The Wires (July 25, 2006)

Media Ownership Details Released. The FCC has released the text of its Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 06-93) that opens a review of the media ownership rules. For the radio ownership limits, the commission asks for comment on whether the entire structure of the tier system should be changed. For more details, go to:

Kurt Hanson: NAB President David Rehr has written a letter asking Congress to examine language in the Copyright Act with respect to its role in recent PERFORM Act legislation set to go before committee. Rehr says in the letter that "broadcasters would like to see these concerns remedied so that radio broadcasters can participate meaningfully in the Internet Age." Read more about Rehr's letter, including why Section 114 of the Copyright Act plays a large factor in the NAB's concerns, all in today's issue of "RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter," online now at http://www.kurthanson.com . Also in today's issue, a new study from Nielsen Media Research reports that podcast listeners are now spending less time with broadcast radio.

Happy Hare: I receive e-mails from present day radio executives asking me if I thought I could duplicate my historic successes if I went back on the air. What they are really saying is, “Okay smart ass, tell us what you would do in today’s chaotic radio…..if anything.”. I can’t answer that one. Most of what I did involved a lot of serendipity. Besides, if I returned to the air, I would want to talk. That is the path taken by many former music jocks. Old music jocks never die, they just cross-fade away…to talk. If I re-entered today’s chaotic radio, what would I do? I would begin by ... (read more - www.HappyHareOnline.com)

There is a revolution afoot in the world of radio, but you won't find it on the dial. Commercial radio has "taken our airwaves and created a world where every station fits into a certain demographic," says John Richards, morning show host on KEXP in Seattle, an innovative online and terrestrial station. "... You have no choice on the dial, so what do you do? You choose not to listen to the dial, and that's sad. Once you leave, you leave the potential for listening to something local and part of your community. In most cities, that doesn't even exist anymore" (read more - Jeff Miers-Buffalo News).

Bridge Study Says New Music Still Found First On Terrestrial Radio 45 percent of those surveyed said they prefer terrestrial radio as their primary source of new music.

NAB's Rehr Speaks Out On "Perform" Act. NAB head sends letter to Senate calling for Internet radio reform.

XM & ASCAP Announce Long-Term Music Licensing Agreement. XM and ASCAP have signed a new 5-year music licensing agreement.

FM 94/9 Helps KPBS-FM (July 25, 2006)

Like it says in the FM 94/9 Mission, "FM 94/9 wants to be part of the solution rather than the problem with radio." We believe KPBS strives to be part of the solution also. Many of our listeners have told us they agree. Recently, we got together with the people at KPBS and discovered - not suprisingly - that it works both ways. Turns out that many local public radio supporters also listen to FM 94/9. That's why we think of KPBS as friends, who have many of our same goals, and not as competition.

So we'd like to make you aware of a get-together that sounds like the type of thing you and your family or friends might enjoy. On Saturday, August 5th, KPBS is Celebrating BBQ and Baseball. This event begins with a pre-game BBQ and party at Jbar on the 4th floor poolside deck of Hotel Solamar and concludes across the street at PETCO Park with the Padres game on the Toyota Terrace level.

Here's the best part: KPBS has decided to offer you the KPBS member rate for tickets, because you're an FM 94/9 Insider. Just type in "FM949INSIDER" in the discount code. For all the information on the event and to purchase tickets, check out their web-site.

We hope this will be the first of many opportunities to bring KPBS and FM 94/9 together for the good of the community. In fact, KPBS allowed Halloran to broadcast from their studios on the afternoon of the Pearl Jam show. And don't be surprised to hear some of us contributing some information about the music scene during These Days or some of their other programming.

In the meantime, as always, thanks for listening to FM 94/9. We really appreciate your support.

Power Outage (July 24, 2006)

Commentary (July 24, 2006)

This is also in the DFSX newsletter, but since this pertains to San Diego, I'll post it here as well.

Power Outage Hits D.T.'s Homebase/Idiot Convention Center Workers

Due to a power outage at my house, I was unable to do anything with my computer including answering e-mail queries until 4am on Sunday. Needless to say, the discovery that my house had no power since 1pm the preceding day came to me as a surprise as I was looking forward to hitting a cold shower after spending nine hours in that blasted oven called the San Diego Convention Center. It was a blistering 115 degrees in the top level including the heat index. Good thing the center had cheap tap water because that was all I could afford. The air conditioning there was just plain non-existant.

Anyway, at 10am I got to the Covention Center where the Comic Con was taking place after using the Trolley, and somehow got the staff to direct me to the Masquerade Booth who in turn told me to go to room 32B. I went there and told them that I was there to help Luke Ski out with his project, whereever it may be, and they gave me a Backstage Pass clipon. I proceeded to find Luke but I had no clue whether he arrived at that time or whether he was arriving later. I failed to understand the layout of the Convention Center so I could have told Luke where we could meet, whether entrance or nearby object we could meet at. The crowd was already sweltering when it opened at 10am. Good thing I got there early because later in the day, I could not have gotten in otherwise. Why do I have to be so damn Amish when it comes to my lack of owning a cell phone?

I spent the day sweating while trying to find Luke Ski who was also at the Convention Center where the Comic Con was taking place. I wanted to help him out with his job in the early evening, but the clueless staff at the Convention Center didn't know where Luke was. Even worse, when I ventured out at 1pm to find Luke, and tried to return to inside the building, one of the clueless Elite guards told me to get back into line where it was too hot for me to handle. I couldn't sight Luke or anybody else I was familiar with at all. I sneaked in back into the Convention Center through an open door and gave the idiot Elite guard the slip. Screw him! I repeatedly asked the staff at the Masquerade booth and the folks in room 32B about Luke's whereabouts and they didn't have any way to find out. Geez, couldn't these tech-impared simpletons get in touch with somebody in the Convention Center responsible for guest merchants and celebrities? Why didn't these morons in the Convention Center think about getting a computer or calling up somebody who knows? I never tried to exit the building again because the clueless Elite guards would have locked me out again and make me wait some four hours to enter the building.

Meanwhile, some time before the power went out at my house at 1pm, Carrie and Luke called my house and told me that I had arrived on my answering machine. When the power went out, so did my answering machine. I didn't get the messages until 4am the next morning when the power returned. Bummer. Hate these ancient technology holdovers from the 20th century.

Anyway, in the meantime, I was hoping that somehow, Luke or somebody would meet me in the Autograph Area or in the waiting area by Ballroom 20 or room 32B, but nobody showed. I spent one hour trying to walk around the perimeter of the first floor where all the Comic Con merchants were trying to sell stuff. I didn't buy anything. Not even food. There was no place to eat. Food was too expensive. There was no ROOM to eat and barely enough room to walk around. Too many people in the building. I left after an hour. Totally unbelievable. Couldn't they just hold Comic Con for three weeks instead of four days? Crowds could be stretched out.

On the bright side, and there wasn't much about the Convention Center to enjoy, I got an autograph from John Kricfalusi, the creator of Ren and Stimpy. Took me an hour waiting in line to reach him. I figured one hour waiting per line segment. I wanted to meet Robert Smigel of TV Funhouse and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, but the waiting time was too long. I also got an autograph from Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Yes, that horror movie lady I used to see on channel 9 in the 80s was sweating in the hot level of the Convention Center and had to repeately reapply makeup. Also got an autograph from April Stewart, the cute lady who is one of the new voicists for South Park. I sighted Kristin Bell on a panel for the Veronica Mars question and answer hour in the room 20 ballroom.

Spent most of the day sampling some Anime, glanced at some of the programming panels, but no luck meeting up with Luke even after nine hours of mostly being on the AA or Ballroom areas. After 7pm, I finally gave up and left the building.

You can check out John K's website johnkstuff.blogspot.com for some of his works. I haven't checked it out yet since I had no time and no power to do anything else when the power came back up except sponge bath and resync my dozen machines that were blinking 12:00.

I finally got back to my house after spending an hour on the trolley full of downtown weirdos and drunks. That's why I rather drive downtown, pay Ace Parking some $20 to park all day, and get in and out fast. I went to 7/11 and bought a 64 ounce Double Gulp for 99 cents, and a Taco Salad at Wendy's. Finally, some decent food after 27 hours of fasting!

I got home and the lights were off at my house. The power was out. My mother told me that there hasn't been power since 1pm. I plugged in my portable TV into my car and watched the news. I found out that the power outage was for over 78,000 customers and that the temperatures at my house was near 120 degrees including the heat index! That was too much for the aging power lines to handle. I spent the next six hours in dried sweat and mostly wide awake until the power came back on and I could shower.

In short, the Convention Center staff and the SDG&E staff both sucked big time. What a total disgrace. They were unable to handle problems in a timely manner when they came up. How about limiting the number of tickets per day for the Comic Con next time? At least Comic Con had the power all this time. What did they have? Backup power in case? 14 hours without power in one location is unusual for a company that overcharges for electricity and boasts all of this bullshit about how they're saving this and doing that but doing nothing when it comes to preventing power burnouts or blackouts in the first place. The San Diego Gouge and Extortion company and its parent Sempra need to contract out electricity repairmen to get the power back up faster. Idiot San Diego companies.

No wonder that SDG&E and the Convention Center are just two more reasons why San Diego remains behind the times in America's Behindest City.

As for the finest city in America, think Crescent City in Northern California. Temperatures are a cool 65 degrees...in the DAYTIME!

Next time I meet with anybody in Dementia Land for some kind of venure, we better meet at my house first before carpooling to the destination for the music gig. We could leave the rental car in the Ace Parking lot, split up the $20 parking fee amongst us, set up our stuff, take them down, and return to my home base to sign off for the day. I'll rent a cell phone from somebody next time. I refuse to buy a cell phone as long as they have contracts and dead spots due to protesters against new cell phone cells in their neighborhoods. Get a life you protesters? Do you want better cell phone service? Then shut the f--- up and let the companies install the cells where needed. Get rid of the contracts, make the wireless phones work with any service I choose, and I'll consider getting one.

Hope it's not that hot when the Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Bisexual Pride Parade takes place this coming Saturday in Hillcrest. At least some of the tranny geeks can attend both Comic Con and the Pride festivals in whole this year. Wish the trolley had a line into Hillcrest. I could have taken the Pink line.