Airwaves: December 21, 2007
Nolan Returns to KFI/KOST
Just two weeks ago, Clear Channel laid off Mike Nolan from its Airwatch
Traffic division in a series of cost-cutting layoffs throughout the country.
This meant that one of the most familiar traffic voices on local Clear Channel
stations KOST (103.5 FM) and KFI (640 AM) -- Nolan was the K-F-Eye
in the Sky -- would be silenced.
The layoffs appear to be a way a way for Clear Channel to cut costs as the company
finds ways to finance their plan to go private. But still, it seems shamed to
lose someone like Nolan, who is as identified with KFI and KOST as any of their
other personalities.
To the rescue is KFI programmer Robin Bertolucci, who decided that Nolan
was indeed important to the stations. Bertolucci hired Nolan back, this time
to work directly for the station (as traffic reporters were in the pre-CC past).
His duties will be to cover traffic from the studios, as well as provide news
coverage from his airplane as needed ... such as during the recent wildfires
in Malibu.
Last Minute Gift Guide
Still can't find that perfect something for that perfect someone who is a radio
freak? Here are some ideas.
1. A gift of Los Angeles Radio People. All of them. A subscription to
Don Barrett's laradio.com keeps your radio freak up to date with all sorts of
radio news in and around Los Angeles. It is the news site of record for the local
airwaves, in fact, read by industry people and fans alike. News is presented
Monday through Friday (which is why I have withdrawals on weekends); subscriptions
cost $40 to $60, with a monthly rate available. www.laradio.com.
2. For those who feel radio hit its peak years ago, give a gift of the past. Uncle
Ricky's Reel Radio Repository is a treasure chest of archived radio recordings,
both scoped (songs removed) or unscoped (complete). It primarily features top-40
giants of the past, but includes many other features including a recording of
Bing Crosby on KHJ (930 AM) in 1931, and the first day of KROQ ... when it was
on AM!
The site is a nonprofit, so this won't cost you much at all, yet its worth a
fortune. Suggested donation: $12 per year. www.reelradio.com.
3. Want your radio freak to really live in the past? Check out the selection
of t-shirts, coffee mugs and calendars at www.radiologoland.com -- all
of stations that don't exist any more. You probably won't get the order in time
for the holidays now, but you could use it as a new-years eve surprise ...
4. For those living closer to the present, any number of gifts are possible,
from the best portable radio currently made (RCA Superadio III, about $50) to
one of the best bargains in digital HD Radio (Sangean HDT-1 or HDT-1X component
tuners, about $180 and $250). Satellite radio is the gift that keeps on giving,
as long as you keep paying for it. XM or Sirius? I like Sirius, my wife likes
XM. Your radio freak will like either. Prices vary for the receiver, but depending
on the subscription term, monthly rates run the equivalent of about $10 to $14.
Lifetime subscriptions are also available.
///
Copyright © 2007 Richard Wagoner and Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
To subscribe to The Daily Breeze, call (310) 540-5511