Public radio KCSN goes all-Americana, drops nighttime specialty shows

[Doctah]

Looks like KCSN, the CSUN station, has gotten rid of a ton of shows and gone automated at night. Classical remains, but after 6:30 they're playing an automated mix of singer/songwriters and acoustic tracks.

That means no more:

"Eyes of the World Radio" -- Grateful Dead, etc.
"Galactic Voyager" -- synth, electronic music
"Vocal Point" -- singing groups
"Down Home" -- roots, Cajun, zydeco, etc.
"Two on the Dial" -- Broadway
"Madly Cocktail" -- pop standards
"Aloha Friday Radio" -- Hawaiian

Wonder if the automation is permanent. Wonder what they should do with this station. Is there a public radio void that they should fill?

 

[djmimi]

That is just so sad. I was hoping all those specialty shows would remain. Some of them have been on the air for decades.

Classical KUSC showed up in the PPM, perhaps they are hoping KCSN will finally show up if they made it more so, don't know...they have a weak signal so it is doubtful they'll have any impact on PPM. They have been putting up repeaters like mad tho and are finally heard a bit more in the westside.

I'm rooting for classical but I'm sure it will be something else...

 

[davideduardo]

Classical KUSC showed up in the PPM, perhaps they are hoping KCSN will finally show up if they made it more so, don't know...

If I recall correctly, they showed up a number of times in the diary survey, too. In Spring of this year, it had a 0.1 and was tied for 55th in the market.

 

[ercjncpr]

So what's the news here? Another so-called "public radio" station finds it has to adopt a niche format to stay alive (usually a music forrnat). Happening all the time now and what of it? At least they are still on the air in some form. More power to them!

 

[calguy]

The sad thing is that for the most part the Cal State Northridge doesn't seem to have a clue. They fire all of the night time hosts who if I'm not mistaken are un-paid volunteers. They'll now go to their computer after their classical programming. Which is the niche format? Classical or the Arts & Roots juke box that was previously on overnights? If I were running KCSN I would get a little more aggressive. First off, why classical during the day, or at all for that matter? KUSC already does the format, and does it reasonably well. Arts & Roots? Why not do it "live" and make it something that might actually attract an audience. They still at this point have their weekend specialty shows, and while some are kind of lame I did hear something good happening early Saturday mornings from 7-10am. It was a show that mixes classic rock with a little country. Country really isn't my thing but the rock was great. Songs that I haven't heard the mainstream stations like KLOS play in a very long time, if at all. If I was programming KLOS or The Sound I would find out who the host is and sign him up immediately as I've been told that the hosts of the KCSN specialty shows program their own music.

Honestly, it sounds like the powers that be at CSN are getting ready to sign with NPR or one of the other competing organizations that already dominate almost every other public station in America, and that would truly be sad. Hey CSN, hire some people who actually know how radio works and you'll find that the whole operation could be turned around...

 

[Doctah]

If I were them, I'd wait for Indie 103.1 to flip -- which who knows, could be any day now -- and then acquire the name and format (but not the infrastructure or staff -- this is still public radio, after all). "Indie 88.5." Betcha they'd do 10 times better than what they do now.

 

[JimmyJames]

Sounds like the acoustic/singer songwriter thing is already being done to some degree via The Sound and KCRW. I'm not sure I see the point in going automated with that mix. Especially since they weren't having to pay people to do the specialist programming.

 

[scooty430]

I'm already annoyed at KCSN for dropping Chuck Cecil a few months back. I am guessing it's because he charged for his programming, as he should because it is extremely well done.

I hope they don't waste the signal by programming yet more NPR. It's already slightly ridiculous that KPCC and KCRW essentially simulcast NPR stuff in both morning and afternoon drive.

Here's a crazy idea: why not make KCSN a student-run station? Isn't that the whole purpose of a college radio station anyway? I feel that should be a requirement for all these stations, KUSC, KCRW, KPCC.....put the students on the air. I went to USC for a year before transferring, and was shocked to see that no student would ever get anywhere near the place. Put the NPR and professional stuff on another frequency.

 

[djmimi]

Here's a crazy idea: why not make KCSN a student-run station? Isn't that the whole purpose of a college radio station anyway? I feel that should be a requirement for all these stations, KUSC, KCRW, KPCC.....put the students on the air. I went to USC for a year before transferring, and was shocked to see that no student would ever get anywhere near the place. Put the NPR and professional stuff on another frequency.

Actually Scooty, I'm of the same opinion. I even mentioned it to the guy in charge (Harry Hellenbrand, the provost) and he agreed. It's a COLLEGE station. When I was in college, STUDENTS ran and operated the joint and how wonderful it sounded too!! I miss hearing all the kids on the air...

 

[Doctah]

I hadn't realized that KCSN was once student-run. When did it become a station with a paid staff and unpaid community volunteers?

 

[nmoore6676]

Here's a crazy idea: why not make KCSN a student-run station? Isn't that the whole purpose of a college radio station anyway? I feel that should be a requirement for all these stations, KUSC, KCRW, KPCC.....put the students on the air. I went to USC for a year before transferring, and was shocked to see that no student would ever get anywhere near the place. Put the NPR and professional stuff on another frequency.

Actually Scooty, I'm of the same opinion. I even mentioned it to the guy in charge (Harry Hellenbrand, the provost) and he agreed. It's a COLLEGE station. When I was in college, STUDENTS ran and operated the joint and how wonderful it sounded too!! I miss hearing all the kids on the air...

I agree but the problem is that colleges have realized that their radio stations are a valuable property and can actually bring in endowment contributions. The underwriting by business, aka cleverly disguised sponsors, makes it less attractive to allow student operation. I always felt that as a training ground for students in the radio/tv programs they could provide a great laboratory experience.

Over 30 years ago I worked at the WOSU stations in Columbus and gratefully accepted the check while at the same time wondering why students in the journalism school weren't doing the news casts. We had all professional staff and production facilities better than any of the commercial stations in Columbus at the time. Sadly at that same time a group of students on campus, through the student union, wanted to have a student operated and programmed facility to broadcast to their fellows yet because of the multiple ownership rules they could not get even a 10watt FM license so they ended up as a carrier current operation to the dorms using equipment salvaged from the old WOSU AM studios. Those massive old RCA consoles, along with the big 16" transcription turntables were magnificent, I still miss them to this day.

 

[scooty430]

I'm pretty sure KCRW was once student-run, back in the 70s.

Another example I know of was Wellesley College's station. They even had a program where the local public high school kids could have shows (even the guys.) I know because I was one of them!

I suppose today kids in college who are interested in broadcasting would simply create their own internet station or MySpace page. Maybe a student station wouldn't even attract anybody, come to think of it. Terrestrial radio is perhaps old hat to them.

 

[nmoore6676]

I'm pretty sure KCRW was once student-run, back in the 70s.

Another example I know of was Wellesley College's station. They even had a program where the local public high school kids could have shows (even the guys.) I know because I was one of them!

I suppose today kids in college who are interested in broadcasting would simply create their own internet station or MySpace page. Maybe a student station wouldn't even attract anybody, come to think of it. Terrestrial radio is perhaps old hat to them.

Part of the allure to me, and I'm probably a lot older than you, was MY VOICE modulating radio waves and those waves going out to who knows where. I suppose that most of the people on here at some point did the radio station in the bedroom thing where you had a turntable with a mike and pretended to be your favorite DJ and that is how I see Internat Stations. Except for the chance that someone out there will tune you in it is not much different than the kid "broadcasting" to his mom in the kitchen.

I don't think that Terrestrial Radio is dead, though a lot of people seem to be dedicated to killing it. Radio is still the most efficient way to get content to masses of people in different places and in their cars all at one time. Satellite has dead zones and the Internet requires some kind of hook up. With the cable companies, led by Comcast, considering capping who will be able to afford to stream vast numbers of bits over the net. Also remember that wireless internet and cell phones already have a pay as you go model.

 

[calguy]

I mentioned in an earlier post that I heard a great show on KCSN on Saturday mornings. After checking the KCSN website I found that it's hosted by a guy named Andy Rush. In my mind it's the best thing on the station, hope they keep him.

 

[calguy]

That's too bad, they really didn't understand what they had. Truly shortsighted of KCSN to do. Thanks for the info djmimi

 

[Doctah]

Any other KCSN DJs get the ax?

 

[Buckethead]

LIGHTER side of AAA? Brilliant. And it didn't work? Wow.

 

[americana]

LIGHTER side of AAA? Brilliant. And it didn't work? Wow.

Arts & Americana Alternative (though the latter should have been more accurately described as: "ACOUSTIC Alternative") didn't work together because these two formats served dueling audiences. Last year, KCSN's current GM finally spun-off their Arts format to the HD2 channel and committed their airwaves totally to AAA. Now KCSN's version of AAA is being called "Smart Rock", which Sky defined: "encompasses Top 40, Americana, alternative, country, R&B and hip-hop". So I guess his version of AAA is to play almost any genre...