27 years ago this week

[johndavis]

Mike Jorgenson finally got the keys to KOY-FM and was preparing to launch one of the worst radio stations in this market's history.

How colossal was this screw-up? Let's review what happened:

- Mike hires Larry Snyder, who had programmed KLPX in Tucson. He brings on his right-hand guy Craig from Tucson as well as market AOR vet Mark Mauer.
- Mike, who already has Lee Abrams on retainer for KZON, hires Guy Zapoleon to consult.
- Then we wait 6 months to close while the FCC fights with itself over what the proper punishment for an EEO violation is supposed to be

During that time, some of us at KZON caught glimpses of what Larry was hoping to do as they created faux airchecks to present to Jorgenson. I'd best describe what I heard coming out of the prod room as Rock Hits. It would have been an easy sell alongside KZON.

Meanwhile, Mike, enjoying the Suns tickets that came with acquiring KOY from Gary Edens gets the infamous brainstorm. Everyone in the arena was dancing to rock and Motown, so yes, that needs to become a format. But Mike can't be "too radio" so the jocks that he's already hired for The Coyote (the calls had been stashed on 1230 months before the sale became a thing) now would become vignette producers and writers for bits voiced by actors such as the man who was Mr. Haney on Green Acres. Also, since it's Mike, songs that we should have played were banished and songs we should have banished were played.

So let's pour some out for the guys hired and fired for KYOT who came to town to launch a radio station and then had to launch something else that sounded like it was created on an Adderall bender. They never had a chance.

But KYOT was not a stunt. Mike really thought he had a format. It wasn't until the 1.9 radio station he acquired dropped to a 0.9 and the only advertiser we could sell it to was The Castle that he gave up on being a programmer and paid for the music test when Broadcast Architecture told him be needed to get one.

We were ahead of our time with the automation and snarky sweeper formatics, but the music was terrible. With focus and a music test we could have been Jack FM, but we lacked both.

 

[michael hagerty]

Mike Jorgenson finally got the keys to KOY-FM and was preparing to launch one of the worst radio stations in this market's history.

How colossal was this screw-up? Let's review what happened:

- Mike hires Larry Snyder, who had programmed KLPX in Tucson. He brings on his right-hand guy Craig from Tucson as well as market AOR vet Mark Mauer.
- Mike, who already has Lee Abrams on retainer for KZON, hires Guy Zapoleon to consult.
- Then we wait 6 months to close while the FCC fights with itself over what the proper punishment for an EEO violation is supposed to be

During that time, some of us at KZON caught glimpses of what Larry was hoping to do as they created faux airchecks to present to Jorgenson. I'd best describe what I heard coming out of the prod room as Rock Hits. It would have been an easy sell alongside KZON.

Meanwhile, Mike, enjoying the Suns tickets that came with acquiring KOY from Gary Edens gets the infamous brainstorm. Everyone in the arena was dancing to rock and Motown, so yes, that needs to become a format. But Mike can't be "too radio" so the jocks that he's already hired for The Coyote (the calls had been stashed on 1230 months before the sale became a thing) now would become vignette producers and writers for bits voiced by actors such as the man who was Mr. Haney on Green Acres. Also, since it's Mike, songs that we should have played were banished and songs we should have banished were played.

So let's pour some out for the guys hired and fired for KYOT who came to town to launch a radio station and then had to launch something else that sounded like it was created on an Adderall bender. They never had a chance.

But KYOT was not a stunt. Mike really thought he had a format. It wasn't until the 1.9 radio station he acquired dropped to a 0.9 and the only advertiser we could sell it to was The Castle that he gave up on being a programmer and paid for the music test when Broadcast Architecture told him be needed to get one.

We were ahead of our time with the automation and snarky sweeper formatics, but the music was terrible. With focus and a music test we could have been Jack FM, but we lacked both.

27 years?

As the good doctor would say:

YIKES!

 

[johndavis]

27 years?

As the good doctor would say:

YIKES!

On the other hand, the format that followed had quite a good run, delivering ratings and revenue until a new generation of 25-54 year olds thought it was old people's music.

But every now and then I wonder what we could have done if we took that impulse of "hey, people really seem to like these songs" and did some research to see what songs people actually liked instead of throwing stuff at the wall.

For all the people who grumble about research killing everything, the failure of KYOT 1.0 and the success of KYOT 2.0 is a lesson. Gut instinct does not deliver ratings.

 

[DrAkbar]

On the other hand, the format that followed had quite a good run, delivering ratings and revenue until a new generation of 25-54 year olds thought it was old people's music.

That first attempt was a wreck - unless you like the music played at sporting venues! Coyote with the UnCola guy was great until PPM came along. And now The Mountain is doing phenomenal with familiar and proven hits, sans annoying jocks who give listeners a reason to bail. And through all the different formats, it's still KYOT.

...but Nurse Jeff and I miss hearing "smoooooooth jazz" voiced by the incomprable Geoffery Holder.

 

[bulwnkl]

I miss hearing "smoooooooth jazz" voiced by the incomprable Geoffery Holder.

I loved those transitions. (-:

 

[DrAkbar]

Hope you don't fall asleep! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRQ0pYwMZaw Fast forward to 5:29 for THE VOICE!