Go Christmas 105
Last week I wondered aloud when/if Go Country 105 would be changing to an all holiday music format. Owner Saul Levine told me that it will be soon … “within two days” he told me on November 12th. “Regular Go Country programming will continue on 105.1 HD3,” he said, which means if you have a digital HD radio you can still get your Country fix on. Country will still be available on line.
Movin’ on Up
San Diego has moved up a notch in the eyes of Nielsen. Due to population shifts, the ratings company has officially ranked America’s Finest City as #16 in the United States, up one from last year. The change is effective immediately.
Realistically the change is relatively meaningless to listeners but it is a slight increase in the influence San Diego radio will have in the industry. New York and Los Angeles remain numbers one and two, respectively.
A quick glance at the San Diego ratings brings out something unusual – a public station is number one in the city. News/Talk KPBS-FM (89.5), owned by San Diego State University, earned a 6.7 share in the most recent ratings, beating the top-rated commercial station — top-40 KHTS (93.3 FM) — by more than half a point: 6.7 to 6.1.
Fire Update
KLOS morning man Frank Kramer, co-star of the station’s Heidi Frosty and Frank, is not the only radio guy to lose his house in the recent fires.
“I’m so sorry that Joel Denver’s home is one of the many, many that were lost in the inferno of the Woolsey firestorm,” wrote Mary Beth Garber, former president of the Southern California Broadcasters Association, on Don Barrett’s LARadio.Com.
The news was confirmed on radio (and records) industry website AllAccess.Com, of which Denver is president and publisher. “Sadly, my fiancee KYM and I lost our home in Latigo Canyon in the fire on Friday,” he wrote November 12th. “It was my home for 31 amazing years. We evacuated grabbing our pets, some belongings, and very little else, so we are in rebuild mode. Our heartfelt thanks to the many friends and clients who have reached out with words of support and kindness — it has truly buoyed our spirits. We are planning to rebuild.”
The Malibu offices of AllAccess were threatened for a time as well, including some scorched landscaping, before the fire was driven back by firefighters.
Culver City Fire Department Captain Seth Miller was a guest on Frosty, Heidi and Frank’s morning show November 14th. He spoke of fire prevention as well as what firefighters do to fight wildfires. Very interesting radio; if you missed it you can hear a recording of it on the KLOS website.
Hungerthon
SiriusXM Satellite Radio is partnering with WhyHunger for its annual Hungerthon online auction running now through December 12th.
This is the 10th year SiriusXM has promoted the event, and many of SiriusXM’s music, talk and sports channels are participating by helping to promote WhyHunger’s auction of rare memorabilia and experiences donated by popular musicians, athletes and celebrities.
Auction items include a chance to meet LL Cool J; a trip to meet and see Mumford & Sons in Nashville; tickets to meet and see Willie Nelson; tickets to see Diplo, Brian Setzer Orchestra and Phish; signed guitars from Sean Ono Lennon, Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls, Billie Eilish and more; a signed Marshmello helmet; tickets to the 2019 Daytona 500 and much more.
How much more? How about an opportunity to sit in during SiriusXM shows with Jenny McCarthy, Andy Cohen, Hoda Kotb, Sway Calloway, Dave Marsh, Trace Adkins, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, the Morning Mash Up and opportunities to record guest DJ sessions on The Beatles Channel, The Highway, Turbo, and ‘80’s on 8. Want the opportunity to spend a day at a NFL training camp? You can bid on that too.
Auctions will be conducted online; go to hungerthon.org for details. A list of SiriusXM auction items and full details are available at www.siriusxm.com/hungerthon.
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