Airwaves: November 27, 2009
Holiday Excess
The sounds of the holidays are upon us already ... and have been for over a
week now. KOLA (99.9 FM) won the contest this year, making the changeover
the morning of November 19th. KOST (103.5 FM) followed that evening
in the middle of Love Songs on the KOST.
Technically, I suppose, Sirius and XM satellite radio services
got the jump on everyone this year, as they switched over some of their channels
as early as the 16th, though three more will go online on December 19th. The
channels range -- or will range -- from traditional music from the 1940s, 50s
and 60s to contemporary favorites, classical carols, country and Radio
Hanukkah. Check xmradio.com or sirius.com for details.
One would think that Christmas or holiday music this early in the season would
be a ratings disaster. One would be wrong. Year in and year out, stations making
the move -- especially KOST -- see a substantial increase in their ratings.
Thats why they do it every year, even if it leaves many listeners scrambling
for alternatives when their favorite station temporarily drops their favorite
music.
Personally I prefer regular formats spiced with the sounds of the season ...
but then I used to get in trouble for delaying the Christmas sales as long
as possible when I worked at Sears Surplus Store. Call me a traditionalist,
but I tend to think of the Christmas season as being somewhat close to Christmas.
Seymour Retiring
Youve probably already heard, but just in case, the big news this week
is the announced retirement of KCRWs (89.9 FM) general manager Ruth
Seymour.
Her name synonymous with the station she ran, Seymour was at the helm of the
popular public radio station for 32 years, and you can be sure, it is her station.
As many reports state, she ran it her way. And she built it into the most popular
public station in town, at least until relatively recently.
No major changes are expected when a replacement is named, at least for the
short term. What happens in the future is up to Seymours replacement.
I would expect, though, that her replacement will be chosen based on a similar
management style as well as a similar outlook on what makes for good public
radio. A search for a replacement has begun and is expected to take quite some
time.
Underground
Reader Jeff Case wrote in this week asking, Are there any plans for a
local station to pick up the Little Stevens Underground Garage program
that used to air on Sunday nights?
Not as far as I can tell. All is not lost, however, as the show is carried
on various stations throughout the United States that stream on the internet;
one such station is Mammoth Lakes KRHV, available online through
sister station KMMTs website at www.kmmtradio.com.
Sirius Satellite has an entire channel dedicated to Little Steven, called Underground
Garage you can hear it on Channel 25 or via the internet (subscription required).
Mouse Winners
Radio Disney, the live syndicated top-40 radio format for kids heard
locally on KDIS (1110 AM) just concluded a contest that helped connect
kids to their favorite artists.
Winning an Ultimate Rock Star Flyaway experience was sixth-grade student Brianna
Rush from lancaster, PA, who brought along her family and a few friends to
Disneyland in Anaheim, where they all got to meet huge Radio Disney stars Selena
Gomez and The Scene.
Attending the American Music Awards at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles was
11-year old Mara Crawford from Maple Falls, WA. She also had a chance to meet
Selena Gomez before the awards show began.
In a weird way, Radio Disney is the last of the traditional pop top-40 stations
around, and the personalities, though broadcasting nationwide, do a great job
appealing to both kids and adults alike. And KDIS broadcasts in digital HD
Radio, so the sound is actually pretty decent.
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Copyright © 2009 Richard Wagoner and Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
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