• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

KCSN NORTHRIDGE-LOS ANGELES ANNOUNCES FULL-TIME TRIPLE A FORMAT

I don't blame the guy with the archetypical 2 first names, this is really an issue that lies with the PD as the PD
gives the direction and sets the tone for the imaging.
 
hotpatrick2004 said:
Lets go back to the matter at hand the real triple a station not the use to be sound triple a station.

OK on to KCSN. I have listened to the station on a semi-regular basis for years because it is the home of "Meet the Beatles" (where they actually play Beatles music, instead of blathering on incessantly about people who are only six degrees tangentially related to the Beatles and never actually getting on to the music that is supposed to support the show in the first place on competing Sunday Beatles shows). And the fact that it is the default FM frequency for my XM subscription, so my button finds its way there often. In the past they have been kind of a fun, quirky radio station with Classical music during weekdays, annoying amateur news from the communications department at CSUN on the hour (sorry kids, but it usually sounds terrible), but really cool specialty shows on the weekends, featuring Beatles, Blues, Americana, Country, Bluegrass, Beach music, Dylan, Dead, and lots of others - good stuff that I hope stays around.

I've been very busy at work this week with limited opportunities to sample, but did hear a combined hour or two today as I was driving to my various destinations. Verdict - a little sleepy (why can't AAA rock a little more? We're not thatold), Much better variety than anything on the LA dial with the possible exception of Morning becomes Eclectic, which I really don't listen to that much, or KFOG which I tune into online once in awhile; more songs per hour without all the commercial breaks is an obvious plus. But man, oh man, this station just changed from a classical to a rock format - how about a little energy or excitement, or even a pulse? This station has all the personality of sleeping hound. If they back announce the music, I didn't hear it. Love some of the new tracks I heard, don't know what they were. There were some familiar cuts as well, such as "Pretending" by Eric Clapton, which is good. I want to hear new music, but I don't want to be overwhelmed by it. The best AAAs mix it up. Also don't need to hear Dave Mathews covering Jimi Hendrix. Let Jimi Hendrix cover his own work, you're just starting out.

But back to the no excitement sound. Where is it written that public radio has to cure insomnia? If they want to get the pledges rolling in, they need to get some personality and give people a reason to tune in (stop me if you've heard me say this before about other new AAA stations in this town). Just playing the new Pearl Jam record isn't going to cut it. Not by a long-shot. Maybe this can be the next stop for Ladd when he inevitably gets the axe from Citadel KLOS? Then he really can play "Headsets" commercial-free. Far out man.
 
Been listening to KCSN since I found about the format change on Tuesday, and am really liking it so far. Like ChannelFlipper says, they are a little sleepy, but hopefully they'll pick things up a bit.

Mellowness aside, it's refreshing for me as it's great to hear good songs from artists I'm not familiar with, plus good songs from familiar artists I've never sought out on my own...throw in some currents and the rare familiar tune, and the mix is working for me so far. If they punch things up a bit with more up-tempo songs and lay off the Dave Matthews (still don't get him after all these years!), they'll really have something going.

There are no DJs and they don't back announce the music, so that's a bit of a drag as you have to go to their web site to find out what's been played. I sometimes miss the connection of having someone on the other end, as right now you get an automated "nobody's home" feel while listening...on the other hand, you also get virtually no commercials and probably 55 minutes of music per hour. No complaints there.

Looking forward to the specialty shows this weekend...especially the Beatles program.
 
KCSN here.Thanks for the great discussion. Just wanted you to know that we're listening to all feedback. We are building this station from scratch. We are still adding to the music library. We are tweaking the rotation. Asour budgetgrows, we planto add on-air staff. In the meantime, let us know what you like, or don't, through the feedback section of our website.Thanks again. The folks at KCSN.
 
Karen Kearns said:
In the meantime, let us know what you like, or don't

how about putting the AAA feed up on the "Radio Companion" ap for BlackBerry?
it's still classical...so I'm guessing it's the HD-2 feed?
 
Karen Kearns said:
KCSN here.Thanks for the great discussion. Just wanted you to know that we're listening to all feedback. We are building this station from scratch. We are still adding to the music library. We are tweaking the rotation. Asour budgetgrows, we planto add on-air staff. In the meantime, let us know what you like, or don't, through the feedback section of our website.Thanks again. The folks at KCSN.

Here's one. I used to listen on Saturday mornings to a guy about a year or so ago. As I recall his name was Andy. He was the best thing you had going. Get him back when you add airstaff.
 
"As our budget grows, we plan to add on-air staff."

Isn't KCSN's staff all-volunteer? Why would they need money to put more staff on the air? They need DJs, pronto.
 
Karen Kearns said:
KCSN here.Thanks for the great discussion. Just wanted you to know that we're listening to all feedback. We are building this station from scratch. We are still adding to the music library. We are tweaking the rotation. Asour budgetgrows, we planto add on-air staff. In the meantime, let us know what you like, or don't, through the feedback section of our website.Thanks again. The folks at KCSN.
Thanks, Karen for your input. I hope you will get on-air staff soon (Budget issue aside). The problem for me is the signal, as I live in the So. Bay and I do listen to K-JAZZ 88/1 which has a far superior signal across the basin. I'm hoping you might get a repeater near LAX for us on the 'other side of the fence' - Still, Congrats for bringing true AAA back on the dial :-* (Since KSWD's move to full-on Classic Rock) Joe in Redondo
 
goriajk you've hit it squarely on the head. It's the signal. KCSN is hard enough to pick up in the valley and really poses no threat to any rock station in LA. But I'm sure KCSN management feels that their bread and butter listeners are on-line anyway.
 
Since KCSN can really do Triple A, and not the watered down thing that The Sound attempted, why not bring Nicole Sandler back to program it? Those of us who loved KSCA would flock to KCSN and support it.
 
calguy said:
goriajk you've hit it squarely on the head. It's the signal. KCSN is hard enough to pick up in the valley and really poses no threat to any rock station in LA. But I'm sure KCSN management feels that their bread and butter listeners are on-line anyway.

Did they ever get full power back?

After the fires of a couple of years back the power line that fees the transmitter was burned. Apparently the line belongs to neither The DWP, nor SoCal Edison and the land is accessible to neither of those utilities. It was always a bit confusing but if I recall correctly the power lines feeding the mountain belong to the Gas Company and for some reason restoring them was not a priority. There are other communications sites up there and I never heard if they all relocated or what but without regular power they might have.

Actually when I lived out there I go KCSN better back when the antenna and transmitter were still located on the Campus. I never got them clearly on any radio I owned, usually listening on line after they moved the transmit site.
 
fmboi said:
Since KCSN can really do Triple A, and not the watered down thing that The Sound attempted, why not bring Nicole Sandler back to program it? Those of us who loved KSCA would flock to KCSN and support it.
Wrong. From insiders who worked there I have heard that she was not a delight to work with, and KSCA leaned quite feminine. If a historical AAA in this town were to be emulated, I would give the nod to mellow rock, KNX-FM (93.1). Regardless, what is this fascination with always reaching back for artists, programmers, and hosts from bygone eras? In a town like Los Angeles there is always new, amazing and innovative talent waiting to shine, if given a platform.
 
David at USC said:
fmboi said:
Since KCSN can really do Triple A, and not the watered down thing that The Sound attempted, why not bring Nicole Sandler back to program it? Those of us who loved KSCA would flock to KCSN and support it.
Wrong. From insiders who worked there I have heard that she was not a delight to work with, and KSCA leaned quite feminine. If a historical AAA in this town were to be emulated, I would give the nod to mellow rock, KNX-FM (93.1). Regardless, what is this fascination with always reaching back for artists, programmers, and hosts from bygone eras? In a town like Los Angeles there is always new, amazing and innovative talent waiting to shine, if given a platform.

Ditto. I know that Don Barrett loves her and God love her, she knows how to self promote and get press, but I don't see where bringing her in is going to help KCSN. While I don't think that bringing back artists, programmers, and hosts from the past is a bad thing, in this case I don't see the benefit. Plus she's been gone a while and I doubt it's going to bring in listeners anymore than anyone else. But I don't wish her any ill will. I'm sure like all of us she has mouths to feed.

KNX-FM, that would be a station to emulate for sure. But not the very last incarnation, that would be a mistake.
 
David at USC said:
fmboi said:
Since KCSN can really do Triple A, and not the watered down thing that The Sound attempted, why not bring Nicole Sandler back to program it? Those of us who loved KSCA would flock to KCSN and support it.
Wrong. From insiders who worked there I have heard that she was not a delight to work with, and KSCA leaned quite feminine. If a historical AAA in this town were to be emulated, I would give the nod to mellow rock, KNX-FM (93.1). Regardless, what is this fascination with always reaching back for artists, programmers, and hosts from bygone eras? In a town like Los Angeles there is always new, amazing and innovative talent waiting to shine, if given a platform.

As one who worked with Nicole at both KSCA and Channel 103.1 (try and figure that one out!), I can tell you that she was not ALWAYS a delight, but then again, no one is. She was, however, fair, passionate, knew her stuff, and most of her staff and the listeners loved her. I think she'd be a great asset to KCSN, which certainly needs some live people and a personality! I'm loving the music, but the automation just sounds like my ipod.
 
I agree with David at USC. There is such a thing as AAA without Nicole and she has gone on to liberal talk radio anyhow. She had her shot with the format in this town not once but twice. How many broadcasters can say that? It is time for some new blood and there should be a line of qualified people ready to take up the baton. I look forward to what KCSN will do, particularly with the volunteer pay scale they have.
 
I've been listening to this station (over the internet, can't get the broadcast in Orange County) for the last few days and I've really been enjoying it. Some of the really quite songs have turned me off but I have to say, I find the majority of the songs very listenable and it reminds me of the kind of music I grew up listening to in the early days of KMET and other free form stations in the late 60's - early 70's as well as KNX FM. It's great to have a station that is playing music I can listen to instead of just having on in the background. I've added a number of songs to my Ipod that I've heard on KCSN. Now if only I could listen to them in the car....
 
I want to thank everyone for the comments about KCSN. Having people on the air is a goal for the future but to maintain the sound of the station these need to be paid positions. We are having a pledge drive in May to begin the process of making this a reality. The strength of the signal is hampered by KSBR in Mission Viejo which is on the same frequency. Management in the 80s made some bad engineering decisions but we are working to improve the signal as much as we can. We just had to defend our west side booster from a challenge in Malibu. The FCC ruled in our favor.
For Blackberry listeners I'm happy to report that Nobex has revised the stream and now you can get the TripleA format. You can also listen to us on an iphone with a free download of the Sundial Mobile app.
Finally, go to kcsn.org and send us music suggestions. We are always tweaking the library.
 
In relation to KCSN's signal, while I get it basicly
full-quieting here in Sherman Oaks, but
with some light hash behind, probably
from KSBR? What I wonder is about their
HD signal-and-programming?
Since I have never received KCSN in HD,
are you going to apply for that %10 power increase?
Also, it would be wonderful if you were
to put that Reading Service, maybe
on HD3
Many of us are glad you kept the weekend
specialty shows, as they
are quite unique
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom