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Radio AM to FM: June 26, 1998

Music of Your Life Moving Up

It's not breaking any records yet, but the nostalgic combination of "Adult Standards" and pop classics known as "The Music of Your Life" is breathing new life into KGIL (1260 AM) and over 100 other stations around the country.

In just about two years, the format -- programmed by former KMPC programmer Chuck Southcott and featuring such well-known personalities as Gary Owens, Wink Martindale and Scott O'Neil -- has expanded from four stations to 114.

The format didn't hit KGIL until March 2nd of this year, but the station is already earning higher numbers in the Arbitron Ratings race. In the latest trends, KGIL was up to a 0.5 ... not very impressive until you realize that this is the highest share KGIL has had in almost three years. This in only three months.

Looks like there's a musical life left on the old AM band.

Rumors

KLAC (570 AM) and KEZY (95.9 FM) are both up for sale, and according to radio insiders almost everyone and their mother is interested in buying.

Apparently Jacor is interested in both, and rumor has it that the company wants to take one or both in an all-sports direction even though Jacor's own KXTA (1150 AM) is a miserable failure after one year on the air. Interestingly, the rumor calls for KEZY to simulcast KXTA ... I suppose Jacor's reasoning is that if they buy every available station and change all of them to all-sports, someone might actually start listening.

CBS is said to be interested in KEZY, and the fact that CBS is at their limit of stations owned in Los Angeles may not be much of a problem: KEZY is licensed to the city of Anaheim, not Los Angeles where the company owns KNX (1070 AM), KRLA (1110 AM), KFWB (980 AM), KLSX (97.1 FM), KRTH (101.1 FM), KROQ (106.7 FM), KCBS-FM (93.1 FM) and KCBS-TV (Channel 2).

Hopefully a new owner will not change the format of either station, as Los Angeles radio is only tolerable on a few frequencies ... KEZY and KLAC are two of the better ones.

Fools Rush In

KFI (640 AM) has canceled Rush.

On weekends, anyway. The Saturday morning Rush Limbaugh repeat heard from 9 am to 12 noon has been replaced by The Motley Fool Radio Show.

Starring Fool founders David and Tom Gardner, the show aims to educate, amuse and enrich people who are interested in building personal wealth. Over the past three years the Gardner brothers have built their reputation by demystifying investing and making money matters fun.

In addition to the brand-new radio program, the Fools have their own personal investment site on the internet and on America Online, and they write a weekly newspaper column that appears in various papers throughout the country.

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Copyright 1998 Richard Wagoner and The Copley Press