Airwaves: December 2, 2011
In This Corner ...
KNX (1070 AM) takes over Ventura Boulevard next Friday, December 9th
with a live broadcast of KNX On Your Corner from Jerry’s Deli in
Encino, 16650 Ventura Blvd.
KNX? Wasn’t it KFWB On Your Corner? Well, it was.
But KNX has more power and kicked sister KFWB out of the corner a few weeks
ago, stealing the show in the process.
Anyway, the day’s programming begins at 5 AM with anchors Vicky Moore
and Chris Sedans focussing on the rich history and variety of businesses in
the area. Community leaders and local residents will be guests on the show
which runs until 9 AM. At 1 PM, Frank Mottek will host the Business Hour from
the restaurant, followed at 2:00 by Diane Thompson and Jim Thornton.
That leaves 9 AM to 1 PM as the odd man out, the only prime daytime hours not
broadcast that day from Jerry’s Deli. Why? No idea. Maybe Tom Haule and
Linda Nunez don’t want to travel ...
The program will be in Hollywood in January, Culver City in March and Anaheim
in June. so keep a watch out for the broadcasts. You could be a part of broadcast
history ... These are very good shows.
Anti Radio
Mary Beth Garber is the former President of the Southern California
Broadcasters Association, also known as the SCBA. In her position, she relentlessly
pushed her views on radio and how radio is a valuable entertainment medium
for the vast majority of people. I’ve had disagreements with her because
I think she often sees the industry through very rose-colored glasses -- so
rose-colored that she occasionally can’t see how the industry is self-destructing
in many ways -- but she was an excellent cheerleader for radio.
Now as the Executive Vice President for Radio Analysis and Insights for the
Katz Radio Group, she continues her cheerleading. The November 28th edition
of Radio Ink published an article from her regarding Pandora. More specifically,
how internet music service Pandora (pandora.com) is not what everyone says
it is, and how the media (I suppose that includes me) give it a “pass” when
it comes to deception.
Namely, that Pandora is not radio.
I’ll buy that. And I agree one hundred percent. It is an alternative to
radio, but Garber is very much correct when she states that Pandora doesn’t “embody
engagement and local focus.” That it “has no personalities, local
news, weather or traffic, community projects or personality-hosted events.”
The problem is, neither does radio. Few stations embody the idea of localism
any more as the mantra to play “more music and less talk” has gone
to an extreme. Most of music radio today is a background music service very
much like the old Muzak or Pandora. One could say, in fact, that while Pandora
is not radio, radio is fast becoming Pandora. Long gone are the great stations
of the past: KMET, KHJ, KRLA. Even KIIS-FM is a
shadow of its former self, when listeners actually got excited and connected
to the station. And in my opinion, that is not a good thing.
Certainly there are exceptions. Go Country stays true to radio’s
roots, as does The Sound and a handful of others. But the very fact
that radio is now background rather than foreground is telling. Garber is absolutely
correct in what she wrote. She just needs to convince her own media how to
stay relevant, otherwise there will soon be no reason to tune in.
Spirited
Love old time radio? Radio Spirits has a new Christmas Collection valuable
including episodes from Jack Benny, Johnny Dollar, Abbot and Costello, Jimmy
Durante and many more ... 20 episodes on ten audio CDs. Go to radiospirits.com
for details on this and many other OTR recordings.
Brinker Mystery
I’ve had a few letters asking the same thing: What happened to Bob
Brinker on KABC (790 AM)? His Moneytalk program was a weekend
staple on the station for years.
KABC decided to drop the show and go in a different direction. But you can
still hear it if you have a computer, iPod Touch, internet radio tuner or a
smartphone. Just find a station that streams the show (such as KION/Salinas,
1460kion.com, Sundays 1-4 PM).
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Copyright © 2011 Richard Wagoner and Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
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