KMZT wants to run and program KKJZ

[Tig1150]

MOUNT WILSON FM BROADCASTERS, INC. (Saul Levine) Press Release

FILES APPLICATION TO PROGRAM AND OPERATE
KKJZ (88.1) LONG BEACH, CA.

Los Angeles, CA…Saul Levine (President), Mount Wilson FM Broadcasters, Inc. which operates Classical KMZT FM (K-Mozart) and KKGO AM Standards, submits application to Cal State Long Beach Foundation, to take over the programming and operation of KKJZ.

The Foundation had requested applications for a contract to perform such services for the Foundation.
Saul Levine and Mount Wilson have more experience in programming Jazz than any other individual or entity in the United States. Under the call letters KBCA and KKGO, the 105.1 FM station presented Jazz for more than 29 years from 1960 to 1990.

Under Saul’s guidance, 105.1 became the World’s first 24 hour Jazz station, was the first Jazz station to broadcast by Satellite to the entire North America Region, and were acknowledged as the most outstanding Jazz radio station in America.

Saul discovered Sam Fields, and worked for a quarter century with Chuck Niles and Jim Gosa.
Saul is pledged to keep the 88.1 FM facility with the Jazz format, and make it the world’s greatest Jazz station.

If its application is granted, the Jazz format on 88.1 along with Classical K-Mozart and Standards KKGO will strive to serve the musical and cultural needs of Southern California.

- End -

 

[ercjncpr]

As long as the master of format switching (Mr. Levine) leaves KKJZ's format alone (as he promises to) He did do a good job with KBCA.

 

[calguy]

As long as the master of format switching (Mr. Levine) leaves KKJZ's format alone (as he promises to) He did do a good job with KBCA.

Ahh, and there's the problem. Just how many formats will Saul subject us to?
What's so wrong with the people running the station now? It would help to know why
they want to make changes...

 

[wellander]

Hi,
KMZT has been classical music for a while.
His FM'S seem to change formats less.
Am I wrong?

 

[dbdigital]

As long as the master of format switching (Mr. Levine) leaves KKJZ's format alone (as he promises to) He did do a good job with KBCA.

Ahh, and there's the problem. Just how many formats will Saul subject us to?
What's so wrong with the people running the station now? It would help to know why
they want to make changes...

KKJZ has lost a lot of respect among true jazz affectionados. When they hired Judy Jankowski in 2000 as G.M. (who apparently is clueless about jazz), the station started adding more smooth jazz artists to the mix and less of the hard core jazz; music with extended improv solos, avant garde, etc. Obviously, this was a move to gain more of KTWV's listeners. I don't know if it worked but they certainly alienated much of their long-standing fan base. Plus the death of Chuck Niles, one of the most respected jazz D.J.s ever, didn't help.

On top of this, KKJZ's finances have been in a mess for many years. For example, in 2004 the station's expenditures was over 3 million dollars but it took in less than 300K in member contributions. Their pledge drives generally come up short of their goals. I believe on KKJZ's last drive they were looking for 600K and ended up with about 250K.

Now with the departure of Jankowski beginning of this year, the board of directors (none of whom are radio people) is eagerly looking for, not just new management, but a new direction for the station while still maintaining its jazz roots. Incidently, KUSC took out an ad in the local Long Beach newspaper flatly stating that they will not submit a bid to take over management of KKJZ and have no interest in doing so. That leaves Taxi Productions (KJLH) and Saul Levine as suitors.

I know a few people don't like Saul but I admire his position of throwing out the Arbitron book and programming his stations according to passion (for radio, not music) instead of programming by the numbers.

Of course, when Levine flipped KKGO from jazz to classical in the 80's he said that the station would instantly pick up greater audience share which it seems to have done. That doesn't say much for jazz as a radio format but maybe Saul can work some magic with KKJZ.

db

 

[ercjncpr]

It's not that I don't like the guy, I do. And I admire him for wanting to do "minority" formatis (meaning formats that have no hope of a big Arbitron) but he does have that reputation of giving up to easily on a format after a few months. He has not done it lately and so maybe he can do something with KKJZ

 

[dbdigital]

It's not that I don't like the guy, I do. And I admire him for wanting to do "minority" formatis (meaning formats that have no hope of a big Arbitron) but he does have that reputation of giving up to easily on a format after a few months. He has not done it lately and so maybe he can do something with KKJZ

True, Saul has his faults. He was, after all, the whiner and instigator who tried (unsuccessfully) to get the FCC to enforce the same indecency standards on satellite radio that terrestrial broadcasters are subject to.

db

 

[Mediafrog+]

Of course, when Levine flipped KKGO from jazz to classical in the 80's he said that the station would instantly pick up greater audience share which it seems to have done. That doesn't say much for jazz as a radio format but maybe Saul can work some magic with KKJZ.

I still miss the old KKGO on FM (which I listened to for several years via cable FM in the 80's) but unfortunately the type of jazz it played would be considered a microniche format these days. Noncommercial FM is the only place it might survive in todays market, but the odds are probably against it. Good luck to jazz fans in SoCal.

 

[dbdigital]

I forgot to mention that Minnesota Public Radio has also put in a bid to manage KKJZ. They currently manage KPCC in Pasadena.

db

 

[NoFanOfKKJZ]

First post by new member here. I found this thread after googling "KKJZ."

dbdigital hits the nail on the head with regard to the level of respect KKJZ has lost over the last few years. I thought I'd supply a little additional info. for those with a dog in this fight. (Any jazz lover within listening range of the station, actually.) There had been a very long running discussion thread on KKJZ's deterioration on the All About Jazz discussion board until a threat from the station in the form of a cease and desist order forced the moderators to close the discussion to avoid time-consuming legal hassles.

Firstly, Saul Levine's organization is not the only credible contender for management rights of the station with jazz programming experience. KLON alums Ken Borgers and Ken Poston have teamed up under the auspices of The Los Angeles Jazz Institute and submitted an application. Many members of L.A.'s jazz community feel strongly that they would do the best job of running the station. (myself included)

The California State University Long Beach Foundation is making the decision as to which entity will take over management of KKJZ. If you would like to state your support for a particular candidate you can do so by writing the Foundation at the following address:

CSULB Foundation
Attn: Robert Behm
6300 State University Drive. #332
Long Beach, CA 90815

Additionally, if you'd like more information on how you can support the efforts of The Los Angeles Jazz Institute (Borgers/Poston) in their efforts to gain management rights to KKJZ, you can do so via their website.

 

[gerald]

When KKJZ first starting talking about this and "warning" us it meant the end of jazz, I was concerned. It would be a disgrace if LA didn't have a world-class jazz station, and KKJZ will have to fit the bill. Unless one is near a satradio receiver or internet radio.

However, in reading the other entries in this thread, I'm realizing that what matters to me is the format, and the jocks, not who runs the station. So if Saul gets it, or Ken Borgers, what I will still care about is what comes out of the radio, not who's in charge. As long as it's jazz, I'm there.

Duriung the last beg-a-thon, I rejoined early and Helen started to read my email comments on the air, until she got to the part about their shitty signal and how it fluctuates so much depending on the weather. And she nimbly turned my complaining about their constant begging into a plea for everyone to pay up to end the begging.

And does it occur to anyone that Helen has a huge conflict of interest going on if her brother's making a run for the station? Yikes.

 

[dbdigital]

First post by new member here. I found this thread after googling "KKJZ."

dbdigital hits the nail on the head with regard to the level of respect KKJZ has lost over the last few years. I thought I'd supply a little additional info. for those with a dog in this fight. (Any jazz lover within listening range of the station, actually.) There had been a very long running discussion thread on KKJZ's deterioration on the All About Jazz discussion board until a threat from the station in the form of a cease and desist order forced the moderators to close the discussion to avoid time-consuming legal hassles.

Firstly, Saul Levine's organization is not the only credible contender for management rights of the station with jazz programming experience. KLON alums Ken Borgers and Ken Poston have teamed up under the auspices of The Los Angeles Jazz Institute and submitted an application. Many members of L.A.'s jazz community feel strongly that they would do the best job of running the station. (myself included)

The California State University Long Beach Foundation is making the decision as to which entity will take over management of KKJZ. If you would like to state your support for a particular candidate you can do so by writing the Foundation at the following address:

CSULB Foundation
Attn: Robert Behm
6300 State University Drive. #332
Long Beach, CA 90815

Additionally, if you'd like more information on how you can support the efforts of The Los Angeles Jazz Institute (Borgers/Poston) in their efforts to gain management rights to KKJZ, you can do so via their website.

Although I haven't spoken to him in a while, I know Ken Borgers. Aside from his teaching, he runs an internet radio station that attempts to recreate the old KLON sound.

I wasn't aware that Ken was also in the running. He wasn't mentioned in the local Long Beach paper which did a story on the KKJZ management change a couple of weeks ago. But he certainly knows the KLON format and the audience of jazz purists it once had. So, in that way, he would be a good candidate.

As for the conflict of interest issue involving Helen, it will be interesting to see if that disqualifies him. I remember in one of our conversations, Ken was very upset with management over the change in the station's calls. He thought it was imperative that it remain KLON. Personally, I thought the change to KKJZ was corny and unnecessary.

As for receiving KKJZ, I live in Long Beach so the station's 30 Kw signal is right on top of me.

I can almost get it through my fillings.

db