Proof that hearing Hotel California repeatedly will drive you crazy

[K.M. Richards]

Two points.

Actually Glendale is very much in the Los Angeles market - Salem Communications even has its Los Angeles stations operating from studios there; Clear Channel and ABC/Disney (as well as Warner Bros and the old NBC studios) are in Burbank right next door.

A's "out of the market" comment was quite obviously (look at the quoted text in his post) directed at oldies76, who lives in Colorado. That's way far north of Glendale.

He was a talented pianist who liked classical music as well as other genres, and broadcast classical tunes both on KABC- which at hat time was up the dial until he acquired KEHE from Hearst - and into school classrooms via the Standard )oil company) School broadcasts.

Except that it was KECA at the time, for "Earle C. Anthony". The calls didn't change to KABC until the FCC changed the ownership rules and he sold it to ABC, keeping KFI.

 

[RadioFaninTexas]

I actually hear "Afternoon Delight" on my local classic hits station, 100.9 Cherry FM in Yakima sometimes. Unbelievable! Someone that mixes Eagles, Billy Joel and Elton John with Starland Vocal Band!

-crainbebo

Lucky you! Cherry FM is owned by Ingstad Family Media, which owns a hand full of radio stations. Be thankful that it isn't owned by one of the media conglomerates that exist in major cities.

 

[crainbebo]

They could be better however. Have heard a lot of "Play That Funky Music," "Only The Good Die Young" etc. Not so much Hotel California like everyone hates. Over in Seattle it's a whole different story. I suspect Hotel California can be heard on up to 4 stations - KJR "The Jet", KMCQ, KZOK, or KRWM "Warm 106.9" which plays the live version. I can stand more of the live version than studio. But I've still heard it 1500 times.
Ingstad also owns "980 The Tractor" in Selah/Yakima which is a good classic country station...on AM! No FM xlator yet...shh don't tell them. Don't want to lose a distant FM from Walla Walla or Pasco!

-crainbebo

 

[Thomps2525]

Mister bebo, you should know that legendary 1970s San Diego news anchor Ron Burgundy launched into an impromptu version of Afternoon Delight one day while he was trying to explain what love is and his co-anchors Brick Tamland, Champ Kind and Brian Fantana joined in on harmony:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1W5vwhLcsw

 

[Art Landing]

Of course KABC was KECA at the time. It perhaps would have been better for me to have noted that; not everyone knows the history. My point is that in those days station owners were sharing their preferences with an audience rather than taking surveys to determine what would increase ratings.

This quote about KECA (now KABC) is especially informative.

“KECA was especially active in the field. Car salesman Earle C Anthony founded the station in 1929 (ed note – no he didn’t – he purchased and renamed an existing station, KVFV), and with slogan “Aristocrat of the Air” tried to establish it as the “prestige” channel. This meant devoting about 40% of the station’s programming to classical music, the remaining time being taken with drama, children’s programs and community programs such as “Spanish Lesson,” “Care of the Eyes” and “KECA News Period.”

“Much like public broadcasting stations today it allowed only limited advertising. To emphasize its role as the station for what it called “lovers of fine music” in October, 1935, KECA began publishing a Program Magazine, which subscribers could receive for one dollar per year. Music commentator Jose Rodriquez was the editor, and each month he highlighted the works of a particular composer, such as Beethoven, Brahms, Sibelius or Stravinsky.”

--- Music Metropolis Los Angeles and the Creation of a Music Culture, 1830-1940, by Kenneth Mercus

What Marcus fails to note is that Rodriguez was also a close friend of fellow music lover Earle C Anthony. A graduate of the Los Angeles school system (as was Anthony), Rodriguez was both an Oxford-trained musician, decorated WW1 war hero and an accomplished news reporter for the Hearst papers. He was also concurrently with his KECA activities the news director of Anthony’s sister station KFI (not merely a commentator as Marcus asserts) – and the magazine debuted at the time of the Press Radio wars.

Rodriguez’s own program of commentary, done in conjunction with Sid Sutherland, followed the 10:00 Richfield Reporter during WW2

 

[Thomps2525]

Art, I enjoyed listening to Gary Owens on KFWB in 1961-62 and on KMPC for the next 19 years thereafter. When he needed a funny name for a joke or a commercial parody, he often used "Earle C. Festoon" in tribute to Earle C. Anthony.

KFI newsman Sam Hayes was the original host of Richfield Reporter in 1929. The program went national in 1931. Later hosts included Alan Ladd---yes, that Alan Ladd---, Jack Latham and Chet Huntley. An article about the program (titled "How to be a successful advertiser") appears on pages 8-9 of a 1947 issue of Broadcasting magazine at http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1947/1947-06-09-BC.pdf

Look how far off topic we are!

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Look how far off topic we are!

Yes, everyone, the topic is griping about the tiresome spinning of a certain song. I'd like to stay on that topic without much deviation until I am more sick of the conversation than I am the song. 367 posts in and we still have a ways to go before that happens. Stay focused!

 

[landtuna]

I'll stoke the fires once again by mentioning Hotel California is one of my all time favs. I think it helps that I actually lived in CA at one time and can understand the lyrics. Not sure it would have equal appeal to someone from CAnsas or CAntucky.

 

[TheBigA]

I'll stoke the fires once again by mentioning Hotel California is one of my all time favs. I think it helps that I actually lived in CA at one time and can understand the lyrics. Not sure it would have equal appeal to someone from CAnsas or CAntucky.

That's the point. This is the LA National Anthem. It's like playing Billy Joel in New York.

 

[Art Landing]

Nah, after 369 posts I'd rather hijack the thread and talk about the iconic Richfield Reporter, the west's first real newscast. I don't give a hoot about Hotel California or KRTH's playlist and I doubt if many others on his forum really do.

The "article" LARR references is actually an ad for the NBC "Western Network." originally the NBC Gold network. I didn't know Alan Ladd, Jack Latham and or Chet Huntley ever did the Richfield Reporter - although Huntley did certainly work for KFI in the late thirties and Latham was a long time Los Angeles TV news anchor. I would appreciate documentation on this.

According to my information Sam Hayes was the exclusive Reporter originating the program from KFI beginning in 1929. KFI according to the ad must have been feeding the program when it initially went regional on NBC. That wouldn't have been that unique- KFI originated many early thirties programs for NBC, especially sports events featuring former Colorado football player and KFI chief announcer Don Wilson doing play by play. John Wald according to my sources took over when NBC transferred origination of the Reporter to its new Hollywood studios at Sunset and Vine circa 1938.

Add Alan Ladd:

Apparently the Richfield Reporter may have had versions in addition to the KFI/NBC edition. This would explain occasional listings in program of of non-NBC affliates. Alan Ladd is associated with appearances as the Reporter on KFWB and KNX but not KFI. See, for instance, this discussion by long time LA talk show host Michael Jackso:

http://www.michaeljacksontalkradio.com/MJ_Journals/MJs_05_0812.html

For two years in the late forties, after publication of the ad, the Reporter left NBC but returned in 1950 – John Wald at that point had been the host for 13 years and would remain so until the program’s network demise. KFI carried a condensed morning version locally until Richfield merged with Atlantic Refining to form ARCO.

Long Beach Independent (Newspaper) - June 21, 1850 Richfield to Resume Reporter

The Richfield Reporter news program will return to the National Broadcasting Co.'s Western network at 10 p. m. Sunday, it was announced yesterday. The half-hour program, with the veteran John Wald as commentator, will be heard locally over KFl. It has been on another network since 1948. Richfield has sponsored the pro- gram continuously since its inception 20 years ago. Wald has been with the show 13 years.

 

[Thomps2525]

Art, can there possibly be a better place to learn about old radio programs than the website of the Pacific Electric Railway Historical Society? Now, now, hear me out---one of the photos is of a railway car in front of a Richfield station. Someone noted that Chet Huntley hosted Richfield Reporter until 1960. Huntley first hosted the program from 1937 to 1939, when he worked at KFI. He joined the NBC Radio Network in 1955 and hosted the program again during the latter five years of the '50s. Details are hard to find. Does anyone have a copy of Lyle Johnston's 2003 biography, Good Night, Chet?

http://www.pacificelectric.org/los-angeles-railway/r-line/3039-at-whittier-and-boyle/

 

[Art Landing]

Chet Huntley was at KFI in the late thirties and might have "filled in" but was he ever the main anchor during that time? Its my information that Sam Hayes was the Reporter from the program's beginning until NBC transferred origination to its new studios at Hollywood and Vine. At that time John Wald took over and Hayes stayed with KFI thru WW2. If Huntley did the Reporter from 1955 to 1960 did he originate it from the east coast? The poster on the PE website seems to think Huntly was bsed in Los Angeles until 1960. 1955 was the beginning of Monitor's 20 year run on NBC and also I believe the year of NBC airing five minute newscasts "on the hour," so its not implausible.

KFI and KNX had news departments in 1955 but as I recall Los Angeles NBC news was television not radio oriented at that point - which is why your reference to Jack Latham is interesting - as I recall he was a channel 4 evening news anchor at some point.

At the time my family had moved to San Diego and I was no longer frequenting KFI's Vermont Ave studios (no security other than the receptionist in those das - the engineers were always friendly and no one else seemed to care. I never met ECA personally - he'd sold the Silverlake mansion and was usually at his place in Palm Springs). So its very possible that I missed the departure of John Wald - do you know if he left voluntarily or was this NBC network downsizing?

As for the Pacific Electric, don't worry, I won't laugh - but look out! This already highjacked thread may get shut down if we go there - at one time I was a docent at the Orange Empire Trolley Museum and could raise all sorts of "off topic" issues in that field. Definitely more interesting than KRTH's playlist.

 

[Thomps2525]

On January 2, 1987, the Los Angeles Times published a very brief obituary for Jack Latham. Here is the salient portion:
"He came to KNBH (now KNBC, Channel 4) from radio in the early 1950s. He had been the Richfield Reporter on KFI. He soon moved to the forefront of TV announcers, surpassing then top-ranked George Putnam."

http://articles.latimes.com/1987-01-02/news/mn-1659_1_jack-latham

 

[Thomps2525]

Art, do you have a 10,000-power magnifying glass? There is a page from the May 1 1937 edition of Broadcasting magazine which mentions John Wald. As near as I can make out (by putting my nose on the monitor screen and squinting), the paragraph in the upper right corner says that Wald replaced Sam Hayes as the Richfield Reporter on April 28, 1937. Wald had formerly worked at KEHE and at KELP in El Paso. I can't make out the entire paragraph. Maybe somebody at ARCO headquarters (1-800-322-2726) could dig up more information about the old radio program. (And also explain why ARCO charges us 35¢ extra to use a debit card.)

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/Archive-BC-IDX/37-OCR/1937-05-01-BC-OCR-Page-24.pdf

 

[Art Landing]

No magnifying glass at hand, but I do have access to alternate technology. Below is a true and faithful rendition:

JOHN WALD, formerly news editor
of KEHE, Los Angeles, and prior to
that on the staff of KSTP, St. Paul,
on April 28 succeeded Sam Hayes as
the Richfield Reporter in the six
weekly News Flashes by Richfield
sponsored by Richfield Oil Corp., on six
NBC-Pacific Red Stations.

Ken Bitton, well known Los Angeles
news and sports announcer, who has been
associated with various independent
stations, is Wald's assistant. They
won the assignments in auditions
with more than 70 contestants from all
parts of the Pacific Coast.

--- Broadcasting, May 1, 1937

It is noteworthy, of course, that KEHE (for Express Herald-Examiner, then the evening and morning Los Angeles Hearst owned papers) was the Hearst-owned station which the cash-strapped William Randolph Hearst had shortly before sold to KFI's Earle C Anthony. Anthony promptly moved his KECA station to KEHE's frequency and KFI's studios from atop his dealership to the far more spacious KEHE building on Vermont Blvd. Hearst's logo in stucco would remain over the doorway as a tribute by ECA to his friend since college days during its entire time as KFI's studios. It would remain there during subsequent ownership by the Korea Times and on until the building's eventual demolition at the hands of the LAUSD, which is another story.

Here is a picture of the Vermont studios a few years after Anthony's purchase of the building and station:

http://urbandiachrony.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/kehe-radio-building-141-n-vermont-avenue-1940-2011/

 

[Thomps2525]

Art, I really appreciate you finding a better image of that page. I thought "KSTP in St. Paul" looked like "KELP in El Paso." Now you know why I requested a 10,000-power magnifying glass!

I've never heard of Ken Bitton and I can find no information about him online. Hey, Jim Hilliker, tell us about him, please! (Jim has a copy of almost every radio/tv magazine in existence!) Page 12 of the September 5 1949 Broadcasting magazine notes that Richfield has agreed to renew its sponsorship of the Reporter program for another year. At that time the program was carried by 19 ABC stations. ABC, of course, had taken over the licenses of the NBC Blue Network stations in December 1945. That magazine also has ads for Horace Heidt and Farm News on WHAS and Chow Time on KFH. The golden days of radio!

http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1949/1949-09-05-BC.pdf

 

[Art Landing]

Yes, it appears that during 1948 and 1949 the Reporter switched to ABC, then went back to NBC in 1950. I've mo idea why.

Any information on John Wald's departure in 1955 - was it voluntary or at the instigation of NBC?

 

[Art Landing]

Are we simply repeating urban legend when thinking Chet Huntley was ever the Richfield Reporter? Especially from 1956-60? Some online references do allude to his doing it, but there are some issues.

During that time he was doing the Huntley Brinkley report based out of New York around 7:00 EDT. The Richfield Reporter originated live for the west coast at 1:00 am EDT. There is no mention of Huntley having done the program in the several on-line biographies I consulted - although he did do work for CBS and had at east one thirteen week stint for ABC in 1952 sponsored by Roman Meal Bread (Broadcasting, September 22, 1952, p. 14). Finally, the Reporter was scripted by news writers in a very specific style mandated by the sponsor. Initially in 1929 there were two writers assigned by KFI's Jose Rodriguez later Wayne Miller apparently was primarily responsible. It was more of an on air performance than a newscast. John Wald from what I can find was more actor than newsman and in fact announced for and performed in numerous non-news programs. Huntley on the other hand tried his best to be a serious newscaster.

A response from Sam Hayes to a fan who picked up the Reporter on KFI from New Zealand illustrates the problem. Dated March 8. 1934 the letterhead is neither KFI or NBC - but "The Richfield Building, 555 S. Flower, Los Angeles." The sponsor exercised very tight control over the program of a type actors are used by a director, but newsmen aren't. A man by the name of Don Forbes quit the program because Richfield stopped letting him share news reading duties with Wald, only allowing Forbes to do commercials.

http://www.radioheritage.net/Images/Sam_Hayes_400.jpg

Here is a news report of Mr. Wald, Mr Forbes and Mr Miller in a rare joint appearance in Berkeley, Ca in 1940:

Radio Newscasters Are Local Visitors

Radio newscasters have a greater responsibility to their audience in these grim and eventful days than ever before, and it i? the policy of the Richfield Reporter to talk the news over in a person-to-person manner rather than commentate. This was the comment of Wayne Miller, news editor of the nightly Richfield Reporter broadcast, who with Newscasters John Wald and Don Forbes spoke before the Berkeley Breakfast Club yesterday at Hotel Durant.

The trio discussed the problems of the editor, his task of condensing and adapting 40,000 words of copy to the comparative handful required for the 15 minute broad cast, the problems of the United Press in ferreting out the news in every remote spot on the globe and the problems of the reporters in presenting their news before the microphone. Reporter Wald in discussing news gathering stated that approximately 20,000 words are "cleared' through the central United Press office daily from the European war zone, compared to 500-750 words a day during (the) World War

Note that they were clearing through the Hearst owned United Press - NBC had no news department in 1940. K?FI's Anthony had arranged a special contract with United Press as a means of ending the Associated Press led anti-radio boycott in the press radio wars a few years earlier.

 

[hm insulators]

Along with the ongoing KRTH-WOGL debate, do we really want a start a Beatles vs. Stones debate? Probably not. Such a debate has been going on for 51 years. Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune music critic, compared the two groups in 2013, the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones' first single. Does anyone agree with his comment about the Beatles "running on fumes" in 1969?

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20130607-were-the-stones-underrated

In some ways, they were running on fumes in 1969, with the impending break-up of the band. Musically, 1969 was the year of "Abbey Road," however, the best album the Beatles ever did; their last hurrah. Great album; great sounding album, especially on the old British vinyl pressing a buddy gave me many years ago. Paul's bass never sounded better than on that old vinyl record.

 

[michael hagerty]

In some ways, they were running on fumes in 1969, with the impending break-up of the band. Musically, 1969 was the year of "Abbey Road," however, the best album the Beatles ever did; their last hurrah. Great album; great sounding album, especially on the old British vinyl pressing a buddy gave me many years ago. Paul's bass never sounded better than on that old vinyl record.

The Beatles recorded two albums in 1969, "Let It Be", which wasn't released until 1970 and pretty much documents the break-up of the band, and "Abbey Road", the last album recorded as a group, and their attempt to go out on a high note. In terms of commercial success, they were still doing fine, but as a band, they were coming apart at the seams.