Retro 1260

[accessdlp]

LIVESTREAM!!!!

http://www.1260.am/programming/listen/​

 

[p368241]

I believe the nighttime DJ at KGIL (Sinatra's favorite) was Paul Compton.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

Being Sinatra's favorite must have been a heady feeling. The problem was what happened if you screwed up?

 

[LKellerIII]

I believe the nighttime DJ at KGIL (Sinatra's favorite) was Paul Compton.

That's it! Compton's show was excellent. These days, he'd probably be on a non-commercial public radio station playing jazz and standards.

Being Sinatra's favorite must have been a heady feeling. The problem was what happened if you screwed up?

As long as he showed due respect to Frank, played Sinatra records, and other music that Sinatra liked, I don't think Compton had to worry. Now if Compton had played a rock and roll record, that might have earned him some cement shoes and a limosine ride to a local pier. ;D

 

[michael hagerty]

As I remember it, MOR stations played pop music only as far back as the 50s - they rarely if ever played pre-war or Big Band music, and there was a lot of current hits from Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Perry Como, Jack Jones, etc.

There was a lot of competition within that format in the 60s -there were probably more MOR stations in LA than any other format - I'd guess that KMPC (710) was the highest rated, but at various times, the format included KHJ (pre "Boss"), KLAC, KNX in some day parts. Bob Crane was KNX's morning DJ before he got his big acting break with Hogan's Heroes, and his music was MOR. Rock and Top 40 was popular in those days, but did not dominate music radio by any means.

I don't know how high KGIL's ratings were (calling Michael Hagerty), but it was an excellent station with a considerable audience - at least in the San Fernando Valley. Personalities included the brilliant Dick Whittington (not to be confused with Dick Whittinghill on KMPC), Larry Van Nuys, and many other high profile DJs of that era. I'm blanking on the name of their very popular night-time DJ - my father loved him. He was reportedly Sinatra's favorite DJ, and Frank would stop by to visit on occasion.

Obviously, this is a very different era, but in that era, the station was a success, marginal signal, or not.

Llew: KGIL had three pretty good years, 1966, 1967 and 1968, according to Pulse...with 2s and 3s...ranking between 12th and 15th. From '69 on, it was 1s or less...and they fell off the Arbitron radar by 1975. (rating post is here: http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=132452.0)

They sounded great though...and Whittington was tremendous.

You're right about the music played by MOR stations...despite our generation's fixation on songs from 40 years ago, our parents' MOR went back 10, maybe 15 years. Big Bands were heard maybe once an hour on Dick Whittinghill's show on KMPC and nightly on Chuck Cecil's "Swingin' Years" program on KFI (another MOR station of the 50s, 60s and early 70s). It was mostly current music...and Johnny Magnus was on KMPC pushing the envelope with great jazz and long tracks (yes, 11 minutes of Isaac Hayes' "The Look of Love" could be heard on KMPC in 1972).

But no AM signal today is as good as it was 40 years ago...too much interference from other devices. And the metro covers a lot more ground now.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[cyberdad]

Just wanted to jump back in and say that my earlier "format wheel" remark was essentially tongue-in-cheek.
Although, for some reason, I actually had been wondering what I might hear on 1260 during my upcoming business trip to So-Cal.

It's always refreshing to have something different. I commend Saul & company for their continuing search for the "sweet spot" of unfilled niches and I sincerely wish them every success. I look forward to tuning in when I'm in town...and checking out the stream before them.

 

[radiojomo]

My only question is will this format make money?

 

[oaktree]

Depends on your definition of "make money."

In an answer, as an LA station, "No." As a 50+ station, only cheaply and at a far, far less income than a "signaled" station that at least covers the metro (KGIL doesn't.) As for selling demos, forget it. Even in the 50-54 core, no effect on the 25-54s and, in the 35-64s. Hence, no interest from the agencies which don't buy those higher demos.

As a direct sale operation to local advertisers, KGIL has been tried so many times, the signal is bad, the talent (such as it is) not known for legacy and the music ... way AOR (way "all over the road") for boomers and elders.

A good MOR, with but a hint of very lite A/C but focus on "true" MOR (not merely "standards" and very very little "chicken rock" ... with KMPC's former staff and, yes, Whittington, might make a little noise, but how much? Sweet Dick is alive and well, living in San Luis Obispo. You couldn't meet a nicer, more postive, fun guy ... despite his age. And, yes, the pipes and demeanor are still there. Knows good wine, too! A great guy.

 

[michael hagerty]

A good MOR, with but a hint of very lite A/C but focus on "true" MOR (not merely "standards" and very very little "chicken rock" ... with KMPC's former staff and, yes, Whittington, might make a little noise, but how much? Sweet Dick is alive and well, living in San Luis Obispo. You couldn't meet a nicer, more postive, fun guy ... despite his age. And, yes, the pipes and demeanor are still there. Knows good wine, too! A great guy.

Technology would make Sweet Dick doing a morning show from San Luis Obispo no sweat...if Saul wanted to spend the money.

And if you made up the rest of the staff with KMPC guys, then there'd be some continuity....Wink Martindale was on the original KGIL in the 60s and early 70s, as well as KMPC and the K-JOY adult standards format on 1260 in the 90s. Gary Owens and Johnny Magnus were on 1260 in the 90s, too.

Since radio in general is pretty much a lost cause after 7PM in terms of audience and sales potential (and KGIL's signal issues would only get worse), I'd just automate 7PM-5AM and call it "Music Til Dawn" (a name someone in L.A. used for years). So what about:


5-9AM: Sweet Dick Whittington

9AM-12Noon: Wink Martindale

12Noon-3PM: Johnny Magnus

3PM-7PM: Gary Owens

7PM-5AM: Music Til Dawn

As a kid who grew up with those guys, that sounds pretty good to me.

Except: I'm 53. The agencies don't care. And most of my contemporaries didn't listen to these guys...in fact, I'm from the early 70s wave of high schoolers that abandoned Top 40 for KLOS and KMET. So the demos are going to be very old.

And while I love every one of those guys and would love for them to be on the air forever, they won't. The youngest of them is 71.

And then there's the music. An adult standards programmer once explained to me that standards worked where MOR wouldn't for one reason...artists that have beome iconic. Andy Williams isn't Frank Sinatra. Jack Jones isn't Tony Bennett.

If you were 16 when Elvis hit, you'll turn 70 next year.

IF you were 16 when the Beatles hit, you turned 60 last year.

And the agencies are looking for 37 year olds.

So could this "work"?

No. It would just be nice to hear for some of us.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[oldiesfan6479]

I'd just automate 7PM-5AM and call it "Music Til Dawn" (a name someone in L.A. used for years).

Someone being KNX, in overnights.

But first make sure that AMR Corp. (American Airlines) didn't hang on to the
trademark rights for Music Til Dawn.

 

[observer8057]

KGIL did not rely on Arbitron (or Pulse or Hooper!!!!) to make boatloads of money. The Buckleys understood the signal and their market--the San Fernando Valley. Personal endorsement pitches by the likes of Sweet Dick (who was making more money back then than most of the "big personalities" of today--in real, hard dollars of the day) put bodies in the stores, and that brought in the bucks. The Buckleys also did a heck of a job convincing national buyers that the Hollywood Hills were a high as the Alps, and if they wanted their clients to penetrate that market, they had to add KGIL to their buy. KGIL IN THE VALLEY was localized, and it really worked!

 

[LKellerIII]

Michael Hagerty & Observer8057 - Thanks for the historical data and perspective. It was a diversion from the original subject of this thread (the new 1260), but a very interesting discussion about a once great radio station.

 

[accessdlp]

A good MOR, with but a hint of very lite A/C but focus on "true" MOR (not merely "standards" and very very little "chicken rock" ... with KMPC's former staff and, yes, Whittington, might make a little noise, but how much? Sweet Dick is alive and well, living in San Luis Obispo. You couldn't meet a nicer, more postive, fun guy ... despite his age. And, yes, the pipes and demeanor are still there. Knows good wine, too! A great guy.

Technology would make Sweet Dick doing a morning show from San Luis Obispo no sweat...if Saul wanted to spend the money.

And if you made up the rest of the staff with KMPC guys, then there'd be some continuity....Wink Martindale was on the original KGIL in the 60s and early 70s, as well as KMPC and the K-JOY adult standards format on 1260 in the 90s. Gary Owens and Johnny Magnus were on 1260 in the 90s, too.

Since radio in general is pretty much a lost cause after 7PM in terms of audience and sales potential (and KGIL's signal issues would only get worse), I'd just automate 7PM-5AM and call it "Music Til Dawn" (a name someone in L.A. used for years). So what about:


5-9AM: Sweet Dick Whittington

9AM-12Noon: Wink Martindale

12Noon-3PM: Johnny Magnus

3PM-7PM: Gary Owens

7PM-5AM: Music Til Dawn

---Michael Hagerty
[/quote]


So here's a bit of speculation. Is all of this just a holder for......THIS? www.hitparaderadio.com

 

[LKellerIII]

A good MOR, with but a hint of very lite A/C but focus on "true" MOR (not merely "standards" and very very little "chicken rock" ... with KMPC's former staff and, yes, Whittington, might make a little noise, but how much? Sweet Dick is alive and well, living in San Luis Obispo. You couldn't meet a nicer, more postive, fun guy ... despite his age. And, yes, the pipes and demeanor are still there. Knows good wine, too! A great guy.

Technology would make Sweet Dick doing a morning show from San Luis Obispo no sweat...if Saul wanted to spend the money.

And if you made up the rest of the staff with KMPC guys, then there'd be some continuity....Wink Martindale was on the original KGIL in the 60s and early 70s, as well as KMPC and the K-JOY adult standards format on 1260 in the 90s. Gary Owens and Johnny Magnus were on 1260 in the 90s, too.

Since radio in general is pretty much a lost cause after 7PM in terms of audience and sales potential (and KGIL's signal issues would only get worse), I'd just automate 7PM-5AM and call it "Music Til Dawn" (a name someone in L.A. used for years). So what about:

5-9AM: Sweet Dick Whittington

9AM-12Noon: Wink Martindale

12Noon-3PM: Johnny Magnus

3PM-7PM: Gary Owens

7PM-5AM: Music Til Dawn

As a kid who grew up with those guys, that sounds pretty good to me.

---Michael Hagerty

Music Til Dawn was the default title for the all night music shows on CBS radio stations from the 50s until the all-news era. In Los Angeles, it was on KNX, and I believe it was hosted by Mel Baldwin who worked for KNX from the early 50s into the early 90s. In San Francisco, Music Til Dawn was on KCBS, and hosted for a number of years by Dave McElhatton, who later became a very popular TV news anchorman. The title was also used at WCBS New York.

 

[accessdlp]

Music Til Dawn was the default title for the all night music shows on CBS radio stations from the 50s until the all-news era. In Los Angeles, it was on KNX, and I believe it was hosted by Mel Baldwin who worked for KNX from the early 50s into the early 90s. In San Francisco, Music Til Dawn was on KCBS, and hosted for a number of years by Dave McElhatton, who later became a very popular TV news anchorman. The title was also used at WCBS New York.

The term Music Til Dawn is curently used by VCY America, a Christian radio network out of MN. (http://vcyamerica.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=29) I don't know if they have the (C) on that, or if MTD is a generic term.

 

[scooty430]

Although I could do without the Barry Manilow and Air Supply, I'm loving the music on 1260. I've heard some songs I haven't heard in years, if ever, on the air...

26 Miles - Four Preps
IGY - Donald Fagen
Breathless - Jerry Lee Lewis
It's Now Or Never - Elvis
The "Smile" song that Jermaine Jackson sang at that tribute, done by Nat King Cole
lots of Frank, of course
lots of Bread
I Can Hear Music - Beach Boys
Sleepwalk - Santo and Johnny
plenty of Bobby Darin
Reminiscing - Little River Band

I like the low-key delivery.

They need to work on songs repeating too often, and the voice tracking. Sometimes the announcements do not match the songs. Oops!