Kevin & Sluggo Cut At KLOS

[TheBigA]

You are talking about just a couple of very high profile major market or syndicated talents that could leverage their positions.

We're also talking about Los Angeles, not Huntsville Alabama. It takes a lot of work to become a "high profile major market talent." One doesn't just fall into that find of thing by replying to a blind industry ad like the one in this thread. There's a process to go from applying to such an ad to becoming Ryan Seacrest. It takes hard work, and I don't see a lot of it going on. That's my point.

The days of every jock in L.A. having personal appearances and gigs as off-camera voices or game show hosts are long gone.

I don't think so. Truth is "every jock in LA" didn't get those opportunities. Only a few. But you're not going to get those opportunities by answering a blind box ad. Last night, Phil Hendrie was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. I'm sure at one point in his career, he answered a blind box ad paying union minimum. But it took hard work for Phil to get into the Hall of Fame. I don't see a lot of that happening today. Just disgruntled ex-radio people complaining about how things used to be. They seem to expect fame and fortune to be handed to them. That's not how it works.

Eight Inducted To Radio Hall Of Fame.

The Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony saw eight new inductees added to the hall in a ceremony at the Omni Hotel in Nashville, TN last night (9-19). The group

www.insideradio.com

 

[radiofan2023]

We're also talking about Los Angeles, not Huntsville Alabama. It takes a lot of work to become a "high profile major market talent." One doesn't just fall into that find of thing by replying to a blind industry ad like the one in this thread. There's a process to go from applying to such an ad to becoming Ryan Seacrest. It takes hard work, and I don't see a lot of it going on. That's my point.



I don't think so. Truth is "every jock in LA" didn't get those opportunities. Only a few. But you're not going to get those opportunities by answering a blind box ad. Last night, Phil Hendrie was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. I'm sure at one point in his career, he answered a blind box ad paying union minimum. But it took hard work for Phil to get into the Hall of Fame. I don't see a lot of that happening today. Just disgruntled ex-radio people complaining about how things used to be. They seem to expect fame and fortune to be handed to them. That's not how it works.

Eight Inducted To Radio Hall Of Fame.

The Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony saw eight new inductees added to the hall in a ceremony at the Omni Hotel in Nashville, TN last night (9-19). The group

www.insideradio.com

But even Hendrie has admitted on his podcast when he breaks down the fourth wall, that he doesn't want to be on the radio any more. He said it's changed so much that his show wouldn't work today. Even when he was on the radio, after 9/11 when his show got more political, and for a few years when it was just a general talk show with no characters, it wasn't as good as the podcast is now.

 

[TheBigA]

But even Hendrie has admitted on his podcast when he breaks down the fourth wall, that he doesn't want to be on the radio any more, because it's changed so much that his show wouldn't work today. Even when he was on the radio, after 9/11 when his show got more political, and for a few years when it was just a general talk show with no characters, it wasn't as good as the podcast is now.

That's OK. I'm talking about the current generation. I look for the go-getters, the ones who put the time in, and not just expect it to be handed to them.

Then ask why wouldn't what he did work today? When KFI hired Mo'Kelly to do evenings, they said it was an out of the box idea. It's not another boring old guy complaining about the government. He does a different kind of show, maybe more like Phil Hendrie. But the audience isn't there for that kind of radio the way it was for Phil. That's not because the opportunity isn't there, but because the audience for it disappeared.

 

[davideduardo]

We're also talking about Los Angeles, not Huntsville Alabama. It takes a lot of work to become a "high profile major market talent." One doesn't just fall into that find of thing by replying to a blind industry ad like the one in this thread. There's a process to go from applying to such an ad to becoming Ryan Seacrest. It takes hard work, and I don't see a lot of it going on. That's my point.

To some extent, that is because radio owners severely limit what employees can do.

Example: under Perenchio's Univision, I was not even allowed to sit for an interview for the back page of R&R with Erica Farber. Our on-air talent could not do independent negotiations with products and advertisers. DJs and personalities had any endorsements negotiated with the advertiser by the sales department and established rates.

There are few local talents that can get endorsements or other outside revenue. A few air talents do V/O work, but there is a special skillset for that which is based on acting skills and not just "being famous". V/O work requires being able to sound younger, older, more serious, more flippant, more rural, more urban. Being able to present the latest Morgan Wallen song is not a skill needed for voiceovers.

I don't think so. Truth is "every jock in LA" didn't get those opportunities. Only a few. But you're not going to get those opportunities by answering a blind box ad.

And you are not going to get them until you are extremely well known, generally nationally. While the talk hosts of KFI may get some "live read" or endorsement fees, that's because they are talk hosts. How many local LA DJs get any kind of talent fees for reading ads?

Last night, Phil Hendrie was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. I'm sure at one point in his career, he answered a blind box ad paying union minimum. But it took hard work for Phil to get into the Hall of Fame.

And Phil did a very unique "impersonation" style talk fantasy show. Unique and more. Not a god example.

I don't see a lot of that happening today. Just disgruntled ex-radio people complaining about how things used to be. They seem to expect fame and fortune to be handed to them. That's not how it works.

And a "radio star" unless they are Seacreast, Charlemagne or Bobby Bones, does not get much action. An "influencer" in social media has a much higher chance of getting endorsement fees than someone in local radio.

 

[TheBigA]

To some extent, that is because radio owners severely limit what employees can do.

It depends on the employee. Were there limits on what Kevin & Sluggo could do? I don't think so. They could do as much or as little as they wanted with very little direction or limitation from management. Where did it get them? As I often say, if you're a creative radio talent, and get hired to be creative, you control what management tells you. It still happens today.

There are few local talents that can get endorsements or other outside revenue.

Correct. What we're talking about here is a starting place. It's a blind box as offering minimum salary with opportunities. People are complaining because Meruelo isn't offering $200K as a starting salary. That doesn't happen in radio. So you start at $90K with the option to make more. That's what this is about.

An "influencer" in social media has a much higher chance of getting endorsement fees than someone in local radio.

I agree with that, and THAT'S why you don't see quality people apply for radio jobs anymore. They all know that you can make more money from the various social media sites and YouTube than doing a 4 hour shift playing music every day. But it's not a salary with benefits. It's a percentage of ad revenue. That's a very different deal than what Meruelo is offering. Who would take that kind of deal for a job at KLOS?

 

[K.M. Richards]

At one time it wasn't unusual to see Jim Ladd or Rodney Bingenheimer hosting concerts around LA.

Highlighted the operative phrase. David went into enough detail that I don't need to.

Ladd's last regular on-air work was in 2011, before KLOS (ironic, given the original topic of this thread) let him go during the turmoil of the Cumulus acquisition of Citadel. Bingenheimer lasted another six years at KROQ but for the majority of his entire time there he was on midnight to 3:00am on Sunday nights.

When was the last time either emceed a live concert, even at a smaller venue? My own attempts to research that question yielded so little information that one must conclude it was a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng time ago.

 

[TheBigA]

When was the last time either emceed a live concert, even at a smaller venue? My own attempts to research that question yielded so little information that one must conclude it was a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng time ago.

Radio stations still get what are called "presents" at concerts. They will sometimes set up their remote truck outside the venue, and their morning team will introduce the opening act. I see it all the time at radio station websites. They post backstage photos, offer contests during the week, and make appearances at the venue.

Still happening now. iHeart is very aggressive about this, and in fact they are hosting their own iHeart Festival this weekend in Las Vegas, with their talent introducing the artists on stage.

iHeartRadio Music Festival 2024 Rocks Las Vegas This Weekend PT 2

The iHeartRadio Music Festival returns to Las Vegas on Sept. 20-21 at T-Mobile Arena, featuring performances by top artists and a free House of Music activation experience.

www.yahoo.com

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Flipper, would you like Alex Meruelo's phone number so you can call him and complain about the thread being hijacked as a result of his cheapness?

I blame Meruelo for a lot of things well deserved. Hijacking threads is not one of them.

 

[K.M. Richards]

While the talk hosts of KFI may get some "live read" or endorsement fees, that's because they are talk hosts. How many local LA DJs get any kind of talent fees for reading ads?

The answer to that rhetorical question is precisely what you presumed when you asked it, David.

One of the PI agencies I work with on behalf of stations (and in filling a few nighttime avails overnight on my own format) has recently gotten into the act with live-read :30s for their more successful clients. Those are the "tax problems with the IRS?", "get out of your timeshare" and "discount airline tickets" clients. Most of that isn't going to be enhanced by a live read on a music station, but it works for talk because the audience is paying more attention to the host in the first place.

 

[K.M. Richards]

Radio stations still get what are called "presents" at concerts. They will sometimes set up their remote truck outside the venue, and their morning team will introduce the opening act. I see it all the time at radio station websites. They post backstage photos, offer contests during the week, and make appearances at the venue.

Not exactly the same as what you implied in your earlier posts, but okay.

The question is, then: How much of the revenue from "presents" are trickling down to the talents' paychecks, and is it enough to offset a lower base pay?

 

[K.M. Richards]

I blame Meruelo for a lot of things well deserved. Hijacking threads is not one of them.

I think we all do, but it's rather obvious that the salary listed in his job posting is what switched us off onto the side track.

 

[TheBigA]

Most of that isn't going to be enhanced by a live read on a music station, but it works for talk because the audience is paying more attention to the host in the first place.

Absolutely and this is one reason why music radio is in the trouble its in. KLOS is a music station, so revenue opportunities are limited. Which is why they only offer 90K as a starting salary.

How much of the revenue from "presents" are trickling down to the talents' paychecks, and is it enough to offset a lower base pay?

I don't know. That's not my deal now. But once again, we're talking about starting salary. Bobby Bones made a lot less than $90K when he started. Now he makes millions. You can't get the millions if at some point you don't take the low starting salary. They don't offer the big money to start. That's what we're talking about here.

 

[radiofan2023]

The answer to that rhetorical question is precisely what you presumed when you asked it, David.

One of the PI agencies I work with on behalf of stations (and in filling a few nighttime avails overnight on my own format) has recently gotten into the act with live-read :30s for their more successful clients. Those are the "tax problems with the IRS?", "get out of your timeshare" and "discount airline tickets" clients. Most of that isn't going to be enhanced by a live read on a music station, but it works for talk because the audience is paying more attention to the host in the first place.

FYI, the number for the Tax Solutions Now spots doesn't actually let you talk to anyone or leave a message, or at least that was the case a few weeks ago. KCJJ ran the spots until someone called in and told them the problem a few weeks ago, and Steve called the number on the air. When he pressed 1 to talk to someone about personal taxes, or 2 for help, the automated menu just said "thanks for calling" and disconnected the call. Try it yourself: (800) 449-0404

 

[K.M. Richards]

FYI, the number for the Tax Solutions Now spots doesn't actually let you talk to anyone or leave a message, or at least that was the case a few weeks ago. KCJJ ran the spots until someone called in and told them the problem a few weeks ago, and Steve called the number on the air. When he pressed 1 to talk to someone about personal taxes, or 2 for help, the automated menu just said "thanks for calling" and disconnected the call. Try it yourself: (800) 449-0404

Of course, there are multiple such campaigns running with several different agencies.

And before everyone "tries it for themselves" please realize that some PI agencies assign numbers regionally and by station, so that number may or may not work.

 

[yeoldeschool]

And you are not going to get them until you are extremely well known, generally nationally. While the talk hosts of KFI may get some "live read" or endorsement fees, that's because they are talk hosts. How many local LA DJs get any kind of talent fees for reading ads?

[...] Those are the "tax problems with the IRS?", "get out of your timeshare" and "discount airline tickets" clients. Most of that isn't going to be enhanced by a live read on a music station, but it works for talk because the audience is paying more attention to the host in the first place.

It's the type of attention, though. I think it works for them because most talk hosts are anything from stimulating, trusted mentors to demagogic ideologues to their audiences. They become doyens and gurus whose every word gets trusted implicitly, and their recommendations accordingly pass through their listeners' mental filters with the same unchallenged authority as parent-child dictates. That can dramatically enhance the salability of things, especially things people ordinarily fear and hesitate to try, like attorneys and timeshare medicine men.

Compare Karen Sharp playing her nice love songs on the KOST. She's like the pretty waitress who brings your meal at the fancy restaurant. It's a transactional relationship. She doesn't exist on an emotional or ideological alter in her listeners' minds. If she says they should all buy Advil instead of Bufferin, the gravity of her decree won't wow them into leaping up and exclaiming, "My stars! The Leader has spoken! Another epiphany! To the drugstoremobile!".

Some hosts can influence their audiences' purchasing with live reads just by being people with great charisma, fast wits, and other forms of magnetism. But like the great late night television hosts of the past, those don't grow on trees and are few and far between. Finding people who can agreeably commiserate on-air about the news or politics is as easy as finding extroverts with lots of opinions and no mic fright.

 

[TheBigA]

If she says they should all buy Advil instead of Bufferin, the gravity of her decree won't wow them into leaping up and exclaiming, "My stars! The Leader has spoken! Another epiphany! To the drugstoremobile!"

In fact what it could do is destroy the brand she's created as that friendly voice, and instead moved her to the category of evil salesman. The dreaded pitchperson who's after my money. Listeners to music radio seek to avoid commercials. They don't want the trusted presenter of sacred melodies trying to get them to buy products. I had this discussion with a DJ who told me that's why he turns down live reads and endorsements. He doesn't want to ruin his brand. Some of it depends on the format.

 

[yeoldeschool]

In fact what it could do is destroy the brand she's created as that friendly voice, and instead moved her to the category of evil salesman. The dreaded pitchperson who's after my money. Listeners to music radio seek to avoid commercials. They don't want the trusted presenter of sacred melodies trying to get them to buy products. I had this discussion with a DJ who told me that's why he turns down live reads and endorsements. He doesn't want to ruin his brand. Some of it depends on the format.

There's a station in central California I'm not sure I want to name, that's basically the only one serving a small retirement hamlet. It's an automated, jockless ultra-soft 70s pop and rock format for retirees. Half of its commercials are for the town's chamber of congress, which is always pumping its local quainte olde towne gifte shoppes (you know, helping to keep the property taxes rolling in). Another quarter are generic PSAs. But the last quarter are commercials for some local family-owned mortuary. And I mean, these ads are airing at least hourly, with their voiceovers basically taking the format of "KXYZ and the [Surname] Family Mortuary remind you that [such and such services are available for you in your time of grief for such and such prices]" -- essentially maintaining a perpetual psychological tie between the station's on-air persona and death. What throws me for a loop every year is when the station goes into its 24 hour Christmas music marathon. In that case, all the regular commercials and PSA stop, except for that mortuary's, whose special Christmas spots wish everyone cheerful tidings of home and hearth and cozy fireplaces and joy-filled new years -- and that they're always there if you need them.

Good god. And no, I'm not just making this up because there was a WKRP episode almost exactly about this.

 

[yeoldeschool]

FYI, the number for the Tax Solutions Now spots doesn't actually let you talk to anyone or leave a message, or at least that was the case a few weeks ago. KCJJ ran the spots until someone called in and told them the problem a few weeks ago, and Steve called the number on the air. When he pressed 1 to talk to someone about personal taxes, or 2 for help, the automated menu just said "thanks for calling" and disconnected the call. Try it yourself: (800) 449-0404

No. But this makes me curious. It's hard to believe anyone could be running ads so long-term for a number that's consistently broken, costing themselves money for nothing. So could that number be broken on purpose? In other words, could it be an ad agency booking camouflaged dummy spots to meter listener response rates using some known, generic affliction that would grab the attention of enough people to solicit volumes of calls if anyone's actually listening? Especially if by looking at the economic hardship data for a particular region/county, you could project your response rates out to the true audience size?

It would be funny if the guy who owns KCJJ hired one of those overseas telemarketing boiler rooms to mass-dial the 800 number from VoIP lines with forged local caller IDs, having them all just press 1 so it would hang up on them. Then wait to see if the station gets bombarded by ad agencies desperate to book commercials on their astonishingly highly rated station.

 

[radiofan2023]

No. But this makes me curious. It's hard to believe anyone could be running ads so long-term for a number that's consistently broken, costing themselves money for nothing. So could that number be broken on purpose? In other words, could it be an ad agency booking camouflaged dummy spots to meter listener response rates using some known, generic affliction that would grab the attention of enough people to solicit volumes of calls if anyone's actually listening? Especially if by looking at the economic hardship data for a particular region/county, you could project your response rates out to the true audience size?

It would be funny if the guy who owns KCJJ hired one of those overseas telemarketing boiler rooms to mass-dial the 800 number from VoIP lines with forged local caller IDs, having them all just press 1 so it would hang up on them. Then wait to see if the station gets bombarded by ad agencies desperate to book commercials on their astonishingly highly rated station.

I know Steve and he would never do something like that. Secondly, KCJJ does direct sales to local businesses and the PI spots generally only run after CBS News at the top of the hour. Thirdly, anyone who did what you're imagining would probably get sued at the very least, and might even get their license contested or lost under the character qualifications the FCC uses to approve or deny licenses. Still think it's a funny idea?

 

[K.M. Richards]

It would be funny if the guy who owns KCJJ hired one of those overseas telemarketing boiler rooms to mass-dial the 800 number from VoIP lines with forged local caller IDs, having them all just press 1 so it would hang up on them. Then wait to see if the station gets bombarded by ad agencies desperate to book commercials on their astonishingly highly rated station.

Adding to what radiofan said: The PI/DR agencies don't do direct buys. Nor do they share results with the direct buy agencies. That is the fatal flaw in your mildly humorous scenario.