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KRTH management on music changes

K

KMRichards

Guest
Don Barrett at LARadio.com just sent an e-mail "exclusive".

Here are the key quotes:
“The market changed,” said KRTH spokesperson Karen Tobin. “We wanted to offer our listeners more variety and more hits from the 60s and 70s. This meant expanding our playlist from 1964 to 1979.”

“Our primary goal is to provide our listeners with the hit music they want to hear,” said Jack Silver, operations manager for KRTH. “At the same time we must stay competitive and dominant in the all-important advertising demographic that advertisers desire - which is first and foremost Adults, 25-54.”

“This is definitely not a reaction to JACK at all,” said Karen.

For the rest of it, you'll have to beg Don.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
KRTH admits to adding 70's tracks

Kind of funny since I wrote about this happening, published it to the board, and found out you beat me to the punch KM (reminds me of a KRTH song).
Just to add a bit to this:
Props to "DoctorWu" for noticing that more 70's songs were being added to KRTH. LARadio.com subscribers indeed did receive an email earlier this afternoon saying KRTH is adding tracks. 30% more to be exact. The music core is between 1970 through 1974.

______________



> Don Barrett at LARadio.com just sent an e-mail "exclusive".
>
> Here are the key quotes:
> “The market changed,” said KRTH spokesperson Karen Tobin.
> “We wanted to offer our listeners more variety and more hits
> from the 60s and 70s. This meant expanding our playlist from
> 1964 to 1979.”
>
> “Our primary goal is to provide our listeners with the hit
> music they want to hear,” said Jack Silver, operations
> manager for KRTH. “At the same time we must stay competitive
> and dominant in the all-important advertising demographic
> that advertisers desire - which is first and foremost
> Adults, 25-54.”
>
> “This is definitely not a reaction to JACK at all,” said
> Karen.
>
> For the rest of it, you'll have to beg Don.
>
<P ID="signature">______________

Member of the Los Angeles, Phoenix Radio, and California TV moderation team</P>
 
This now paves the way for the next viable Format which can clearly be viewed at your Web Site KM. Unlike 60's or 70's Music, the Modern Rock of the 80's (starting in the late 70's & continuing through the early 90's) was an Era, a Movement, not just a Decade of Songs!.
 
Re: KRTH admits to adding 70's tracks

I give the Dr. credit for listening at all.

Checked in for just a few minutes today and must admit it sounded a lot better than previously

"Listen to the Music" by the Doobies
"Creque Ally" by the Mamas and the Papas (Not "California Dreamin" - THANK YOU!!)
and a Chicago tune from when they were good. (I belive "25 or 6 to 4", but I was being distracted with work (Damn work!) at the time)

Much better!! Congrats to programming starting to get a clue, albeit five years too late...

Where are all those people who said 70s wouldn't work because the title library is too fragmented now - KMR? Two stations now showing it CAN work.

Kind of funny since I wrote about this happening, published
> it to the board, and found out you beat me to the punch KM
> (reminds me of a KRTH song).
> Just to add a bit to this:
> Props to "DoctorWu" for noticing that more 70's songs were
> being added to KRTH. LARadio.com subscribers indeed did
> receive an email earlier this afternoon saying KRTH is
> adding tracks. 30% more to be exact. The music core is
> between 1970 through 1974.
>
> ______________
>
>
>
> > Don Barrett at LARadio.com just sent an e-mail
> "exclusive".
> >
> > Here are the key quotes:
> > “The market changed,” said KRTH spokesperson Karen Tobin.
> > “We wanted to offer our listeners more variety and more
> hits
> > from the 60s and 70s. This meant expanding our playlist
> from
> > 1964 to 1979.”
> >
> > “Our primary goal is to provide our listeners with the hit
>
> > music they want to hear,” said Jack Silver, operations
> > manager for KRTH. “At the same time we must stay
> competitive
> > and dominant in the all-important advertising demographic
> > that advertisers desire - which is first and foremost
> > Adults, 25-54.”
> >
> > “This is definitely not a reaction to JACK at all,” said
> > Karen.
> >
> > For the rest of it, you'll have to beg Don.
> >
>
 
They admit?

Be kinda stupid if they played them and denied it......
 
> Don Barrett at LARadio.com just sent an e-mail "exclusive".
>
> Here are the key quotes:
> “The market changed,” said KRTH spokesperson Karen Tobin.
> “We wanted to offer our listeners more variety and more hits
> from the 60s and 70s. This meant expanding our playlist from
> 1964 to 1979.”
>
> “Our primary goal is to provide our listeners with the hit
> music they want to hear,” said Jack Silver, operations
> manager for KRTH. “At the same time we must stay competitive
> and dominant in the all-important advertising demographic
> that advertisers desire - which is first and foremost
> Adults, 25-54.”
>
> “This is definitely not a reaction to JACK at all,” said
> Karen.
>
> For the rest of it, you'll have to beg Don.
>

Well, it seems like they are putting more effort into the station and trying to make it sound better. I guess we will see how it works out in a book or two.
<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: KRTH management on music changes *DELETED*

Post deleted by KMRichards
 
>
> Gee, why didn't Jack Silver mention that Jay Coffey and Gary
> Bryan will soon be on their way out (you don't pay $450K to
> do afternoons in Los Angeles).

You do if it gets results.
>
> I must say that K-Earth and Infinity have built some
> incredibly beautiful facilites (unlike Clear Channel Los
> Angeles) on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Citibank building
> on Wilshire. These look like state-of-the-art radio STATIONS
> with LARGE studios (not like an insurance company which the
> sales department at CCU-LA looks like). And unlike CCU-LA
> they didn't bunch the studios of all the FM or AM stations
> together.

There are arguments for having all the technical areas together. The oldest large clusters are all in combined studio areas and have been for 30 to 40 years.
 
> >
> > Gee, why didn't Jack Silver mention that Jay Coffey and
> Gary
> > Bryan will soon be on their way out (you don't pay $450K
> to
> > do afternoons in Los Angeles).
>
> You do if it gets results.
> >
> > I must say that K-Earth and Infinity have built some
> > incredibly beautiful facilites (unlike Clear Channel Los
> > Angeles) on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Citibank
> building
> > on Wilshire. These look like state-of-the-art radio
> STATIONS
> > with LARGE studios (not like an insurance company which
> the
> > sales department at CCU-LA looks like). And unlike CCU-LA
> > they didn't bunch the studios of all the FM or AM stations
>
> > together.
>
> There are arguments for having all the technical areas
> together. The oldest large clusters are all in combined
> studio areas and have been for 30 to 40 years.
>

Clear Channel built their studios on the cheap. The studios are small, do not, for the most part, have station logos on or near their doors - mostly just plain p-touch like labels - and - a pet peeve of mine - don't have large on-air lights. There is nothing special about them (that includes Seacrest's studio which is crappy and small in comparison to the studios he had at Hollywood and Highland. And btw all that equipment was JUNKED. Clear Channel can be cheap sometimes and othertimes...they just don't make sense)

The AM's and FM's of both Clear Channel and Infinity are on separate floors. And engineering at Clear Channel isn't with all the studios. About the only thing they did right was not allowing anyone to get to the AM studios floor without a card key (too many threats to KFI).

Infinity has put together a great layout for each station where those that work FOR each station are TOGETHER (sales, marketing, programming, it etc.). Studios are large and state of the art with many bells and whistles LIKE YOU WOULD EXPECT in a major market. VERY IMPRESSIVE and makes for a great work atmosphere.

At Clear Channel outside of the door to Jhani Kaye's office, who will be exiting Clear Channel at the end of the year btw, it's the lunchroom (next to the large smoking porch)! Anyone who has ever seen the combined sales offices of Clear Channel L.A. will say it looks more like an insurance company rather than a radio station. And don't forget the cheap channel furniture that is already breaking down...Clear Channel L.A. facilties are SO poorly designed. But what else would you expect from this company?
 
70s oldies

> I give the Dr. credit for listening at all.

(grin)

> Where are all those people who said 70s wouldn't work
> because the title library is too fragmented now - KMR? Two
> stations now showing it CAN work.

It's long been my position that 70s music has been unfairly dismissed. The history of Oldies radio began with 50s music in the late Sixties, added 60s music in the 1970s - and stayed there. No changes in the 80s, but in the early 90s, Eighties formats began appearing! (I believe it was around '94.)

Radio jumped an entire decade of music in there somewhere because the 70s have a bad rap... but the fact is that there are lots of folks for whom those songs bring back good memories. And they've been unserved for at least 10 years.

Stations adding 70s music are long overdue, but better late than never.
 
Re: 70s oldies

> > I give the Dr. credit for listening at all.
>
> (grin)
>
> > Where are all those people who said 70s wouldn't work
> > because the title library is too fragmented now - KMR? Two
>
> > stations now showing it CAN work.
>
> It's long been my position that 70s music has been unfairly
> dismissed. The history of Oldies radio began with 50s music
> in the late Sixties, added 60s music in the 1970s - and
> stayed there. No changes in the 80s, but in the early 90s,
> Eighties formats began appearing! (I believe it was around
> '94.)
>
> Radio jumped an entire decade of music in there somewhere
> because the 70s have a bad rap... but the fact is that there
> are lots of folks for whom those songs bring back good
> memories. And they've been unserved for at least 10 years.
>
> Stations adding 70s music are long overdue, but better late
> than never.
>

After listening to the 70's channels on both XM and Sirius over the last few weeks, I forgot how BAD most 70's music was.

This won't work for K-Earth. In fact, they will now drift even lower. 70's stations have been tried and failed MISERABLY in whiter markets than this. So will this.

If K-Earth wants to do anything, they should try and be what KRLA was in its last few years. And bring back the jocks from KRLA and Power's early days. Hot 92 Jamz is going to be the oldies station of record for Los Angeles if K-Earth doesn't change its tune(s) soon...
 
> > For the rest of it, you'll have to beg Don.
> >
> LOL!! Or you can visit the "Oldies" board

Dude, you just cut your own throat. How long do you think the admins are going to let you stay after you posted the contents of an e-mail that was labeled "exclusive to LARadio.com subscribers"?

I wouldn't be surprised if Don Barrett isn't already asking for sanctions.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: KRTH admits to adding 70's tracks

> Where are all those people who said 70s wouldn't work
> because the title library is too fragmented now - KMR? Two
> stations now showing it CAN work.

I don't recall saying anything like that.

I do recall saying, on numerous occasions, that KRTH's playlist was too tight.

I will be paying attention, though, to see if Infinity's research on the additional titles was on the mark. It is, given the broad range of musical genres that topped the charts in the 70s, somewhat more difficult to find the "right" songs from that decade than from the 80s or 90s. I don't think you can disagree with me that "Hooked On A Feeling" by Blue Swede could do more harm than good, for example.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
The Heart & Soul of Rock & Roll

Interesting Glenn 2. It's a known fact that 70's Music has little to no 'Production Value!. While it must be refreshing to hear some new Tunes on K-EARTH, no one presented Oldies better than Kr-LA did in the 80's. With Mike Wagner Programming, and Jocks like The Real Don Steele, Huggie Boy, Emperor Bob & the Wolfman overnight made Oldies Radio great!. Here's a great technical link! http://www.oldradio.com/archives/stations/LA/krlapix.htm
> After listening to the 70's channels on both XM and Sirius
> over the last few weeks, I forgot how BAD most 70's music
> was.
>
> This won't work for K-Earth. In fact, they will now drift
> even lower. 70's stations have been tried and failed
> MISERABLY in whiter markets than this. So will this.
>
> If K-Earth wants to do anything, they should try and be what
> KRLA was in its last few years. And bring back the jocks
> from KRLA and Power's early days. Hot 92 Jamz is going to be
> the oldies station of record for Los Angeles if K-Earth
> doesn't change its tune(s) soon...
>
 
KSPA 1510 "70s & 80s"

All:

KSPA 1510 has been doing a basic 70s and 80s format without any movement back into the Riv/SB book.

Although there is a lot to choose from in the era, I can sense no rhyme or reason to the product being offered there and find the mix very strange in their offerings.

Lussenheide

> > I give the Dr. credit for listening at all.
>
> (grin)
>
> > Where are all those people who said 70s wouldn't work
> > because the title library is too fragmented now - KMR? Two
>
> > stations now showing it CAN work.
>
> It's long been my position that 70s music has been unfairly
> dismissed. The history of Oldies radio began with 50s music
> in the late Sixties, added 60s music in the 1970s - and
> stayed there. No changes in the 80s, but in the early 90s,
> Eighties formats began appearing! (I believe it was around
> '94.)
>
> Radio jumped an entire decade of music in there somewhere
> because the 70s have a bad rap... but the fact is that there
> are lots of folks for whom those songs bring back good
> memories. And they've been unserved for at least 10 years.
>
> Stations adding 70s music are long overdue, but better late
> than never.
>
 
Bad news for you, Glenn ...

> At Clear Channel outside of the door to Jhani Kaye's office,
> who will be exiting Clear Channel at the end of the year

Just had a conversation with Jhani -- we've known each other for somewhere in the vicinity of 20 years -- and he says nothing could be farther from the truth.

Your "insider" information is fraying at the edges again, Glenn, and I'm going to ask you to refrain from any more such posts. Making such statements tends to unnecessarily stir up gossip and get a lot of people on these boards all excited over things you have made up.

If you don't think this is going to the admins' attention, you don't know me very well.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
Re: 70s oldies

There's a reason KRLA died - no, was put to death.

No ratings.

No revenue.

It was COSTING Greater Media money just to keep the format on the air.

But maybe that's more to do with music on AM than format.

- Doc

> If K-Earth wants to do anything, they should try and be what
> KRLA was in its last few years. And bring back the jocks
> from KRLA and Power's early days. Hot 92 Jamz is going to be
> the oldies station of record for Los Angeles if K-Earth
> doesn't change its tune(s) soon...
>
 
Re: KSPA 1510 "70s & 80s"

Their music mix at times was not very upbeat. And the fact that it's on an AM as well doesn't help. Plus, I had heard that KSPA was trying to gear their station to Orange Country residents. Living in the OC myself, I realized that it wasn't going to work very well because about 3pm or 4pm the signal would start to go bad.

> All:
>
> KSPA 1510 has been doing a basic 70s and 80s format without
> any movement back into the Riv/SB book.
>
> Although there is a lot to choose from in the era, I can
> sense no rhyme or reason to the product being offered there
> and find the mix very strange in their offerings.
>
> Lussenheide <P ID="signature">______________

Member of the Los Angeles, Phoenix Radio, and California TV moderation team</P>
 
CBS vs CC facilities

Say what you will about Infinity, they have two things going for them in terms of facilities.

1) Their engineers often spend a lifetime at a station - these guys have history, man, and they make sure that's reflected in the facilities themselves.

2) They don't spend money on facilities consolidations just because they want to pull their empire under one roof. In many cases, CBS stations remain where they were pre-consolidation, which is the case with KRTH (former RKO General/KHJ studios), KYXY in San Diego, KNX, etc. Those old studios were DESIGNED for radio - not adapted from some pre-cast tilt-up building. (To this day, when I visit KYXY, it feels like "home" - the way a radio station ought to feel. There aren't a lot of those out there anymore.)

I have always respected Lynn Dukes at KRTH. Here's a guy who started with RKO in the late 60's and is still there, taking care of his studios and gear and building. That's history, alright - and its something a lot of other broadcast companies lack.

- Doc
 
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