The Wires (November 24, 2007)

Orange County Register: "Loveline" radio co-host Dr. Drew Pinsky and Portland-based national talk host Lars Larson join KGIL 1260 AM Nov. 27 (Tuesday) when the news-talk station starts a simulcast on 540 AM

If It's 12:01am The Day After Thanksgiving Day... (November 23, 2007)

NOW you can run holiday-themed ads on radio, TV, newspapers, internet, billboards. Go nuts! I'll look forward to that much hype and commercialism when the Equimas Shopping Season begins on February 28, 2008. Enjoy your holiday season.

Feedback: Cantore and 91X (November 23, 2007)

Posted by Michael on 11/22/07 @ 6:39 am: Just goes to show how cheap corporate radio is nowdays---easier to save a buck or two on lame-ass syndicated programming like Adam Carolla instead of having REAL talent such as Cantore at the station. If 91X is going to dump Cantore..might as well get someone to just voice track the mornings and put in more music---you'd definitely get more out of it from a listener standpoint than Adam Carolla. If 91X DOES go this route...I won't blame ANYONE for switching to 94.9. Guess "radio with personality" has gone the way of the Dodo in America....like everything else that was good about it this country. But hell...that's just MY two cents.

Happy Thanksgiving Day (November 22, 2007)

Here's a riddle: What disasters would happen if a waiter dropped a plate of turkey?

Answer: The downfall of Greece, the overthrow of Turkey, and the break up of China

Tomorrow on SDN, David Tanny says a traditional phrase.

AM 540 Drops The Zoo (November 22, 2007)

Here is the schedule LARadio says will be simulcast on 540 and 1260 starting next week:
6 a.m. - Wall Street Journal Morning Edition
7 a.m. - Neal Boortz
9 a.m. - Michael Jackson
11 a.m. - Dr. Drew Pinsky
1 p.m. - Dr. Joy Browne
3 p.m. - Lars Larson
5 p.m. - Michael Jackson
7 p.m. - Larry King Live
8 p.m. - The Great American Songbook

The Wires (November 22, 2007)

UHF Frequency Allocations Modified at ITU WRC-07. The U.S. delegation worked to obtain agreement to designate 698 to 806 MHz (U.S. TV Channels 52-69) for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT), which includes mobile broadband.

Pre-Black Friday Deals Greet Holiday Shoppers. Some analysts are predicting especially good prices on large-screen plasma units due to an over-supply of product in some regions of North America. Still, good deals on LCD, rear-projection and other technologies are expected, but ever-changing sales prices may not be posted online until hours prior to Black Friday.

Female-Friendly Survey Finds Fans Prefer HD to Stadium. In a U.S. survey commissioned by HD product maker Motorola, nearly half of all American sports fans said they prefer to watch football on an HD screen at home or in a sports bar rather than actually attend the game in-person.

Inside Radio: Opposition to radio royalty grows. The number of co-sponsors of a House resolution recognizing the promotional value of free radio airplay has grown to 104. The resolution, sponsored by Reps. Gene Green (D-TX) and Mike Conaway (R-TX), says "Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station.

Inside Radio: Lincoln Financial has good reason to make deals sooner-than-later. Lincoln Financial will continue operating its remaining 15 radio stations while looking at "options to divest" in hopes of getting richer offers. That strategy though could backfire for both the seller and a would-be buyer. "They may not like the offers, but it could get a lot worse" says a longtime dealmaker.

Randy Dotinga: Classical Music Finally on Tap Sometime before the end of the year, commercial-free Mexico-based station XLNC-1, now broadcasting at 90.7, expects to switch to a stronger transmitter at 104.9 FM. That means North County listeners will be able to tune in without interference for the first time and hear a station that's quietly offered classical programming to both sides of the border for seven years. "This is going to be a big change, a tremendous change," said Lisette Atala, the station's U.S.-based executive director. XLNC, founded by the late businessman Victor Diaz, has had trouble catching on and gaining enough financial support. The station only has 5,500 paying members, and Atala said it reaches 65,000-70,000 listeners on the U.S. side each week, which isn't a lot. Atala blames the weak signal at 90.7, which makes it hard for the XLNC to reach much of the county.

KPBS' "A Way With Words" returns on Saturday with new episodes. The show, which will still be hosted by Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett, was saved by private financing after the station cancelled it a few months ago.

Ken Leighton: SD Reader Blurt: Ken Leighton writes about morning radio being imported from LALA Land. Note that Big Boy originates from Power 106 while Adam Carolla originates from 97.1 Free FM. "A blogger named GMike is not happy with Z90. The station's morning DJ, "Chino," was replaced last month by the Big Boy's Neighborhood show, a syndicated program out of L.A. "They need to keep the L.A. cats in L.A.," GMike complained on Chino's MySpace page. Radio stations continue to reduce their expenses by relying on syndicated music shows or out-of-town personalities. (Z90's major urban/hip-hop competitor "Blazin 98.9" uses the L.A.-based Baka Boyz for its morning show.) According to one insider, the next local morning DJ to be replaced by a syndicated show is Chris Cantore, who has anchored the 91X morning show for 11 years. It is rumored that Cantore in the Morning will be replaced by the L.A.-based Adam Carolla Show in January."

Inside Music Media: From Jerry Del Colliano -- The Radio Station of the Future: I have seen the future. It's happening now and the changes that are taking place in real time will proliferate during the year ahead. And, as always, our consolidated leader, Clear Channel is leading the way once again. One of my readers confirmed the further degradation of America's radio stations and I thought I'd share it with you. (For those of you who know all too well what I'm going to say, I'll understand if you hold your nose while reading). Here's the radio station of the future (read more - Inside Music Media)

NY Times: From Saul Hansell -- According to new data from the NPD Group, people are actually spending more on cellphones than a year ago and more people are buying phones that serve other functions besides making calls. Half the phones sold in the period could play MP3 music files, compared to one quarter a year ago

FirstIn: From Dave Kohl -- The ability, and more importantly, the technology is already there to change the layout of sports talk on radio. Fans can more easily e-mail their reactions, questions, thoughts, and suggestions, about the outcome of a game or any other topic, than can be a part of the on-air discussion. But you'd hardly know if from listening to sports stations around the country

Around The SD Outland (November 22, 2007)

Balboa Park Holiday Tree Lighting. Come play in the park for the annual holiday tree lighting in conjunction with the opening performance of "Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" on Sunday, Nov. 25. Lighting at 5 p.m. at the Old Globe Plaza; the play starts at 4:30 p.m. and runs $19 for children, $39 for adults.

Ice Skating at Horton Square Through January 6th at Horton Plaza. Sycuan's "Fantasy on Ice" will allow young and old to skate the day away at the outdoor rink next to Horton Plaza. $12 adults, $10 children: Includes skate rental, open daily from 10am to 10pm.

LATE BREAKING NEWS.... (November 21, 2007)

"We have a confirmnation from insiders that AM 1360 is still broadcasting the format of sports talk after eight days and have no plans to change formats anytime soon. Our spies who are in the guise of paid Clear Channel San Diego employees tell me that the format change from Air America talk to sports talk was indeed not a planned interim stunt format that would serve as a lead into another desired format that doesn't seem to exist at all according to our insiders. Once again, AM 1360 is still broadcasting the format of sports talk after eight days. This is Danny Montanny reporting for SDN."

This has been a late breaking bulletin. We now return you to SDN which is unfortunately still in progress.

The Wires (Nov 21, 2007)

Talking Radio: From Barooosk -- While 19 lib talk stations (six owned by CC) have ceased to exist during the past year, the flip of KLSD/1360 represents the most serious blow yet to the format. (Ironically ratings for the station were up 33% in the last Arbitron Survey.) KLSD was, by far, the largest lib talk station to drop the format. In fact, listenership for the San Diego station was more than double that of any of the other stations that have dropped lib talk

It's Still Thanksgiving Season, Not Christmas Season (November 20, 2007)

I'm tuning out all of your ads if they're Christmas-themed until after Thanksgiving.

Please refrain from skipping over seasons. This is Thanksgiving season. Grow up and stop being so greedy.

NFL Network HD Comes to Cox (November 20, 2007)

"From We are pleased to announce the launch of NFL Network HD (channel 772) on Tuesday, November 20, 2007 for Cox Digital Cable customers with the Sports and Information Package and an HD receiver.

"Cox is pleased to announce that we will once again be airing 8 LIVE NFL games beginning on Thanksgiving evening on the NFL Network (Channel 332) and also in HD on NFL Network HD (channel 772). These games will only be available for customers who subscribe to the Digital Sports and Information Package (NFL Network HD requires both the Digital Sports and Information Package as well as an HD receiver)."

    * Thursday, November 22 - Colts at Falcons
    * Thursday, November 29 - Packers at Cowboys
    * Thursday, December 6 - Bears at Redskins
    * Thursday, December 13 - Broncos at Texans
    * Saturday, December 15 - Bengals at 49ers
    * Thursday, December 20 - Steelers at Rams
    * Saturday, December 22 - Cowboys at Panthers
    * Saturday, December 29 - Patriots at Giants

KIFM CD Sampler 2008 arrives Tuesday! (November 20, 2007)

All net proceeds from the sales benefit "All That Jazz," a music grant contributing to music education in San Diego County schools.

Here's our Sampler Player with a full list of tracks, music samples, and a list of the Borders locations closest to you:

http://www.kifm.com/sampler

Dick Wilson Obituary (November 20, 2007)

Wilson died of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Fund Hospital in Woodland Hills, said his daughter Melanie Wilson, who is known for her role as a flight attendant on the ABC sitcom "Perfect Strangers."

Wilson made more than 500 commercials as Mr. George Whipple, a man consumed with keeping bubbly housewives from fondling toilet paper. The punch line of most spots was that Whipple himself was a closeted squeezer.

The first commercial aired in 1964 and by the time the campaign ended in 1985 the tag line and Wilson, a former Canadian airman and vaudeville veteran, were pop culture touchstones.

I hate it when a Dick dies.

The Wires (November 20, 2007)

Inside Radio: CBS news writers authorize strike. CBS radio and TV news writers have voted by a four-to-one margin to authorize their union to call a strike at any time. Almost 300 members of the Writers Guild of America East voted late last week. The union members have been without a contract since 2005. Among the key sticking points is a smaller raise for radio station workers compared to the radio and TV networks.

Westwood One: The traffic experts at Metro Networks release their annual list of worst traffic tie-up spots in the country heading into the Thanksgiving holiday. With a lot of stations adding traffic reports this week, Metro EVP John Frawley says "Traffic congestion remains one of the most significant issues in American cities of any size year round." Click the link to see the list.

Happy Hare: Well, hi there. This is Happy Hare on signonradio.com, heard by hundreds of thousands of listeners. Wednesdays 1P-3P. I do it this way, because you aren’t going to come to me. and it would be a mess if you did. Maybe I could do a show for 20 or 30 of you tops and play the music for you personally, but that would take forever, so here I am. I am going through my old material in my garage, and tossing it. But you can have it if you wish. It is by now, Pop Standards stuff. The show that asks the question, Is Mr. Coffee related to Mr. T? Question: What has four legs, feathers, and goes bah bah? Answer: Two Indians singing the Whiffenpoof Song? (read more - www.HappyHareOnline.com)

JT “The Brick” has renewed his contract with Fox Sports Radio Network. FOX GameTime React with JT “The Brick” airs on nearly 180 radio stations nationwide including WEEI-AM 850 in Boston, KBME-AM 790 in Houston and WDFN-AM 1130 in Detroit

All Access: Costas Coming To Philly And San Diego Costas On The Radio can be heard on more than 180 stations with the addition of Sports Talk KLSD-A/San Diego, airing Saturdays from 6-8a PT. Costas On The Radio is a two-hour weekend show hosted by Bob Costas and features conversations with newsmakers and significant figures from sports and other walks of life, as well as Costas’ own commentaries and observations.