May 16

Airwaves: May 16, 2008

Readers Revenge

"My father and I have listened to Swingin' Years on the Cal State Northridge station for YEARS! My family recently lost our father and I'm so sad that this program is also lost. Is it because something has happened to Chuck Cecil, or it was just not a productive time slot? Do you know of a similar program on the dial? I really looked forward to that program.
Thanks -- Maggie, via email

I am very sorry to hear about your father. It appears that KCSN (88.5 FM) has dropped the program. The time slot in which Swingin' Years ran is now labeled as "to be announced" on the KCSN program grid, and Cecil has removed references to the station from his own press releases.

Perhaps this is due to KCSN moving even more toward a single format of classical music, but all is not lost. Swingin' Years can still be found on Long Beach State's KKJZ (88.1 FM), airing Saturdays and Sundays from 6 to 9 AM, and KKJZ streams their programming on the internet if you have trouble with their regular signal (www.jazzandblues.org).

"I just read your article in the local paper, and could not agree more about Sirius and their single artist channels. To play the same person nonstop is really boring, and if there was just some way to change the channel from one to the other ... oh wait ... But you know, what I really miss is the constant flow of commercials on regular radio and, oh, wait ... I don't miss that at all!

"I have really enjoyed having Sirius in my car and XM at home thru DirecTV because they both offer a lot of different music and entertainment. Without commercials ... just my opinion ..." -- Robert Shearer, via email

For the record, I love sarcasm, and your points are well-taken. However, the problem with Sirius is that they take channels I like, or others like, and replace them with what are apparently payola channels -- channels paid for by the artists, rather than adding channels. The obvious solution -- a channel (or a few) rotating different artists of the week/month/year -- seems to elude Sirius executives.

"Could you tell me what station Michael Savage is on in the Los Angeles area?" -- Devron Conrad, via email

As far as I know, nowhere. He had been on KLAA (830 AM) for a time after KRLA (870 AM) dropped the syndicated talk show. But he's been missing from KLAA ever since they decided to move closer to sports.

You can hear him on the internet through his distributor's website, however. Go to www.talkradionetwork.com and you'll find not only Savage, but Laura Ingraham, Tammy Bruce and Phil Hendrie, among others. Only problem here is that it costs money: $54.95 per year or $5.95 per month. You'll have to decide if it's worth it to you.

///

To subscribe to The Daily Breeze, call (310) 540-5511