Biggest Suprise of 08

[partyradio1039kpty]

Just wondering what will be rated the number one surprise/ change's in valley radio for 2008.
I am going with the format change on 92.7/101.1, yes i know it shouldn't be a surprise, but I was one of the listeners of the station.

So what is the biggest surprise/change for 08?

 

[hotpatrick2004]

Kzon will go backwards either to talk or back to alternative but jamz will be history but this will happen in 2009 to noones surprise.

 

[no dead air]

CBS radio will fire the rest of their skeleton staff and continue huge suckage.

 

[thenewz]

Ya askin what the biggest surprise of 08 was?

My fivenominees wood be:
KOOL fired all their 07 jocks
KOOL played all Xmas musica
Tim and Willie finished whole year unemployed
KNIX crashed and burned
KFYI became into the old fart station

 

[asugeorge1]

My biggest surprise was 1440 AM KAZG not appearing in the ratings. That station should be #1! ;D

 

[justthenumbers]

I would say KKFR's slogan change. It just sounds strange to hear the phrase "hit music station" alongside the word "Power" after all these years.

 

[Ford]

I've got to go with the systematic dismantling of the KOOL air staff.

KOOL was, for me, a point of pride for Phoenix radio.

In most markets the oldies station is a jukebox with no personality. There might be one or two market vets still holding down a shift, but for the most part it's a voice-tracked/syndicated affair with no local flavor.

Yet KOOL was different. They had a full staff of market vets. Entertaining, experienced, long-time jocks who knew the market and had deep ties to the community. Even the weekend talent was better than most stations could hope to hire full time.

This difference paid off. Unlike most other oldies stations, KOOL was not just a top rated station, but a top billing station. That air staff reeled in ratings and revenue unlike no other oldies station in the country.

But in the past year, CBS has managed to ruin a very special radio station by changing what made it special. I mean, anyone can play "Brown Eyed Girl" over and over again, but what made KOOL different was what happened in between the records we've heard a million times...

Bill Gardner.

John Michaels.

Camelback Jack.

Liz Boyle.

Lee Bortel (yeah, I know he's stayed on part time, but still...)

I'm sure I'm missing a few people on this list but you get the idea.

I don't want to dis the few remaining talents left in the building, but you've gotta see what's happening here. KOOL...the mighty KOOL-FM, has become just like every other oldies station in the country. A token market vet or two holding down the last live shifts, and the rest of it voice tracked or syndicated.


For me, the really surprising thing is the self-inflicted nature of the damage.

Had some nameless, faceless (!) corporation come in and wiped out the KOOL air staff without knowing what they had, I could have understood. Yet this wasn't some outside company coming in to murder a heritage station...no, this was a radiocide.

 

[sidew]

CC's big losing gamble with Ben and Matt has to be on the list.

I agree with KOOL comments.

And, I'd put KTAR finally overcoming their years and years of problems on this list as well.

 

[Legend City]

KOOL blows, getting rid of actual talent...

KTAR got better, but Aunt Carlos and Gaydos still suck.

KFYI got worse, Bruce is a cartoon character and listening to JD is like chewing on aluminium foil.

On the whole, radio in PHX is worse this year. No big surprise

 

[justthenumbers]

KOOL’s changes are definitely the most dramatic, sad, and disappointing. However, given the track record of CBS Radio this year, I can't consider it the biggest surprise of 2008.

 

[pattiwacki]

KOOL blows, getting rid of actual talent...

KTAR got better, but Aunt Carlos and Gaydos still suck.

KFYI got worse, Bruce is a cartoon character and listening to JD is like chewing on aluminium foil.

On the whole, radio in PHX is worse this year. No big surprise

KTAR may have finally achieved higher ratings but their talent isn't a whole lot better. My ol' favorite Joe Crummey caught the Toaster Talk curse, he sounds goofy and wierd on KTAR, like he's trying too hard. His "laid back" is sounding more like lame . Hendrie is pretty good. There is no way on earth to make J.D. Hayworth sound good.

 

[DrAkbar]

There is no way on earth to make J.D. Hayworth sound good.

Ever tried chewing aluminum foil while listening to J.D. ? If we're all lucky, he'll run for US Senate when McLame retires.

 

[asugeorge1]

There is no way on earth to make J.D. Hayworth sound good.

Ever tried chewing aluminum foil while listening to J.D. ? If we're all lucky, he'll run for US Senate when McLame retires.

That won't happen anytime soon, Doc. McCain has already indicated that he is going to run for re-election in 2010. Don't get your hopes up either for 2012 when Jon Kyl runs for re-election. That means, we'll have to wait until 2016 for J.D. to run. That's 8 more years of pain! ;D

I guess we'll just have to learn to live with J.D. on the radio.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

The biggest surprise occurred at 10:06 this morning on KFYI.

55/FYI had so little clutter to air after the 10am news that,
for probably the first time ever, they hit the opening theme
for El Rushbo (Time Magazine's Person Of The Year BTW ;D)
from the top! Unbelievable! A total surprise!

Not only did we hear the theme from the very beginning--
as opposed to the usual JIP fade-up--they were so early
that you heard the network warning tone and about :10
of dead air prior to the top of the show.

BTW, there appeared to be no local language delay in the
10:00 hour (only I-CRAP :) as the theme hit at 10:06:09.

 

[DrAkbar]

The biggest surprise occurred at 10:06 this morning on KFYI.

55/FYI had so little clutter to air after the 10am news that,
for probably the first time ever, they hit the opening theme
for El Rushbo (Time Magazine's Person Of The Year BTW ;D)
from the top! Unbelievable! A total surprise!

More surprising than back to back pre-recorded weather forecasts on Kay Oh Why? Or how about this mornings' medley of two Christmas songs (played at the same time) on KEZ? Truly a surprising year for the outfit that owns more Valley stations than anyone else!

 

[brian4]

I vote for the destruction of the majority of KOOL on-air staff.

I think they even replaced the kitchen sink!

 

[thenewz]

The biggest surprise now has to be Dave Pratt. Ain't nobody saw that coming.

 

[BobinPhoenix]

The biggest surprise now has to be Dave Pratt. Ain't nobody saw that coming.

I agree. I think that's the surprise of the year. I wonder where he'll end up.

Who will be back on the air first? Pratt or Tim and Willy?

 

[tanneritekid]

The biggest surprise now has to be Dave Pratt. Ain't nobody saw that coming.

I agree. I think that's the surprise of the year. I wonder where he'll end up.

Who will be back on the air first? Pratt or Tim and Willy?

Same here, Pratt.

 

[Billkex]

Ditto on the KOOL self destruction.

#2 would be why is Larry Gaydos still employed by KTAR? this sophmoric blabbermouth sounds like he should be on 1100AM. He is absolutely small market material.