KPLZ VAN Classic Picture

[airwaver]

Guess the year of this picture - taken on a rainy Seattle July Fourth:

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/50/kplzatshakeysaz3.jpg

I believe this was before they became "Star 101.5"...

Note that Shakey's sign update (no, it's not a banner) - heh, what timing!

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

The Winnebago was around until late in the 1980's ... and branding changed to STAR in '94. Van replaced the Winny because it was MUCH less expensive, easier to park, etc. (and winny had broadcast gear that was getting ripped off). I'd guess that's around early 1990's. Does anyone remember when that Shakey's closed? Would help bracket the timeline ... I'm thinking that shut-down was also VERY early 1990's (only one I know of still around is in Fairwood).

 

[airwaver]

You're right!

1992

That picture was taken from a third-story abandoned building window of all places!

 

[TakeItFromMe]

Who cares? This is worse than pointing out where banners are. You are pointing out old pics of a station that is really a market bottom feeder. I find it amusing that the KPLZ staff is probably the same as it was a decade ago. 1992 radio in 2006. You would think the morning show would have moved up to a top ten market, but no, they are still here and from what I understand doing the same bits they did when this pic was taken. Yes they have nice female numbers, but in 1992 this station was number one in the market 12+.
I wasn't in this market, but remember them as one of the great Zoo type stations of the late 80's and early 90's. A national reputation. Now they are a dead HOT/AC format with a morning show is hanging on until retirement and where half of the show is more TV than radio these days. Radio requires full-time attention and constant reinvention. Shows like Kent and Alan, Ichabod and T-Man (a stern wannabe) need to reinvent along with their stations. Not a slam on them, but posters and talent can only live on past history for so long.

Let's print pictures of current stations and current promotions rather than live in the past. Something just set me off about this post!

 

[mammaknowsbest]

Lighten up Takeitfromme. It's just a photo.
Better than "where's waldo" with the END banners or
"look what the MOVIN promotion team did!"

This market is changing, but it is okay to remember the past.
At least KPLZ's Kent and Alan, Ichabod and Bob Rivers have glory days
to remember. They are part of Seattle radio history like Pat O'Day, Charlie Brown and Larry Nelson. How do you think Jackie and Bender, Mitch Elliott, BJ Shea and a host of other talent that never made it in Seattle feel. Give props
to the old guys and stations that had their time on top.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Something just set me off about this post!

R-E-A-L-L-Y ? ? ?

 

[airwaver]

Remember:

Well - to know where you're going, you have to know where you've been....

 

[pbf1]

Feeding

Who cares? This is worse than pointing out where banners are. You are pointing out old pics of a station that is really a market bottom feeder. I find it amusing that the KPLZ staff is probably the same as it was a decade ago. 1992 radio in 2006. You would think the morning show would have moved up to a top ten market, but no, they are still here and from what I understand doing the same bits they did when this pic was taken. Yes they have nice female numbers, but in 1992 this station was number one in the market 12+.
I wasn't in this market

Well, I was.

And they are no bottom-feeder; not only are the female numbers nice, but so are the REVENUE numbers. Most owners would take revenue over 12+ ratings any day of the week. (Plenty of #1 12+ stations don't crack the nut on revenue, too, BTW.)

(Of course, seeing the title "KPLZ Van Classic Picture," I was thinking "K-Plus FM," not Z101.5)

 

[AQH]

You are pointing out old pics of a station that is really a market bottom feeder.

Really? What is your criteria for claiming that?

I find it amusing that the KPLZ staff is probably the same as it was a decade ago. 1992 radio in 2006.

Aside from Kent & Alan, who else has been there since 1992?

You would think the morning show would have moved up to a top ten market, but no, they are still here and from what I understand doing the same bits they did when this pic was taken.

Have you ever thought for a second that they might have wanted to stay here?

Yes they have nice female numbers, but in 1992 this station was number one in the market 12+.

Telecom 96 re-defined what is considered success.

I thought you said earlier they are 'bottom feeders,' and now they have 'nice female numbers?' Which is it, sport?

I wasn't in this market, but remember them as one of the great Zoo type stations of the late 80's and early 90's.

It's painfully obvious you weren't in the market then.

Now they are a dead HOT/AC format with a morning show is hanging on until retirement and where half of the show is more TV than radio these days.

Yeah, "dead" enough to fend off, survive and starve enough to kill a direct competitor in KLSY.

What do you mean by "half of the show is more TV than radio these days?"

Radio requires full-time attention and constant reinvention.

Yeah, and weren't you the one saying about six months ago that Kiss was going to get back on top of the market? How's that going?

Shows like Kent and Alan, Ichabod and T-Man (a stern wannabe) need to reinvent along with their stations. Not a slam on them,.....

Oh yeah, this post isn't a slam whatsoever. Because you've been so cordial and complimentary throughout the post.

Something just set me off about this post!

Call your doctor, up the dosage of whatever you're on.

 

[airwaver]

KPLZ-Shakey's Pic

Yes, be sure to SAVE the picture for your files....it's a CLASSIC!

I believe that Shakey's dissolved when ALL of the Puget Sound outlets went under - around 1999.

..same as 'Godfather's'...they all just... folded up and left!

 

[TowerLamp]

Ain't nothing wrong with a little broadcast nostalgia. Love the old pix and "tribute websites" too.

Anyone around long enough to remember when KPLZ did "The Music Magazine"? With news, interviews and music all woven together. That format died an ugly death, but at least it was innovative for FM!

 

[djdan]

I remember growing up with the "Music Magazine" and the "overnight lunch" on KPLZ. Nothing wrong with remembering the past of radio. Helps you avoid mistakes in the future.

 

[TowerLamp]

Nothing wrong with remembering the past of radio. Helps you avoid mistakes in the future.

Dan,

Well said. It's bad enough trying to program with Arbitron as your judgement. That's like trying to steer while using the rear view mirror.

Any one that's been there, done that...I'm all ears! Part of this board's value is to use history and learn, even from other markets to make me a smarter programmer.

Anyone remember Ivan Braiker's "Mega Format". Kind of a revolving wheel of formats that flipped something like every 15 minutes or so? That was ahem, "ahead of it's time" (I'm being kind).

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Mega was Pat O'Day's baby. Three hour wheel cut into quarter-hour segments. Segments were 50's classics, 60's classics, 70's classics, 80's classics, contemporary country, classic country. Highlighted currents would be sprinkled in to keep it "fresh".

I built the clocks for it ... and wasn't in total agreement with the concept. The parts I liked were that songs didn't get stressed in rotation ... so you were pretty much guaranteed that at least a couple weeks would go by before the same song came up again (kind of an "anti-KBSG mentality") -- that part I liked. Very deep libraries and not burning the same stuff to death -- that part I liked. Was on the fence about whether songs should be grouped by era or put together in sweeps that spanned time and were programmed based on mood and segue fits.

The part that received the most complaints was that it included a lot of stuff that Pat remembered that instead of causing one to keep going "oh wow" ... caused people to keep going "HUH??". Many of the more esoteric classic country pieces fit into that. Kinda weird to go from Helen Reddy in one quarter hour to some Hank Williams or Ernest Tubb derivative 15 minutes later. But the part that received the most compliments from the markets that listened ... TSL through roof because people would hear a ton of music they hadn't heard in awhile. It also had Pat's "stable" of jocks backing it up (e.g. Burl, Bobby Simon, etc.) so the pieces between the tunes were interesting and cohesive (just TRY to imagine Burl doing a "mellow" presentation ... I was blown away that he was as good at as he was given his reputation for being an amazing Boss Jock).

 

[ThinLizzyRocks]

KPLZ??? ...And I thought they sounded tired in 1992. Are they still around? The whole band between KISW and KZOK seems like white noise. Oh - except that Canadian station that you can occasionally tune in at 100.3. I still have not recovered from the KPLZism "The POWER lines are open"... What was that? Oh dear KPLZ... Of all of the stations that have come and gone in this market, why do you persist like a cancer of mediocrity? Why do you long for an audience of housewives in an era when there are no housewives? And what is with this song "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker". No you don't! Not for a minute!! Better stick with the Cheryl Crow instead...

 

[TheFrameGuy]

Since we are talking about old times, an unrelated phrase from the KISW past, back when it was "Seattle's Best Rock," not the lame "Rock of Seattle" .... "Crow and West, you guys are bitchen!"