Sep 16

Radio AM to FM: September 16, 2005

What are you, little Star?

What's going on over at Star 98.7? Morning co-host Danny Bonaduce? Gone. General manager Brad Samuel? Gone. Programmer Angela Perelli? Gone. Two weekends ago, personalities were missing and songs would just start and stop almost at random. Now interim programmer Mike Marino has let go of afternoon veteran of eight years Lisa Foxx and partner Jason Pullman.

Is Star heading the way of Jack FM? Perhaps. Star has been underperforming for years, and I have stated repeatedly that a refocussed Star would easily take Jack's thunder. Playing the same music as Jack but using personalities instead of bland recordings would do the trick.

But I'm not quite sure that's where Star is headed. Foxx was actually one of the station's better personalities. And if the station really wants to improve, they absolutely must drop Jamie White. Alas, it appears that White will stay on the morning show (for lack of a better word). And musically, as of press time, there has been no change.

One thing you can count on: The story will unfold over the next few weeks.

Orson's Shadow

Tomorrow at 10 PM on KPCC, the LA Theater Works will present an interesting look at the lives of Orson Welles, Vivian Leigh and Sir Laurence Olivier when The Plays the Thing airs Orson's Shadow.

Written by Austin Pendleton, the play opens up the private lives of some very public people, exposing their warmth, egos, and glittering madness.

Swing Time

Chuck Cecil is still swingin' over on KKJZ and KCSN. But did you know he actually produces different shows for both stations? For each weekend day? Amazing as it seems, yes he does.

So if you can't get enough of the big band sound (and you live in an area that will receive the stations), tune into Swingin' years Saturdays from 6 to 9 AM on KKJZ, Saturdays from 1 to 5 PM on KCSN and Sundays 6 to 9 AM on KKJZ. Or go to www.kkjz.org or www.kcsn.org. Both stations allow you to listen live from their internet sites.

Really Gone

San Francisco, which recently lost the legendary 610 KFRC (AM) to a bad sale decision from former owner Infinity, now has essentially lost KFRC-FM. Some call it KFRC-Lite, with typical oldies being replaced with sappy light rock hit oldies that even KOST here in Los Angeles refuses to play.

Of course it doesn't matter: KFRC hasn't been worth listening to (and hence San Francisco hasn't been worth visiting) since it dropped top-40 in 1986.

By the way, I'm kidding about the visiting part. Kind of.

Reader's Choice

I'll admit, I get cynical. Compared with radio of the past, I feel today's programming leaves much to be desired, for the most part. But am I looking at radio's past through rose-colored glasses?

Time to let me know. Send a letter to the Breeze or send an email straight to me and let me know what YOU think about radio. Good and bad. Let me know if I'm off base or on track. As space permits, I'll print your comments unedited (or as little editing as a family newspaper can do).

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