The Wires (Oct 25, 2008)

John Maffei: Chargers vs. Saints in London. The NBA season opens Tuesday with a doubleheader on TNT ---- Cavaliers-Celtics at 5 p.m. and Trail Blazers-Lakers at 7:30 p.m. TNT will carry 54 games this season, with doubleheaders on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Marv Albert is TNT's No. 1 play-by-play man, with analysts Reggie Miller and Doug Collins. The Lakers have 70 of 82 games on local TV: 36 on L.A.'s Channel 9 and 34 on FSN. KLAC (570) is the radio home of the Lakers.

Jay Posner: Sports on TV and more. Excitement in the 'air' for London game.

The Wires (Oct 24, 2008)

Business Week: Sirius, which completed a merger with XM Satellite Radio in July, is facing a serious cash squeeze. It has more than $1 billion in debt coming due next year, and it doesn't have the money, at least not yet. Chief Executive Officer Mel Karmazin has tried to reassure investors that the company will find the necessary funding, but the questions keep coming.

Inside Music Media: They just don't get it. The record industry is broken beyond repair. The radio industry exists only for an older available generation. We see poor decisions by executives in these two industries based on their inability to see what the next generation wants.

Radio Ink: FCC Seeks Comment On HD Power Increase. The FCC is asking for public comment on a request by broadcasters and receiver makers to let digital radio operate at 10 percent of a station's analog power, up from the current 1 percent.

Randy Dotinga: Christmas Music...in October?

SDN Returns Tomorrow (Oct 23, 2008)

XM Drops System Channel 82 (updated 10am, Oct 22, 2008)

From ExplorerXLT76: "According to a post made by Victor Dinaire over on the XMFan.com message boards, The System-XM82 will be coming to an end on November 4th. I listen to the channel frequently, along with BPM. The System will be missed along with Zoltar and Alan Freed.

http://www.xmfan.com/viewtopic.php?t=95251

"I'm assuming it has to do with the merger of XM and Sirius, but could also be because of Worldspace filing for bankruptcy. It sucks they are doing away with the channel. It was a lot better than Sirius' Area 38."

Phoenix to Lose Energy (Oct 22, 2008)

Dance-music KNRJ is signing off after November 2nd and will flip to an unknown format.

KNRJ, Payson (101.1, with a Phoenix-area translator at 92.7) tells listeners that "with a heavy heart", it's signing off for good after 6-1/2 years.

Owner Sierra H, GM Michael Mallace and PD Beau Duran promise "something new" starting Monday, November 3 at 9:27am.

In a letter to listeners, the station writes:

Dear ENERGY listeners,

For over six years, ENERGY 92.7 and 101.1 (KNRJ FM) has been broadcasting dance music to ARIZONA and worldwide on the web at energyarizonafm.com. ENERGY has enjoyed a long history, becoming the second oldest pure dance over-the-air radio station in AMERICA. It is with a heavy heart that we announce Energy Arizona will leave the airwaves at five p.m. on FRIDAY OCTOBER 31st. We want to thank everyone that has supported the radio station through the years, including our sponsors, the music industry and most importantly, you our thousands of listeners. Your support has been greatly appreciated and will not be forgotten.

As one door closes, another door opens. SIERRA H BROADCASTING is very excited to bring something new to listeners in ARIZONA. Join us and listen MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd at 9:27 in the morning for a brand new chapter in Valley radio.

Thanks for listening!
MICHAEL H. MALLACE/BEAU DURAN
GENERAL MANAGER/PROGRAM DIRECTOR

KOGO-FM on 95.7? (Oct 22, 2008)

With low ratings for country on 95.7 and Tony and Kris released from their contract by their own wish, the days of the format are numbered on that frequency.

As the ratings and revenue for the radio stations continue to fall, radio businesses are beginning to think retro-ly by simulcasting their AM signals on FM signals in order to reign in the costs of broadcasting to fewer radio listeners. At night, many AM stations turn down the power so low that their signals don't reach the outskirts of the metro area. North County could get only a few strong San Diego stations on the AM like KOGO and KFMB. KPRZ broadcasts from San Marcos, a North County city. KLSD isn't reachable in North County between dusk and dawn, so the station gets no listeners until they turn up the power when the sun rises. It might make more sense to put KLSD on 95.7 FM since KOGO can reach many North County area listeners up to Temecula.

Also of note, 95.7 FM is licensed to Carlsbad, a North County city, and before 1995, it was a 3,000 watt station transmitting from a hill near Carlsbad, but at 95.9 FM.

Back in the 60s, the AM on FM simulcast was when FM was beginning to establish itself, but 40 years later, its when they're cutting costs.

There is also a possibility that Midwest Television could dump the low-rated Jack-FM and simulcast its KFMB-AM signal on 100.7 to save costs.

In the past few years, we had XX Sports 1090 simulcasting its AM signal onto an FM station in Temecula until this past Spring. With the Padres concluding its season, there's no word whether the Padres will be back on an FM station.

San Diego Chargers games have been on FM since 2006 with Rock 105.3 airing the games.

In the 80s, we had AM/FM simulcasts of KSON AM/FM, KCBQ AM/FM (105.3), and KLZZ then KKLQ-AM (600)/FM (106.5). We may be seeing a return for this trend, but this time, it would be the talkers instead of the music stations that would be simulcast on both stations.

In a reverse trend, FM stations could be simulcast on AM such as Star 94.1 on KLSD 1360.

Another alternative to save costs: selling the low-rated stations to another broadcaster. It doesn't look like the owners of 95.7, 1360, or 103.7 are coming up with anything as relevant for listeners to enjoy.

The Wires (Oct 22, 2008)

Happy Hare: Serious news reporting is taking a hit, losing its aura. The public is increasingly turning to satire and comedy to learn their news: Stewart, Colbert, Letterman, Leno, and SNL. These quarters already outscore the serious news media in the numbers, and the public tells us they learn more from the satirists.. Why is humor beginning to take over in the serious news arena? Because, sometimes things are so serious that you just have to laugh.

sandiegoradionews.com Down Notice

ALCS, Chargers Broncos Without Power (Oct 21, 2008)

A power outage prevented CBS from showing most of the first half of Sunday morning's Chargers at Buffalo game. The broadcasters on Rock 105.3 had to rely on landline telephone service (kids, ask your parents what they are) to broadcast their play by play back into San Diego's Clear Channel building where engineers at the station insert local advertisements and station promos during time outs.

The problem was caused by three helium balloons at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

TBS had technical troubles for game six of the ALCS on Saturday night for the first 20 minutes.

The Wires (Oct 21, 2008)

Inside Radio: Bay Area's KCBS gets FM outlet. CBS Radio will begin airing all-news KCBS (740) on the FM dial starting next month as it replaces KFRC's classic hits format on 106.9. KCBS has done well in PPM, ranking third last month and showing a cume above one million listeners. Market manager Doug Harvill says giving it an FM platform will give it "increased band exposure" -- especially to younger demos.

Inside Music Media: It strikes me that what has changed in the music industry today is not that three of The Four Tops are gone. Not that a lot of r&b and rock 'n roll era artists will be following Stubbs and those than have gone before to the ultimate Hy Lit record hop in the sky. Today, music is very much alive even if the record labels have atrophied.

Radioink: Report: CBS Or Viacom Could Be Up For Sale.

Top 5 Headlines Of The Week (Oct 13-19, 2008)

4. Chargers Lose to Buffalo 23-14

3. Philadephia Phillies Beat The Dodgers For The NLCS Title.

2. Tampa Bay Rays Beat The Boston Red Sox For The ALCS Title.

1. Nothing Happened In San Diego Radio This Week.