FISHING in a Factless Pond

[shirleyschmidt]

Hiring Charlie Cook wa a megacolossal disaster; the last thing KKGO needed was to start sounding like an overconsulted, overresearched, and horrendously oversterilized corporate-owned radio station, where improvisation and 'going outside the box' are mercilessly discouraged.

Firing Todd Baker was another blunder; the last air personality to blow everybody's doors of upon entering the airwaves in LA was Ryan Seacrest 10+ years ago at KYSR.

Ignoring new singles from format megastars was a frequent and inexcusable problem at KZLA; titans of the format such as Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson & George Strait merit immediate adds at any country station, and you never ignore any new music from those format institutions, but RJ Curtis never got that memo, which is beyond asinine.

Waiting over two weeks to add Mr. Strait's newest masterpiece and mortal-lock #1 single in also indefensibly asinine for what is 'allegedly' a country radio station

Since 'I Saw God Today' recently became the highest-debuting single of his career, blowing onto BB @ #19 & #24 at Lon Helton's Country Aircheck, such moronic programming decision-making clearly shows that KKGO has continued to repeat many of the blunders which plagued KZLA, and almost all of which were self-inflicted wounds and easiy avoidable.

I do have to agree with you. Hiring a consultant who was from a huge broadcast company would give the results you are talking about. You are right. I was just surprised that there was any investment into the station as I don't see any investing going into the areas that it should be.

Firing Todd was a crazy move, and the wrong one.

 

[Mr1derful]

Hiring Charlie Cook wa a megacolossal disaster; the last thing KKGO needed was to start sounding like an overconsulted, overresearched, and horrendously oversterilized corporate-owned radio station, where improvisation and 'going outside the box' are mercilessly discouraged.

Firing Todd Baker was another blunder; the last air personality to blow everybody's doors of upon entering the airwaves in LA was Ryan Seacrest 10+ years ago at KYSR.

Ignoring new singles from format megastars was a frequent and inexcusable problem at KZLA; titans of the format such as Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson & George Strait merit immediate adds at any country station, and you never ignore any new music from those format institutions, but RJ Curtis never got that memo, which is beyond asinine.

Waiting over two weeks to add Mr. Strait's newest masterpiece and mortal-lock #1 single in also indefensibly asinine for what is 'allegedly' a country radio station

Since 'I Saw God Today' recently became the highest-debuting single of his career, blowing onto BB @ #19 & #24 at Lon Helton's Country Aircheck, such moronic programming decision-making clearly shows that KKGO has continued to repeat many of the blunders which plagued KZLA, and almost all of which were self-inflicted wounds and easiy avoidable.

I do have to agree with you. Hiring a consultant who was from a huge broadcast company would give the results you are talking about. You are right. I was just surprised that there was any investment into the station as I don't see any investing going into the areas that it should be.

Firing Todd was a crazy move, and the wrong one.

Radio consultants are a double edged sword. Most of the time, they're former PD's who have failed at every station they've ever worked at. So, they become consultants. But, there are some good ones out there. Unfortunately, they're few and far between.

 

[ceejay]

My favorite parts about this board are the posts that list all this information about a station and then slip in "I don't listen".

Yeah, just like the people who claim to never read the countryboards but know everything that is going on over there.

 

[ceejay]

Yeah, I was surprised to find out Strait's newest was #1, but at that time I had only heard it once. I thought to myself, "Self, if this just came out, how did it reach #1 already?" Well, I guess it was already out for a while.

HBRS, KKGO has overplayed it so much....... like every time I turn my radio on, it's playing..... I am already sick of it! How could you have not heard it that much? Are we not listining to the same KKGO station?

 

[Rebafan]

My favorite parts about this board are the posts that list all this information about a station and then slip in "I don't listen".

Yeah, just like the people who claim to never read the countryboards but know everything that is going on over there.

Since I am one of those people... I will tell you I DO NOT listen during the week... My alarm is set to the station to wake me up, it is on long enough for me to hit snooze and get up. I listen on Sundays for Melody Morgan, Gary Campbell, The Opry Show out of Dial Global and Jimmy Kay.
I visit Yes.com to read about the top songs that they are playing ... I read the Country Music Message Boards and have friends that are a part of the boards that talk to me about and tell me things in regards to the station etc as SOME of them would like to see me return to the message boards... for now reading is all I do...

OH, By the way... The illuminated sign on the side of the station has changed from Go Country 105 to Country 105, Looks like Asufan and Lyrictime had that one pegged by the new station tags now saying Country 105 instead of Go Country 105... must be changing the "slogan name" for the station.

 

[TattooQueen]

Go in Go Country is gone :

 

[Rebafan]

Go in Go Country is gone :

I just am not sure WHY they would change the "Tag" so to speak after a year when it is what is familar to people and how they refer to the station. All of the promotional stuff says Go Country so since they are not putting out money for advertising will they now have LESS station promotion items?
Change is sometimes good, BUT when a store relocated... even just a few doors down, they lose business... so if people are looking for Go Country 105 will a change such as this make it more difficult?

 

[ceejay]

Go in Go Country is gone :

I just am not sure WHY they would change the "Tag" so to speak after a year when it is what is familar to people and how they refer to the station. All of the promotional stuff says Go Country so since they are not putting out money for advertising will they now have LESS station promotion items?
Change is sometimes good, BUT when a store relocated... even just a few doors down, they lose business... so if people are looking for Go Country 105 will a change such as this make it more difficult?

Guess Charlie has to look like he's doing something. What's the point of doing that?........ never mind,I've said that about most of the damage he has done, already.

 

[Rebafan]

Guess Charlie has to look like he's doing something. What's the point of doing that?........ never mind,I've said that about most of the damage he has done, already.

How do we know it is ALL Charlie Cook? Do we even know WHEN his consulting started? Is he still consulting or was it just a 6 week gig.... etc.
Charlie is a Consultant not a Commander, He consults, suggests etc. the station is gonna do what it is gonna do by either following his suggestions or whittle through all the things he feels they should do and decide which to go with and which not to.
MAYBE in the consulting process someone else had the BRIGHT idea of changing the station call tag. I don't believe that Charlie has as much control over the station as some would give him.
Mike Johnson is Operations Manager
Tonya Campos is Program & Music Director
I think there are more people envolved than just one... no one is THAT All poweful...Unless they are the owner...

 

[hillbillyRockstar]

Yeah, I was surprised to find out Strait's newest was #1, but at that time I had only heard it once. I thought to myself, "Self, if this just came out, how did it reach #1 already?" Well, I guess it was already out for a while.

HBRS, KKGO has overplayed it so much....... like every time I turn my radio on, it's playing..... I am already sick of it! How could you have not heard it that much? Are we not listining to the same KKGO station?

Well by now it is being played more. But, the first day I heard it was also the first day I found out it was #1 already (or maybe it was the next day I found out). Anyway, it just seemed like I had only heard it once at that point.

I don't think a Strait song can be over played

 

[hillbillyRockstar]

About this station "call tag" change or whatever it is called. I don't see what people are talking about.

The station breaks (or whatever they are called) still say Go Country. The sign on the side of the building (which on a side note I saw the building for the first time this weekend) still says Go Country.

I don't know why in the world people think the name has changed. The DJs say Go Country, the recorded bumpers (or whatever they are called) say Go Country, the website says Go Country, and the signs say Go Country.

Ok, excuse me please. I have to go country.

 

[Rebafan]

About this station "call tag" change or whatever it is called. I don't see what people are talking about.

The station breaks (or whatever they are called) still say Go Country. The sign on the side of the building (which on a side note I saw the building for the first time this weekend) still says Go Country.

I don't know why in the world people think the name has changed. The DJs say Go Country, the recorded bumpers (or whatever they are called) say Go Country, the website says Go Country, and the signs say Go Country.

Ok, excuse me please. I have to go country.

Here I always thought seeing was believing... my eyes must be worse than I thought they were because obviously having read on the country music message boards that SOME of the DJ's were leaving out the GO in GO country, Hearing it from friends over the phone about the GO being gone and then seeing the change in the sign yesterday evening at the end of Melody's Shift (Just 3 minutes too late to call her and ask her about it) the sources all must be considered and since none of the people who have heard the change on the air or others that may have seen anything different with the sign are credible, Time will tell... as it does with everything... it even tells you how to find out who your friends are....

 

[john77]

Hiring Charlie Cook wa a megacolossal disaster; the last thing KKGO needed was to start sounding like an overconsulted, overresearched, and horrendously oversterilized corporate-owned radio station, where improvisation and 'going outside the box' are mercilessly discouraged.

Firing Todd Baker was another blunder; the last air personality to blow everybody's doors of upon entering the airwaves in LA was Ryan Seacrest 10+ years ago at KYSR.

Ignoring new singles from format megastars was a frequent and inexcusable problem at KZLA; titans of the format such as Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson & George Strait merit immediate adds at any country station, and you never ignore any new music from those format institutions, but RJ Curtis never got that memo, which is beyond asinine.

Waiting over two weeks to add Mr. Strait's newest masterpiece and mortal-lock #1 single in also indefensibly asinine for what is 'allegedly' a country radio station

Since 'I Saw God Today' recently became the highest-debuting single of his career, blowing onto BB @ #19 & #24 at Lon Helton's Country Aircheck, such moronic programming decision-making clearly shows that KKGO has continued to repeat many of the blunders which plagued KZLA, and almost all of which were self-inflicted wounds and easiy avoidable.

Exactly... I just do not understand what the heck they're doing!

 

[Mr1derful]

Firing Todd Baker was another blunder; the last air personality to blow everybody's doors of upon entering the airwaves in LA was Ryan Seacrest 10+ years ago at KYSR.

Ignoring new singles from format megastars was a frequent and inexcusable problem at KZLA; titans of the format such as Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson & George Strait merit immediate adds at any country station, and you never ignore any new music from those format institutions, but RJ Curtis never got that memo, which is beyond asinine.

As far as Todd Baker, I'm wondering if he was released due to...

A. Poor ratings
B. Personal problems
C. Charlie Cook's suggestion
D. Pissing off a client or management
E. Budget (Waitaminute! KKGO has a BUDGET?!!?)

You don't fire someone because he's "too popular", as others on another message board have speculated.

And you don't ignore a song from a core artist because it's "too country". That was KZLA's problem back when John Sebastian as "programming" the station. If a song is a hit, you play it.

 

[hillbillyRockstar]

Firing Todd Baker was another blunder; the last air personality to blow everybody's doors of upon entering the airwaves in LA was Ryan Seacrest 10+ years ago at KYSR.

Ignoring new singles from format megastars was a frequent and inexcusable problem at KZLA; titans of the format such as Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson & George Strait merit immediate adds at any country station, and you never ignore any new music from those format institutions, but RJ Curtis never got that memo, which is beyond asinine.

As far as Todd Baker, I'm wondering if he was released due to...

A. Poor ratings
B. Personal problems
C. Charlie Cook's suggestion
D. Pissing off a client or management
E. Budget (Waitaminute! KKGO has a BUDGET?!!?)

You don't fire someone because he's "too popular", as others on another message board have speculated.

And you don't ignore a song from a core artist because it's "too country". That was KZLA's problem back when John Sebastian as "programming" the station. If a song is a hit, you play it.

Well, one article quoted someone from KKGO saying he didn't follow the rules.

I thought it must also have had something to do with money...everything in the world comes down to it at some point.

 

[ceejay]

Firing Todd Baker was another blunder; the last air personality to blow everybody's doors of upon entering the airwaves in LA was Ryan Seacrest 10+ years ago at KYSR.

Ignoring new singles from format megastars was a frequent and inexcusable problem at KZLA; titans of the format such as Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson & George Strait merit immediate adds at any country station, and you never ignore any new music from those format institutions, but RJ Curtis never got that memo, which is beyond asinine.

As far as Todd Baker, I'm wondering if he was released due to...

A. Poor ratings
B. Personal problems
C. Charlie Cook's suggestion
D. Pissing off a client or management
E. Budget (Waitaminute! KKGO has a BUDGET?!!?)

You don't fire someone because he's "too popular", as others on another message board have speculated.

And you don't ignore a song from a core artist because it's "too country". That was KZLA's problem back when John Sebastian as "programming" the station. If a song is a hit, you play it.

I am opting for c.

 

[Marv-L.A.]

I didn't say that Strait's tune is #1, but it was asinine for KKGO to wait for over two weeks to finally start playing a song by a beyond-legendary format star which was sent to radio on February 1st!!!!!

Now let's see how long it takes them to add any of these new singles...

Kristofferson---Tim McGraw

She's A Hottie---Toby Keith

Every Day---Rascal Flatts

I'm Still A Guy---Brad Paisley

Invisibly Shaken---Rodney Atkins

Learning How To Bend---Gary Allan

I Can Sleep When I'm Dead-----Jason Michael Carroll

Do It For Me----Danielle Peck (Extraordinary!!!!!)

Country Man---Luke Bryan

This Ain't Mexico---Buddy Jewell

I'm Done----Jo Dee Messina


Keep your ears peeled, folks!!!!

 

[TattooQueen]

Probability says - Danielle Peck first played on morning show day song is received.

 

[Rebafan]

I didn't say that Strait's tune is #1, but it was asinine for KKGO to wait for over two weeks to finally start playing a song by a beyond-legendary format star which was sent to radio on February 1st!!!!!

Now let's see how long it takes them to add any of these new singles...

Kristofferson---Tim McGraw

She's A Hottie---Toby Keith

Every Day---Rascal Flatts

I'm Still A Guy---Brad Paisley

Invisibly Shaken---Rodney Atkins

Learning How To Bend---Gary Allan

I Can Sleep When I'm Dead-----Jason Michael Carroll

Do It For Me----Danielle Peck (Extraordinary!!!!!)

Country Man---Luke Bryan

This Ain't Mexico---Buddy Jewell

I'm Done----Jo Dee Messina


Keep your ears peeled, folks!!!!

You will probably hear those before you here these new artists listeners of KKGO probably won't hear...
JEREMY MCCOMB/This Town Needs A Bar
JULIANNE HOUGH/That Song In My Head
PHIL STACEY/If You Didn't Love Me
JAKE OWEN/Something About A Woman
JAMES OTTO/Just Got Started Lovin' You
SARAH JOHNS/He Hates Me
EMILY WEST/Rocks In Your Shoes
LOST TRAILERS/Holler Back
BLUEFIELD/Butterfly
ROAD HAMMERS/I Don't Know When To Quit
ASHTON SHEPHERD/Takin' Off This Pain
HEIDI NEWFIELD/Johnny And June
LEE BRICE/Happy Endings
MICA ROBERTS f/T. KEITH/Things A Mama...

and I highly doubt you will hear these at all...
CLINT BLACK/Long Cool Woman
TRACY LAWRENCE/Til I Was A Daddy Too
LONESTAR/Let Me Love You
RANDY OWEN/ Braid Her Hair

Hank Thompson and Porter Wagonner passed away .... rumor has it they weren't played even in rememberance...

Classic Country Lovers can hear Loretta Lynn, Dottie West, Sonny James, Merle Haggard etc with Jimmy Kay on Sunday nights....

When I read about the George Strait single being overlooked (given airplay 2 weeks after it was made available) it reminded me of the song by Billy Ray Cyrus "Country Music Has The Blues"....

 

[Marv-L.A.]

They are playing those tunes from James Otto, Rascal Flatts & Phil Stacey according to Mediabase.

But that Ashton Shepherd song from her superb debut CD is not on their playlist, which is really asinine!!!!