Radio AM to FM

Radio AM to FM: February 7, 2003

Hey, Sport

Sports radio is in the news this week as rumors circle around San Diego and the possibility of another all-sports radio station.

The rumors are in response to Clear Channel's decision to merge XTRA/San Diego (690 AM) and KXTA (1150 AM) into one simulcasted Super Sports station. The man who would lead the charge? None other than John Lynch, credited by many as making XTRA into the success that it is. Or was, as the case may be.

Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune wrote in a recent column that the station could be on the air by March 1st, perhaps on 1090 AM, currently playing Spanish music as Tropical 1090 but once known as an over-the-border top-40 flame-thrower, 1090 X-Press.

It's an interesting rumor, considering that XTRA was relatively successful in its sports format, and the merging of XTRA and KXTA essentially removed most of the local San Diego element.

Play Thing

Tomorrow from 8 - 10 PM, KCRW's (89.3 FM) The Plays the Thing presents Arthur Miller's Broken Glass. Starring David Dukes, Lawrence Pressman, Linda Purl and JoBeth Williams, this mystery -- set in 1938 Brooklyn -- begins when attractive, levelheaded Sylvia Gelburg suddenly loses her ability to walk. The only clue lies in Sylvia's obsession with news accounts about Germany: though safe in Brooklyn, Sylvia is terrified by Nazi violence. Or is it ... something else?

Time

More than a few readers wrote in to chastise me regarding the start time of the KNX (1070 AM) Drama Hour. In a recent column I wrote that the start time is 9:06 (10:06 Wednesdays) ... apparently remembering back to when I'd listen to the CBS Radio Mystery Theater in the 1970s which started after the CBS headlines at the top-of-the-hour.

Time has changed, however. In this case to six minutes earlier: 9:00 PM daily except Wednesdays when it is delayed for an hour due to Sixty Minutes Wednesday.

Almost Famous

"I'm a little late on finding this article but thought I'd post it (from 7/24)," wrote Glenn on the Los Angeles Radio Info bulletin board (www.radio-info.com/boards/la) regarding my column on 103.1 FM's new dance music format. "Personally, I think Richard Wagoner is an idiot (and after reading the article I know so) but you read the story."

I wonder how he found out? Now I'll have to find a new career.

Speaking of 103.1

"Too repetitive" is the complaint I get regarding the new 103.1, also known as KDL. One person wrote that they repeat songs more than even KRTH (101.1 FM) ... man, that's bad.

///

To subscribe to The Daily Breeze, call (310) 540-5511