October 23

Airwaves: October 23, 2009

Ken Jeffries’ Jeff-Cast

Ken Jeffries spent 20 years at KFWB (980 AM) reporting the news and covering major events. In many ways his name was synonymous with the all news station ... until a format change a month ago put him out on the streets, so to speak.

It didn’t take long for him to get back “on the air,” this time via the Los Angeles Daily News and a technology called “podcasts,” -- recordings you can hear or download off of the internet. Jeffries’ daily podcasts of important news, features and interviews can be found right on the front page of www.dailynews.com. Archives are also available, at www.insidesocal.com/dailynewspodcast.

It is not Jeffries’ first encounter with the Daily News; he had been working out of the paper’s newsroom in Woodland Hills for the last few years interviewing reporters on stories and filing reports for KFWB as part of a news-sharing agreement.

The podcasts have no advertising, and because there is no time constraint they actually are more conversational and informative than the “news bite” sound that was KFWB’s identity. For his part, Jeffries hopes to make the podcasts a popular part of the Daily News website as well as keep his name and voice familiar to the public ... and to radio programmers, as he definitely still wants to be on the local radio airwaves.

Fallout

I mentioned last week that I had received some emails regarding changes at KABC (790 AM), and that for the most part people either hated the changes or loved them. little was in between.

That opened a floodgate of emails, most of them negative, most showing just how dedicated fans of former morning man Doug McIntyre were ... something competing programmers might want to note.

“My radio was set to listen to Doug every morning. I was shocked the day he told listeners that Peter Tilden would replace him. Tilden is boring.” -- Linda Tonkins

“I would like to comment on Heidi, Frosty and Frank ... I love them!” -- Stacie Donnell

I am very angry at KABC for canning Doug. He was great. Peter Tilden is enjoyable ... but should not have replaced him.” -- Marilyn Griedberg

“I don’t know what’s going on there, but its not good.” -- Phil Rooney

“I now listen to KFI.” -- Betty F.

“Now I start my day happy instead of down from hearing Doug scream all morning.” -- unsigned

Some fans of McIntyre suggest that politics did him in, perhaps due to pressure from the Mayor of Los Angeles or other politicians whom the morning host often spared with. I don’t actually believe this, as I don’t necessarily believe politicians are smart enough to put pressure on a talk host even if they wanted. I’m just saying ...

Best Hosts

KFI afternoon hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou earned the honor of Best On-Air Los Angeles Radio People by readers of LARadio.com for the second year in a row. Quite an honor, as subscribers to the site are generally industry insiders and radio fans ... people of discriminating radio taste. Good job, John and Ken.

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