vettalkguy said:
I keep reading all these things about KT'R doing shows on the first 100 degree day and where it's raining. Is this from a long time ago? I've never heard KT'R do shows like that. I keep reading about Toaster Talk, whatever that is.
I'm not from Phoenix, but I don't exactly find Barry Young and Joe Crummey hard hitting talk. Barry plays sounders that drive me crazy and spends his whole show introducing his board operator and producer and Crummey is more interested in his own voice than doing a hard core show. Rush and Hannity are great hosts, but the rest of KFYI sounds like toaster talk... whatever that is.
To address your questions: KTAR had a tradition of doing shows and even a contest as to when the first 100 degree day in Phoenix would be. Preston Westmoreland did this as a regular segment in or around March 20-30 every year or so and would bring in Ed Philips (the second worst meteorologist in the market--right behind good ol' 30% Royal) to discuss the exciting topic.
Since you're not from Phoenix, you don't get to hear the 15-25 shows each summer devoted to an incoming storm during the Monsoon Season. During this time, whatever host is on KTAR at the time devotes an entire hour (or more) to talk to listeners about the storm, where it is, where they think it's headed and asking the listeners literally "is it raining where you are?" "what is it like where you are". Phoenix is not the ONLY market that does this, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego and other relatively tame climates do this, but most people find it annoying, small-market and not at all entertaining radio. KTAR hosts act as though it is the first time there has ever been a severe thunderstorm in Phoenix in July, August or September. This is also true of the folks on our local TV News channels who will literally cover a storm that drops 0.27" of rain as if it's Hurricane Katrina. When I first moved to Phoenix in August of 1982 and even throughout most of the 80s, I don't recall such sensationalism of this nonsense, even KTAR didn't do that kind of radio as much, but now it's become quite the tradition to ask listeners "is it raining where you are".
"Toaster Talk" refers to discussion of topics that are of little, if any, consequence in reality or are ensconced in frivolity. Examples of such topics that I have heard on KTAR during the past year: "Do you think I-10 should be widened to 24 lanes? what do you think give me a call?" "What are your favorite restaurants in Phoenix?" (that's a Pat McBland favorite, he's done that topic at least 3 times in the last 5 months and I scan frequently around the dial many days missing his program), "What is your favorite rock song? what song gets stuck in your head?" "TV shows: What are you watching, do you like reality TV? What do you think of this American Idol fad?" (another Pat McBland classic). The list literally goes on and on. This is "Toaster talk" at it's finest.
Your point about the Barely Famous Nearly Young show is quite well taken, the sound effects are annoying, the shtick is, at times, unbelievable tired, the frequent references to inside show jokes a bit overwhelming... that said when he does discuss issues (50% of the show time perhaps), he delivers them well, doesn't solicit phone calls with lame gimmick questions as he presumes the audience is more intelligent than to need to probe them and actually has researched opinions (whether you agree with him or not is a different story). Joe Crummey isn't very good, he's a KTAR-like host, the singing intro is ridiculous and childish, the way he talks is very much like an FM-puker and his topics--while good at times--are often segmented, survey radio style, KTARish in nature. Again, his show is still better than the alternative of the afternoon Snooze with Ded and Highdee. I am typically listening to Jacobs and Moratta or a game on the sports parking lot if it's on at the time.
