KIRO's TBTL is the feature story in "The Stranger"

[Bongwater]

I think I was three sheets to the wind when I wrote that.

Must've been.....

 

[IndigoCoyote]

Sometimes the most interesting stuff is done then....

 

[WKomm]

Get rid of the KIRO morning show? Put in a "hot Latina?" Mix Savage with Bloomberg?

Whew ... hard to imagine where all this comes from. Personally, Greg & Jane make mornings tolerable for me. What KIRO needs to do, IMO -

1) Put on age/audience appropriate programming and forget about trying to be the flavor of the month.

2) Realize that while a profit is terrific and desirable, a few stations have a higher calling and I see KIRO in that role. They are the (or WERE) the class heritage News/Talker in Puget Sound. That's valuable. Of all chains to recognize that, I would have thought Bonneville would be #1 in line.

3) Realize that EVERYTHING goes through cycles. Tony Bennett hung in there and found himself cool again. Likewise Don Rickles. Rather than chase after an audience looking for love, hang in and be yourself. The audience will come back around. But American culture today is not one of foresight or patience so this won't happen. And this is how great stations of all formats end up chasing their tales until they've lost their audience.

 

[SeattleRadioPro]

Realize that while a profit is terrific and desirable, a few stations have a higher calling and I see KIRO in that role. They are the (or WERE) the class heritage News/Talker in Puget Sound. That's valuable. Of all chains to recognize that, I would have thought Bonneville would be #1 in line.

And that's what's the most surprising thing. People were so excited when the KIRO swap happened in '07 because Bonneville did some great things with 710AM in the nearly four decades they previously owned it, and it was expected that if anybody could repair the damage done during the Entercom years - they could (and would). But it seems like Bonneville's lost on how to restore KIRO to its former prominence - and shows like TBTL just reinforce that cluelessness.

 

[WKomm]

Well, we pretty much agree on KIRO, SRP ...

I think right now they're being saved by a historic election, a historic winter storm, a historic goodbye from Holmgren, etc. Once all the dust clears and the REAL numbers begin settling in, it should be very, very clear what must be done.

I've been at this a long time. Been a talent, a PD twice, music director, done every shift in multiple formats. One of the benefits of all this is seeing many things NOT to do. If I were an expert, I'd sit in the big chair but the #1 mistake I've seen station owners and PDs make over all these years - overreact.

At the risk of the ire of those who hate fast food/radio analogies - when Wendy's began sneaking up on McDonald's, what did big Mac do? Nothing. When BK began taunting and challenging, what was Big Mac's response? Basically nothing. Oh, maybe a new ad campaign, maybe a few product and price tweaking but ... the eagle does not hunt the fly.

KIRO has had - and still has - an excellent track record. When numbers slip or whatever "emergency" precipitates change, it's often haphazard. Everyone in the chain - The corporate suits, the GM, the Consultant, the PD - they all want to be perceived as "doing something." I actuall was at a party for a CHR station I worked, celebrating huge #'s across the board. We were an unquestioned #1 in a good-sized market. In the middle of the beer & burgers, the nimrod PD actually stood up and announced he had some news. He started by saying that it was the sign of a good company to strengthen something before it went wrong and was announcing a new clock and slogan for us - "Four In A Row No Talk."

Genius. We were a loose, happy bunch who had good chemistry and were feeling like we'd kick anyone's butt who messed with us to a quiet, confused, demoralized bunch - and it only took a few sentences. I went from really enjoying my gig, doing show prep and tons of energy to eating my lunch and reading the paper in the control room. And the PD was fine with it. Three stop sets an hour, each one about :20 of me. So they're paying me this good money for one minute an hour. But they paid the consultant $40k a year for this brilliant, cookie-cutter approach of "Four In A Row No Talk."

He made (IMO) the fatal error of believing listeners were really there for the music. That might have been the case in the Boss Radio era but hasn't been for a long time now. But that's another discussion. I'm rambling -

If KIRO would just relax, go with their strengths, completely forget about the under 30 crowd, they would be just fine. Or, if they insist on doing Spanky & Our Gang after 7PM, at least put a show in there that's interactive and gives one something to listen beyond three narcissists preening all night.

 

[TheOtherKevin]

I have noticed that KIRO appears to be "winding down" TBTL. After bending over backwards to integrate TBTL into the station mainframe (as opposed to before where the swing shift show was always the red-headed step child of the KIRO program grid), it appears TBTL is now relegated to "B" side status. The promos have almost totally disappeared during Dave and Dori's shows and now they're running their latest lame contest and someone is conspicuously absent:

Would you like to attend a video casting session and audition to appear in a video promotion, telling us about your favorite 97.3 KIRO FM personality? Here's how:Just write a 50-word description of why you listen to Dave Ross, or Dori Monson, or Ron & Don, or Seattle's Morning News with Gregg Hersholt and Jane Shannon. You must provide your name, phone number, age & occupation, and you must attach a current picture of yourself.
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=130&sid=113719

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

My first reaction is to enter that contest and attach a picture of Steve Pool as "my pic" ... or even better, someone like Bill Yeend! $25 says the person processing the applications would never know the difference!!

 

[RockJazz]

Re: another wacky re-mix

Not what KIRO is after almost certainly.... but if you wanted Luke and experimental and ratings what about Luke- Kaci from Bob Rivers show and Dick Rosetti?


Call it LKD. (possible taglines: "We're liked" or "you've just been licked") Or a real name.
Or AlphaBetC (for the 3 way action and the revolving lead/pecking order). And have first hour led by Luke in his presentation style... but with Kaci and Dick reacting ("What a load of crap!", or "You may have something there" or throwing bombs in when things die.) Second hour led by Kaci and call that part "KLR (R For Rosetti) or be KILLED". Free for all. Some sex talk. Some competing music for the moment sprinkled on to lead into talk or out of talk and somewhat related to it or just because it is a good song or at least to one of them thinks so and let the others pass judgment. Third hour DKL- "Let's Dickel". Dick sorts thru the rumble or adds some new stuff. Jen produces and occasionally takes sides.

I'd tune in for that. I think, at least to give it a try. Could be trainwreck or entertaining or both.

 

[RockJazz]

part 2

Luke handles the guest. Maybe Kaci does some standup or improv sketches. Let Dick handle the music slam. Probably add a fourth segment for Luke and let him worry about more about summarizing, maybe even have a closing monologue for the Luke-heads (others can move on).

Might be more KEXP than KIRO. Might not be KEXP either but I float it out there as conceptual art. I think it could work too though.