Airwaves: December 30, 2011
Saavedra Sticks a Fork in it
KFI (640 AM) Marketing Director Neil Saavedra spends most of
his time, well, marketing the station. Working in the background but helping
to make KFI what it is: the talk radio juggernaut that leaves competitors in
the dust. His only on-air gig isn’t under his own name, although it is
one of the most interesting and entertaining weekend programs heard anywhere.
Saavedra is Jesus Christ on The Jesus Christ Show, heard Sunday mornings
on the station from 6 to 9 AM.
Finally, after over 15 years behind the mike and in front of it playing (quite
convincingly) Jesus, he will have a chance to be himself on his own show. Called The
Fork Report, it debuts January 7th and will air every Saturday afternoon
from 2 to 4 PM.
Fork report? Absolutely. It’s a food show hosted by a self-proclaimed “food
geek,” and will feature interviews with local chefs, reports on new products
and kitchen gadgets, and reviews on local restaurants. All things edible, it
seems, though I would have called it “To Serve Man” just because
I am weird (recall The Twilight Zone ... “It’s a cookbook!”)
“People who love food will love this show,” said Saavedra in an email. “People
who don’t love food, well, who cares what they think?”
If you’re a regular listener to the Bill Handel morning show, you’ll
hear samples of the program’s content during the normal weekday morning
broadcasts as well. Interestingly, that’s how The Jesus Christ Show began
... as a segment on Handel’s show. Somewhat ironic considering Handel
is Jewish.
Schedule Set
KABC (790 AM) has set their schedule; outside of Doug McIntyre’s
return to mornings, it offers few (or is it no?) surprises.
Starting January 3rd as already announced, Mcintyre and Terri-Rae Elmer take
on mornings 5 to 9 AM. John Phillips, said to be “the youngest
major-market talk show host in the country” by KABC programmer Jack
Silver, 9 AM to 12 noon. The syndicated Sean Hannity comes on at
noon, followed by Larry Elder from 3 to 6 PM, syndicated Mark Levin 6
to 9 PM, Peter Tilden 9 PM to 12 midnight, and McIntyre’s former
show Red Eye Radio all night long, midnight to 5 AM.
Missing? Don Imus, who is currently heard 3 to 5 AM. Not added, as others
had speculated, Geraldo Rivera. At least not yet. Rumor has the Phillips
show for three hours each day only until January 27th ... beginning January
30th, it is supposedly to be cut to one hour, followed by two hours of a "mystery
host." Some think his name will indeed begin with a "G."
Is this a better schedule than what is on now? Absolutely. I agree with most
of your emails as well as with Silver that Elder in the afternoon is a better
choice for the Sage from South Central, for example. Is it enough to reverse
the ratings free fall KABC has experienced for the last decade? Hardly. I expect
to speak with Silver this week and hopefully get to the bottom of why the station’s
owners refuse to even try to take on talk leader KFI.
Year-End Festivities
One would think that this would be a column filled with information on special
year-end programming. One would be wrong.
“We don’t do that any more,” said one programmer. Seems odd to
hear until you remember your own habits. Do you spend much time actively
listening to the radio on New Year’s Eve? “I’d rather do my specials
when people are actually paying attention,” said the anonymous programmer.
So outside of KFSH (95.9 FM) Lara Scott’s live broadcast from
Irvine’s Orange County Great Park Saturday from 5:30 to 7:30 PM,
there isn’t much happening on the local radio waves.
SiriusXM, on the other hand, will offer comedy concerts, live musical concerts,
special performances, celebrity countdowns and live DJ sets on various channels
-- including a special New Year’s Eve music channel, New Year’s Nation
Channel 3 (launching at 12 noon Saturday).
For all the details, head over to siriusxm.com.
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Copyright © 2011 Richard Wagoner and Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
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