Airwaves: December 30, 2005
Thirty Songs Per Year
Showing just what new KRTH programmer Jhani Kaye has cut out for
him, the station released -- via their web site at www.krth101.com -- their official
playlist, available through a link (view playlist) on the main page. On it are
135 artists and 299 songs.
135 artists and 299 songs? For a station playing rock and roll
from approximately 1965 to 1975, give or take a few years? And that list appears
comprehensive; they don't say which songs they play over and over. No wonder
KRTH has been in a downward slide for years. Did management expect me to be impressed?
Kaye doesn't begin his new job until January 3rd, but I believe this is an indication
of exactly what is wrong with KRTH right now. So I'd like to repeat my advise
from last week: save KRTH by bringing it back. Drop all-oldies repetition in
favor of oldies-flavored adult contemporary hits. Rotate the oldies and have
special weekends. In other words, the KRTH of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
New Slogans
Tongue fully in cheek, reader Douglas Brown, who once -- among many other
things -- created some of the slogans used on KRTH, wrote in to help KRTH transition
to its new sound. You can almost hear them now:
"K-Earth 101 with more Smooth Oldies you so you can listen all day long
at the office. None of that offensive rock 'n' roll like Little Richard, Doo-Wop
and The Kinks."
"Smoooth Oldies, K-Earth 101, kicking off a Kenny Loggins Weekend."
"From the music research capitol of the world, KRTH, Los Angeles."
"The safest oldies of ALLLLL time. K-Earth 101."
"Variety?? Shem-iety! We're K-Earth 101."
"No surprises, just the same ol' crap on a different day. K-Earth 101."
And one of my own: "K-Earth 101. So dependable, you can set your clock by
our playlist."
Top Stories
I want to give time for (a) the year to actually end and (b) for your responses
to come in, but so far these are the suggestions for top stories of 2005:
1. Jack-FM, both in LA and San Diego (and around the country).
2. KNX leaving Hollywood.
3. XTRA 690 dropping standards and going Spanish.
4. KKGO/XSUR going oldies and then standards again.
5. Jamie White remaining on the air.
6. Howard Stern leaving broadcast radio.
Anything to add? Send your comments now and I'll put them in the column next
week. In the meantime, have a happy and safe new year.
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Copyright © 2005 Richard Wagoner and The Copley Press.
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