LARadio Archives

June 1-14, 2014

Written and compiled by Don Barrett

Edited by Alan Oda

LARadio Archives from 1999 for Father's Day Weekend


LARP Remember Their Fathers

The joy of putting together LARadio.com on a daily basis is the opportunity to get to know Los Angeles Radio People better than how they are perceived in the radio world. From time to time I have initiated special features that allow us to peek into their lives.

In 1999, I asked LARP to talk about their Fathers.

George Green

George Green was with KABC for over 35 years. He is now a talent agent, author and radio station consultant. George shares a memory about his father.

"I have great memories of my father who was a famous barber in Hollywood as I was growing up. He worked at Sy Devore's barber shop, which was right across the street from NBC where I was working as a page while going through UCLA. He was an amateur songwriter and had 20 major songs published including artists like Peggy Lee and Herb Alpert. He worked his butt off 6 days a week and devoted most of his life to his family.

Work ethics and discipline was his motto and I learned that from him. Unfortunately, he worked too hard and never did enjoy the fruits of his labor. The lesson here is everything in moderation: WORK HARD AND PLAY HARD AND DON'T FORGET YOUR FAMILY. This is really important, they are the only ones you can depend on. All the close friends that you think you make in this business are not always there when you need them. So, like my dad, be independent, love your job (and he did) and go to work everyday. Have as much fun as you can while you can and appreciate your health when you have it and kiss your father if you still have one and love him as much as you can. Tell him you love him because some day you will wish you had, like me."

Julia Chavez

Julia Chavez-Tavares was a beat reporter and anchor for "news/98" KFWB. She now lives in Las Vegas. Julia shares a Father’s Day memory.

"Would you be interested in hearing about my grandfather, Ford Hendricks? It was he who sparked my interest in radio. In the late 40s and early 50s, I lived with my grandparents in a big Spanish style-home in Los Feliz at the top of Franklin Avenue.

My grandfather would hold me on his lap as he listened to noises and voices from his ham radio. He told me how radio waves travel. . . and why we could hear people talking on the other side of the earth. My grandfather was the attorney for the City and County of Los Angeles during the time the freeways were being constructed. He was the guy who made sure folks got out of their homes to make way for the freeway. He influenced me as much -- or more than -- a father could have."

Tom Leykis

Tom Leykis, was KLSX afternoon personality and Westwood One syndicated host. He now has an Internet program.

"My dad died in 1995. We hardly knew each other. Even though we lived at the same address, my dad worked countless hours and commuted five hours roundtrip to work each day. I almost never saw him, and when I DID see him, I usually got the worst of him after a long day or week of work. I never felt that he understood me. I left home at 16. Last week, a listener of mine in Tampa, Florida wrote to me and asked if I was the same Tom Leykis who played on his Little League team. I was. His letter reminded me how my dad never saw the home run that I'd hit that a complete stranger recounted to me almost 30 years later. I had to hitchhike up to 10 miles to get to play because my mom couldn't drive and my dad was rarely home at a reasonable hour.

It is hard to hate my dad because he worked hard and there is no manual to teach people how to be good and loving parents without being controlling or domineering. Yet, I didn't attend his funeral 3000 miles away because I was busy, and I felt justified because I always felt that he was too busy for the important things in my own life. It may seem petty, but it is all part of having conflicted feelings. On Father's Day, I am sure that most people when asked about their dads remember the good stuff and try to forget the rest. To this day, people ask me why I sometimes wear a Mets baseball cap even though I am an Angeleno. It is NOT a Mets cap. It is a New York Giants cap. My dad was a Giants fan until they were yanked from him and moved to San Francisco. I wear it as a symbol of my complex relationship with my dad. He loved the Giants. Sometimes, I wish he had known me as well as he had known his favorite team."

Sylvia Aimerito

Sylvia Aimerito has been part of the Southern California radio landscape for over two decades. Born in Springfield, Illinois, Sylvia grew up in Lakewood. She attended Cerritos College and Cal State Long Beach before starting at KNAC in 1978. She has worked at KEZY, KHJ, KNOB, KNX/fm, KFI and a decade in morning drive at KBIG. She now does weekends at KRTH.

"My Dad was a milk man for about 40 years. He made a living as a hard working, blue-collar man, driving a truck and delivering heavy loads of milk and other dairy products. He worked long shifts, starting very early in the morning and finishing well into the late afternoon. It was back breaking work and he came home exhausted. Yet, no matter how tired he was, no matter how frustrating his day might have been, my Dad greeted his family with warm hugs and kisses.

Dinner almost immediately followed his arrival. Sitting around the kitchen table my brothers and sisters and I would sit and listen in amazement as he would recall in minute detail the many funny and interesting stories that occurred throughout his day. How exciting he made delivering milk sound!

Thinking back, I know now it wasn't just his stories that I liked. It was the fact that my Dad was sharing with us; letting us in on the adventures that happened to him while he was away from us. It made me feel so important to him. I loved that about him. I loved that he would ignore his fatigue and give to his family the attention and love we all needed. What a lesson in love I learned."

Bean

Gene Baxter is Bean, one-half of the popular KROQ Kevin & Bean program. They never worked together on air until they were teamed on January 2, 1990. For the past almost decade, they have achieved enormous success in morning drive. Bean shares a memory of his father.

"Throughout my teen and college years, when the bug had already bitten me hard, my dad steadfastly advised me to avoid radio as a career. He correctly assessed the entertainment industry as being unpredictable and one in which it would be difficult to make a good living. Like actors, he explained, 99 out of 100 radio announcers do not make enough money to live comfortably. I don't know how he knew this, being a lifelong navy man, but to him the steady government paycheck was a better shot for a young man than the nomadic life of a disc jockey.

I chose to go to the University of Maryland because of their excellent broadcast school and if you don't believe me ask fellow Terrapin Connie Chung. Dad financially supported my curriculum and I first got involved with, and then became obsessed with being on our 10-watt carrier-current campus radio station. I started to skip classes for airshifts and spent study time hanging out at WMUC trying to learn what I could. Late in that first year, I landed my first on-air paid gig, a weekend shift on suburban Washington DC's WINX, Rockville, Maryland. With a blowtorch signal of 1,000 watts (daytime), I sat down for my first professional airshift.

During the second or third song when I felt comfortable enough to start answering the request lines, I was surprised to hear dear old dad on the other end of one. I felt sure he was calling to congratulate me for sticking to my dreams, working hard and starting to reap the benefit of my passion by getting on the air at a "real" radio station. "Son, I was wrong about this radio thing," he said, starting promisingly enough. "I forgot that now that you are on the air, I can just flip a switch to turn you off!!!" We got a big laugh over that for a long time but I don't think it was until I got my first multi-year contract with KROQ that he finally admitted that radio might not have been a bad choice after all."

Bernie Alan

 Bernie Alan chose radio as a career when he was six years old while listening to Don Wilson on a quiz show interviewing kids. Since 1984, the Temple University graduate has been the voice of KCET. Before joining the PBS station, Bernie worked at KFAC, KPPC, KROQ, KLVE, KEZY, KOST, KZLA and KKGO.

"My father was an old-world man, having left a disputed area (at the time Russia) when he was sixteen and enlisting in the U-S army at 17 by lying about his age. He spoke Hebrew, Yiddish and could converse in Russian and other Slavic languages and eventually mastered English with little or no accent...and he was trained as a tailor, plumber, carpenter and in a smattering of other ‘trades’...and so it was confusing to him that I wanted to go in ‘radio’ a far-fetched and alien idea for him. His admonition was ‘go out and get a job’ and he didn't mean as a dj. There was also a generation gap between us as my father was well into his forties when I was born.

While the situation grew colder for us I auditioned (at age 17) and got a job...and immediately our relationship changed. For the first time he realized that I could do this far-out thing and was actually doing it. He never said that but his attitude changed...and his friends told me how proud he was when he called them into the room to hear his son on the radio from a tiny 250-watt station thirty miles away.

I guess going into radio helped my father and me solve some of the four generation and culture gaps."

Geoff Nathanson

Geoff Nathanson is a graduate of UCLA and has always loved sports. Since 1982, Geoff has been an active part of the Southern California sports broadcasting community.

"Father's day was probably invented to celebrate people like my Dad. A self-made man who created a successful business from ideas and hard work, Sherman Nathanson is, and has always been, a great role model. It started quite frankly, with my birth date in 1964.

Back then, Fathers were discouraged from being in the room during the actual birth. However, being a caring and supportive Dad and husband, he realized that it was important for him to be there despite the outdated customs. He went down the hall and "borrowed" some doctor's scrubs and entered the room. His support helped my mom and somehow I've always known that he was there for me then. And he has been ever since.

As a father, he worked 60 hours a week and still somehow had the energy to tell me and my brothers original bedtime stories featuring such characters as Mickey the Monkey and Winnie the Pooh. We enjoyed the stories so much that they often ended with a worn out Dad declaring, "And then Pooh decided to go to sleep."

I remember in Little League once, I had a big hit in a game. As I stood on third base, I somehow heard his baritone "Hooray!" over the rest of the crowd. I knew that he was thrilled for me because he knew my love of baseball and had also seen me strike out more than once. He's taught me about life, business, self-confidence, and people.

Perhaps there isn't a foolproof formula for fatherhood, but I'm thankful to be the son of one of the best. I love you Dad. Happy Father's Day."

Suzanne Ansilio

Suzanne Ansilio was born in Kingston, Pennsylvania and she received a bachelor’s degree in communication at East Strautsburg in PA. Following a start in Scranton radio. Suzanne came to the Southland in 1990 and worked as Susie Who at KLSX. In 1991 she joined "Pirate Radio," KQLZ as Suzy Cruz. She started working at KLOS in 1993. She now is in the sales department at CBS/LA.

"My dad and I, to this day, roar with laughter when we reminisce about how he used to scare my high school dates.

Tom Ansilio is a fairly big guy. He's a little over six feet tall, with a broad chest, strong arms, dark hair and brown eyes, a Mediterranean nose, and a hearty laugh. And just like every other grown Italian man from the East Coast that enjoys a good dish of pasta, he's got a stomach, which just adds to his overall imposing presence in the face of a trembling 16-year-old.

During the summer, after a five o'clock dinner, my dad liked to sit outside on the lounge chair by the pool and smoke a cigar. By seven when my date would show up, he had a lot of time to think about his youngest daughter going out, in a car, with a young man.

There was a large picture window in the kitchen that looked out over the back yard and pool area. My dad would be sitting out there on the lounge chair, with a big Cuban cigar in his mouth and his arms folded across his chest, when I would have to break the news to my date. My dad wanted to talk.

And out the door they went. I would see my father out there with a big grin on his face. I felt for the guys, but my father loved it. He was doing his job and having a little fun. ‘Where are you planning on taking my daughter?’ ‘Have her home by midnight.’ He loved using the line, ‘make sure you watch your driving, you'll be carrying precious cargo.’

I'll never forget the night ‘Freddie’ came to pick me up for our fourth or fifth date. My dad picked up a knife that was sitting on the table next to the lounge and began, ‘There are good girls and bad girls,’ then after waving the knife in front of the guy, he continued, ‘remember one thing, my Suzie is a good girl.’

Of course I didn't know at the time what my dad had said, but when ‘Freddie’ walked back in the house there was an abundance of sweat on his brow and his armpits were soaked.

And there was my father, stretched out on the lounge with his cigar in his mouth and his hands holding his stomach, having an inexhaustible belly lauging."

Barry Turnbull

Barry Turnbull has been working in Ventura County for man years and was part-time sports at KFWB.

"I never met my real father, but I believe him to be Warren Turnbull, who from what I could gather through small snippets from my mother had a career in sales at KMPC - maybe he was national sales manager? My mother, Shirley, was always reluctant to tell me much about him - but I saw an envelope with KMPC letterhead around the house a couple of times, and overheard her speaking of my biological father working in radio.

She was suspicious when as a teenager KMPC became my favorite station (early 1970s) - and in the early 80s when I interned in the KMPC newsroom some of the sales people there asked if I was any relation - I begged off, not wanting to go into it.

I read in the newspaper that a Warren Turnbull, PR man for Hollywood Park, had died - this was 2-3 years ago - the story said he had been down on his luck. I did a little bit of checking, and I found out that this Warren Turnbull attended high school in Inglewood at the same time my mother did in the 50s - I was born in June 1956 when my mother was 18.

Obviously, even though I never knew this man - and I am on the broadcast side of things and not sales - there must be some genetically passed down love for this crazy business I got from him - and I will love him for that no matter what."

Tim Conway, Jr.

"Thanks for the opportunity. Let's see, well, there was the day that my father gave me a corked bat in little league to get my first hit. My father also taught me, at age 7, to box an exacta. Later I would use it in show-n-tell in fourth grade. That prompted a call home from the teacher calling it borderline child abuse. My father told her if I had the race one way and it came in the opposite way, now that would be child abuse."

Art Laboe

"My Father was an immigrant steel smelter worker with a limited education, but he was one of the most intelligent men I have ever known. He followed science, politics and was a proficient speaker. He encouraged me to speak publicly, sing publicly and express myself as he did. If I did not do these things, he would kick my butt. I owe whatever success I enjoy to him." – Art Laboe 

Gary Bryan #9 Best On-Air LARP of 2014 

(June 13, 2014) As we continue the countdown of the Best On-Air LARP of 2014, K-EARTH morning man Gary Bryan comes in #9.

Gary arrived in the Southland in 2002 from an impressive three-decades track record of on-air and programming successes in the Northwest (KJR/fm and KUBE) and New York (Z-100 and WPLJ) before arriving in L.A. to work mornings at KRTH.

Gary participated in the “Legends of Radio” panel at the 1998 convention of the NAB in Seattle. In the 1970s, Gary worked as a jock in Cleveland, Chicago and San Francisco. His first programming stint came in 1978 at KNBQ-Tacoma.

In 1983 he became pd at KISW-Seattle, where Gary hired Robin Erickson, America’s first female AOR morning host. He also programmed KKRZ-Portland. In 1988, Dan Mason, ceo of First Media (now ceo of CBS Radio) and Michael O’Shea, gm at KUBE, hired Gary to be pd at the Seattle station. Within a year the station became top-rated.

In the early 1990s he headed to New York to work as morning man and pd at WPLJ. He went on to CHR “Z100”-New York. During this time he made extensive live appearances, including Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden and Central Park. He also hosted New Year’s Eve from Times Square on the FOX Television Network, and was featured frequently on MTV and Entertainment Tonight. In the mid-1990s, Gary worked mornings at KFRC-San Francisco.

#9 Best On-Air LARP of 2014
K-EARTH's Gary Bryan

Some comments from those who voted for Gary:

Ratings Delay. Nielsen ratings service has sent a notice to all subscribing stations:

We have completed additional quality control reviews and determined that one PPM household needed to be removed from the panel because it did not meet our quality standards.

Nielsen Los Angeles PPM data for the May 2014 report Month, and May Week Four (Weeklies data) – originally scheduled to release on June 9th, have been rescheduled to release on Tuesday June 17, 2014 at 9 a.m. June 2014 Week One data - originally scheduled for release on June 16th, will be released along with the May 2014 data on Tuesday, June 17th.

We will also be issuing revised Los Angeles data for the April 2014 report period at  9 a.m. on Thursday June 19, 2014. No additional data sets were affected.

Who knows if we will ever find out what happened. Beyond the speculation reported earlier this week, one source thinks this problem may not be just April and May but may go back even six months or a year. If this problem turns LA ratings topsy-turvy, there could be huge issues for the ad agencies, buyers, sellers and revenue flow. There is a potential for doubt about all ratings for sometime.

LARadio Rewind. June 13, 1922. Freeman Lang, a radio announcer and engineer, hosts the inaugural broadcast of KFVD at 1440 kHz (205 meters) from a studio at the McWhinnie Electric Company in San Pedro. The station would move to 1460 kHz, then 1440, 1390, 700, 710 and 1000 before finally settling at 1020 kHz. in 1941. KFVD became KPOP in 1955; Art Laboe had a program for four years. In 1960 the station became KGBS, then in 1976 launched a Top 40 format as KTNQ. Among the jocks at "the New Ten-Q" were M.G. Kelly, Rich "Brother" Robbin and The Real Don Steele. In 1979 KTNQ switched to Spanish language with Humberto Luna as morning man. Since 2012, KTNQ has carried Univision America's talk format. Hosts are María Marín, Alfonso Aguilar, Aliza Lifshitz, Fernando Alminzar, Fernando Espuelas, Helen Aguirre Ferré and Isabel Gómez-Bassols.

Univision for Sale? Univision Communications, Inc. is in early talks with CBS and Time Warner for the sale of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. The talks are described as "preliminary." Televisa, another Spanish-language broadcaster, is reportedly in talks with Univision.

The reported asking price is more than $20 billion. The current owners bought Univision for $13.7 billion in early 2007.

Overheard.

Bay Area News. Steve Sklenar, Cumulus/San Francisco Market Manager, is out, reports Rich Lieberman's 415 Media. He was named to oversee the company's cluster in June 2013. Sklenar previously served as assistant vp/director of sales at Lincoln Financial Media in San Diego. Lieberman said Sklenar was "responsible for all its stations, including troubled and ratings-challenged KGO." Lieberman also reports KGO is eventually going back to a hybrid news and talk, live and local re-branding.

Funnie.

I was in the pub yesterday when I suddenly realized I desperately needed to fart. The music was really, really  loud, so I timed my farts with the beat.

 After a couple of  songs, I started to feel better.  I finished my pint and noticed that  everybody was staring at me.

 Then I suddenly remembered that I was listening to my iPod.

A Slow Bronco “Chase” 20 Years Ago
by Jeff Baugh

(June 12, 2014) In some ways the O.J. Simpson “Trial of the Century” seems like ancient history but when you think of all that has happened in the last two decades, YIKES.

The star running back for the USC Trojans in the 1960s went on to a great NFL career.

We then saw another side of him in commercials as he would leap over luggage as he sprinted through an airport terminal racing for his Hertz car. He was an actor in movies and tv, including Roots, The Towering Inferno, Capricorn One, and the Naked Gun series. Simpson also worked as a sportscaster for both ABC and NBC.

O.J. was married to Nicole Brown in 1985, his second marriage. They had two children, while O.J. had three children from a previous marriage, one of his daughters tragically drowning before her second birthday.

 Nicole was found stabbed to death in 1994 along with her friend, Ronald Goldman outside of the Brentwood residence of the Simpsons. O.J. was charged with the murder and was acquitted after a nine month jury trial, the televised verdict viewed by more than half of the U.S. population.  But before the trial, he led police on a memorably bizarre slow-speed chase that took place two decades ago this month.

Jeff Baugh, currently a traffic reporter for KNX, spent time airborne with KFWB for over a decade. He grew up in Coney Island, Brooklyn and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served two tours in Vietnam. Jeff has won multiple Golden Mikes for his outstanding reporting. He has covered virtually every major story in Southern California for almost 30 years.

Guess who was in the air that fateful afternoon when the LAPD was looking for O.J. to arrest him? Jeff had a unique perch from which to give us a perspective of the “chase” in 1994:

 It had already been a bewildering few days. Nicole and Ron murdered in a most horrific way right in the middle of Brentwood. Crime doesn’t know zip codes. And O.J. Simpson was now being questioned more and more.  O.J., yes that O.J.!  Huh!

So now here we are on the day when O.J. is supposed to surrender to the LAPD for arraignment, and all of a sudden comes the word that O J. Simpson did not surrender and is now a fugitive. WHAT!!!! 

Anyone would have to admit the whole thing was getting just a tad bizarre.  So instead of securing after the morning drive shift we and a few other people were trying to find O.J.!

The KFWB Jet Copter 98, all the pilots on staff and the reporter – me – had no idea how the day would play out.  I was glued to the scanner as we flew along checking all the likely spots.  We checked every possible dispatch that we heard from police and others we were monitoring.  We re-fueled at just about every airport in the area.  The Jet Copters fuel credit card got a workout as well. 

All the KFWB editors would come up on our news frequency throughout the day and ask us to check this lead or that. Nothing! Nothing until about 5:30 or so, pilot Wayne Richardson is taking us back into Van Nuys Airport for the evening when I heard just a blip on one of the CHP channels in the scanner … 'We got him, Northbound I-5.'  I could barely hear it, but as soon as we touched down I ran in the office at Jet Copters and called our editor, Kelly Whelihan, who had just started her shift.  

“It’s been crazy in here. Everyone in LA has claimed to have spotted him. It’s like Elvis sightings,” said Kelly. As it turned out that blip on the scanner was the real deal. O. J.’s white Bronco was on the move. We would later learn that his friend, Al Cowlings, was driving with O.J. in the back seat. 

Lisa Walker who was the KFWB Air 98 reporter and her pilot were almost on final to Fullerton Airport to secure for the night, when the desk caught them and said, 'Stay up, stay up, O.J.'s coming up the 405 through Orange County, they’re close!’

Lisa jumped on it and did an extraordinary job while we re-fueled again and tried to figure out where we would pick it up.  Lisa’s pilot was starting to have some fuel concerns so he wanted to land. About then, I think the world had figured where O.J.was headed. He was going home to Brentwood.

We picked it up from Lisa at LAX and followed the parade to Rockingham. One of the many bizarre things that I watched as we narrated this to the KFWB audience was the enormous amount of people that got involved as spectators.  I remember one overpass that was covered with scattered cars and all the drivers and passengers were standing at the edge of the railings watching the white Bronco approach, only to run to the other side as the Bronco passed under the bridge.

Throwing safety and caution to the wind, many could have been killed or hurt. It might have started as a pursuit but it turned into a very dangerous parade until the white Bronco finally turned into O.J.’s Brentwood driveway, now surrounded by an enormous turnout of spectators and law enforcement.  It took a while, but finally Pete Demetriou, who had fought his way through madness to get to the driveway, announced to the KFWB listeners O.J. Simpson had surrendered to the Los Angeles Police department. 

It took a few more hours but around 11 p.m. that night I reported that O.J., now in handcuffs, was now being led by two policemen through the doors of the Men’s Central Jail in downtown L.A.  It was quite the day.  Think about all the MAJOR stories that came out of LA from 1990 to about '96, this event was truly extraordinary.
Thanks to Jeff Baugh for the birds-eye view of a piece of Southern California radio history.
You can reach Jeff at: JeffBaugh@aol.com

Know Thy Shelf

(June 11, 2014) If you have recently written a book, about to write or book, or ready to publish a book, there is an event on June 19that you cannot miss. Irwin Zucker, publisher of Know Thy Shelf newsletter and founder of the Book Publicists of Southern California, has put together a panel of three LARPs who will share secrets on how to market and sell your book.

I will be joining KABC midday host John Phillips and Mike Carruthers to provide valuable information for the self-publisher. Mike is a veteran personality from KPSA/KLVE, KIQQ, K-Hits, and KBIG. He’s conducted over 6,000 radio interviews with authors and experts. He’s perfect for authors to learn what producers are looking for.

In the 1970s Mike worked on national programming with Robert W. Morgan (Record Report) and Steve Lundy (Hitbound from Billboard) among others. In 1982 he was the voice of The Best of the Midnight Special and narrated a series of Spotlight Specials for the ABC Radio Network.

For over 35 years, Mike has been producing a daily 90-second feature called "Something You Should Know." The show started on one radio station in Worcester, Massachusetts. Today, the program is heard on over 160 radio stations all over the U.S.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, Carruthers grew up in Connecticut where he started his radio career at WJZZ-Bridgeport. Mike is a graduate of the USC Journalism School. While in college, Mike began his L.A. radio career at KPSA. When the station became KLVE and changed format to Spanish, Mike was the last English announcer on the station. “That night we all left the station, out of work and headed to a Mexican restaurant where we hoisted a few margaritas!”

John Phillips started out as a high school teacher in Hesperia before he joined KABC in 2007. He has worked virtually every shift and is currently co-host of the midday show with Jillian Barberie.

John’s a talk radio junkie who grew up in Southern California listening to KFI. He was teaching media at Sultana High School in Hesperia (in the Mojave Desert 15 miles north of San Bernardino), the same high school he attended, while going to graduate school at Claremont College. “I had applied to KABC mid-way through grad school to be a producer,” John said. “The station passed on me and that was the last I heard from them.”

And then without any warning, a year later, KABC apd Bernard Pendergrass called asking John to come back for another interview. “I go in and they hire me to be the producer for the Al Rantel Show. For four months I’m producing Al’s show, teaching school, and doing research for grad school. It was like 16 hour days for four months,” remembered John. “It was pure hell driving 75 miles each way five days a week and sometimes they asked me to come in on the weekends. I was in pure survival mode.”

As John was preparing for his first talk show assignment, he had so many positive influences. “Dan Avey and I would talk shop. Here’s a guy who had seen it all, with great stories to tell about his experiences. I learned more about the business of radio from Dan Avey. He was in charge of Metro, big news anchor at KFWB, sports anchor, and he was part of a talk show with Ken Minyard and had really seen it all. It would be tough to find someone in the industry who has done as much as him. And he did it all in L.A. That was invaluable.”

As a young broadcaster, John’s timing was perfect to learn it all and hone his craft. It was before the syndicated programming arrived at KABC and it was pre-infomercials on the weekends. “There were a lot of live bodies there, so I was at KABC at a very good time. I was able to train and work on the weekends. I don’t think you can do that now.” 

On June 25, 2009, Phillips got his first full-fledged talk show at KABC. There was going to be a big on-air celebration.  If the day seems a little familiar, it was the day pop singer Michael Jackson died. “I hate Michael Jackson more for that than for being a child molester,” quipped John. “I’m willing to sacrifice Macaulay Culkin’s virginity but I’m not willing to sacrifice my first show.”

His versatility at KABC, from producer to host to now co-host serves him well in helping the new author get an interview in Talk radio.

As for me, I’ll share my experiences with marketing my book, Los Angeles Radio People. After being turned down by 17 publishers (most thought the title would be too narrow in attracting a broad audience), I explored the self-publisher route. Armed with zero knowledge about the publishing world, I found some very helpful folk at a huge print conglomeration in the Valencia Industrial Park. This is long before the Kindle and eBook that is prevalent today. I printed 5,000 soft cover books, which came in at a per unit price of $1.23. I sold them for $24.50. They sold out. I saw an enormous opportunity in tracking the Los Angeles Radio community over the past 50 years.

Based on the success of the dj-only book, the second edition added talk show hosts, sports people, newscasters, program directors and general manager. This time I printed 10,000 books, thinking my data base was larger. They also sold out.

And then the Internet came alive and the books were made into LARadio.com. I will share my experiences on the marketing tricks I used to sell-out my run.

Won't you join us next Thursday evening at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City. Click the Know Thy Shelf newsletter and you will be taken to the BPSC website for more information.

Shadoe Stevens is a proud papa as daughter Amber stars with Jonah Hill in the new 22 Jump Street movie.
They appeared on Good Morning America this week and you can see the interview by clicking the artwork.

San Francisco Ratings. The May ’14 Nielsen ratings for the San Francisco area, 6a-Mid, Persons 6+, have been released:

1. KNBR (Sports) 5.4 - 6.1
2. KCBS (News) 6.0 - 5.8
3. KQED (News/Talk) 5.3 - 4.8
4. KOIT ( AC) 3.7 - 4.6
5. KMVQ (Top 40) 4.4 - 4.1

Hear Ache. More than 1,200 people turned out to Pacific Sales in Torrance for the live Melinda Lee broadcast with free Dandy Don’s Homemade Ice Cream, amazing Cajun chicken mac n’ cheese from STACKED Restaurant, lots of food tastings, guitarist Eugene Edwards, a photo booth, face-painting, balloon twisting and prize giveaways … KROQ's Bean is in town from his compound in Seattle for the Jack White breakfast tomorrow ... Nelkane Benton celebrates her 80th birthday this weekend. She was such a part of KABC/KLOS for decades. “She was active each year in the KLOS given all the Blood Drives, Pet Adoptions and other community programs including our infamous Red Cross ‘Emergency’ drives we executed with ABC7,” emailed Shelley Wagner. “All these efforts certainly made KLOS stand out from the rest in this market and I know near and dear to Nelkane’s heart.” Nelkane’s efforts resulted in the industry Crystal Award on more than two dozen occasions. Happy Birthday to one of the unsung heroes of LARadio.

Riverside-San Bernardino. The Inland Empire  May ’14 ratings 6a-Mid, Persons 6+ have been released:

1. KLYY (Spanish Adult Hits) 8.3 - 9.8
2. KOLA (Classic Hits) 6.5 - 5.7
3. KGGI (Top 40/R) 4.6 - 4.4
4. KLVE (Spanish Contemporary)  3.9 - 3.7
    KSCA (Mexican Regional) 3.5 - 3.7

LARadio Rewind: June 11, 1993. Doug Krikorian hosts his final afternoon-drive program on "Sports Radio 710" KMPC after being fired along with midday hosts Brian Golden and Paola Boivin. Golden and Krikorian would eventually be re-hired, then fired again in 1994. KMPC had switched from music to a sports-talk format in 1992. Among the other hosts were Jim Lampley, Joe McDonnell, Todd Christensen, Fred Wallin and Jim Healy. KMPC had gone on the air in 1927 as KRLO and was owned by Gene Autry’s Golden West Broadcasters from 1952 to 1994. When Autry sold the station to ABC, the format switched to talk. For ten months in 1997, the station was KTZN “The Zone,” then became Radio Disney KDIS. In 2003, KDIS swapped formats and frequencies with ESPN's KSPN-1110. In 2013, after a 46-year career, Krikorian published an autobiography, Between the Bylines: The Life, Love & Loss Of Los Angeles’s Most Colorful Sports Journalist. (LARadio Rewind is prepared by Steve Thompson)

Ross Announcer. For the fifth year in a row, Neil Ross will be the announcer on the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award telecast. This year’s honoree was Jane Fonda. Taking turns at the podium were Meryl Streep, Sally Field, Michael Douglas, Cameron Diaz, Peter Fonda, Sandra Bullock, Ron Kovic, Wanda Sykes and many others.

The 42nd annual AFI Award gala was recorded last Thursday evening at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood and will air this Saturday June 14 at 9 p.m. on TNT. There will be encore airings on TCM (Turner Classic Movies).

Overheard.

Funnie.

A French spy, a German spy, and an Italian spy are captured, have their hands bound, and are interrogated. After two hours, the French spy gives up all his secrets. After four, the German spy tells the captors everything.

After 24 hours, the Italian spy still won't talk and is thrown into a cell with the others. The German and French spies, impressed, ask him how he managed not to cave.

The Italian spy replies, "I wanted to, but I couldn't move my hands."

(From the Funny Joke from a Beautiful Woman series in Esquire. Chloe Bennett is an ass-kicking hacker on ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

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** Station of the Stars … Only On the Air

“The KGIL reunion was interesting. All of us at 710/KMPC never cared about reunions. It could be we never liked each other.” – Roger Carroll

** Dodger Blues

“I learned of Bob Welch, former Dodger pitcher, passing away today and he was one of the players who was also a friend. After he was traded to Oakland he confronted me before a World Series game and asked if I would be pulling for him that night.

I paused and said yes even though I had more friends on the Dodgers and it might mean my getting a ring or not, I couldn’t say no to a friend.

I also remember him crying like a baby when coach Don McMahon passed away. He was truly one of the greatest players I met in those precious years with the Dodgers.” – Captain Jack Naimo 

KGIL Staffers and Talent Reunite to Share Wonderful Stories

(June 10, 2014) KGIL (1260 AM) was a factor in the LA market during the 60s and 70s. Many LARP who are currently on the air got their start at the San Fernando Valley station. Arguably the face of the station was Sweet Dick Whittington. When I was running a Detroit station in the late 60s, ad buyers loved to tell me stories about KGIL knowing I grew up here. KGIL would fly a group of key automotive buyers and ad execs to Los Angeles. Once at LAX, they were joined by KGIL executives and they all boarded a private plane and headed for the San Fernando Valley. When they reached the top of the Santa Monica Mountains, the exec would direct his guests to look out their windows. "This is the San Fernando Valley where a million people live and only ONE radio station exclusively broadcasts to the Valley."

The station with a limited signal all of a sudden was elevated to get a piece of all automotive buys. Very smart selling and marketing.

Tom Bernstein, Judy and John St. Thomas Newton, Jim Thornton, Ed Ziel, Rick Scarry, and Larry Van Nuys 

Many travel great distances to attend the KGIL Reunion.  Gary Parker flew in from Florida for the event. "And the amazing Johnny Gunn - 88 years young - was as present and joyful as ever," said Keri Tombazian, who hosted the event for close to 50 partygoers in her backyard.

Ed Ziel traveled from his home in Yerington, Nevada," added Tom Patterson who took the photos and was instrumental in planning the event. "Also Ed Krovitz drove 4.5 hours from Morro Bay to attend the party, then drove back home that evening. 9+ hours of driving, what a trooper, no, he’s nuts."

         

Ed Ziel, Joe McDonnell, Cary Ginnell, Ed Skaff, Tom Patterson, Jane Platt, Ed Krovitz, Richard Lyons, Jerri Levi, and Johnny Gunn

Sweet Dick Whittington was unable to attend the event, but he did send a note to Patterson and Tombazian:

God, how I loved seeing those pictures. You all are aging so gracefully. I wish I could say the same. How did that kid Jim Thornton get in there? I truly am sorry that I was a no-show, but my "kid", whom I haven't seen, nor much heard from for six or seven years has 'pulled himself up', and his brothers and I welcomed him home. Sorry for the conflict, but I know you both can understand. As hard as life can be sometimes; I guess we all three agree that raising kids to become what you hope for them is perhaps the most difficult, but now happily rewarding. In celebration, we all got "stupid" and sang about 250 verses of Pharrel Williams Happy.  You both deserve so much credit for bringing together this sometimes disparate group of winners, and the undisciplined morning man should have been there. You are such good people and you're both lookin' good! I hope Keri that you are keeping your spirits up. Maybe that's an unnecessary statement, but I just wanted to again let you know that I have the fullest confidence in you, and that your professional life will be better than ever before, when that 'call' comes. You certainly have already succeeded as a person. Tom: You have always been a successful person and professional. We are all very proud of you. I'm beginning to sound like a delusional sage, aren't I? Age does that to you. So this is both an apology and congratulations to you both for what you obviously so successfully achieved last Saturday. You are both simply the best, and I glad to know you. If I'm around for the next one, I'll be there. Love to you both, Dick

  Reality Round-Up. Carson Daly participated in a recent edition of The Hollywood Reporter reality roundtable. The AMP Radio morning host had some great insight into his world on The Voice. (Photo: The Real World's co-creator Jonathan Murray; The Voice's Carson Daly; Pawn Stars' producer Brent Montgomery; Survivor's Jeff Probst; and Duck Dynasty's Deirdre Gurney; Project Runway's Tim Gunn) 

LARadio Rewind: June 10, 1926. B. Mitchel Reed is born Burton Mitchel Goldberg in Brooklyn. Reed, a graduate of University of Illinois, worked overnights at WOR in 1956 before coming to KFWB, where he was one of the original “Seven Swingin’ Gentlemen" when the station became “Color Radio Channel 98” in 1958. He went to WMCA in 1963 and returned to KFWB two years later. Known as “the fastest tongue in the west” for his rapid vocal delivery, Reed moved to “underground” fm station KPPC in 1967 and later jocked at KMET, KRLA and KLOS. In the 1970s, former KHJ program director Ron Jacobs produced a series of Cruisin’ albums for Increase Records. Each album featured a re-creation a of legendary top-40 station with an original dj and the old music, jingles and commercials. One album featured Reed re-creating the sound of WMCA, 1963. Reed died of heart problems in 1983. One of his four children is actress Lauren Mitchell.

 
 

Rounds Memorial. A number of LARP attended the memorial service for American Top 40 co-founder, Tom Rounds.

From Don Elliot: “Shocker, unexpected. It still feels ethereal. I just had lunch with Barbara and Tom a few short weeks ago. This certainly was no OFL [old fart’s lunch], but rather, more like hanging out in the cafeteria with some kids you went to high school with. We jokingly shared memories of the roots growing out of American Top 40’s format when Wally Clark at KIIS commissioned me to pay Tom a visit to learn the operations of how they acquired early chart advances so that the show would sound current, even though produced a week earlier. The goal? To create Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 from intel gleaned out of their system ‘cookie-cutter,’ and make it routine. Fast writing, fast production, teamwork. Quite a bundle.

Although that sounds a little surreptitious and like industrial sabotage, it was friendly competition in the beginning. In those days, it seems like everybody copied everything from one another, especially formats. But through the years, it seems like we always had some involvement or another. Later he was to make me more money than I’d ever seen in my life when he sold my production music libraries, ‘THE LEGEND,’ to stations around the world.

During lunch, TR reminisced about how Dees grew and that he ended up syndicating it. Then, flashing forward to current day and the funeral, as I glanced to my right, sitting next to me was none other than Rick Dees’ current producer / engineer, Paul Liebeskind. Will coincidences never end.

Then the wonderful stories began to fly for well over an hour … There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as speakers extolled their warm experiences with ‘TR,’ most of them turning into friendships that endured 50 years or more. Although he accomplished much in his life, a continuous loop is playing in my mind over and over again – all night long and over morning coffee today: Peggy Lee’s Is That All There Is? Of course, deaths are reminders inevitably of our own mortality… an odd kinship that we all inevitably share. In the present, the loss penetrates our hearts and each of us deals with grief in our own way.

If it is any yardstick at all, Tom certainly did leave the world a better place than when he arrived!  I just fervently wish that he hadn’t left us so damn soon.

To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die…(Thomas Campbell).

And (not sure which speaker mentioned this last night… George Burns?…), TRULY,

‘He will live forever in our hearts.’ (Thanks to Guy Aoki for the photo)

Jeffrey Leonard  expressed similar feelings: “The Memorial service for TR (Tom Rounds) was beautiful. A lot of emotions for a guy who set the radio world on fire. Glad I could be there to celebrate his life. He was, indeed, one of a kind. RIP my friend.”

Ratings Delay. Yesterday, the ratings for May were due to be released but for the first time it was delayed with no explanation. Tom Tayor's NOW Newsletter hears speculation that two households are under review. "Could just two households in the PPM sample of the nation’s second-largest radio market make that much difference? You betcha. Two households could be four, five, six or more PPM meter-wearers. And heck, even if there were just two PPMs in question, they could make a significant difference. The Rumor Mill goes further and wonders if there’s any connection between the households under scrutiny and some recent talent changes in the market. There was chatter about that last year, but it was denied. Nielsen isn’t saying when we’ll get the May book for Los Angeles, covering April 24 through May 21. Just that it’s doing the quality control reviews, to get the research right. Also missing is Week 4 of the May book."

Hear Ache. Saul Levine’s Mount Wilson FM Broadcasters introduced Alt 106.7, a new alternative rock format to the Monterey Bay Area yesterday … You get to talk with LA Mayor Eric Garcetti tomorrow between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. The program is hosted by anchor Tom Haule and KNX chief investigative reporter Charles Feldman.

Overheard.

Father's Day. Do you have a special memory about your father that you would like to share at LARadio. Send your memories and if you have a photo of the two of you to db@thevine.net

Email Tuesday

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** Colleague of Elliot Field

“I worked for Elliot Field in Palm Springs at KPSI while he was also a city councilman. He was a tough general manager, I do remember, but was very helpful in getting something done I wanted done in the city. I found one intersection near the post office which was very dangerous and really needed a stop sign. I discussed it with EF and he took it to the council and came through. My contribution to the city of Palm Springs with his help.  Always appreciated that. That was in the days of a strange sort of merry-go-round.

Our program director, Stan Layne, left radio to become a Baptist minister only to return as a radio psychologist somewhere on the radio. Our evening disc jockey (whom I replaced) whose name escapes me now (I do remember his first name was Joe) left to become a minister and our afternoon jock who replaced Layne as pd, became a priest. Father Michael Murphy, last I heard, was the head pastor/priest at the Catholic Church on Coronado Island in San Diego.

I guess that is some kind of legacy to have in a radio station. LOL.” – Bob Brill

 

 		  

Kato Kaelin Was a LARP – Reminiscing His 20 Year Journey from Obscurity to OJ Simpson Character

(June 9, 2014) Kato Kaelin was an interesting footnote in the history of LARadio. His byline on Sunday’s LA Times Op-Ed page was titled All I did was tell the truth. Kato, a struggling actor, rented a guest house on OJ Simpson’s Brentwood estate. When Simpson’s estranged wife was found with multiple stab wounds on her head and body and died on her front porch, all hell broke loose. Simpson was charged with the murder and Kato Kaelin unwittingly became one of the characters in the 1995 “The Trial of the Century.”

After the trial and OJ’s acquittal, KLSX (97.1/fm) was about to change format to an all-Talk station, using the moniker “Real Radio 97.1 / FM TALK.” Greater Media’s (pre-Infinity and CBS ownership) general manager was Bob Moore and program director was Jay Clark. They tried borrowing some pop culture names to launch the new format.

“Hiring Kato Kaelin was a great promotion for KLSX. The day we held a press conference to announce the line-up we had 21 camera crews due to Kato,” remembered Moore. “Every day we all would ask Kato to just tell the truth. He kept saying he was just a house guest and friends with Nicole. But he either was afraid or just couldn't do it. He was a very charismatic person, he just couldn't do a radio show. We got great press and he helped launch KLSX as FM TALK. He was a topic on Howard, it became a great promo.”

Jack Silver eventually became program director to clean up the mess with the original pop culture hosts who had never done a daily radio show. Kato was gone within the year.

Some highlights from Kato’s LA Times piece:

Brady’s Death. Jim Brady, personality at Country KLAC, died June 5. Jim suffered a "horrible battle with cancer for the past four years," said his friend Chris Moore. Born Scott Felton, Jim was 67.

Jim grew up in Canada and worked radio in Toronto before joining Country KLAC. He worked morning drive when Eddie Edwards departed. Jim left KLAC in 1988 to do Country radio in Dallas. He later moved to KLUV-Las Vegas and his last radio job ended in 2008 in Toledo when he retired.

Jim was born August 21, 1946, in Toledo.  He took an early interest in radio and began working at WTOL-AM — now WCWA-AM 1230 — as a high school student in 1963. After graduation, his interest in the airwaves took him across the country to stations in Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, and Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to his obit in the Toledo Blade.

At KLAC, he worked morning drive when Eddie Edwards departed. Jim left KLAC in 1988 to do Country radio in Dallas. He later moved on to KLUV-Las Vegas.

Much of his career was spent in Canada, where he lived and worked for about 18 years, much of his time at Toronto’s CFTR-AM 680 in 1973.

Brady summed up his life simply in an April interview with The Blade. “I’ve had a good life; a great career, great friends, great family,” he said. “I really can’t complain.” He told friends his final wish was for people to “wake up” and get themselves screened for diseases like cancer.

LARadio Rewind: June 9, 2003. Richard Chamberlain appears on Larry Mantle’s AirTalk program on KPCC to promote his new memoir, Shattered Love, then attends a book signing at Book Soup in West Hollywood. On the following day he will do an interview with John London on KNBR. Chamberlain starred in the 1961-66 NBC tv series Dr. Kildare, had a top-ten hit with a recording of the show’s theme song, Three Stars Will Shine Tonight, and co-starred in several motion pictures, tv episodes and miniseries. In his memoir, he confirmed that he was homosexual and expounded on his belief that “truth is the only valuable aspect of living and no-strings love is the wellspring of truth.” (LARadio Rewind is meticulously prepared by Steve Thompson)

Kasem Update. Casey Kasem has been in critical condition in Washington since early last week, according to Gawker.com. He is being treated for an infected bedsore but remains in intensive care.

Via Reuters: “The 82-year-old former dj has been alert throughout his hospitalization, receiving wound care, intravenous antibiotic therapy, blood pressure support medication and treatment for his pain, hospital spokesman Scott Thompson said. 

Kasem suffers from Lewy body disease, a form of dementia with symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease and hallucinations.

Care of Kasem has been legally turned over to his daughter, Kerri, as of a ruling on Friday, and out of the hands of his current wife, who had been caught on video throwing raw meat at her stepdaughter.”
Timmy's Corner
Jimmie Rabbitt, WABC/fm-New York

Funnie. From Mike Callaghan, former KIIS chief engineer

Knock, Knock!
Who's there?
Sam and Janet!
Sam and Janet who?
Sam and Janet Evening ...You will meet a stranger ...

Email Monday

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** Where Has Respect and Dignity Gone (Huffington Post on longtime CC employee)

“’Where truth and honesty are wanting … everything is wanting’ - Ben Franklin” – Joe Cosgrove

** More Respect and Dignity Gone

“The respect has been dwindling for the past twenty years or so. I could go into detail ad nauseam, but inasmuch as I'd be preaching to the choir, I'll not bore you with what you already know except to recall a particular instance of no respect. It was simple: An air personality with whom I had worked in San Francisco and who had made impact here in L.A. in the mid-'70s attempted to contact the pd of a major L.A. station around 2003.

Not only was his call not taken – granted, anybody can be busy - it was not returned and no consideration whatsoever was given. My friend is an acknowledged pro, the real deal. I do not hold that he should necessarily have been hired. PDs have to make their own decisions. I do think he should have been accorded a modicum of professional respect. Five minutes of phone time would have sufficed.” – J.J. Johnson

** Remembering Jim Brady

"Gosh, I guess this is what it is going to be like from now on ... friends leaving one by one. So hard to take, but reminds you not to let the great people in your life drift away.

Thursday night we said goodbye to Andy Rush [I didn't get to go because of duties at KPCC, but I raised a glass in Andy's honor earlier in the day] and now we lose Jim Brady. I met Jim when he came to KLAC to do mornings. I was doing morning traffic for Metro and we were paired up. He was one of the few on-air personalities that wanted to meet the person who was doing traffic with him in person. At the time, Metro was in Hollywood and KLAC in Burbank, so he invited me to lunch at The Money Tree in Toluca Lake.  

We were immediate friends and laughed our way through lunch and much of the afternoon. He managed to get Metro to free up some of my schedule so he and I could do 'bits' together during the show in addition to me doing the traffic reports. One that sort of backfired was when evangelists Jim and Tammy Baker got into trouble for using church donations for their crazy lifestyle. So of course, Jim and I (Tammy) jumped on this and declared ourselves the ‘New Jim and Tammy.’ I remember promising not to spend all the church funds on mascara. We carried on for a few days and guess what. Donations started coming in - real money. Of course, it all had to be sent back, and that was the end of the 'New Jim and Tammy.' But I did continued to do traffic with him through his stint at KLAC, then sadly lost track of him. 

So sorry to hear that his last years were so terrible, but so happy that he managed to stay in radio doing what he loved until he decided to retire. He was a fun, crazy, talented and lovely man and someone I am so proud to have had the honor of working with.

I cried again today Don. Let's hope there are no more obits for a while. I'm cried out right now.” – Tammy Trujillo

** No LARPs in 2014 Hall of Fame

“No LA Radio People inducted into the Hall Of Fame? Is Barry Farber chopped liver? We are proud of him on CRN Digital Talk Radio and produce the show daily from LA. Please, I don’t mean to start a new KNRY Monterey antenna controversy. Just wanted to let you know and set the record straight. {Yes, The Real Don Steele should be honored as well].” – Michael J. Horn, President\CEO, CRN Digital Talk

** Other LARPs Missing from Hall of Fame

“I agree with you. Why is the National Radio Hall of Fame holding its 2014 induction ceremony in Los Angeles, when no radio inductees from the world of Los Angeles radio will be inducted this year? Sounds crazy to me. I took a look at their list of Los Angeles radio people in their Hall of Fame, and it is around a dozen more or less. But, why isn't there room in the Radio Hall of Fame for pioneer dj Al Jarvis, who created the L.A. radio show Make Believe Ballroom at KFWB in 1934, before inductee Martin Block stole the idea and took it to New York?

Other LARP who need to be in the Radio Hall of Fame include The Real Don Steele, plus pioneers Earle C. Anthony, Don Lee, Aimee Semple McPherson, and John S. Daggett, who was KHJ's first announcer-manager from 1922-1927, and had a national following in those early days of radio. I'm sure readers of LARadio could come up with 5 or 10 names on their own, who deserve to be in the Radio Hall of Fame and we would still have few duplicates.  

If those folks can't make it in the Radio Hall of Fame, it is beyond time to create a Los Angeles/Southern California Radio Hall of Fame. I don't have any ideas on how to accomplish that goal, but there must be some way to recognize and honor all of our LARP who paved the way for those in the radio broadcasting business today, both on and off the air.” – Jim Hilliker, Monterey

** Tower of Power

“This KNRY dust up is much ado about nothing. Thank you William Shakespeare and Seinfeld.

When I acquired KNRY in December 2013, there was no ground system. It had all been cut or removed for the copper. I restored it and then some. The Cannery Row Association, from whom we rent the Tower, allowed us to connect to the adjoining hotel water pipes. And we re-connected to the ocean cable which had been cut. We also ran new copper strap to all the equipment and ATU at the base of the tower.

I was amazed that when I drove out of the San Jose Airport in a rented GM SUV, KNRY was listenable. Subsequently, I drove from Monterey to Napa, and was able to listen to KNRY all the way until I made the turn north of Richmond to get to the Vallejo Bridge. The KNRY signal was still strong there but co-channel Sacramento started to come in on 1240.

I told Tom White our engineer about Mark's allegations. Tom laughed and told me Arbitron had contacted him to say that they were sending a PPM encoder to put on KNRY. Tom asked why since Monterey is a Diary market. The answer was that KNRY had an audience in the SF Bay Area Market and that market is on PPM. Therefore KNRY received the PPM encoder. And yes, apparently, KNRY has listeners in the SF Region. But I am relying on Arbitron. I do believe that it is the custom of Arbitron to tell the truth.

I greatly appreciate the supportive comments sent to LARadio. I am doing my best to keep the faith for AM radio.

Concerning the story about ‘Ladies of Ill Repute’ at one time in our rented space at Cannery Row, I too have been told that story. The story is that during WW2, these ladies did work there to help support the war effort and keep up the morale of the troops stationed near-by. The only use we make of that space is to maintain the transmitter there. It’s just the transmitter and the memories.  So, did ‘naufkas’ once use that space? Maybe.” – Saul Levine, President, KNRY AM, Monterey

Sunday Funnies (6.8)

LARadio Archives from March 2004

“Don’t Stand, Don’t Stand, Don’t Stand Too Close To Me” 

(March 12, 2004) Synergy, yinergy. Clear Channel LA is about to house eight radio stations under one roof in Burbank. Two stations have already moved in with additional stations arriving every week or so. Consolidation has given new meaning to job descriptions. Management has taken on numerous stations to manage and program. DJs voice track multiple stations. During the last half of 2003, however, there seemed to be a movement back to more manageable responsibilities. But will proximity breed productivity among the groups or will snickering and bickering at each other bury the concept? How leadership at the top leads will determine much of the outcome. In one situation we learned that management and talent don't even know each other.

When Ryan Seacrest joined KIIS, management wanted to create a “team” feeling with the new era at 102.7/fm. A dinner at The Palm was arranged. The problem was that only some of the jocks were invited. Can you imagine what those who were not invited were feeling? Intentional or just an oversight? Or is consolidation just too much to keep track of?

KYSR has struggled in the past year with falling numbers, so much so that the former KYSR pd Angela Perelli returned last month to “Star 98.7” to replace pd John Ivey in the hopes of capturing some of the initial success of the format. In April 2002, the morning show, once filled with much potential, prompted an Open Letter to Jamie White from the publisher of LARadio.com, which was quickly dismissed by the thin-skinned White. 

The primary point of the helpful Open Letter was that if she learned how to tell a story – one that had a beginning, middle, and an end - she and Danny Bonaduce had a good chance of capturing a competitive place in the coveted morning drive. Jamie responded that I was some old guy who didn’t get her “shtick” and that I should stick with Matlock reruns. She believed that her target audience understood her completely. 

The Clear Channel brass from San Antonio – Mark and Lowry Mays and John Hogan have been in town this week. In the spirit of synergy, a meeting of all stations and the home office execs of the largest radio group in the world was arranged. The morning after the meeting, this is the on-air dialogue between Jamie and Danny: 

Jamie: How was the kissing of the ring?

Danny: Uneventful.

Jamie: I didn’t get to kiss. Our big, big, big, big, huge owners of the world were here and biggest owners of all. Not just our bosses, they own the company.

Danny: If David Letterman needs a talking to; he talks to a guy from General Electric.

Jamie: The biggest owners were here and they own our souls. It was so funny. I told you guys there would be a line to kiss the ring. They tried to fit 2,000 people into one room to kiss and curtsy. These are the guys who said, ‘Hey, look, sell some commercials, do a good job, and don’t get any FCC fines.’ Because they could really care less about us. Everybody is in line like they cared about us.

Danny: I saw a big milling about when people could leave and I left.

Jamie: They bring this other guy around. He’s like one of our popular morning shows and I don’t even know what he does. He’s popular. They bring him by. I say, ‘Big fan.’

Danny: So did I.

Jamie. I know, that’s what I was gong to tell you. Don’t be suckered in.

Danny: But I am, though.

Jamie: You and I talked about him.

Danny: I think you’ve got the wrong guy.

Jamie: I watched and saw you say it too. You and I both said, ‘I don’t get it.’ It’s stupid.

Danny: Unless I’ve got the wrong guy. What shift?

Jamie: It doesn’t matter, I’ll tell you later off the air. So, they bring this guy around, and I go, ‘Big fan.’ Never heard him, but I know we’ve talked that I don’t get it. It’s retarded.

Danny: If it is this guy, I don’t get it.

Jamie: He said to me, ‘I’ve heard interesting things about you.’ Now I thought that was fair. He didn’t say, ‘Big fan.’ Then I go downstairs to the suck-up party and see Danny make his way across with his hand extended, ‘Hey, nice to meet you. I’m a big fan.’

Danny: Why didn’t you dive in and save me? We did it exactly the same.

Jamie: I’ve personally never heard him. I don’t know if I’m a fan. I don’t think I am. What we’ve heard about this guy is a different thing he does.

Danny: I think you’re confused.

Jamie: I know I don’t know it and I lied to him.

Danny: Who was the guy up on the desk first? He seemed very important.

Jamie: Oh, the little guy?

Danny: The guy who looks like Steve Buscemi.

Jamie: That’s Roy, Junior.

Danny: He works in California?

Jamie: You should know him. He doesn’t like me much. He doesn’t like this show. He’s not our number one fan.

Danny: I don’t even know who he is.

Jamie: The guy with the glasses is important.

Danny: Hogan.

Jamie: He’s a good guy because he’s an ally. He’s the third wheel in the corporation. I hugged him and gave him an extra squeeze. 

Well, I’m willing to check out Matlock and Murder, She Wrote if someone can decipher the above conversation. For the life of me I have no idea what or who she was talking about. And what about the audience? Think they have a clue? Or CARE? 

KLAC Country Jock Dies

(June 6, 2014) Jim Brady, personality at Country KLAC in the late 80s, died last night. Jim suffered a "horrible battle with cancer for the past four years," said his friend Chris Moore. Jim passed away in hospice care just outside of Toledo. He is believed to have been in his late 60s.

Jim grew up in Canada and worked radio in Toronto before joining Country KLAC. He worked morning drive when Eddie Edwards departed. Jim left KLAC in 1988 to do Country radio in Dallas. He later moved to KLUV-Las Vegas and his last radio job ended in 2008 in Toledo. 

National Radio Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2014 and No LARPs

(June 6, 2014) The National Radio Hall of Fame (NRHOF) has announced its seven inductees for 2014 and Los Angeles Radio People got snubbed again. The black-tie ceremony, hosted by Premiere Networks personality Delilah, will take place on Sunday, November 9, in Los Angeles. It will mark the first time the induction ceremony has taken place outside of Chicago. Premiere Networks will produce and distribute the broadcast in association with the Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC).

“The National Radio Hall of Fame is taking the show on the road this year,” said MBC founder/president Bruce DuMont. “There are many Radio Hall of Famers living in Southern California and several 2014 inductees, so it seems like a great time to try something different, and it will be good to do the show live once again.” The problem is no LARP will be inducted.

This would have been a perfect time to recognize one of the most iconic broadcasters in the history of Southern California, The Real Don Steele.

Overheard.

Toast to Rush. Colleagues and friends of Andy Rush gathered at Tom Bergin's yesterday for a final toast. Natalie Windsor recounts: 

A wake, or the celebration of a life, is something like a wedding: all the disparate chapters of a life come together, and many guests meet each other for the first time to share stories. Thursday night's gathering in honor of Andy Rush brought together some three dozen people at Tom Bergin’s Old Horseshoe Tavern on Fairfax in Los Angeles, bringing together his friends and coworkers from the Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles pages of his resume.  

Rush was remembered by several speakers. Barbara Basset described him as "A leader who didn't want followers, a fierce guardian of the people he cared about, who would not have expected this turnout." Bryan Simmons called his best friend, "An analogue man living in a digital world." DonOvon Johnson spoke of how Andy once rushed to Johnson's home when his son had an asthma attack while Johnson was pulling an air shift, and brought the son not only an inhaler but chicken soup and oyster crackers -- and then stopped by the studio to reassure Johnson and bring him a snack. Natalie Windsor confided that Andy had been so protective of her when they worked together at The LAB (Los Angeles Broadcasters) that he'd surprised her with a stun gun, because he was worried about her safety.

Rita Wilde had to leave early to get to her evening airshift on 100.3/The Sound. Station coworkers in attendance included Dave Beasing, Mimi Chen, Bill Latour, Cynthia Fox, Jackie Delgado, Tina Mastramica, DonOvon Johnson, Steve Hoffman, and Gary Thompson. Friends from previous workplaces turned out as well:  Bob Stein used his iPhone to play one of Andy's first air checks, from 1972 when he was still in high school; longtime friend and mentor Bob Staley taught Andy at LACC when Andy was just 18;  and Audrey Antley worked with Andy at KROY in Sacramento. Andy's aunt and cousin, Sarah and Alan Nerenberg, sat and listened to stories they'd never heard before, from people who had worked with him, and 100.3/The Sound's program director Dave Beasing led the crowd in lifting a glass to toast Andy.  

Andy Rush, veteran of KNX/fm, KMPC/fm and KSWD (100.3/The Sound), died May 17th of a heart attack. He was 60. 

Funnie. Two Japanese businessmen are talking during an afternoon dip in the hot baths at the Geisha House.

The first businessman says, "Hirokosan, I have some unpleasant news for you. Your wife is dishonoring you."

Hirokosan can't believe what he hears, and asks for more information.

"Your wife is dishonoring you with a foreigner of the Jewish faith."

Shocked, Hirokosan goes home and confronts his wife. "I am told that you are dishonouring me with a foreigner of the Jewish faith."

She replies, "That is lie. Where you hear such mishigas? (Thanks to Gil Hyatt)

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** Where is the AM/FM radio in my new car?

“This article is funny. Although the new BMW i3 doesn’t have AM on it.” – John Moyer, Internet Sales Manager, Erhard BMW, Farmington Hills, Michigan

** Car Radio Perspective No. 7

“Like Saul Levine, I too have no problem finding the AM or fm band on the current GM vehicles, or any other modern cars. Typically, if there’s a button labeled ‘Radio’ anywhere, pressing it repeatedly will usually toggle between the AM, fm and Sirius/XM bands.

Seriously, it’s not that difficult, and I drive all kinds of cars. And if Saul looks in the owner’s manual for his BMW X3, he may be able to program one of the assignable buttons on his steering wheel [there are usually two of them] to select ‘radio.’” – Dave Kunz, Automotive Reporter, KABC/Channel 7, Co-Host, The Car Show, KPFK/fm

** PD Responds to Levine’s Charges

“Let me clarify a couple of things. Firstly, I did not send a letter, email or any information to the Monterey newspaper ‘attacking’ Saul Levine's program changes at KNRY or any of his properties. So Mr. Levine’s argument there is with someone else.

Secondly, I have no ill will towards Mr. Levine or KNRY and only wanted to set the record straight regarding the 1240 facilities actual coverage. I was there for four years and was quite familiar with the details of that stations coverage area.

During my time at KNRY, I spoke regularly with the engineer who built the 1240 transmitter site on Cannery Row and we brainstormed to no avail various ways to try and enhance the stations coverage. Short of installing a 50kW transmitter there was no real practical way to improve the stations coverage much beyond what it had then and has today.

Believe me, as a former program director of that station, I would’ve loved to have had the coverage Mr. Levine purported in the news story. It would’ve made 1240 a much more formidable force in the market.

As an aside I do recall hearing 1240 quite clearly in Pt. Arena – there’s a straight salt-water path directly up the California coastline between Monterey and Pt. Arena [about 200+ miles]. However, once you drive about a mile inland, it disappears for good.

But that’s getting away from the main point. There’s no competitive jealousy in my pointing out my knowledge of the 1240 antenna system and coverage. KNRY was my first full-time radio job and it was an honor to have been program director of a storied station that boasted an illustrious alumni who went to make significant contributions to the radio industry. Broadcasters like Robert W. Morgan, Eric Norberg, Robert O. Smith and many other notables cut their teeth at that little station on Cannery Row. 

I wish Mr. Levine all success – the Classical and Jazz formats he airs are providing programming to an underserved audience in the market and for that he is to be commended.” – Mark Carbonaro, Program Director, POWERTALK 1460 AM & 101.1 FM, Clear Channel Media & Entertainment, Salinas

** Former PD on Cannery Row

“I cannot speak to the stories today but I can talk about the 70’s when I was program director at KRNY. The tower then was 1/4 wavelength, with no guy wires, standing in a fenced area on Cannery Row right on the bay.  The transmitter and studios were across the street in what was once a whorehouse. Each of the girls had a room with a small extra room or ‘closet’ that had a sink that offered only cold water. Ouch. The hallway ended with doors to a balcony where the girls could show their stuff.  One need only read John Steinbeck to know more.

From the second floor transmitter room [next to the studio], a coaxial cable traveled outside and was suspended aerially over Cannery Row and was terminated in a metal tuning box that fed the tower.  I got really well aware of this when the old style, ancient coax needed to be replaced.  With morning man Scotty Johnson and consulting engineer [Dick Adler, a professor at the Defense Language Institute and consultant to the Defense Department], we energized the new coax and ended the sparks inside the old coax.  Before going live that Sunday morning, we ‘tuned the tower’ using various equipment, but we also used the tower as an antenna to listen to AM radio from all over. What a hoot. A tower makes a great receiver antenna and we could tune major stations [the real clear channel kind] from all over the country, as well as stations on every frequency.

The ground system was a multi-strand copper cable that went about 200 feet into the bay and was weighted with concrete. Copper straps on each leg of the tower joined and were connected to the copper cable, which was buried and eventually appeared deep into the bay.  I say WAS, but not always. Divers were known to go out and chop [saw?] the heavy copper cable and steal it in pieces. Even in the 70’s, raw copper was wicked valuable.  After they got most of it, the non-weighted end would eventually show up rising out of the sand and the signal would suck. Replacing the copper was expensive and meant that the thieves had a new bounty to dream of ...  and steal.

Having a great copper cable under salt water in the bay was not unlike having a directional array. The signal did actually point north thanks to the great ground system that nature was providing. I was told that the city water pipes were also connected for a long time but that the connection was not maintained.

The overage maps ‘back in the day’ showed that the signal was aimed at Santa Cruz and points north.  Today, having that tower with a great copper cable of at least 200 feet would give a great signal for a small station, but then again, AM is not as clean and regulated as it once was so I suspect that the 1240 frequency is has diminished as all the other AM stations. That Saul Levine has invested in the station is a real unique thing. Gee, a real broadcaster, imagine that. I suspect it could make competitors want to knock him down a rung or two.” – Craig Hines

** Teaching to Pass It On

“Credit to Mark Denis on starting the pipeline of teachers sourced from KFI to Fullerton College.

I once dated a lady named Dianna who became a teacher at Fullerton. She was also a friend of Mark’s. Dianna suggested that I come down and do a couple of seminars. I wanted to give the kids something that they couldn’t otherwise experience that would be a rare event so I had Chuck Blore join me and talk about creativity and bring some of his material.

I think I still have the video of that. It was quite a day. Escalating that, and really plugging into the music side of the creativity well, I enlisted the talents of Bill Meeks, ‘the father of the jingle business,’ from Dallas. I made his lecture 50% of the final exam, it was so poignant.

This evolved into a full-time professorship for me while I was actually also full-time at KFI/KOST. I don’t know when the hell any of us slept. Actually, It was pretty simple in follow through because I took the train route home to Dana Point/Monarch Beach where I had bought a couple of houses, and the train stopped just a few short blocks from the college. I would do the classes, the kids would buy me a beer and put me back on the train and I was home asleep by 10.

The best part of it was watching the success of my students as they made their way into the LA broadcasting scene. That was even more fulfilling than the money… which wasn’t bad either. Now the icing on the cake… Somehow I was able to finagle alternate days teaching at Saddleback as well. I don’t know how I was such a good scheduler at the time because these days I have to really scratch my head to try and find time just to go to the dry cleaners! Arrrrgh.

But this all seemed to start because of the wonderful pay it forward attitude of Mark Denis, who also recommended to the college, Gil Perez, one of my production compadres.

To this day others who walked in the same footsteps include troopers like Mike Sakellarides and Don Bastida.

So, giving credit where credit is due, the broadcast community needs to take pause once again and remember to give thanks to the unselfish generosity and vision of Mark Denis, ex-KFI traffic reporter.” – Don Elliot

** 26 Miles Across the Sea

“it was pretty easy to get to Catalina after I installed the auto-pilot on the boat. Boot the laptop, bring up the map program, put the cursor on Avalon and click.   Off you go!  Of course, you have to be sure to be clear of the harbor entrance before clicking on ‘Avalon’ otherwise the auto-pilot will take you the shortest way possible, which is occasionally over the beach or other dry land. 

Ask Danny Bonaduce or maybe the four or five other guys who’ve made the same mistake. The Coast Guard stresses this in classes but people continue to make the same mistake and wind up on the beach.” – Jack Hayes

** Last Train to Avalon

“This piece in today’s edition about the tv commentator making reference to taking a train to Avalon, the piece leaves out a salient portion of the quote.  What Lolita actually said was ‘maybe ONE DAY we can take a train or metro to this place...’ while the shot of Catalina was shown. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, she might have been thinking that train travel could advance in the future to where a train there might be possible. Farfetched? Perhaps, but the quote as originally stated makes the reference more embarrassing than necessary.” – Greg Olsen, Pasadena 

Melinda Lee’s Free Ice Cream Blast and Live Broadcast

(June 5, 2014) A broadcast remote that comes with food and dessert. Yummy. This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., food guru Melinda Lee hosts ‘Free Ice Cream Blast’ at Pacific Sales in Torrance.

The public is invited for free ice cream sundaes from Dandy Don’s Homemade Ice Cream, free Cajun Chicken Mac N’ Cheese from STACKED Restaurant in Torrance, lots of tasty food samples and to participate in the live broadcast.  The family event will also feature prize giveaways, face-painting and entertainment.

A native Angeleno, Melinda attended UCLA and Columbia University. She hosted the "Food News Hour" on News/Talk KNX for over eight years. "I met Mel Baldwin, (former co-host of KNX's 'Food News Hour') and we hit it off,” said Melinda. “I was a caterer in Malibu for 10 years and I was sure I could talk. I called the then-pd, Bob Sims, and told him, 'I see a major error in your life and I am here to fix it.'"

She filled in for one show. It took months to win the coveted spot on KNX in 1985and stayed until 1994 before moving to KABC, KTZN and KRLA. When KRLA attempted a talk format in the late 1990s, Melinda took her cooking show to 1110AM. A year later she moved her lucrative food show to KFI. 

In 2004, Melinda moved back to KNX in what was reported as a $1.5 million deal, where she has been for the past decade.

Melinda’s Free Ice Cream Blast begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at: Pacific Sales, 24120 Garnier Street, Torrance, CA 90505

Overheard.

Who Goofed I’ve Got to Know. Jeff Gehringer of the Astor Broadcast Group was watching NBC4 this past Sunday morning. “They were having a debate on the metro rail system in Los Angeles,” emailed Jeff. “At the conclusion of the debate, they threw it back to the anchor, Lolita Lopez. They put up a picture of Catalina Island and Lolita says, ‘Good information. Maybe we can take a train to Catalina.’ As the famous song states, Catalina is 26 miles across the sea. Hard to get a train to travel underwater. I know as residents of Southern California, we snicker when new anchors mispronounce street names and cities. But you would think they know that Catalina is an island.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY7HZJyKDnw

Brian Beirne, Mr. Rock 'n Roll, responded to Gehringer’s observation: “I manage The Four Preps who sang the legendary song 26 Miles to Santa Catalina. Here is the response from Bruce Belland original lead singer and author of the song.”

"Well, in 1957 the Four Preps made it to the island:

1, "in a leaky old boat"

2. Swimming with "just some water wings and my guitar"

but I seriously doubt that a train would do the job. However, the idea did inspire me to write a new verse..

TRYING TO GET THERE IN A CHOO CHOO TRAIN

IS REALLY AN IDEA THAT'S A LITTLE INSANE

BUT IF ALLTHAT'S RATTLING AROUND IN YOUR BRAIN'S

ROMANCE, ROMANCE THEN TAKE THE CHANCE.”

Hear Ache. The announcement of a new program director for KRTH and KTWV will apparently be made next week, according to CBS/LA chief Dan Kearney … Lily Tomlin appears with Stephanie Miller this morning.

LARadio Rewind: June 5, 1998. Sam Yorty, who served in the California State Assembly and the US House of Representatives and spent 12 years as Mayor of Los Angeles, dies at age 88 after suffering a stroke and contracting pneumonia. Yorty briefly worked morning drive at KGBS during the station's short-lived talk format in 1974. For five years he hosted a self-titled talk program on KCOP-Channel 13. Both the radio program and television program were produced by Wally George, who hosted talk shows on KIEV and KTYM before launching Hot Seat, a "combat talk" show on KDOC-Channel 56. Former Los Angeles Times columnist Mike Downey once observed that the teaming of Yorty and George "makes Rush Limbaugh seem like a meek little mouse."

Funnie

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** Tower of Strength

“Saul Levine is incorrect about the wave-length of the KNRY tower on Cannery Row.  It's 200 feet tall and at 1240 on the AM dial, that makes it a 1/4-wave tower, not half-wave as Saul asserted.

Additionally, I don't know why they put 500 feet of copper into the bay, the engineering for the station (I have the 1959 CP for the antenna move to Cannery Row) calls for a single 200-foot length of cable into the bay that is secured by 50 pound weights at 100-feet and 200-feet lengths. The cable I believe was around 3 inches in diameter. The original CP called for copper straps to come off the base of the three legs of the tower, meet below the sand and are soldered to the 200-foot cable going into the bay.

BTW, KNRY does not reach Berkeley with any sort of reliable signal. At best, the day time signal is pretty good into about Gilroy [40 miles north of Monterey], but once beyond that distance it's pretty unlistenable.  The nighttime signal is particularly bad and basically covers no more than the outline of the Monterey Bay.

I was pd and assistant chief operator at KNRY from 1982 to 1986, working for Bill Beaton, Jr. when his family owned the station.” - Mark Carbonaro, Program Director, POWERTALK 1460 AM & 101.1 FM, Clear Channel Media & Entertainment, Salinas

** Saul Levine Rebuttal

“Last week my company came under attack from at first an unknown source. The Monterey Herald newspaper published an article about my simulcasting our KMZT/fm Classical programming over KNRY, 1240 AM, which would greatly expand our coverage. In fact, I mentioned that I was able to hear KNRY in Berkeley on the 880 Highway in my auto.

I explained that the huge coverage was due to the fact the KNRY tower had a new ground system I had installed, including a 500 foot cable that extended out into the salt water.

An attack was launched against my creditability by a document sent to the newspaper which did not disclose that the attack was made by a Clear Channel manager. Today, that attack was followed by another attack sent to LARadio repeating the same things. This time, the identity was given away. The writer was a Clear Channel manager, pd of KION AM, Monterey. He was incensed that I now had a 500 ft. cable in the Ocean instead of 200 ft., and denied KNRY could be heard in Berkeley on the freeway.

That writer was Mark.” – Saul Levine

** Teaching

“You reported that Don Bastida, former head of one of the traffic services, is now teaching radio at Saddleback College.

Don, thanks for being there for me when I taught my Traffic Reporting class at Fullerton College. The real-world resources you brought to us were invaluable, and, apparently, the bug bit you.” – Mike Sakellarides 

Larry Tremaine, Veteran Jock and Lead Singer of Sunrays, Dies

(June 4, 2014) Larry Tremaine, veteran of KBLA, KTYM, KALI, and KRLA, died May 31. He would have been 71 today.

Born Larry Steinman, Larry was a second generation Angelino, growing up in Beverly Hills. His grandfather, a renowned artist who designed catalogs for major department stores in Los Angeles, arrived in L.A. from Europe in 1912.

Larry attended UCLA, then started his career in the entertainment field as “Larry Tremaine,” a name given to him by Elvis Presley. Starting as a rock singer with his group Larry Tremaine & the Renegades, they later changed the group’s name to the Sunrays, which had a successful hit single, I Live for the Sun.

Larry was also a concert promoter and a disc jockey at KRLA.

In the late 60’s, he starred on tv as the host of a nationally syndicated rock ‘n roll dance party show called Casino Royal Fun Circus, where he discovered and promoted artists. He played a key part in the careers of The Beach Boys, Sonny & Cher, Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass, Bobby Fuller and others. He also hosted Disneyland’s Saturday night dance party.

In 1969, Larry moved to Europe for two years. While in Europe, Larry, with his vast knowledge of radio and television broadcasting, became a partner in “Pirate Radio,” known around the world to this day as “Radio Caroline” and “Radio Nordsea,” which broadcast from a ship off the coast of England and Holland.

Returning to America, Larry entered the family import/export business and worked with his dad, a designer who had the license for Raggedy Ann and Andy products, among thousands of other novelty items, which were made in their factories in the Orient. In the 80’s, Larry specialized in the “art” branch  of the family business and owned the Carol Lawrence Fine Art Galleries in Beverly Hills. He was soon elected president of the Beverly Hills Art Gallery Association.

His services were held yesterday.

Weenie Roast a Winner. “Dance party vibe invades KROQ fest” blared the headline in the LA Times as the lead story in the Calendar section. “Groove drove the KROQ party, which celebrates acts on the station’s playlist,” according to a Randall Roberts review. Last weekend, KROQ’s 22nd annual Weenie Roast took place at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine.

“If the Weenie Roast is any guide [and it is], rock continues its bend toward inclusion. Each year, the quick-turnaround sets feature the acts that KROQ plays [often to death], a selection that helps drive commercial radio and YouTube spins, tv spot licenses and Twitter buzz nationwide. For better or worse, if KROQ puts the full force of its power behind a song, it can propel an artist to ubiquity. So it’s good when the station takes chances.”

 

Hear Ache. Emmis president Rick Cummings’ total compensation in 2013 dropped from $1,028,530 to $721,451, according to an SEC filing … Don Bastida, former head of one of the traffic services, is now writing and producing a weekly financial show on KSFO-San Francisco and teaching radio at Saddleback College. “There is something about teaching that is so rewarding,” emailed Don. “When you can tell that you are reaching them, it's just a rush.” … Kraig Kitchin, former head of Premiere Radio Networks, has been elected to the board of directors of the Museum of Broadcast Communications.  

Voice trade ad with AMP Radio's Carson Daly on far left

Overheard.

Funnie.

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** Book Elliot Field

“I have been a guest in Elliot Field’s home on two separate occasions.

I actually gave Mr. Field an acoustical tile pried off the wall of the KFWB dj booth the day before they tore down the building.

I’m saddened that his ‘book’ is NOT in print form, as are books by Chuck Blore, Wink Martindale, Bob Eubanks, Dave Hull, and others to put on my shelf.

If I can't hold a ‘book’ in my grubby hands, to me, there’s no book. If there is any way of obtaining his book in print form, I’ll be the first to BUY it.” – Bill Earl, 147KXOA.com and author of DREAM-HOUSE (KRLA/1110 history book)

** TR Greatness

“Tom Rounds, TR as we were admonished to call him, was my first producer at MannGroup Radio, providing me with the World Chart Show for US distribution. Sadly, that project didn’t take off, but our friendship was cemented and I never hesitated to ask TR’s advice or seek his counsel on any subject. His house on Mulholland was open and friendly and we had many great talks about how radio had changed, but most importantly, where it was going. He was totally hands-on, seen at conferences from the NAB to the MIDEM.

I would have loved to work with him again, but these opportunities to brush with greatness are fleeting. We send our love and condolences to Barbara and the family.” – Ed Mann

** Favorite KFRC Program Director

“I joined the KFRC in June of 1966, and Tom Rounds had put together an incredible staff of talent including, Royce Johnson, Ed Mitchell, Bobby Dale, Mike Phillips, Steve O'Shea, Glenn Adams, and Howard Clark.

At the end of my first week at the station [week of June 23, 1966], Tom rented two Muni busses and took the staff out to The Cow Palace for this huge ‘KFRC Summer Kick-Off’ concert featuring, Percy Sledge, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Byrds, and The Beach Boys. A year later, he put together one of the first ‘mega’ outdoor music festivals on Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County, featuring The Doors, Dionne Warwick, and a few other huge artists of the time.

Shortly after that, Tom resigned to move to Los Angeles, to form Charlatan Productions, later to become Watermark. While on vacation in early ‘68, I visited Tom in L.A. He took me to his editing room, and showed me footage of a new project he was working on, a ‘music video,’ featuring The Rascals, performing Easy Rollin' from their Once Upon a Dream album. This was on film, and was very well done. A few years later, music videos would become common. But TR was one of the first to break into this new territory.

He was a total class act, and during my seven years at KFRC, remained my favorite of all the program directors that came through 415 Bush St. Rest in peace TR, you will be dearly missed by many.” – Joe Collins

** Rounds Part of His Early Memories

“My earliest radio moment, I couldn’t have been 4 years old and my brother won a contest from KPOI-Honolulu, so I walked with him along the Ala Wai canal to the station to pick up his prize. The dj on the air pointed to a big box of 45s and Al got to pick out 25 of whatever was in there. He later told me that the dj, Tom Rounds, was his favorite. Flash forward about 25 years and my station became the L.A. affiliate for American Top 40, for which Tom was the executive producer. Thanks in part to our Hawaii connection we became friends and associates in the ensuing years.

Tom was such a level-headed, creative and ethical human being. He was also a fierce defender of Casey Kasem’s legacy. I was so saddened to hear of Tom’s death and will miss him dearly.” – Ron Rodrigues

** Casey in the Northwest

“I feel that I am back in the great LA radio market here in Seattle.  Each night the lead story on tv is the Casey Kasem saga.  So sad and now that they are saying he has six or less months on this earth.  What memories of listening to him while growing up in Southern California. What a great person and broadcast personality and ‘Book of Love.’” – Stan White, Seattle

** Car Radio in Car OK

“During the last year, I have rented a GM Arcadia SUV a number of times. I was very satisfied with the radio display. There was a center square image in the middle of the screen. It had three functions: AM, fm, and Satellite.

The picture displayed shows Satellite, however, just tap that button image and fm shows up, tap again, and AM shows up.

The sky is not yet falling. The reception from that Arcadia electronic device was so superior it reminded me of Delco radios from many years past. I would rent the auto at the San Jose Airport, about 60 miles away from my AM station in Monterey with a kilowatt on 1240. The reception was noise free. And transparent.

How does my kilowatt do it? I installed an entirely new ground system at the tower sitting at the edge of the Ocean. And the License authorized a 500 ft. copper cable out into Monterey Bay. The cost was over $55,000 for the new ground system. The tower is a half-wavelength, and we use a new Nautel solid state transmitter.

AM stations need investment to stay competitive. I am programming fm Classical music in Monterey, and decided to simulcast the programming on the AM station to gain the additional coverage, at least in an auto, all the way up to Berkeley and Richmond. Our listeners love it, and no one has complained about the AM part of the simulcast with Classical music.

Take that Mr. The Sky Is Falling on AM Radio.

I have a BMW X3 and the radio is so difficult to use, I often drive off the road to change the dial. The GM did not have that problem.” – Saul Levine

** Where is My Car Radio?

“It almost makes me ashamed to be from the Motor City. Shame on you, GM. I drive a BMW that not only features AM & FM, but is equipped with HD Radio as well. And plays CDs and MP3s, too! It's not only the Ultimate Driving Machine but also the Ultimate Entertainment Vehicle.” – Gerry Downey, Detroit 

Elliot Field - Last Living KFWB Seven Swingin’ Gentleman Tells All

 

(June 3, 2014) On the 50th anniversary of Color Radio/KFWB in 2008, LARadio ran a two-part story commemorating the historical event.  That same year, Elliot Field, who hosted the Field Frolic (PM drive on the legendary Channel 98) began writing about his part in the launch of the iconic station. His book, Last of the Seven Swingin’ Gentlemen, has just been released.

Elliot’s book grew to include stories about his road to Hollywood, including the personal challenges he encountered. Many who heard his voice on radio or television never knew he navigated the entertainment industry while wearing braces, as a result of childhood polio. “Until someone met me, they wouldn’t know of my physical situation. It certainly wasn’t going to deter me from this Hollywood opportunity, so while some were perhaps surprised on first seeing me with my appliances, I always wanted the performance to be remembered, rather than the braces or crutches,” said Elliot.

His career spans decades and includes work as an actor, playing characters in famous cartoons and commercials, live-announcing for television, radio station management, politics in Palm Springs, and more.

Written with LARP Anita Garner, Last of the Seven Swingin’ Gentlemen has just been released on Amazon.  (The book can be downloaded onto any device, Kindle not required.)  Click artwork to purchase the book.

 

Rounds Passes. Tom Rounds, best known as one of the founders of the quintessential syndicated program, American Top 40, died June 1, of complications from a minor surgical procedure. His wife and business partner of 49 years, Barbara Rounds, was at his bedside when he passed away. Tom was 77.

American Top 40 featured the team of Casey Kasem and producer Don Bustany. The program was popular in large markets and also allowed small market stations to present a three-hour national music chart countdown show at nominal cost that nevertheless produced good ratings and helped generate advertising revenue.

 

Rounds’ first radio show was at the campus radio station of Amherst College in Massachusetts in the late 1950s, where he earned degrees in English and Music. He worked at WINS (AM) in New York City as a newsman in 1959. While a dj at KPOI in Hawaii, Tom set the world record for sleeplessness. The period of 260 hours awake was attained while Rounds was sitting in a department store window display. Before he left KPOI, he became program director.

While at KFRC in San Francisco, Rounds began promoting large multi-act concerts to benefit charity and gain publicity for the station and the bands it featured. After holding the Beach Boys Summer Spectacular at the Cow Palace in 1966, Rounds and KFRC conceived of a large outdoor festival featuring a fair atmosphere similar to the popular Renaissance Pleasure Faire. The KFRC Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival were held in the second weekend of June 1967 at Mount Tamalpais State Park in Marin County, California, to support the Hunters Point Child Care Center. Featuring Jefferson Airplane, the 5th Dimension, The Doors and many other acts, the event drew nearly 60,000 attendees. The Fantasy Fair produced by Rounds is considered the first rock festival in history, preceding the more well-known Monterey Pop Festival by one week.

After Watermark was absorbed into the American Broadcasting Company in the early 1980s and became ABC Watermark, Rounds became responsible for the promotion and syndication of American Top 40 and other programs outside the United States. His independent company Radio Express was created in 1985 and produced and syndicated World Chart shows hosted by Lara Scott and PJ Butta, among other programming.

A memorial service will be held in Los Angeles at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills on Sunday, June 8, at 5  p.m. Memorial donations may be made to City of Hope Cancer Center (www.cityofhope.org).

Overheard.

Hear Ache. KEIB (1150 AM) will broadcast all LA Kings final games … Progressive radio host Leslie Marshall is starring in the indie sci-fi movie The App … Legendary program director at KILT-Houston in the 60s and 70s, Bill Young, died over the weekend. When I was with the McLendon Corporation, Bill and I sat next to each other in 1968 in the conference room at KABL-San Francisco for days attempting to weed out the geriatric Beautiful Music and bring the format into a more contemporary appeal. We had many laughs. God bless his family… Frank Mottek was on his way to dinner Sunday night when the 4.2 magnitude earthquake hit West L.A. He dropped everything and headed to the KNX studios, where he co-anchored the station’s coverage.

LARadio Rewind: June 3, 1991. British alternative-rock singer Morrissey records Sing Your Life, My Love Life and There’s a Place In Hell for Me & My Friends with a four-piece band at Capitol Records studios in Hollywood. The songs were recorded in a single take for exclusive airplay on KROQ. Sire Records released the songs on a CD single, Morrissey at KROQ, which also included eight minutes of messages that had been left by fans on the voice mail of KROQ dj Richard Blade. Born Steven Morrissey in Lancashire, Morrissey was lead singer of the Smiths for five years before going solo in 1987. (LARadio Rewind prepared by Steve Thompson)

Funnie. What do you call a bee who is having a bad hair day? A FRISBEE!

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** Knew Tom Rounds

“I knew Barbara and Tom Rounds fairly well and went to so many great parties at their house. He always gave me great advice on my career. I am sure you will hear from many of the folks who worked at Watermark. So sad.” – Nancy Plum

** Worked with Tom Rounds

“Tom Rounds was my leader and hero when I joined Watermark in 1980 to work for American Top 40 and Soundtrack of the 60s. He was one of the most professional, organized and greatest guys I ever worked for. When Bill Drake took over KFRC in San Francisco in 1966, ‘TR’ was Drake’s choice to program the station and begin a very new and positive era at The Big 610.

After Watermark was sold to ABC, he started another very successful company, Radio Express. He was a true radio innovator. May he rest in peace.” – Jeffrey Leonard

** Sad About McGeary’s Passing

“I am very sad to see news of Dick McGeary’s passing. I’d also like to point out that early in my radio career, Dick was helpful and supportive of my hopes and dreams to succeed. He really was a wonderful man.

His son Chris and I were high school classmates and I knew Dick for years. What an amazingly great guy and most importantly, a fantastic father to his kids.

By the way, Chris owns and operates Final Note Productions and is a very successful music editor for tv and films. He just finished working on Clint Eastwood’s Jersey Boys and has been a longtime collaborator with Clint.” – RJ Curtis

** McGeary Believed in Radio Industry

“Dick McGeary was a great friend of Radio. He cared about more than the station(s) he represented, he believed in the Radio Industry.

McGoo, as I called him, was an endearing friend. He would often call to see how you were doing. He was involved on the boards of several charities and would get me involved as well.

You couldn’t say no to McGoo. His kindness and friendliness shone through like a beacon. I will miss him very much.” – Norm Epstein

** McGeary One of the Best GMs

“Over the course of my career I was fortunate to work for many really good general managers.  Most had their quirks, of course, but a good general manager makes radio a real pleasure.  Dick McGeary was one of the best.

Always the proud Irishman [he ‘owned’ Tom Bergin’s on St. Patrick’s day], always a devout Catholic without shoving it down anyone’s throat, never losing that ‘Bahston’ accent, and a golfer to the core, Dick epitomized the word ‘class.’

Dick understood the role of management, with major responsibilities for the sales effort.  Unlike a few, his ego never led him to believe he was a programming genius.  (A couple of those who did have inclinations to play with programming were actually pretty much on point.  Then there was the guy who knew everything about everything, but that is another story.)  Dick simply did not meddle.  We would establish parameters and goals.  I could then do my thing, including the power to hire and fire.  The only time Dick would get involved in the programming process was when an agent representing some talent I wanted would be asking for some sky-high multiple of AFTRA scale or pushing hard for a new Mercedes as a signing bonus, etc. Beyond that, it was my game. One of his greatest strengths was keeping corporate out of my hair.  

As former gsm Ed Krovitz has already noted, Dick McGeary was a true gentleman. I loved working for him. I only wish everyone in radio could experience the pleasure of working for such a fine ‘boss.’

Condolences from Val and me to Dick’s wonderful wife Ann and the entire McGeary clan. They can be mighty proud of their wonderful dad.” – Mike Lundy

** McGeary Into Action

“I am so sorry to hear of Dick McGeary’s passing.  I clearly remember how he flew into action when I was subjected to some problematic nursing care at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank.

Mr. McGeary was on the Board of Directors at the hospital. A well-placed gentle word or two from Mike Lundy into Dick’s ear and lickety split I had the head of nursing asking me to call her at home if I had any more difficulties.

He was a great guy and a big-hearted Irishman who enjoyed working on that telltale rouge nose with great vigor and glee. Condolences to his family. He lived a long and exceptional life.” – Diane Moore-Trombi, Los Angeles 

LARP Veteran Executive Richard McGeary Dies

(June 2, 2014) Richard McGeary, veteran of KWKW, KHJ, KNX, and longtime vp/general manager of KGIL, died May 24 at the age of 89. “Dick died peacefully at his home after a few days in hospice care,” wrote his friend John Hokom. Dick suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Funeral services will be held in Oceanside at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 4 at the Church Of Saint Thomas Moore. Luncheon will follow the service at Shadow Ridge Country Club in Vista. 

Richard had not lost his New England accent which was evident as he talked about his retirement from a long career in the radio business, back when he was interviewed for Los Angeles Radio People. He lived a handful of miles from the beach in Vista in a house overlooking the third fairway at the Shadow Ridge Country Club. (Photo: Tom Bernstein, Richard McGeary, and Ken Miller)

Born in Brockton, Massachusetts, Richard was a pre-med student at Western Reserve University in Cleveland and graduated from Kent State. Richard started his career as an account executive at KWKW in 1950 and two years later landed a coveted sales job with Mutual Radio’s KHJ from 1952 to 1957. “I had been out of school for only two years and the man I was interviewing with wanted someone with more experience. I said ‘how do I get experience if you won’t hire me?’ He did and I stayed there five years.”

In 1957 Richard went to NBC spot sales in Los Angeles and San Francisco and then to Katz tv Representatives. In between KNX and his return to KHJ, he was at KABC/Channel 7. After running KHJ he was Western division VP sales of Mutual Radio Network.

Richard retired in 1991. “While I have many pleasant memories of my broadcasting career, retirement has enabled me the time to travel more frequently, enjoy the fantastic weather here in Vista, and to get out on the course more often batting the ball around.”

Pass It On. The Hidden Cash phenomenon sparked a wonderful on-air promotion at KSPN. On his way to work on Friday, Steve Mason secretly put $71 (KSPN dial position) in an envelope behind a place called Ebony Wigs on Crenshaw. He taped the envelope on the backside of a dumpster behind the store. Then he sprung in on his partner, John Ireland, and listeners at 2:15 p.m.

Mason explains:

“I started giving clues both on Twitter and on the air.

Here are the clues...

1st Clue: #MasonCash is located somewhere that @LAIreland would never go.

2nd Clue: #MasonCash is near where @LAIreland could get some new hair.

3rd Clue: There is a sign near #MasonCash that reads “Restore your credit score for $499."

4th Clue: #MasonMoney The closest major intersection is Crenshaw @ Exposition.

5th Clue: #MasonCash The number 3679 is important.

At this point, I started getting tweets with pictures of the Ebony Wigs store.

6th Clue: I sent a photo of the dumpster behind Ebony Wigs.

A guy with the twitter name of ‘Big Zo’ found the envelope and tweeted out a couple of photos with he and the money.

A little later Big Zo tweeted this:

@VeniceMase going to pay it forward will donate my winnings to Lou Costello rec Ctr for new baseball gear for kids pic.twitter.com/yrDtXY0V1u

So he donated the $$$ 71 to charity!!

It was a really cool experience. I agree with the Hidden Cash guy. There is still room in the world for Random acts of Kindness. It was a fun ‘bit’ on the radio, but maybe inspired someone, somewhere to be a good Samaritan.”

Casey Kasem Law. Last week, Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s (D-Los Angeles) legislation to provide reasonable accommodations for adult children who want to visit their parents cleared its biggest legislative hurdle yet, passing the Assembly by a vote of 70 - 0.  The legislation seeks to protect children from being denied access to a parent by a parent’s future spouse or child.

Currently, adult children are not afforded the right to visit an ailing parent if a spouse denies access.  With divorce and remarriage becoming more prevalent, there is a greater possibility of conflict between a subsequent spouse and an ailing parent’s children from a previous marriage. Gatto’s legislation would help resolve these situations by requiring children and siblings to be informed when a loved one enters into acute medical care for more than three days, and creates a legal process for adult children to petition a court for visitation with a parent. 

 “Conflict among family members is the last thing our loved ones want to see as they approach their final hours,” said Gatto.  “I hope this bill will help decrease the heartache and stress of families already facing difficult circumstances.”

Assemblyman Gatto has been working to develop the legislation with several children who have been denied access to their ailing parents, including radio and television personality Kerri Kasem, who is an outspoken advocate of visitation rights for adult children as a result of her struggle to see her beloved father, broadcasting legend Casey Kasem, who has struggled with poor health in recent years. 

Since sharing her struggle to see her father, Kerri has received thousands of communications from across the country with similar stories of heartache.  One notable example came from Catherine Falk, the daughter of actor Peter Falk, who maintained a loving relationship with her father for more than 30 years.  In 2008, Mr. Falk became completely incapacitated as a result of advanced dementia.  Mrs. Falk, however, failed to inform Catherine or his other children of his declining condition and refused to allow his children to visit their ailing father.  These situations do not just plague famous families, of course; since learning of these efforts, hundreds of people have contacted Kasem (or tweeted) with their support.

As for the latest on the legendary voice of American Top 40 and KRLA veteran, his daughter Kerri had him admitted to a local hospital on Sunday over concerns of her father’s deteriorating health. Kerri Kasem had earlier testified to a Kitsap County judge that her father had developed bed sores and infections in his lungs and bladder. After the first paramedic team was denied entrance into the Silverdale residence, a second team responded to a 911 call from inside the house and was eventually successful in picking up and transporting Casey Kasem to a local area hospital.

For her part, Casey’s present wife Jean told NBC News that she was following a King James verse as she threw a pound of hamburger meat at her step daughter, stating: "In the name of King David, I threw a piece of raw meat into the street in exchange for my husband to the wild rabid dogs." There have been no reports on the current condition of Casey Kasem.

LARadio Rewind: June 2, 2004. Loyd Sigmon, creator of the SigAlert and former vice president of Gene Autry’s Golden West Broadcasters, dies at 95 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Sigmon had earned his ham radio license at age 14 and worked in radio in Boston and Kansas City. In 1941 he began working at KMPC in 1941 as an engineer. In the early 1950s, radio broadcasters had to phone the LAPD to get information about traffic problems. The calls tied up the phone lines and forced an officer to keep repeating the same information. In 1955, Sigmon developed a special radio receiver and reel-to-reel tape recorder combination which was made available to all local stations. The units could receive and record the LAPD traffic bulletins which were broadcast at 1730 kilocycles. Radio stations could then put the recorded bulletins on the air. In 1969, the CHP took over freeway responsibility from the LAPD. Today most stations just have an announcer read the bulletins from the CHP website. “SigAlert,” the moniker of the LAPD traffic bulletins, was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1993. (LARadio Rewind is prepared by Steve Thompson)

Levine Expansion. Two Monterey radio stations, KWAV/fm and KBOQ/fm, have new owners in deals announced this week. Mapleton Communications is buying KWAV from Buckley Broadcasting for an undisclosed price. To clear the way for the KWAV acquisition, Mapleton is selling KBOQ to Saul Levine's Mount Wilson FM Broadcasters of Los Angeles, according to a release from Mount Wilson.

In another announcement, Mount Wilson said it is expanding coverage of K-MOZART, its all-classical FM station, with the addition of KNRY-1240 as a simulcast of K-MOZART. KNRY broadcasts from Cannery Row and its signal can be heard as far north as Berkeley, company said.

Funnie. (From Jerry Lewine)

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** LARadio Rewind

“I enjoyed reading LARadio Rewind for May 29 about band leader Phil Harris being interviewed on the NBC radio show Hollywood On the Air.  I checked the radio page schedule for May 29, 1933 in the LA Times for this program. The show did not air on KFI.  It was actually heard in the Los Angeles area on KFI’s sister station, KECA at 1430 on the AM dial, which was the NBC Blue Network affiliate.  This particular show was moved around the schedule a bit during the spring and early summer of 1933. On May 29, it was on at 8 p.m.; on April 24, it was broadcast at 9:30 p.m.; on May 8, it went on the air at 8:45 p.m. These were all on Monday nights on KECA, which had a 1,000 watt signal compared to KFI’s 50,000 watts at 640 on the dial. 

It is also interesting to me that that 1933 broadcast was Phil Harris’ first radio interview.   Harris and his Hotel Ambassador Orchestra were heard over the Southern California airwaves as early as May 18, 1932 from 10:15 to 11:30 p.m. over KFI. The radio logs soon after showed the name change to ‘Phil Harris’ Cocoanut Grove Orchestra.’

I also did not know that Frank Nelson was the announcer who interviewed Phil Harris on this show. Nelson had been working as an actor in radio dramas in L.A. since 1929. He also worked as an announcer in 1932 for KFVD and KFAC, after a brief stint at KGB in San Diego.  He next worked at KMTR in Hollywood, before he was fired in January of 1933, right before his wedding! Nelson then became a free-lance radio announcer and actor who went on to be heard on many national radio shows, including Jack Benny’s.

There is a recording available of the May 29, 1933 Hollywood On the Air program with Phil Harris and Frank Nelson, but it is cut off before the show ends, so it is not complete. Here is the link to hear it if you’re interested. http://www.myoldradio.com/old-radio-episodes/hollywood-is-on-the-air-this-is-phil-harris-phil-harris/9.” – Jim Hilliker, Monterey

Sunday Funnies 6.1

 
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