Fire Coverage (October 23, 2007)

While the higher than normal fire station staffings, coordination between the independent fire stations scattered around the county, and help from some of our armed forces helped to bring the county together in responding to the disaster, the biggest help came from our local radio talkers who stayed on beyond their shifts to field callers from people volunteering their services.

Rick Roberts and Monique, the morning show hosts on KFMB-AM and FM respectively, stayed on way past their shifts until 3pm fielding calls from listeners and giving information on where the shelters are around the county for the evacuees to vacate to. Ian Rose took over on KFMB-AM at 3pm while Roy Robertson and Mike O'Reilly took over on KFMB-FM.

Over on the seven-station Clear Channel cluster, the stations broadcast dead air for an hour until KOGO morning talker Chip Franklin was heard on the seven stations. A major power outage knocked the studios dark. Roger Hedgecock took over the seven station reign at NOON, and appearred on the John and Ken Show on L.A. sister KFI to give L.A. an update on the fire situation. Cliff Albert and Steve Yuhas took over from 6pm on. Yuhas was broadcasting most of the afternoon and evening Sunday when the fires began their dangerous spread.

KLSD had Jon Elliott and Kaye Reifers from about 3pm until 6pm as they too took calls like the other stations did.

All of the radio stations were telling us what freeway spans were closed, which detours to use, how to donate money to help the Red Cross, where to go for volunteer work, what people were donating their horse trailers to get the thousands of horses out of the dangerous areas, what shelters were open and closed, and where the fires were spreading to. The day was a complete mess.

The local TV stations preempted their profit-making soaps and talkers to continue with live fire coverage all day. The local stations stuck with fire coverage and preempted all of their prime-time fare, but KGTV aired some of the ABC shows on Cox cable 4.

Smooth Jazz KIFM postponed all of their prize giveaways because they didn't feel like doing anything for fun during this time of disaster.

Lee Hamilton was awakened by a reverse 911 call at about 4am yesterday morning and he had to evacuate his home in Rancho Bernardo along with his elderly mother. Tony Randall of US 95.7 also had to leave as well as Dave Rickards, part of the KGB morning trio.

Fire once again was threatening the new home for Jimmy Valentine, who lost his home in the Cedar fire in 2003.

Larry Himmel of KFMB lost his home in the Witch Creek fire. No word on the updates on any of the other radio personalities' homes.

There were people up to no good during the wildfire rage. Reports of teenagers and a man were deliberately setting fires in separate areas were heard on the radio. One person was selling gas masks marked up 500 percent. Scammers were posing as phony contractors who promise to get your house rebuilt in two weeks. Potential burgulars were posting evaucation notices in senior citizen trailer parks. It's hard to believe that these scum of the earth are taking advantage of us. One of the talkers is quoted on saying that they would let the higher powers deal with them.

But the biggest heroes of the county are our risk-taking fire fighters. They're the ones who are putting themselves in harm's way by using their skills to help stop and slow down the wildfires as best as they can. This is a job that is not to be taken lightly. Our firefighters are doing all they can, but there is not enough of them to help contain and control the out of control fires all over the county. We owe our deepest debt to our firefighters who are working extra long hours on little sleep and food, and our hearts go to some of the firefighters who had to be taken to the hospital due to fire exhaustion. Our firefighting forces are stretched to their limits and have to import firefighters from surrounding areas, as well as to call on the National Guard, to help in their efforts.

The Wires (October 23, 2007)

Wired: From Randy Dotinga -- As HD Radio braces for a sliver of success -- adding advertisers and a new wave of portable receivers -- critics say tight control by big radio companies at the top is smothering the fledgling industry's chances. "Radio's most popular formats were created by radio rebels, outlaws, misfits and ne'er-do-wells -- not by corporate marketing executives," says Robert Hughes, co-owner of San Diego rock station KPRI, which has no immediate plans to broadcast in HD

Inside Music Media: From Jerry Del Colliano -- If, as I believe, the future of the music-related media is on the Internet and delivered through mobile devices, we need to test whether this digitally-stressed generation can take more stimulation. Are they suffering from digital stress (I say yes, and I’m with them a lot). Just look at Blackberry users (forgive me if you are one but I’m going to insult you) – do you want to really live like that? Well, my students are just like you when it comes to being addicted to their mobile phones and music devices

Valerie is Buddy to Rachael (October 22, 2007)

Hollywood Reporter: Valerie Bertinelli has signed on as a "celebrity content buddy" for CBS Television Distribution's daytime talk show "Rachael Ray."

The actress and Jenny Craig spokeswoman will develop segments reflecting her personality and interests as a mom and working woman, starting with a trip to New Orleans for a "girls' guide to the gridiron" at a "Monday Night Football" game. The segment will air Oct. 23, with Bertinelli also visiting Ray in the studio to make Louisiana gumbo.

Terry Wood, president of creative affairs and development at CTD, said Bertinelli will make appearances on "Rachael Ray" throughout the season. She added that Bertinelli and Ray "get along like sisters."

Bertinelli recently starred in the Hallmark Channel telefilm "Claire" and is set to co-star in Lifetime's upcoming tele "True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet." She is repped by Innovative Artists, managers Jack Grossbart and Marc Schwartz and attorney Jaime Mandelbaum."

The Wires (October 22, 2007)

ComputorEdge: Did Podcasting Kill the Radio Star? by Lucas Roebuck. Radio is about to get its transistors kicked. Podcasting is still a growing method of audio distribution, and radio is still kicking for now. But there is little doubt that podcasting is killing the radio star. The only question is, how slow will the death be?

RadioWorld: Best Buy Bails on the Analog TV Business. Best Buy this week stopped selling analog televisions and pulled remaining stock from its shelves, according to the Associated Press. (editor's note: when will Fry's, Target, and Wal-Mart do likewise? Fry's is still displaying some older non-ATSC tuning VCRs without the Consumer Warning label by it.)

TV Technology: LPTVs, Class As and Analog Translators Won’t Shut Down On D-Day. Thanks to the efforts of broadcasters, the news media and the FCC, the public is getting the word that off-air analog TV is supposed to disappear on Feb. 17, 2009. The shutdown, however, does not apply to LPTV, Class A TV and TV translator stations.