Airwaves: October 1st
Elder Back on KABC
The deal happened so fast listeners were caught off guard, but Larry Elder is
back at KABC (790 AM) ... something I thought would never happen.
The Republican-Libertarian Elder has been gone from the KABC airwaves since
December, 2008. At the time it appeared that the station was going to go in
a different direction, yet no one quite knew what it was.
And for a while it did. In more than one direction, in fact. First it embraced
bad syndicated fare, then they seemed poised to go in a lifestyle direction
with the addition of Frosty, Heidi and Frank in the late morning slot.
Many observers, myself included, thought it was only a matter of time before
KABC was a modified version of KLSX (now KAMP, 97.1 FM), from where
Frosty, Heidi and Frank came.
But it was not to be. A combination of troubles on the part of owner Citadel,
which found itself bleeding money and thus unable to support the promotional
budget necessary to make KLSX AM work (and the related mandate
to keep the cheap syndicated fare on the air) was a stumbling block that could
not be overcome.
As good as they were -- keeping in mind that the team was not my style yet
were well liked by people whom I respect -- Frosty, Heidi and Frank were essentially
square pegs trying to fit a round hole. Or was it round pegs fitting a square
hole? Regardless, they just didnt fit. And to make matters worse, they
were essentially left dangling in the wind with little station support and
even less in common with any of the other hosts heard on the station.
So it was just a matter of time before they were let go. I am sure they knew
it, and to their credit, they kept the high road and acted as if nothing was
wrong ... the perfect example of true professionals.
As to Elder, who spent 15 years on the afternoon shift before being let go,
when the opportunity came up, he simply couldnt pass it up. Essentially
station management asked if he was interested, and in a matter of days he made
the deal.
Fans are pleased.
Hes only been on the station 9 AM to 12 noon for about a week, and the
emails have already started coming in. I am so excited, said one. I
can finally listen to KABC again, said another. For KABC it may be just
in time. Maybe.
Of course he has some horrible odds to go against. Namely, the hugely popular
Rush Limbaugh on the far more powerful KFI (640 AM) during the exact same time
slot. Countered KABC programmer Jack Silver, Rush is syndicated, Larry
is local.
Makes you wonder what other surprises Silver has planned for the station ...
Whats Next
Frosty, Heidi and Frank arent just leaving KABCs airwaves, theyre
breaking up. Frosty Stillwell has decided that it is time to move on,
leaving Heidi Hamilton and Frank Kramer as they move 2/3 of the
former show to the web ... details as they become available. Heidi and Frank
will remain tied to KABC for now in a sales and marketing partnership for their
new online endeavor, so fans can still get their fix online with the hope that
they will someday return to the airwaves.
///
Copyright © 2010 Richard Wagoner and Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
To subscribe to The Daily Breeze, call (310) 540-5511