail from the Catholic Archdiocese leaders in the priest sex-abuse scandal. KABC's Larry Elder was runner-up.

The Top 10 results: John & Ken - KFI, Larry Elder - KABC, Tom Leykis - KLSX, Jed the Fish - KROQ, Dave Zorn - KNX, Ryan Seacrest - KYSR, Joe McDonnell - KSPN, Hugh Hewitt - KRLA, Lee Hamilton - XTRA Sports 690, JoJo Kincaid - KRTH

In the evenings, Phil Hendrie was voted best evening personality in the poll. Heard on KFI and syndicated around the country, Phil is the man of 42 characters.

The top 10 results: Phil Hendrie - KFI, Mr. KABC - KABC, Conway & Steckler - KLSX, Al Rantel - KABC, KSPN Sports, Stryker - KROQ, Jim Ladd - KLOS, Adam Carolla/Dr. Drew Pinsky (Loveline) - KROQ, Karen Sharp - KOST, Keri Tombazian - KTWV