Editor: David Tanny
Home, Latest News, 2004 Archives, E-Mail
San Diego Radio Wires 1-10-04!Jay Posner - TV/Radio Sports - The San Diego UnionFootball excess with a purpose: rating the crews. Quote: "Much to the dismay of someone (still?) close to me, I spent more time watching the NFL last week than Britney Spears spent being married."
John Maffei - North County Times TV/Sports Pirate 96.9 To Return 1-9-04!From the Pirate Radio 96.9 bulletin board...Posted by BobUgly So after a bit of a delay, it looks like we're getting everything back in order. By January 23rd (just a hair more than three weeks behind schedule) we should be back on the air. Not sure how the coverage will be impacted just yet; FM is voodoo black magic like that. It's line of site, but it can cut through a bit of trees and buildings, and sometimes bounces around buildings a bit. So, it's going to come down to us getting the antenna as high up as possible, and then driving around to check the signal strength. We'll be relying heavily on feedback from all of our listeners as well to tell us how things are sounding. The schedule has been impacted by some DJs that are no longer with the station; please feel free to check it out ( http://www.pirate969.org/music.asp ), and realize that we'll be getting our act together for the next couple of months. Our public meetings and bringing on new DJs will probably happen by late February. The webstream will be up at the same time as the FM signal. Fall 2003 Arbitons Posted 1-9-04!Usual places. Find them or ask a friend to tell you where they're at.Not much to tell you. KOGO is #1 overall. KYXY is back up to #3, but KSON slipped to #9, and with Tony and Kris gone from the station, expect their rank to go further down, as US 95.7 gets a new lease on life with the veteran morning team (and a third handle for the country format since June 1999, and its second frequency). KFMB-AM, with Chargers football, is #10. Alternative 91X is rebounding and is two ranks below upstart FM 94.9, which is at #13. XSUR-AM 540, which suffered a loss of listeners thanks to another upstart Mexican broadcaster interfering with it on 550 (now on 560) slipped to #26 in a four-way tie with three other stations. And XESPN 800 finally shows up on the Arbitron radar screen with a 0.4!
K-OTTER To Become K-PIG Relay 1-9-04!All Access (registration required)Longtime AAA KOTR (K-OTTER)/CAMBRIA-SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA will switch to a simulcast of MAPLETON COMMUNICATIONS sister AAA KPIG (KPIG 107OINK5)/MONTEREY-SALINAS, with new calls KPYG, beginning MONDAY JANUARY 12. The simulcast will give KPIG coverage from SANTA CRUZ throughout the CENTRAL COAST. ROSS said, "If there is any radio station that can surpass the variety and depth of music that THE OTTER has been known for, it is THE PIG. KPIG is everything the OTTER has been and more: A radio station that features live DJs 24 hours a day presenting the music with a friendly, humorous and down to earth manner. If you have liked the OTTER, you will love THE PIG!" KPIG PD LAURA HOPPER said, "I can't wait to make PIG's out of SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY!" XM to Add Local Weather/NAB Cries Foul 1-9-04!XM Satellite Radio yesterday announced plans to launch a new localized traffic and weather information service, on which it will provide continuous reports 24/7 on dedicated individual channels for 21 U.S. metro areas.NAB President/CEO Eddie Fritts calls XM's plans "an appalling back-door attempt to bypass the FCC's intent to limit satellite radio to a national service only," and says the service will "violate the spirit" of a deal XM made promising not to provide local coverage using repeaters. More on this, plus details on XM's announced plan to make their music channels commercial-free, is in today's issue of "RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter," at http://www.kurthanson.com/
rronline Real Networks Sues Microsoft Over Media Player 1-9-04!http://www.radiohorizon.com/ They're back!Internet media company RealNetworks Inc. (RNWK.O) said on Thursday it is suing longtime rival Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O) , accusing the software giant of unfairly promoting its own software for playing audio and video on computers and over the Internet. See more of this story at Radio Horizon. Original KBIG/Los Angeles Owner Dies (Dec 25, 2003)John Poole, an independent broadcasting company owner who founded several radio and television stations in the Southern California area, died Dec. 25. He was 86.Poole was born in 1917 in Detroit. His father, John, was an Army colonel and his mother, Caroline, was the sister of William Boeing, founder of the aircraft company. A former merchant marine radio operator, Poole launched Santa Catalina Island's first radio station, KBIG-AM (now KBRT am 740) in 1952. The 10,000-watt daytime station identified itself as "the musical isle on your dial." Its signal reached remote areas of the Los Angeles County mainland and is still received as far south as San Diego to this day, and even in the southern part of Nevada and western Arizona. After the war, Poole bought radio stations in Santa Maria and Pasadena but sold them when he built KBIG. He later bought KBIF-AM in Fresno, and then founded two TV stations, Channel 53 in Fresno and Channel 22 in Los Angeles, a UHF station now known as KWHY-TV. He also started KBIQ-FM 104.3, which later was called KBIG-FM and went on to become the top-rated FM radio station (as a Beautiful Music station) in Los Angeles. He sold all of his media interests in March 1969, with KBIG-AM & FM going to Bonneville. KBIG (104.3) is now owned by Clear Channel. In 1975, Poole became a vintner by launching the Mount Palomar Winery in Temecula, CA. Private services were held last week.
All Access (registration required) Indie 103.1 New Website and Stream 1-9-04!
As now seen on the On Radio San Diego Guide: Stream is 32K. WMP 6.4 or higher is all that's needed, as well as at least a good 56K connection. These are some of the artists and songs we're playing on Indie 103 according to their website:
michael andrews/gary jules - mad world
San Diego Radio Wires 1-8-04!Randy DotingaBye, Bob 99.3. Hello, US 95.7. This means war. After two years of nipping at the tail of country music giant KSON, Clear Channel is going for the gusto. On Monday, the company moved its own country station to a stronger frequency, changed its nickname (gone for good is the godawful Bob 99.3) and, in the biggest blow of all, ran away with KSON's two veteran morning hosts. After 10 years at KSON, 30somethings Tony Randall and Kris Rochester ---- "Tony & Kris" ---- are heading the daily lineup on US 95.7, which is aiming to reach you-know-what-kickers in East County and North County. US 95.7, whose logo looks like an interstate highway sign, is playing up patriotism and family values: Its nickname is pronounced "U.S.," not "us." Also: Veteran disc jockey Phil Flowers, one of the top voices on KCBQ-AM during its heyday, died of a heart attack on Dec. 22 at his home in Oceanside. He was 58. Flowers, who grew up in North County and graduated from Oceanside High School, joined KCBQ in 1970 when it was a high-rated rock station, home to legendary radio personalities like Harry "Happy Hare" Martin and the late Don Howard. He worked as a DJ for several years and later became an airborne traffic reporter known as "Flying Phil Flowers." In recent years, Flowers worked behind the scenes at KCBQ and sister station KPRZ. From 2001 until last spring, he hosted "I Still Q in My Car," a weekly nostalgia show that highlighted the history of KCBQ. (The station struggled during the FM revolution and eventually became a conservative talk station.) KCBQ aired a tribute to Flowers, whose real name was Phil Boles, and both friends and colleagues remembered him as a consummate professional devoted to an aunt (who died recently), a houseful of cats and the business of broadcasting. Flowers spent countless hours preserving the history of KCBQ on tape. Cook said he'll continue to honor his memory by airing bits of KCBQ nostalgia on his trivia show.
Reader Blurt
Special X To Be Dropped in XM Radio's Revised Lineup 1-8-04!Posted by Norman in the USENET newsgroup rec.music.dementiaToday, XM Radio announced the dropping of radio station, Special X, which each week provides the "Best of Dr. Demento" show. To voice concern of the future of airing of the "Best of Dr. Demento," go to http://www.xmradio.com/contact_us/contact_us.jsp Select either "Comment/Questions About Current XM Music Channels" or "Programs/Shows You'd Like to Hear on XM." If you want to boost your request by recommending which station it should be on, the new channel lineup (starting on Feb. 1) for XM Radio is at: http://www.xmradio.com/lineup/index.jsp, or browse the current (though soon to be outdated) programming: http://www.xmradio.com/programming/programming_main.html Tell them to Keep Dr. Demento on Satellite Radio! National Radio Wires 1-8-04!rronlineXM Goes Local With Traffic, Weather Reports... Thanks to partnerships with Mobility Technologies and The Weather Channel, the satcaster on March 1 will begin providing localized traffic and weather reports for 15 major metropolitan areas, including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Phoenix and San Francisco. Boston will begin receiving "XM Instant Traffic & Weather" reports on April 1 and five other markets will receive the service sometime later in 2004. The reports will run continuously on dedicated individual channels for each city serviced, and the broadcasts will update every 10 minutes. XM will air advertising on these channels, but promises the spot load will be lighter than terrestrial radio. XM's Music Channels Go Commercial-Free... Starting Feb. 1, the satellite radio firm will drop advertising from all of its music channels, stealing away one advantage rival Sirius enjoyed to itself. Sirius has offered commercial-free music since launching, while XM has had advertising on some of its music channels since its inception. By offering commercial-free music, XM narrows the gap between the two services and could give it an advantage among consumers since its $9.99 monthly fee is slightly lower than Sirius' $12.95 fee. Sirius Revamps Its Lineup Here
Kurt Hanson All exisiting webcast agreements expire at the end of this year. Copyright owners and webcast groups will have until the end of June to reach a new industry-wide deal, or extend existing ones. Should they fail, the matter will be taken up by a new CARP. More details are in today's issue of "RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter," at http://www.kurthanson.com . Also: More and more people are accessing the Internet in ways other than web browsers -- such as media players like Windows Media Player and the Real Player... One of the "founding fathers" of the Internet sees the worldwide nexus of computers someday becoming "the basis for almost all communications". New San Diego-based Internet Radio Station 1-7-04!From San Diego Indymedia:RadioActive San Diego is a new online radio station, broadcasting on the internet, started to create positive social change in San Diego. To commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the Zapatista uprising in Mexico, radioActive will be holding a kickoff week starting on January 1st, which will include interviews, music and spoken word. Listen online at http://radioactiveradio.org/.
Los Angeles Radio Wires 1-6-04!All Access (registration required)INFINITY's News KNX-A/LOS ANGELES adds another former crosstown KFI-A staffer, as newsperson VICKY MOORE jumps to join former KFI PD DAVID G. HALL's operation as morning co-anchor with sister KFWB anchor DAVE WILLIAMS, replacing veterans TOM HAULE and LINDA NUNEZ, who move to midday co-anchor (with DICK HELTON) and afternoon co-anchor (with DAVE ZORN), respectively. BILL POLISH slides over from KNX to KFWB as an anchor. INFINITY Talk KLSX/LOS ANGELES midday STERN-to-noon host SAM RUBIN exits. FROSTY, HEIDI, and FRANK expand their midday show to start after HOWARD STERN ends. SPORTING NEWS RADIO Sports KMPC-A (1540 AM, THE TICKET)/LOS ANGELES drops its local afternoon show with CHRIS MYERS and BOB GOLIC, with fill-in host and well-traveled local sports talker DAVE SMITH taking over the slot. The station has also given former USC football player, SAN PEDRO restaurant scion, and 9-10a "bonus hour" co-host PETROS PAPADAKIS a midday show of his own.
Consolidated Complaint Against XEKTT 560 1-6-04!Last December 24, XEKTT, broadcasting on AM 560 from Tijuana, has been the subject of complaints by several nearby radio stations.KUZZ AM 550 from Bakersfield (Owens One Co.), KFSO AM 560 from San Francisco (Disney), KLAC AM 570 from Los Angeles (Clear Channel), KBLU AM 560 from Yuma (Clear Channel), and KFYI AM 550 Phoenix all filed a joint interference complaint with the FCC, outlining over 29 million persons in the metro areas served by the five radio stations named and who are all receiving interference from XEKTT towards the five stations.
Radio Bits 1-6-04!Hitman Haze sticks with Channel 933 as APD/MD for two more years.Tony and Kris join U.S. 95.7 for mornings. Program Director Mike O'Brian will do afternoons. Lia from Jones Radio Networks will run from 7pm until midnight. Premiere Network's "Aftermidnite with Blair Garner" airs overnights. A midday personality is yet to be hired. Questions? Who's Got Answers? 1-6-04!From Dave Alt:Dude -- Do you have any contact information for this station? I think it plays the wildest mix of 60's/70's music on the air, and I tune it in whenever I'm in SoCal and Arizona (although it's weak and only comes in at night). I'd like to find out, who is programming this station, and what they're trying to do there with the odd mix of Spanish breaks and English language music. Jeff and Jer Highlight 1-6-04!First New Year's Caller... FIRST CALLER OF THE YEAR 2004 was Debbie Thompson from Valley Center! She was the very first person to call in to the Jeff and Jer Showgram to kick off the New Year! (REMEMBER HER NAME and it may get you a chance to win a FEW BUCKS on the LAST SHOW OF THE YEAR on Christmas Eve 2004! She called in with the very first item on the REYNA LIST for the year! THE REYNA LIST is a list of "items" that YOU see on the freeway, like a ladder or a shoe!Former KSON Programmer Mike Shepard Launches Consultancy 1-6-04!Michael Shephard has formed Shepard Media Research in San Diego, a company that specializes in market and perceptual research for radio statoins. Shepard oversaw the three Jefferson-Pilot radio stations in San Diego. He also served as President of Directions In Radio Inc.Celebrating a Birthday 1/6: XHRM/SAN DIEGO's DELANA BENNETT Univision to sell stock, buy out Clear Channel stake 1-6-04!Reuters news reports that on Tuesday, Spanish-language media company Univision Communications Inc., which recently merged with HBC (formerly Heftel Communications) last year, wishes to buy back a small stake of its business currently held by Clear Channel Communications since the late 90's when it first purchased what was then 30 percent of the shares for HBC.Univision says it would offer 15.8 million shares to the public and use the proceeds to repurchase its shares, reportedly seven percent of the newly-merged Univsion, currently held by Clear Channel Communications Inc. Clear Channel's small percentage of its share is non-voting. Clear Channel would no longer own any of Univision's common stock after the transaction is completed, expected to coincide with the closing of the public offering, Univision said. Media analysts had speculated that Clear Channel might try to cash in on its Univision shares after Univision closed its $3.2 billion purchase of Spanish-language radio company Hispanic Broadcasting Corp. in September. Univision owns the two K-LOVE 102.9 and La Nueva 106.5 radio stations in San Diego, and its TV network is affilliated with Entravision-owned KBNT 17. KOOL Moves to 99.3/Tony and Kris Move to 95.7 on Monday 1-5-04!Are Tony and Kris moving over to "Bob?" No. But they are moving to a Clear Channel-run country music station. How can this be possible? Let's take a look.San Diego's only oldies station specializing in the golden era of Top 40 music, KOCL "KOOL" 95.7, will be moving to the Mexican station LMA'd by Clear Channel 99.3 on Monday, while the country format currently known as Bob 99.3 (XHCR) will be moving to replace the oldies format on Clear Channel's own 95.7 frequency and get a name change: "U.S. 95.7." It also gets new call letters, KUSS, and a new website, http://www.us957.com/. Shades of what was going on radio in 1998. Need to change all the pointers. Ads for Tony and Kris have been playing after every song on Bob 99.3 to let the country music fans get the fact cemented into their heads that it's time for them to mosey on over to 95.7 starting on Monday morning to catch the new home of the longtime San Diego morning show team. The Carlsbad-licensed 95.7 radio station (formerly 95.9 KKOS) reaches the North County listeners better than the station on the Tijuana-based 99.3 does, so the new home for country music will better compete with Tony and Kris's former 11-year home on the 40-year-old KSON country format on 97.3 and the newly-acquired 92.1 in Escondido. http://www.kool993.com/ is the new website for what is currently "KOOL" 95.7, and will be "KOOL 99.3" starting Monday. You can also access it at http://www.koolsandiego.com The music of the 60's and 70's, as well as all of the programming currently heard on 95.7, will be stuffed into a rented Bekins moving van, and transported across the border to its new home on 99.3 by Monday morning. What will be changing on The New KOOL 99.3 besides the dial position? The studio phone number: 570-1-993. It should be accessible from all 3 San Diego exchanges. If not, you’ll have to dial 619-570-1-993. The programming lineup as follows:
Mason in the Morning 5-10 (with Pamela Howe and Howard Castle)
Meanwhile, we're still looking for the website name of the new U.S. 95.7, but can't find it yet. 95.7, back in the fall of 1996, was the home of a three-month long country music format (replacing Mike Halloran and was replaced with Magic 95.7) when Nationwide owned the station back then. The country station played two sets of 10,000 songs in a row. KSON responded with a cash giveaway called "$10,000 in a Row".
91X Update Jan 1, 2003We Are Giving The Sky To Our E-Filers... Big Sky, that is. Starting Monday at 9 am, we'll begin calling out names of E-Filers. If it's you, call us back within 9 minutes and 11 seconds and you'll be on your way to Big Sky Montana for a free winter vacation. Start waxing those boards and skis.We are taking a much needed vacation. 2003 wore us out! But rest assured, we will be back and better than ever in '04! |