July 1

Radio AM to FM: July 1, 2005

Home Improvement Time on KRLA

Just in time for Summer, KRLA (870 AM) wants to help you get your house in order. Beginning July 9th at 3:00 PM, Home Wizards will give fun, fast-paced, inspirational and innovative home improvement ideas, as well as offer moneysaving tips for projects both inside and outside.

That's according to the press release, anyway.

Hosted by radio and television personality Cindy Dole, the new program hopes to empower listeners with knowledge, whether they are doing a project themselves or hiring help. Dole's experience comes from her own home projects, which she works on with her contractor husband, Bill Kane.

On hand for the debut broadcast will be Michael Payne, an award-winning interior designer and host of cable channel HGTV's "Designing for the Sexes."

While home improvement programs are all the rage on cable and television channels such as HGTV, TLC and PBS, this is -- as far as I know -- the first time that it has been tried on radio. Personally I'm a sucker for these programs; I know I'll be listening in.

Radio Fireworks

KLOS is already in the middle of their special holiday programming: the Rock and Roll A-Z, wherein the classic rock station plays hundreds of legendary rock songs in alphabetical order through July 4th.

Paper Play

Tomorrow at 10:00 PM, KPPC's The Plays the Thing will air Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers. Ed Asner, Marsha Mason, Hector Elizondo and Ed Begley, Jr. star in a docudrama about the Washington Post's decision to publish The Pentagon Papers, which documented how America became involved in the Vietnam War.

Let me see ... Asner, Elizondo, Mason and Begley doing a political program ... think there will be any slant?

Anyway, this is the story of the landmark case testing the parameters of the First Amendment, pitting the public's right to know against the government's desire for secrecy in the name of national security.

Immediately following the broadcast will be a discussion featuring Geoffrey Cowan, co-author of the play, along with Wall Street Journal diplomatic correspondent Carla Robbins and former Washington Post military correspondent George Wilson.

Letterbag

Q: I know that "Standards" fans are happy with Saul Levine, but "Oldies" fans are UNHAPPY with his dumping of the oldies format on 1260/540. Oldies 1260 played the songs that KRTH and KOLA would not dare to play ... songs that when 1260 played them, made you say "Boy, I've haven't heard that since KFWB, KHJ,or KRLA played them as new songs." I even spent $$ on a better antenna to pick up the station better. I guess I'll have to investigate satellite radio. I understand that there are some decent oldies channels on both satellite providers.
I enjoy your column every Friday. Thank You -- Mike Reynolds, Redondo Beach.

A: Thank you for the comments. You would think that the huge number of stations available in Southern California would make satellite radio fail ... yet you show exactly why it is building an audience.

Q: I am always a fan of yours, but was so sadden to hear that my favorite radio station 690 AM was sold to Madrid and will no longer play those wonderful standards. It really breaks my heart. I looked forward everyday to hear that station. Now we have the joy of hearing nothing but foreign talk/music, sport talk and rap music on AM or FM. Not much to look forward to. Unfortunately, KSUR has never come in clear on my car radio or in the house so that won't help. Guess it's back to "The Wave", KRTH 101, or Classical on FM. The music on those stations are not bad at all but they don't bring that certain "something" that 690 had. I do have one question ... it's never happen here in California as far as I know and I have lived here for 35 years, why hasn't there been a standard type station on FM? -- JB from Carson.

A: Good question. Considering the underperforming status of so many local stations, AM and FM, I often wonder why they shun standards the way they do.

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