Denver radio as boring as this board (bored?)

[naked ruth]

Many other cities seem to care about radio-info.com. Denver? Not a lot. Lets try to infuse a bit of life into our board by proposing a topic that we all can relate to. Specifically: Hate!

Worst Denver morning show is?

I vote for the KBPI show. No focus, no fun, very narrowly targeted (weighlifting and cars).

You and you?

 

[mleach]

Do people in Denver actually listen to the radio?

I was there a few months back and it seemed everywhere I went to ( on RTD buses, shopping at King Soopers, walking the 16 Street Mall, eating at restaurants..) it seemed everyone was listening to their Ipods. I know the Ipod thing is very popular and its happening everywhere but I saw more of it in Denver than any other city I had visited to within the last year. A good friend of mine works for the city of Denver and he was telling me even his co-workers are playing MP3s and such at their desk rather than turning on the radio.

The few weeks I was in Denver I didn't listen to a whole lot of radio but what I did hear ( Kool 105, Sassy 107, Martini, The Fox, KEZW, The Mountain, KOSI and Mix 100 ) it seemed like all the jocks I was listening to were bored and wish they were someplace else. Sad !!!!

 

[rustyzipper]

They are bored! Outside of morning drive there is NOTHING going on in this fair city. The C-BS boys have most of their jocks voice tracking another station in the cluster and CC well we know their love of Otto Mation. KYGO is the only one in town offering up personality and hits. It would be real hard to shoot any holes into what they are doing. As for this board; they are all over at the Denver radio boards bitching about AM radio and crap no one cares about in Northern Colorado. As for the worst; those 2 D-bags on BPI mornings and afternoons.

 

[Dr Jam]

I would have to agree that BPI is one of the worst morning shows. Lewis & Florewax on the Fox have talent but I wish they would stay away from some of their lame crude humor. This morning, they were talking to someone who was putting together a film on the Doors and Floorwax started singing "dick jokes on the storm" instead of Riders on the Storm. I have to wonder how much mileage he's gotten out of the male anatomy. It started to get old after the first few years.

Also, why do most morning jocks and program directors believe no one wants to hear music? Most morning shows yak so much that you hardly hear any music between 6 and 9 am.

 

[rustyzipper]

Don't blame it on the jocks. When a morning show achieves success it is all about getting more quarter hours out of the ones who listen. Lewis and Floorwax for example; The P-1 of that station loves them and wants to hear THEM not Smokin in the boys room for the millionth time. So they give them L and F and little else. Why? Because they pay the bills. It's not about bringing new people in, it's about getting more out of the ones you have. Superserve the core, cause we have no marketing budget.

 

[naked ruth]

I enjoy RustyZipper's posts. Obviously someone who's in the business. I find it a bit, umm, laughable I guess that someone calls out L and F for going blue. They're pretty tame esp. when compared to where they once were. Weirdly, the only morning show that I've scanned across that I like, that gets it and has a plan seems to be whomever is on the Wolf(?). Country is not my thing but if another b'cast group blows out their mornings I'd snag those guys up. Maybe KYGO has a good show, too. I've just never listened. Country and all...yuck

 

[rustyzipper]

Thanks and make that "was" in the business. The dumb**ses over ran what once was a noble and FUN profession and turned into a pile of steaming....... Now it is all about "go to www.(insert radio website here).com" because we can't sell what we put on the air so we will try to sell a little corner of the web with lousy content, a few pictures of the morning show and some crap we are giving away on the air.
(Need a purse anyone?). There is life after radio. I miss being on the air like crazy but I don't miss the a**holes running the stations, my I pod has not hosed me and if I am alone, you bet I talk up the ramp!

 

[ChaseW]

Do people in Denver actually listen to the radio?

Iam in Denver and I listen to the radio.

 

[icycool7227]

Hey! Take Wisconsin! I absolutely hate there's like zero real radio discussion going on there!

Many other cities seem to care about radio-info.com. Denver? Not a lot. Lets try to infuse a bit of life into our board by proposing a topic that we all can relate to. Specifically: Hate!

Worst Denver morning show is?

I vote for the KBPI show. No focus, no fun, very narrowly targeted (weighlifting and cars).

You and you?

 

[quitnow]

Weirdly, the only morning show that I've scanned across that I like, that gets it and has a plan seems to be whomever is on the Wolf(?). Country is not my thing but if another b'cast group blows out their mornings I'd snag those guys up.

Funny, I was part of a cluster looking for a country morning show at one point and we listened to those guys when Bret Farve retired, and that's all we heard about...in Denver! I know they're from Green Bay, but in a city where John Elway is God, why would you spend 3 days gushing about a guy Denver could care less about? Obviously, since I was working there the love it, breathe it, live it philosophy has gone by the way side. 10 years ago it seemed that was the thing. Now, I'm not sure I miss it (working in radio there) as much as I do the lifestyle and skiing.

Don't blame it on the jocks. When a morning show achieves success it is all about getting more quarter hours out of the ones who listen. Lewis and Floorwax for example; The P-1 of that station loves them and wants to hear THEM not Smokin in the boys room for the millionth time. So they give them L and F and little else. Why? Because they pay the bills.

That is true. Sad, but true. I've been in meeting after meeting trying to fight it over the years and have never won. Eventually I quit trying, and not because I don't care about my listeners, but I need to put food on my table. When on "those calls" I've learned to fight the battles you can win. Surrender early when you see it will be a fight because a "yes sir" will be hired fast if you disagree too much. Wall Street and bad business decisions have become the downfall of good, local, personality based radio.

 

[JeeperOne]

They are bored! Outside of morning drive there is NOTHING going on in this fair city.

Not only that, but it's likely BECAUSE of this that she took the TV gig of co-hosting Colorado & Company on KUSA 9 when it debuted in addition to her radio gig with Murphy Houston on KOSI.

Same with Jim Hooley, although he spends more time on KOA than he does on KMGH 7.

It's also likely why Steve Kelley COMPLETELY LEFT Denver radio altogether when the TV gig at KDVR 31 became available (Which was right around the time his contract with KOA expired) after anchoring the morning news at KOA for several years and DJing at THE REAL KIMN (Sorry I don't consider the piece of crap that's owned by CBS to be worthy of such a LEGENDARY call like KIMN). for several years in the 70s and early 80s.

Cheers

 

[mleach]

The funny thing about Denver radio ( and even TV ), over the years I have met a number of folks who actually did radio there only to move on to other markets and such, but they simply REFUSE to talk about Denver. I could never quite figure that out.

One of my best friends back in the 80s was a news reporter for KHOW. I think I still have a tape of him someplace when he appeared on the old Hal & Charlie show. He left ( or was fired, I don't know ) from KHOW in 1991. We have lost contact with each other in recent years but over the years he would be very happy to talk about his radio life and the jobs he had in such places lke Indianapolis, Kansas City, Memphis...but for some reason he refused to talk about KHOW or his time in Denver for that matter.

Barbara Berlin was another like this, back in the 80s she anchored the news on KWGN after doing the same in Richmond, VA on the old WXEX channel 8. However her days at KWGN didn't last and she soon came back to Richmond. I remember the Richmond Times-Dispatch article about her return to Virginia and nowhere in the article mentioned either KWGN or Denver even though KWGN was mentioned quite a lot when she left Virginia for Colorado.

The last market I worked in we had a sales guy who for a time about 10 or so years ago also worked for KOOL 105. Another one who refused to talk about Denver ( though he talked about everything else ). The only thing I remember him saying about Denver was this "...you have to have bipolar disorder to work in Denver, Colorado radio !!". he wouldn't go into details about what he meant by that. Kinda makes me wonder if those wild and weird Denver radio rumors I remember hearing back in the 80s and 90s were true when I lived there such as the "feud" between the late Paxton Mills and the Art Institute of Denver over a letter that was written to him asking if he could speak at the sachool. Paxton took it as someone looking for a job. Or that KOA radio talkshow who told some high school students in Littleton that to break into Denver radio they need to hang around the Denver Swim Club ( a gay bathouse ) or the Denver Wrangler bar.
Which speaking of the Denver Wrangler Bar, I heard a rumor about them not too long ago as well that KCNC, KDVR, KUSA and KMGH all montior that place like a hawk ( which is easy since those four stations are within walking distance ) to make sure none of their employees are seen in there. ???? WTF???

 

[proddude41]

Maybe it's partially the geographic isolation you face in Denver. Honestly, I've seen and heard much the same reaction concerning Salt Lake City. Not Phoenix and not Vegas, though.

Denver talent does tend to stay in Denver, or maybe go down to the Springs for a while before coming back to Denver. It is insulated in that regard.

 

[quitnow]

Denver talent stays because of the lifestyle. Worked other places before I was there and since I was there, and what I was told on my first day by several people still holds true, "you will NEVER want to leave this place." And I wouldn't have if I didn't want to eat for however long it took for me to catch on another place. If you stay in Denver it's because you love the life. If you leave it's a personal decision, like mine, or you don't get it and want to leave.

 

[proddude41]

Denver talent stays because of the lifestyle. Worked other places before I was there and since I was there, and what I was told on my first day by several people still holds true, "you will NEVER want to leave this place." And I wouldn't have if I didn't want to eat for however long it took for me to catch on another place. If you stay in Denver it's because you love the life. If you leave it's a personal decision, like mine, or you don't get it and want to leave.

That's very true. Not to mention the cost of living is cheaper here, especially if you're an East Coast/Midwest transplant like me. But for those who love it, they love it, and won't leave it for hell or higy water.

I could leave, however. I'm not so addicted to mountains that I need to stay here. And I'm certainly not addicted to radio in this market, which sounds far worse than many markets of similar size. Denver radio may well be on par with about .. oh, say, Birmingham.

 

[mleach]

Denver talent stays because of the lifestyle. Worked other places before I was there and since I was there, and what I was told on my first day by several people still holds true, "you will NEVER want to leave this place." And I wouldn't have if I didn't want to eat for however long it took for me to catch on another place. If you stay in Denver it's because you love the life. If you leave it's a personal decision, like mine, or you don't get it and want to leave.

I have heard more/less the same thing about two other markets..Indianapolis and Hampton Roads, VA ( Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News ).

Hampton Roads I can see with the ocean right at your door step though Virginia's politics could be a turn off for some but Indianapolis? About ten years I attended a function in Maryland and I remember meeting this reporter for Indy's WISH-TV 8. I remember her telling me about how Indianapolis is a wonderful market, great way of life , etc...and how many of those who work there don't want to go anywhere else. Now I have to admit I know NOTHING about Indy's radio & TV market so I don't know if the woman from WISH-TV if her statement was accurate or not but if it is true, considering that Chicago is only 3 hours way and not too mention St. Louis, Cincinatti, Columbus ( Ohio ) and Lousiville aren't really all that far away either, that does come as a surprise.

 

[quitnow]

Indy has a tight media market. If you can get into the circle, you will always have a gig. The problem is, it's like a high school clique.

Talent as good as what's in Birmingham? Have you heard what's in Birmingham lately? It's not pretty.

I know everyone has their own opinion of what they call talent and entertainment, that's part of what makes radio great. But, when you have so much of the same thing on so many stations it's a turn-off, and lat time through Denver that's what I heard. I'd be willing to bet Prep services and little effort in finding your own prep is to blame. Market exclusive...blah, blah, blah...look at any of the top 5 prep services and 7 out of 10 stories will be the same in them, and you can bet the 3 that aren't the same are weak. They were picked to make their service "different" than the others. With a lack of effort like that, save the 10 minutes a week and pull in the cash and pay your jocks to prep a bit.

I'm out of market and only been through a few times over the last couple of years, but it's nice to see Jackie Selby get a shot at one of the bigger stations again, although I don't think KOSI will be playing The Cure anytime soon which I'm sure breaks her heart. But she was kickin' on Alice in what...'98-2001 I think? Save nights, that was a pretty solid staff with Greg and Bo, Jackie and Denise.

 

[proddude41]

Indy has a tight media market. If you can get into the circle, you will always have a gig. The problem is, it's like a high school clique.

Talent as good as what's in Birmingham? Have you heard what's in Birmingham lately? It's not pretty.

I know everyone has their own opinion of what they call talent and entertainment, that's part of what makes radio great. But, when you have so much of the same thing on so many stations it's a turn-off, and lat time through Denver that's what I heard. I'd be willing to bet Prep services and little effort in finding your own prep is to blame. Market exclusive...blah, blah, blah...look at any of the top 5 prep services and 7 out of 10 stories will be the same in them, and you can bet the 3 that aren't the same are weak. They were picked to make their service "different" than the others. With a lack of effort like that, save the 10 minutes a week and pull in the cash and pay your jocks to prep a bit.

I'm out of market and only been through a few times over the last couple of years, but it's nice to see Jackie Selby get a shot at one of the bigger stations again, although I don't think KOSI will be playing The Cure anytime soon which I'm sure breaks her heart. But she was kickin' on Alice in what...'98-2001 I think? Save nights, that was a pretty solid staff with Greg and Bo, Jackie and Denise.

There HAVE been some inventive stations in Denver. Very few. Most are cookie-cutter, and even moreso than the national average for cookie-cutter, which is pretty damn bad.

For those of us who went to Denver from a larger market looking for great radio, it's a sore disappointment. Yes, to me, in my time in the market, Denver radio's about on par with Birmingham for talent and content.

I'm from the Midwest originally -- Chicago. (Miss it.) St. Louis is a tight-clique market. So's Indy, but it's a bit more of a "Chicago feeder market" than other Midwestern ones. Milwaukee is definitely clique -- I'm one of the few Illinoisians who actually was "permitted" to work there, I think, lol!

Don't get me wrong -- I can not say that Chicago radio is the be-all and end-all of radio anymore. But you have enough legendary, heritage stations there that are defining radio, not just imitating it. Denver radio .. imitates radio.

 

[dizboo]

"even moreso than the national average for cookie-cutter"

I'm curious as to how you determined that. Do you have a big book of "cookie-cutter" radio stations that lays out the stats?

KUVO, AM 1190, KCUV, KBCO...there seem to be a lot of things to listen to on the radio in Denver...

Too bad you can't get in to a sweet sweet time machine and relive the magic of Chicago radio...when everything was better...sigh...

 

[quitnow]

Chicago vs Denver isn't a fair comparison. Market size, the standard set in Chicago radio by the flame-throwing 70s stations that were truly at war with each other in a way Randy Michaels tried to imitate (and poorly I might add) with Jacor, and some of that talent is still blessing their airwaves...it's not even close. That's not to say Denver doesn't have its own radio history, but Chicago was a special place for about a 10-year span.

Talent in Denver is like talent everywhere else. The real issue is you have to PAY talent, and a lot of PDs now have a Clear Channel "blemish" on their resume and believe in the mid to late 90s Clear Channel way; less personality, more spots equals more money in and that's what they're pushing talent to do even though all radio studies over the last few years has shown listeners WANT personality on the radio. The problem now is there are few personalities and more jocks (That was, I am, promo read (90%) from a card, and 6 minutes of spots). Personality costs money because it involves work. Then again, at $5,000(?) a station for a year's work in out of market VT, who wouldn't want to show that bottom line to their GM or VP? Too bad it's going to end up costing them.