Drive By Thoughts

[DrAkbar]

1) Even as esteemed Middle Eastern Men of the Media, Nurse Jeff and I feel sorry for Pat McMahon on KT'R. When you go out on a high, stay out.

2) Next Tuesday will be 50 days since Scott Connor vanished from KFYI. Is the ChickBoss recouping his signing bonus by using permanent part-timers?

3) Sounds like the "A Day Without Si Se Puede" march on May 1 is a bust. The Nurse and I were planning to conduct a Day Without A Media Consultant march the same day. Now we guess all the stations will be able to tell the time thanks to us!

4) Why can't the Nearly Bald One say See Say Pway Day? He continues to massacre one of the most recognizable slogans during the past month (sfx-OOOH)

5) Al Franken & Randi Rhodes on Airheard America Phoenix 14 Eighty are like dentistry without novacane. OUCH!

 

[tazman]

> 1) Even as esteemed Middle Eastern Men of the Media, Nurse
> Jeff and I feel sorry for Pat McMahon on KT'R. When you go
> out on a high, stay out.
>
> Pat may be passe, but don't you think this is a step in the right
direction for KTAR? At least it's live and local.

 

[mr_carlson]

> > 1) Even as esteemed Middle Eastern Men of the Media, Nurse
>
> > Jeff and I feel sorry for Pat McMahon on KT'R. When you
> go
> > out on a high, stay out.
> >
> > Pat may be passe, but don't you think this is a step in
> the right
> direction for KTAR? At least it's live and local.
>
More like life support and local. Gerald is so 1971.

His audience is so old that there's no one with good enough hearing for him to be condescending towards.

At least Leibo could be funny while being condescending.

A quote from General Douglas MacArthur comes to mind: "Old soldiers (broadcasters) never die, THEY JUST FADE AWAY"

 

[legend_city]

> 1) Even as esteemed Middle Eastern Men of the Media, Nurse
> Jeff and I feel sorry for Pat McMahon on KT'R. When you go
> out on a high, stay out.
>
> 2) Next Tuesday will be 50 days since Scott Connor vanished
> from KFYI. Is the ChickBoss recouping his signing bonus by
> using permanent part-timers?
>
> 3) Sounds like the "A Day Without Si Se Puede" march on May
> 1 is a bust. The Nurse and I were planning to conduct a Day
> Without A Media Consultant march the same day. Now we guess
> all the stations will be able to tell the time thanks to us!
>
>
> 4) Why can't the Nearly Bald One say See Say Pway Day? He
> continues to massacre one of the most recognizable slogans
> during the past month (sfx-OOOH)
>
> 5) Al Franken & Randi Rhodes on Airheard America Phoenix 14
> Eighty are like dentistry without novacane. OUCH!
>


Point 1, McBland is worse than I imagined, makes me long for Pzzztn
Point 2, Chickboss, end this long national nightmare
Point 3, never underestimate the silent majority (2nd Nixon reference!)
Point 4, I noticed that Mr. Komando can't say that word, but, in his arrogance, the language is wrong, he is right.
Point 5, I'd rather eat Katie's placenta than listen to Randi Rhodes


My own point, why isn't "Lost" on tonite? I was all ready for it. Damn

 

[oldiesfan]

> A quote from General Douglas MacArthur comes
> to mind: "Old soldiers (broadcasters) never die,
> THEY JUST FADE AWAY"

But what if they expire while at the mic?

Instead of a fade, wouldn't that be a cold ending?

(I sure hope he hit his final post ;-)

 

[MarkAndrews]

> > A quote from General Douglas MacArthur comes
> > to mind: "Old soldiers (broadcasters) never die,
> > THEY JUST FADE AWAY"
>
> But what if they expire while at the mic?
>
> Instead of a fade, wouldn't that be a cold ending?
>
> (I sure hope he hit his final post ;-)
>

Old radio folk never die...they just go off the record...

(Well, they did before digital formats took over!)

I'm happy to have McMahon back, discussing LOCAL issues with any number of experts. His work during the simulcast with La Campesina, and the efforts of those connected with putting it together, was award-winning radio in my book.

And no, as a matter of fact, I DON'T have one foot in the grave...Not just yet, anyway...

 

[NoDice87]

> > Pat may be passe, but don't you think this is a step in
> the right
> direction for KTAR? At least it's live and local.

No, it's not a step in the right direction. If you're gonna make a change, why do it half-a**ed? Why not just do it right the first time? Makes it a lot easier on everyone.

 

[MarkAndrews]

> > > Pat may be passe, but don't you think this is a step in
> > the right
> > direction for KTAR? At least it's live and local.
>
> No, it's not a step in the right direction. If you're gonna
> make a change, why do it half-a**ed? Why not just do it
> right the first time? Makes it a lot easier on everyone.
>

I respectfully disagree...

This corrects a course change made by previous ownership to save costs before selling the station. I don't call "live and local" half-a**ed when you make breaking news a priority, and *constructively* discuss local issues rather than take an extremist stand and hammer it into the ground. I prefer to make my own decisions on issues, and I respect a station that fills the need for intelligent discussion.

Bonneville may make a few mistakes along the way, but their track record shows they're serious about being successful. Changes they've made so far make KTAR sound as though they are regaining a handle on the pulse of the Valley. It's vastly better compared to six months ago. I'll be curious to see the progress by next fall, once the remaining local hosts are in place and somewhat established...My guess is that trend will continue.

Old school? It's more like traditional standards of excellence, something that's in serious short supply with consolidation and almighty bottom-line budget cutbacks in the industry.

If you don't like it, well and good...it sounds to me that you're looking for "entertainment" rather than "information"... In that case, use your tuning knob and twist to "the other guys" or Free FM.

(And I thank you for use of the lectern...)

 

[NoDice87]

> > > > Pat may be passe, but don't you think this is a step
> in
> > > the right
> > > direction for KTAR? At least it's live and local.
> >
> > No, it's not a step in the right direction. If you're
> gonna
> > make a change, why do it half-a**ed? Why not just do it
> > right the first time? Makes it a lot easier on everyone.
> >
>
> I respectfully disagree...
>
> This corrects a course change made by previous ownership to
> save costs before selling the station. I don't call "live
> and local" half-a**ed when you make breaking news a
> priority, and *constructively* discuss local issues rather
> than take an extremist stand and hammer it into the ground.
> I prefer to make my own decisions on issues, and I respect a
> station that fills the need for intelligent discussion.
>
> Bonneville may make a few mistakes along the way, but their
> track record shows they're serious about being successful.
> Changes they've made so far make KTAR sound as though they
> are regaining a handle on the pulse of the Valley. It's
> vastly better compared to six months ago. I'll be curious
> to see the progress by next fall, once the remaining local
> hosts are in place and somewhat established...My guess is
> that trend will continue.
>
> Old school? It's more like traditional standards of
> excellence, something that's in serious short supply with
> consolidation and almighty bottom-line budget cutbacks in
> the industry.
>
> If you don't like it, well and good...it sounds to me that
> you're looking for "entertainment" rather than
> "information"... In that case, use your tuning knob and
> twist to "the other guys" or Free FM.
>
> (And I thank you for use of the lectern...)
>

I never said that going "live and local" is half-a**ed. Going live and local all day long is to be commended! You just can't do it half-a**ed with mediocre talent. Pat McMahon may have been a beloved kids' show actor and may have at one time been moderately successful, but with the influx of all the new residents to the Valley, just about HALF of the population never saw Wallace and Ladmo, and at least a quarter never heard Pat when he had a full-blown talk show on KTAR before. You can't coast on your past laurels, especially in this town. There's too much turnover in population.

In addition, the kind of namby-pamby talk radio that Pat is known for is extremely outdated and just doesn't pull in numbers anymore. Ya gotta take a side with compelling, entertaining talk radio or KFYI will kick you to the curb every time.

 

[legend_city]

Namby pamby, exactly.


I like Pat, but he is so bland and vanilla and full of himself its tough to listen. Its dull, dreadfully dull. You can be entertaining if you are live, but that is the problem, Pat's demeanor on air is half dead.

KTAR is slipping back into toaster talk radio, is a daily on air listener auction far behind? (I actually heard one of those once in Hawaii, listeners call and sell their refrigerators and other people call in to bid on it, deadly dull, but better than McBland)

 

[MarkAndrews]

> I never said that going "live and local" is half-a**ed.
> Going live and local all day long is to be commended! You
> just can't do it half-a**ed with mediocre talent. Pat
> McMahon may have been a beloved kids' show actor and may
> have at one time been moderately successful, but with the
> influx of all the new residents to the Valley, just about
> HALF of the population never saw Wallace and Ladmo, and at
> least a quarter never heard Pat when he had a full-blown
> talk show on KTAR before. You can't coast on your past
> laurels, especially in this town. There's too much turnover
> in population.
>
> In addition, the kind of namby-pamby talk radio that Pat is
> known for is extremely outdated and just doesn't pull in
> numbers anymore. Ya gotta take a side with compelling,
> entertaining talk radio or KFYI will kick you to the curb
> every time.
>

My mistake, Dice, for the error in interpretation. And we agree fully on the "live and local" angle.

We shall agree to disagree on judging Mr. McMahon's talent. IMHO he ain't mediocre. He's been in this town for so long that he goes with the cactus around here. (Wasn't he PD at KRIZ back in the early 70s? Or earlier?) He also knows the town like the back of his hand, and can put into perspective the changes that have taken place over those years. (Just for fun, catch the Phoenix-in-the-60s program Channel 8 runs every once in awhile and listen to Pat narrate the pictures we see...)

When I came to the Valley 15 years ago, I soaked in as much about the area as quickly as I could...I have Pat, Preston, and a few others to thank for getting me up to speed. No, I didn't get to see Wallace & Ladmo (and I felt cheated missing out on something until AZ-TV ran those "best of" shows...No chance at a Ladmo bag, but that was amazing stuff!)

He may not be your cup of coffee, but that simulcast on the immigration topic was FAR from namby-pamby...Pat McMahon showed me he *still* has it.

I miss Leibo...but it sounds like there's a snowball's chance in Phoenix in July that he'd ever return. Let's see how mid-afternoons and nights will be filled. (Haven't heard Bruce yet, so I abstain there!)

KFYI is a non-entity to me, just because of their in-your-face one-sided attitude. What might be compelling to one is crap to someone else.

The pendulum always swings both ways...after so many years of "entertainment," I'm sensing a shift back to "information." There's certainly a gaping hole in the market for it; KTAR is re-positioning itself to fill it...so let's wait and see which side gets kicked to the curb.

Ain't radio fun? Not as much as it used to be, I'm afraid... But "cheers" anyway, my friend!