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Airwaves: August 15, 2008

A Brand New K-Day

KDAY (93.5 FM) is making some big changes, scheduled to take place today.

First and foremost, the station is breaking up its simulcast, finally returning the two local stations, KDAY/Redondo Beach and KWIE/Ontario to independent programming for their respective audiences.

The call letters will remain on each station as they are now, but KDAY will no longer refer to itself as “K-DAY.” It will now be called “93.5 The Beat” and play a format a bit more old-school than before as it appeals more generally to 18-49 year old black adults. Think of it as a cross between KJLH (102.3 FM) and Power 106. The station calls the format “adult urban” with a playlist including artists ranging from Earth Wind and Fire to Marvin Gaye, George Clinton to Snoop Dogg.

Jocks include Steve Harvey, mornings, followed by Wendy Williams, Mo’Nique, Michael Baisden, and Theo. The station is even moving its transmitter site from Torrance to Baldwin Hills in an attempt to reach a larger audience in metro Los Angeles.

In the Inland Empire, KWIE takes on a new urban-slanting oldies format featuring artists such as Sly and the Family Stone, Color Me Badd, the Pretenders, Bobby Brown, Journey, Alicia Keys and Beyonce. The station hopes to take listeners away from both KGGI (99.1 FM) and KOLA (99.9 FM).

My opinion: aint gonna happen. First, in an insult to the IE, the station has no plans to ever have personalities. “People say, shut up and play the music I know,” manager Roy Laughlin told Don Barrett’s laradio.com. Translation: “We’re too cheap and lazy to find good personalities, so we hope that you’re too stupid to notice.” Translated roughly, at least. Remember, KOLA itself never had ratings until they brought in jocks, now they are one of the top-rated stations in the area.

Secondly, the name is hideous: Flo 93.5 FM. I Personally, I’ve had it up to here with Jack, Jill, Alice and the like. Flo takes the cake.

Regardless, it is nice for the IE to have another local station. I’d say that’s progress ... at least a little.

Bloodletting

KLOS (95.5 FM) and its listeners set a record for the number of pints of blood collected during a four-day drive that ended August 2nd. Over 8,900 pints were collected during the event, bringing the total collected since the drives began in 1981 to almost 106,000.

Each year over the past few years, KLOS sets new records for blood units collected during their multi-day event. Last year’s record was also set by KLOS over three days, when 5764 pints were collected. And to think it all started with a single -day drive back in 1981 when 250 pints were donated. Good job, KLOS. Nice to see a station that still gets involved with the community to make things better.

Making Miracles

My FM (KBIG 104.3), led by morning man Valentine held a radiothon last week benefitting Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles (wasn’t that Charlie Tuna’s gig?), raising more than $750,000.

The money was raised through both on and off-air events, including online donations and an eBay auction, and was held August 7th and 8th.

Temporary Static

More than a few people have written in to ask why KFI (640 AM) is suddenly filled with static in certain parts of the area. Turns out that the station is using a backup-backup transmitter off their regular site as they once again rebuild their main transmitter.

The station had been using a secondary transmitter on their normal site, but they had to turn that off as construction workers began erecting the full-size replacement tower that was knocked down by a small plane in late 2004. Pesky RF radiation isn’t good for tower construction. Expect a return to their real full-power status on their brand-new stick soon.

No Answers

I try to all answer questions you send in, even if it takes me a while to find the answers. Unfortunately, last week
I lost a hard drive for the first time ever ... which included over 200 emails. If I haven’t answered a question you sent, please send it again.

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Copyright © 2008 Richard Wagoner and Los Angeles Newspaper Group.

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