I have to join in to agree that the airstaff and behind the scenes folks at KOMO-AM have come thru like the professionals they really are. NOTE TO KOMO PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND GM: As a part of their targeted audience, I think it actually sounded BETTER on Friday without the literal bells and whistles (so that's what they're using for "sounders" etc). Get rid of the fakey voiced positioning statements two and three times in every commercial set, get rid of the kung fu wooshing sounds, and, at least in drive time, have a dual anchor team present news information and some not-inappropriate conversation between themselves and the traffic and sports presenters. Adults talking to adults.
It's really more listenable now, tho' I admit the lack of commercials helps to keep me from tuning away when annoyed by a screamer. It actually sounds a lot closer to the relaxed and professional tone of NPR programming now, and this approach might be a real way to share more audience with KUOW by toning down the audio gimmicks (which actually serve as tune-outs for mature, educated people), and offering the listener local hosts presenting news and info on a tight clock, with expert traffic, weather, sports presenters.
The ABC radio mini "specials" they started to throw in in the evening were kinda lame, and hearing the full Sarah Palin resignation speech could have been delayed until after the hourly newscast. Why not read more AP copy for national and international news, too? And more news from neighborings states and BC, too. (There's a lot of former Alaska and California residents here.) That's what we're starving for, since there really isn't any spot news anymore on cable TV, apart from the local stuff on NWCN.
Otherwise, as one who has likewise had to punt during power outages, tornados, earthquakes and floods, to deliver news and programming on the air -- kudos to the broadcast pros who don't take a vacation on a holiday weekend to lounge at their summer island home when there's work to be done and people to be served.
Consider this to be practice for when the Big One hits Seattle.
By contrast, I think KOMO's "people to people" open phones during the two week long snow emergency in December was pretty lame, yet was still the only thing out of all of Seattle radio stations to at least try to address the inability to get out of the house for two weeks to get to work, appointments, etc. "Just stay home if you don't have to be anywhere!" really didn't help when major arterials never saw a snow plow, and a little salt on a sunny afternoon would have actually melted the ice on the hills. But the city sold us short, and KOMO could have help their feet to the fire, as it were, at the time.
Maybe next time, having a few well-connected people with DOT, city hall, etc on the air to answer questions and be accountable will raise the open phones above the level of the anonymous bad advice on sliding your car in neutral. That seemed to be the only topic I heard all day back then when I was trying to figure out how to safely get off of Queen Anne hill and get to the airport in time for an expensive nonrefundable flight out of town!
But I digress.
Thanks again, KOMO folks, for rising above your circumstances to provide programming. The TV newscasts on the balcony were also great. Not bad on a hot holiday weekend for us viewers to join you on the patio, actually. The sales department can wait to do make goods. It's the news and information that, as it has in this case, should always come first.
Playing music wall to wall ain't a bad idea on KPLZ the audience probably loves it but I wonder if PPM meters are even working ??? What happens with that if a station loses its PPM signal :-[ KOMO sounds like they are doing the best they can, can't pick up KVI :-X
