Radio AM to FM - August 27, 1999

Radio AM to FM: August 27, 1999

A Mega House Party

It's official: John London and the House Party are taking their morning show up the dial to Mega 100 (KCMG, 100.3 FM) beginning Monday. Their last show on The Beat (KKBT, 92.3 FM) was August 20th. Both Mega 100 and The Beat are owned by the same company.

According to an on-air statement given by London, the move is unrelated to falling ratings for the House Party, which has seen its share of the Arbitron pie fall from last year's 3.9 to the most recent rating of 2.6. In reality, London said, the show is moving in part because of the direction hip-hop music (a staple of the Beat format) has taken as of late.

"Maybe it's just me," London said. "To my ears, it seems like (hip-hop) is getting more and more ignorant ... I'm tired of fighting the ignorant battle." Memo to John: It is just you. Hip-hop hasn't changed; it has always been ignorant. The Beat has simply added more and more hip-hop songs over the past few years, replacing he previous soul and dance songs that were once the station's staples.

The move of London and the House Party -- unfortunately a reunion with former partner Ron Engelman hasn't been discussed -- will result in the displacement of the current Mega morning team. Monica Brooks is "on the loose" while Danny Romero will concentrate on his television career.

More changes will be coming at The Beat ... stay tuned.

This Just In

Former KLSX (97.1 FM) talk host Kato Kaelin has filed a lawsuit against tabloid newspaper The Globe for printing an allegedly false story that he insists ruined his ability to perform his duties as a talk-show host, according to RadioDigest.com's Los Angeles correspondent Tomm Looney.

Apparently, lack of talent, having nothing intelligent to say and making each hour's topic "where I partied last night/weekend" or "why I can't talk about O. J." has nothing to do with his lack of job opportunities in the talk radio circuit.

Parting of the Ways

John Duncan has left the programming post at Y-107 (KLYY, 107.1 FM). Current rumor has station vets Mike Halloran and Mike Savage assuming Duncan's duties until a replacement is found, although the move is sure to spark new format-change rumors that circle around the station every few months.

Book 'em, Lee

Lee Marshall, whose distinctive voice has graced the newsrooms of many Los Angeles-area radio stations including KHJ, KDAY and KABC is writing a new book entitled, We're Making Some Changes and You're One of Them ... and Other Radio Stories. "I've got stories reflecting the biggest of the big, all the way down to the day a bull got trapped inside the transmitter shack of WCBI/Columbus." said Marshall.

It's still a work in progress, but it should make for a good read when it is released. I'll keep you informed.

Saved

It looks like KCBQ/San Diego (1170 AM), one of my favorite stations during the 1970s even though I've lived my life in San Pedro, has been saved. Concord Media of Tampa, Florida is buying the station and will air a simulcast of another station's religious programming until a permanent format is found. KCBQ's future had been uncertain because its transmitter site will soon become a home center, and the current owners were losing too much money to find a new site.

I have some ideas. Think Concord will listen?

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