SDN Radio News Flashback:

'KLOS' New Fall Lineup (Sep 23, 1997)

Jim Ladd returned to L.A. radio on a revamped and refocused KLOS 95.5 FM Sept. 23, taking over the weekday 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. slot. FM rock veteran Garth Kemp plays the rock in the late afternoons. Music director Rita Wilde stepped into middays, and Chuck Moshontzis back as the Mark and Brian Program newsman. Former KMET-FM (now KTWV) DJ Raechel Donahue is heard on weekends. She was married to the late Tom "Big Daddy" Donahue, one of the original 1968 KPPC Pasadena DJs considered to be the father of "underground" FM rock radio. Suzanne Ansilio is currently the 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. host followed by overnight regular Al Ramirez.

Program Director John Duncan announced the changes at the Sept. 20 KLOS "Summer Send-Off Celebrating Mark & Brian's 10th Anniversary" free concert at the Blockbuster Pavilion.

Ladd, another FM rock radio pioneer, joined the staff of KLOS in 1969 and remained there until moving to KMET in1975. From 1991 to 1994, he was the evening DJ on KLSX-FM. KLOS is making more headway in its back-to-basics AOR (album-oriented rock) direction. The format will not be as strict as classic rock KLSX. Listeners can expect to hear new releases mixed with the old, a formula Ladd said made his KLSX ratings leap, even though he wasn't sounding like the "rest of the day."

Emperor' Dies (Sep 20, 1997)

"Emperor" Bob Hudsondied in his sleep at his Monrovia home Sept. 20. He was 66. The DJ was a prominent member of L.A. radio's ruling class in the '60s and early' 70s, holding sway from thrones on KRLA, KFWB, KBLA, KEZY, KGBS, KFI, KIEV and XPRS. He came to power replacing Bob Eubanks as morning man on KRLA in 1963. He dubbed himself "Beautiful Bob" and bridged the "Generation Gap" with his gruff working-class wit and penchant for put-ons. He once exhorted his followers - "Hudson's Commandos" - to straighten out Sunset Boulevard for its conversion into a bowling alley. An army veteran who got into radio while stationed in Alaska, he once solicited mail on behalf of a local soldier serving in Vietnam, and 176 girls sent in letters.

In the early '70s, Hudson teamed with Ron Landry, and the two formed a potent morning combo on KGBS (now KTNQ). Hudson retired in 1988.

We Want Your Old San Diego Radio News Articles

The archives of the old Dave's Radio Waves from 1998-2000 and Cal Radio News from 2001-2003 are finally online once again. SDN is accepting submissions of radio news articles and hopes to host some old news articles from the now-defunct Radio Guide San Diego and Radio Guide Los Angeles magazines.

I went through my closet and found five old issues of San Diego Radio Guide and four of Radio Guide Los Angeles. I'm not sure when they first began publishing or quit, but I first heard about Los Angeles Radio Guide way back in 1989 on the old Wally George Great American Radio Show on KLAC 570. I guess Wally was talking to, I believe it was publisher Ben Jacoby, who let him give a plug about Radio Guide on his show. I sent out some money and got a 1989 Los Angeles Radio Guide with just the listings of all the radio shows and stations that were on back then.

If anyone has some old San Diego radio news bits that I can publish, please let me know.

I would like to personally encourage more 'late breaking stories' about radio mergers, sales, format changes, personnel changes, FCC news and other news about the industry.

If you are a SDN reader and have not contributed recently, please feel strongly encouraged to do so now.

Please take the time to start posting any information, even strong rumor (although you should label it AS rumor) and send to me.

We want to see as much immediate information as possible

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