Radio AM to FM: April 9, 2004
All Over Again
It's been just about ten years since KLSX (97.1 FM) became
a talk station. And those first few weeks of their "Moron Talk" format
were priceless; I wish I had the foresight to run tape on the station when listeners
called in to make fun of hosts Kato Kaelin, Mother Love or
the Regular Guys, none of whom knew they were being made into
jokes by their callers.
Not nearly as fun but similar in concept, Air America -- the
liberal side's answer to Rush Limbaugh -- debuted last week
on KBLA (1580 AM), with hosts such as Marc Maron, Sue
Ellicott, Mark Riley, Lizz Winstead, Chuck D, Laura Flanders, Al Franken, Katherine
Lanpher, Randi Rhodes, Marty Kaplan Janeane Garofalo, and Sam
Seder ... none of whom appear to have any experience in talk radio
and none of whom seem to have any idea what makes Limbaugh so popular.
To be fair, Rhodes almost gets it. her show is somewhat fun and interesting.
But the network's big star, Al Franken, most certainly does not. His first week
was one of the most uninteresting, unfunny material I have ever heard. So bad
was it that it actually became funny for all the wrong reasons.
Most of the first week was filled with inside jokes, giggling, co-hosts talking
over each other and other bits that combined would add up to a mediocre set
of shows ... if they moved up a few levels.
It's probably worth taping these first weeks, folks. If this network ever has
to make money, it will quickly become history.
Local Reaction
Tom Leykis, who once did an entertaining issues-oriented afternoon
show with a liberal slant on KFI (640 AM) reportedly tried
to bet Franken big bucks that Franken's show would never break a 1 share in
the Arbitron Ratings.
Leykis gave up issues for a try at sex-oriented talk appealing primarily to
20+ males, and has been very successful since landing his show on KLSX afternoons.
In fact, Leykis is one of the reasons that people started to take KLSX seriously.
Leykis' take on Air America? They should have gone for experienced hosts.
Fools
"Viacom can no longer bear the weight of government pressure and its affects
on our corporation," said WXRK/New York's general manager Tom Chiusano
to open what would have been the Howard Stern Show on April
1st. "While we're sorry to end the Howard Stern Show, we promise quality
programming in the future.
This was the launch of "fun without the filth," the new wholesome
morning show to be distributed by Viacom all across the country in place of
Stern.
As expected, listeners from all over called in to complain and get their Howard
back. After about an hour, they did.
"We're back for anybody who was stupid enough to fall for that," said
Stern. "Check your calendar, people" added sidekick/newswoman Robin
Quivers.
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Copyright © 2004 Richard Wagoner and The Copley Press.
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