The Wires (Aug 25, 2007)

The iPhone Has Been Hacked! A teenager in New Jersey has broken the lock that ties Apple’s iPhone to AT&T’s wireless network, freeing the most hyped cell phone ever for use on the networks of other carriers, including overseas ones. George Hotz, 17, confirmed Friday that he had unlocked an iPhone and was using it on T-Mobile’s network, the only major U.S. carrier apart from AT&T that is compatible with the iPhone’s cellular technology. While the possibility of switching from AT&T to T-Mobile may not be a major development for U.S. consumers, it opens up the iPhone for use on the networks of overseas carriers. The phone, which combines an innovative touch-screen interface with the media-playing abilities of the iPod, is sold only in the U.S. Thanks, teenager! Finally, a teenager that's done something good for society. I guess he has the hots for the T-Mobile spokeslady Catherine Zeta-Jones. Wow!

How To Hack The IPhone! AT&T says they'll sue anyone who tampers with the iPhone, but I doubt that their threat will have any effect. Chances are, AT&T won't know it because the hackers are using the iPhone on another network! The modification leaves the iPhone’s many functions, including a built-in camera and the ability to access Wi-Fi networks, intact. The only thing that won’t work is the “visual voicemail” feature, which shows voice messages as if they were incoming e-mail.

Free the iPhone! To many, the Apple iPhone is the ultimate wireless device — a seductive blend of technology, function and dead-on cool, all wrapped into a sleek package. To others, it's a glaring example of what's wrong with the U.S. wireless industry in general. Josh Silver, co-founder of Free Press, a consumer advocacy group whose latest campaign — "Free the iPhone" — promotes an open Internet and consumer-friendly public policies for mobile devices. The website www.freetheiphone.org has resulted in "tens of thousands of supporting petitions," he says (read more - USA Today)

Kurt Hanson: While both parties view the new Soundexchange cap deal with major webcasters as a "win-win," a word of caution about unfinished business is also being expressed. In his analysis of the deal with the major webcasters, which he describes as "excellent news," Radio & Industry Newsletter (RAIN) founder Kurt Hanson said, "It's good that the sides are beginning to make baby steps of progress, but to suggest that we' re almost done is ridiculous." Among the issues still unresolved are 1) an agreed-upon new rate for large webcasters; 2) a comprehensive deal for small commercial webcasters that goes beyond Soundexchange's recent offer; 3) a comprehensive deal for broadcasters; and 4) a similarly comprehensive deal for non-commercial webcasters. If that's not enough, all these unresolved issues are supposed to be ironed out by the time Congress returns from recess --- right after Labor Day. Can all this be worked out in a week .. and if not, what happens then?

The Wires (Aug 24, 2007)

Kurt Hanson: Following top-level negotiations this morning, SoundExchange and DiMA-member webcasters have announced that they've reached an agreement to cap minimum "per-channel" fees to $50,000 per company per year. And while webcasters gained no further ground in the CRB-determined royalty rates, a DiMA spokesperson tells RAIN that negotiations will continue. Webcasters conceded to providing full "census" reporting on the music they play within 6 months; and, while they will not be forced to implement specific anti-"streamripping" software, the webcasters agreed to form an on-going joint study committee with SoundExchange to examine the issue. Also in today's issue: Several webcasters reject the recent SoundExchange royalty rate offer to smaller webcasters, warning of the "divide and conquer" tactics being used by the recording industry group. Musicians' union AFTRA argues that the major record labels are cutting payments from digital deliveries to member artists and performers.

Boomer Radio: From Bridge Ratings -- A just-released Bridge Ratings study of the media habits of Baby Boomers - or those consumers born between 1946 and 1964 - reveals how important traditional radio remains with this group and their remarkable ability to adopt new media into their busy live

The Tennessean: From Joseph Torres -- Runaway consolidation has virtually wiped out local music, culture and news on the radio dial. Companies like Clear Channel and Cumulus have swallowed up thousands of stations and piped in cookie-cutter content and canned playlists. Fewer stations employ reporters to cover local news, and fewer local artists are making it on the air. That's the bad news. The good news is that we have an opportunity to reclaim a portion of the radio airwaves for local communities

Jacobs Media: From Jacobs Media -- Investors Business Daily recently set up a comparative analysis between satellite and HD radio in a recent web article. While subjective, it sheds light on the dilemmas that each of these new technologies faces moving forward.

SoundEx Formalizes Offer to Very Small Webcasters (Aug 23, 2007)

SoundExchange offered a proposal yesterday that would allow the smallest commercial webcast operators to pay a percentage-of-revenue royalty rate through 2010.

The offer is only valid for copyrighted material owned by SoundExchange-member labels. All non-SX member material would be subject to CRB rates.

The offer would :

* Allow webcasters to continue operating under the terms and rates essentially equivalent to those authorized under the Small Webcasters Settlement Act of 2002.

* Establish an annual revenue cap of $1.25 million and a listener cap of each webcaster's first 5,000,000 aggregate tuning hours ("ATH") of usage each month. The offer also states that for any usage in a single month above 5,000,000 ATH, the webcaster must pay the applicable commercial webcaster rates (currently $0.0011 per performance during 2007.)

* Be valid until a webcasters' overall annual revenue exceeds $1.25 million, the terms of the offer are void. After a six-month "grace period", the webcaster is no longer eligible for the terms of the settlement and would begin paying the rates mandated by the CRB decision of March 2.

The SoundExchange offer also maintains that the settlement is "non-precedential", adhering to the organization's contention that these rates reflect a below market rate subsidy extended to small commercial webcasters.

Webcasters have until September 14 to formally accept this offer.

Running up to the July 15 royalty deadline, Congress requested that the two parties settle terms through private negotiations. SoundExchange agreed to allow small commercial webcasters to continue operating under pre-CRB rates until a settlement was agreed upon.

Kurt Hanson's Response (Aug 23, 2007)

After describing the response as something that only impacts "very small" webcasters, HANSON noted that the offer "would not satisfy those of us who have participated in the CRB process and have been negotiating with SOUNDEXCHANGE , or, for that matter, any webcaster who hopes to build its company into something more substantial -- presumably most "small" webcasters that are larger than one-person operations -- SOMAFM, RADIO PARADISE, GOTRADIO, BIG R RADIO, LOUD CITY and many others."

He inferred that the SOUNDEXCHANGE offer is intended to show Congress that it is reaching out to all small webcasters, it will primarily benefit "some small companies who do not expect to substantially grow their businesses between now and 2010." In fact, "yesterday's offer specifically says that the percentage of revenue payment only covers those artists who are SOUNDEXCHANGE members... a small webcaster who signs the deal and plays music by artists and/or labels who are not SOUNDEXCHANGE members would, on top of the percentage of revenue, also have to pay SoundExchange the CRB-determined rates for those tracks."

For the entire response, click here.

http://www.kurthanson.com/archive/news/082207/index.shtml

Wi-Fi Radio (Aug 23, 2007)

"A retro'd clock radio with space-age guts, the moron-proof Tangent snatches streaming radio off any available WiFi network, from 'Default' to 'HugosGroovyWireless.' Browsing and pre-setting from among 6000+ worldwide stations is a snap and can be accomplished by genre or location...

"Don't let Tangent's tidy sub-toaster dimensions fool you: it packs serious sound quality, courtesy of a brawny 3inch speaker that'll pump out Bolivian talk radio/Mötley Crne so crisply you'll swear you were in La thrillistPaz/rehab.

"AUX-in/out jacks let you share either the Tangent's aural or wireless chops, and like a good clock radio should, it can be set to wake you up — blasting out a hellish irony as the the once-dulcet tones of computer-free liberty haul you back to daytime PC incarceration."

Read the entire article at Thrillist.

The Wires (Aug 23, 2007)

Syndicated morning duo Bob & Tom were joined in the studio on Tuesday by Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning for an on-air auction benefiting the Super Bowl MVP's PeyBack Foundation. The auction raised $57,000 for the foundation, which benefits at-risk children.

Entravision Proposes Sat Merger Competitor. In a filing with the FCC last week, not only opposed the Sirius/XM merger, but said that if the merger were approved, the agency should allow existing terrestrial licenses to form a consortium and proceed to establish and operate a qualified competitor. Entravision says it's "prepared to lead a consortium of as many terrestrial licenses as wish to join in providing such a competitor." In the filing, Entravision also "submits that the Commission should adopt a plan for the resumption of competition at the earliest possible time," and asks the FCC to require Sirius and XM to relinquish their spectrum so that competition can resume.

Randy Dotinga: Spying on the History of KGB KGB and its call letters were created back in 1922, but there's a debate over the origins of the call letters.

As for other stations in town, Rice and Lerner have the stories behind their call letters. Here's the skinny.

KCBQ: Columbia Broadcasting Quality. (KCBS was unavailable, so the station went with the next best thing.)

KFMB-AM (and -FM and -TV): Named after owner Warren Winchester's wife (Frances), daughter (Mary) and son (known as Burnham).

KFSD: Finest in San Diego. (That may have been a bit of an accident; Lerner said all stations west of the Mississippi got call letters beginning with "KF" from 1922-1925.)

KIOZ (Rock 105.3): The station was originally at 102.1 FM, and the call letters were supposed to look like "102."

KPRI: Created to sound like "Capri."

Meanwhile, defunct station KMJC/910 AM was originally Magic 91 then became a religious station with call letters standing for "King Majesty Jesus Christ."

Call Letters: What They Really Mean (Aug 23, 2007)

KLSD (1360): supposedly means Liberal San Diego. From Wikipedia: Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, LSD-25, or acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug. It is synthesized from lysergic acid derived from ergot, a grain fungus that typically grows on rye. It was first synthesized by Albert Hofmann. The short form LSD comes from its early codename LSD-25, which is an abbreviation for the German "LysergsSure-diethylamid" followed by a sequential number

KUSS (95.7): supposedly means U.S. San Diego. Real meaning? Spells out "cuss!"

KHTS (93.3): supposedly means hits. Real Meaning? horrible teen songs!

KBZT (94.9): was once for "K-Best 95". When they changed formats twice since 1992, they kept the call letters. As for Halloran, he's doing as BZT as he can!

KYXY (96.5): this female-focused a/c station has two too-many Y's in its call letters. Not that many people with a "Y" chromosome will listen.

KSCF (103.7): now stands for "Sophie Can Fail."

Some past call letters:

KKLQ (106.5): not sure what the second "K" and the "L" mean, but I guess the "Q" part was meant to mean a "KCBQ-like" hit music station.

KXST (102.1): the "ST" part meant "Sets" for its moniker at the time this station moved to 102.1 in 1996. The "X" part was probably stolen from the "X" in 91X.

KSWV (102.9): used for San Diego's version of The Wave from 1987-89.

KCLX (102.9): used for "Classics" for its classic rock format.

and finally

KUPR (95.7): used for Ultimate Progressive Radio or whatever it once was. This station lasted less than a year. So much for this claiming that it changes everything when it moved its stick to Mount Soledad in 1995.

Ranting About The Ratings Summer '07 P1 (Aug 22, 2007)

Surprises: KPRI-FM and 91X tie at #18 overall! XMOR-FM losing ground against XHTZ-FM; they should consider giving up hip hop for dance and techno, KIOZ and KGB are foundering, XX Sports 1090/105.7 aren't getting into the top 10 despite being in the middle of the Padres season, US 95.7 can't catch KSON, FM 94/9 getting some lost ground back, KLSD sinks probably into oblivion, KCBQ-AM can't seem to get above the 1.0 level, and the new Sophie FM on KSCF-FM is doing what Free-FM is doing: not getting listeners!

The Wires (Aug 22, 2007)

SoundExchange Offers Small Webcasters Discounted Rate Agreement. SoundExchange has started sending formal offers to qualified small webcasters that would allow them to continue operating through 2010 under most of the terms of 1998's Small Webcaster Settlement Act (SWSA), the company announced Tuesday (Aug. 21).

Entravision Proposes XM/Sirius Competitor. In an Aug. 13 comment filing to the FCC opposing the proposed merger of XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio, Spanish-language broadcaster Entravision has a proposition of its own should the merger be approved: “to allow existing terrestrial licenses to form a consortium and proceed to establish and operate a qualified competitor for the applicants [XM and Sirius] at the earliest possible time.”

Dodgers Move Spanish Broadcasts To KHJ. The LOS ANGELES DODGERS are moving Spanish language game broadcasts from LOTUS Spanish Sports KWKW-A (ESPN DEPORTES 1330)/LOS ANGELES to crosstown LIBERMAN Spanish Ranchera KHJ-A (LA RANCHERA 930 AM) in a three-year fully-integrated marketing and broadcasting deal. The deal will start with next season and includes all 162 regular season games and 8 pre-season games, plus marketing on LIBERMAN's Regional Mexican KBUE-KBUA (QUE BUENA), Spanish Hits KWIZ (SONIDO 96.7)/SANTA ANA (ORANGE COUNTY), and new addition Regional Mexican KRQB (LA QUE BUENA 96.1)/SAN JACINTO-RIVERSIDE as well as Spanish independent KRCA-TV. Hall of Fame broadcaster JAIME JARRIN, PEPE YNIGUEZ, and FERNANDO VALENZUELA will continue as the Spanish-language broadcast team for the DODGERS.

Rumors, Schumors (Aug 21, 2007)

He talks about another rumor bait that was posted in allaccess but I'm not going to take the bait in this website until I get some real facts straightened out. I'm still burned out over the bait and switch tactic CBS Radio San Diego did on us when we took the bait that 103.7 was going oldies, only to learn that it was just a two-hour stunt for a very narrow-aimed format not suitable for anybody with a penis. Chris found a website that could be a bait for a station that's not going to happen as far as I know.

For all I care, 1360 can flip to Radio Disney so we can hear what the Cheetah Girls, High School Musicial, and Hannah Montana are all about since Channel 933 doesn't have the courage to play the songs that the teens are really talking about. Furthermore, we don't need a third friggin' sports station in San Diego unless ESPN plans to shift to 1360 to get a better signal and AM 800 can go back to playing Ranchero classics from the 80s and 90s for the locals in Tijuana where the weak signal plays best.

There will be sports broadcasts on 1360, but nobody cares about another sports talk station in town as the existing two in town just aren't getting the ratings that impress the advertisers.

And...what about Cantore in the Morning? Nobody's telling for now.

The Wires (Aug 21, 2007)

Happy Hare: I spent a year trying to reconnect with a gig in Hollywood and failed. KLAC had been sold and the new owner, Mort Hall, imperiously informed me he was not bound by law to rehire me after the army. Then I dropped down to San Diego where I landed a job at KCBQ, six months before the Bartells bought the station, and changed my destiny forever. Lee Bartell and I hit it off. After a few weeks, I boldly walked into the hugely reserved man’s office and said, ”Lee, you need a program director." It turned out he did. I told him about Al Heacock who was, by now, discharged. Lee arranged to meet him in New York and hired him within minutes. Al programmed us in the way that would have done the next generation of Boss visionaries proud. We even evolved beyond that elegant format and into a more personality mode, too complex to describe here