Where is Suits?

I’ve been getting a few emails questioning the status of Bryan Suits and his Dark Secret Place program formerly airing on KFI (640 AM). Until this past weekend, I had not heard a thing officially … then suddenly everything hit the proverbial fan.

The quick version of the story: Suits is gone from KFI. The Dark Secret Place can be found online via subscription at TheDarkSecretPlace.com. It will cost you about $6 per month and includes new shows as well as archived content.

The slightly longer version is posted by Suits on Facebook, where he wrote, “Howdy all.

I have decided that I own my content and it is now exclusively at TheDarkSecretPlace.com .

My prior employer decided that I had no other value as a radio host and we agreed to separate our futures. That is all.”

The gist of this is that Suits wanted to control the distribution of his show, and that he felt he could do better with a podcast subscription model than he could staying employed by KFI. It’s a shame, though, as DSP was a tremendously interesting program, and while $6 per month in and of itself is not a huge amount, if you start adding up all the monthly subscriptions you have, the total can be as much as a cable bill. And cable bills are not cheap. Perhaps he feels there are enough fans who will pay, though, that this could be the next big thing for him. 

Certainly he’s not alone. Tom Leykis and Phil Hendrie both do it. As do many more.

While so far I cannot find anyone with KFI to talk officially — they aren’t avoiding comment, it’s just still hard to get through to people due to the ongoing pandemic —  it appears internet rumors that station management was angered by Suits promoting his subscription podcast are false. “There was no issue with him promoting the podcast on air,” said one anonymous source. “He had been doing that already.”

The interest in the Dark Secret Place came from Suits’ story-telling ability combined with his military experience. He served in Operation Desert storm as an Army medic, served in the National Guard, was part of a NATO mission to Bosnia, was deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and more. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal and was wounded in action several times, eventually being awarded a Purple Heart.

This gives Dark Secret Place a special focus on politics and the military, and listeners are taken on a journey that feels like you’re part of a special military operation yourself. It truly is among the best shows on radio. Or formerly on radio, as the case may be. Something tells me he may not be off of the local airwaves long.

In the meantime, I’ll still be trying to find out what really happened … still hard to believe Suits would give up a gig like this, or for KFI to let it go. Stay tuned …

Radio Sinatra

All Frank Sinatra radio did indeed debut last week, and can be heard on the digital HD radio stream of KKGO, at 105.1 HD3. Originally, I expected the online version to be available at SinatraFM, but the final decision for online access came down as UnforgettableFM.com. Eventually there will be a smartphone app and — I assume — a link on TuneIn and similar radio apps that essentially turn your phone into a world-wide radio receiver. As I wrote this, I could not get my HomePod to play the station, most likely due to it not being listed on TuneIn … yet. I am sure that is coming soon.

If you want a direct link to the online stream, try http://1.ice1.mainstreamnetwork.com/kkgo_h3.aac. Online sound quality is superb, as is the on-air HD signal – if you own an HD radio.

Deflation

Once upon a time, radio stations sold for millions. One station in Madison, Georgia sold for $10. Not $10 million, not $10,000 … $10. Includes the studio equipment and the transmitter, but does not include the land the transmitter sits on, as the land itself is leased from a third party and a new agreement must be reached.

The station is WYTH (1250 AM) with an authorization to broadcast with 1000 watts during the day and 79 watts at night. Locals claim that the station has been off the air for a number of years, but normally the FCC doesn’t allow a license to remain valid for a “dark” station that long. Regardless, $10 is not a bad deal for a station … even if it is an AM in Georgia.

///