Rick Dees Out At KHHT FM

[TheBigA]

I think it's always been this way, though these days its usually replacing one voice-tracked jock with another voice-tracked jock.

In a way, that's one of the advantages of voicetracking is that you don't have to move. You can live in a town you like, keep your kids in the same school, have a consistent family life, maybe even buy a house, and still work in other markets. DJs have become content creators, and their work is available anywhere.

 

[LKellerIII]

My God! L.A. stations change talent like I change underwear...weekly. It seems like there's a change on at least one station every week. 8)

You can find images of quite a few old radio record surveys on line - like the KEWB or KFWB Fabulous Forty. The personalities are all on the front cover. If you check any two a year apart, at least half of the jocks are different.

Examples - KYA "Swingin' 60 Survey - December 18, 1961:
http://www.bayarearadio.org/surveys/kya/kya_swingin-60_dec-18-1961.shtml

KYA Swingin 60 Survey - October 29, 1962
http://www.bayarearadio.org/surveys/kya/kya_survey_oct-29-1962.shtml

in 8 months, 3 guys have left, and 4 new guys are on the cover. Note Bill Drake in mornings on both surveys, Bob Hudson on the 62 survey, (later "Emperor Hudson" on KRLA, KFWB, and "Hudson and Landry" at KGBS, and Johnny Hayes on the 62 survey - later at KRLA and KRTH.

I remember reading a piece from Norman Davis (61 survey) on the KSAN "Jive 95" Tribute website - he moved from jocking at KYA to news anchor because he hated Program Director Bill Drake for being such a control freak. Hmmmmm....you think?

 

[michael hagerty]

My God! L.A. stations change talent like I change underwear...weekly. It seems like there's a change on at least one station every week. 8)

Remember the line to the WKRP theme song; "Got tired of packing and unpacking, town to town, up and down the dial..."When was that - 30 years ago? I think it's always been this way, though these days its usually replacing one voice-tracked jock with another voice-tracked jock. In the 60s, most of the Top 40 jocks would come and go, often switching stations between KHJ, KRLA, KFWB, KDAY, etc. The only exceptions were the #1 drive time guys like Morgan and Steele, and even they switched stations once or twice a decade.

It's the same way in San Francisco, and everywhere, I'm sure.

You can find images of quite a few old radio record surveys on line - like the KEWB or KFWB Fabulous Forty. The personalities are all on the front cover. If you check any two a year apart, at least half of the jocks are different.

I think things are actually more stable now. Bad ratings and format changes always means jock shakeups. But look at KRTH and KROQ. How long since there was a change in their fulltime lineup?

The longest stretch I can think of in the "good old days" was 1963-1968 at KMPC...Dick Whittinghill, Ira Cook, Gary Owens, Roger Carroll, Johnny Magnus and Pete Smith. I don't think anybody (okay, maybe KFAC) held their main lineup together longer.

 

[michael hagerty]

Also...back in the old days, turnover wasn't just a case of jocks getting fired. KHJ canned fairly few jocks. Roger Christian and Dave Diamond got the boot, but Scotty Brink got drafted, Tommy Vance had visa troubles, Johnny Mitchell got promoted within RKO to program KFRC (as Sebastian Stone), Gary Mack was given a corporate position and Bobby Mitchell died.

Not sure if Tom Maule getting transferred to KFRC really counts as getting canned from KHJ. Frank Terry took a better offer from KFI, and Scotty Brink (on his second tour) did the same with WCFL. But then, there was a lot of opportunity then...a lot of stations looking for talent. And stations like KHJ had seven full-time jock shifts to fill compared to today's four or maybe five.

It wasn't until 1970 that KHJ outright fired someone again (Chuck Browning).

 

[calguy]

Actually at many stations only the morning shift is live and local anymore, but I remember when 7 full timers was the norm, especially at RKO and many others that did 3 hour shifts 6am to midnight.
As for line-ups staying together a long time, though it's not Top 40, KOST had theirs in place for quite a while with most of the changes occurring from 6-10 at night. From 1986-2007 it was the same except for that shift and one glitch in afternoon drive...

 

[LKellerIII]

Also...back in the old days, turnover wasn't just a case of jocks getting fired. KHJ canned fairly few jocks. Roger Christian and Dave Diamond got the boot, but Scotty Brink got drafted, Tommy Vance had visa troubles, Johnny Mitchell got promoted within RKO to program KFRC (as Sebastian Stone), Gary Mack was given a corporate position and Bobby Mitchell died.

Not sure if Tom Maule getting transferred to KFRC really counts as getting canned from KHJ. Frank Terry took a better offer from KFI, and Scotty Brink (on his second tour) did the same with WCFL. But then, there was a lot of opportunity then...a lot of stations looking for talent. And stations like KHJ had seven full-time jock shifts to fill compared to today's four or maybe five.

It wasn't until 1970 that KHJ outright fired someone again (Chuck Browning).

Though keep in mind that KHJ had monster ratings ("if it ain't broke..." and all that). KRLA, KFWB, and the other Top 40 stations that came along - had revolving doors for jocks. In the 5 or so years after KHJ went "Boss," I was a regular KRLA listener (65-70), KRLA probably had a half dozen DJs in afternoon drive against the Real Don Steele. Bob Dayton, Dick Sainte, Lee Duncan...and I can't think of the others, but I'm sure there were some. Mornings were a bit more stable because Jay Stevens stayed 2 or 3 few years, but not much.

In the KYA example I posted above, KYA was probably number 1 - or second to KEWB.

 

[michael hagerty]

Also...back in the old days, turnover wasn't just a case of jocks getting fired. KHJ canned fairly few jocks. Roger Christian and Dave Diamond got the boot, but Scotty Brink got drafted, Tommy Vance had visa troubles, Johnny Mitchell got promoted within RKO to program KFRC (as Sebastian Stone), Gary Mack was given a corporate position and Bobby Mitchell died.

Not sure if Tom Maule getting transferred to KFRC really counts as getting canned from KHJ. Frank Terry took a better offer from KFI, and Scotty Brink (on his second tour) did the same with WCFL. But then, there was a lot of opportunity then...a lot of stations looking for talent. And stations like KHJ had seven full-time jock shifts to fill compared to today's four or maybe five.

It wasn't until 1970 that KHJ outright fired someone again (Chuck Browning).

Though keep in mind that KHJ had monster ratings ("if it ain't broke..." and all that). KRLA, KFWB, and the other Top 40 stations that came along - had revolving doors for jocks. In the 5 or so years after KHJ went "Boss," I was a regular KRLA listener (65-70), KRLA probably had a half dozen DJs in afternoon drive against the Real Don Steele. Bob Dayton, Dick Sainte, Lee Duncan...and I can't think of the others, but I'm sure there were some. Mornings were a bit more stable because Jay Stevens stayed 2 or 3 few years, but not much.

In the KYA example I posted above, KYA was probably number 1 - or second to KEWB.

Right. As I said in the first post, "Bad ratings and format changes always means jock shakeups".

Good to remember too that KHJ had exactly one PD for its first four years (1965-1969). And new PDs almost always mean jock changes.

 

[DJBigOne]

Remember the line to the WKRP theme song; "Got tired of packing and unpacking, town to town, up and down the dial..."When was that - 30 years ago? I think it's always been this way, though these days its usually replacing one voice-tracked jock with another voice-tracked jock. In the 60s, most of the Top 40 jocks would come and go, often switching stations between KHJ, KRLA, KFWB, KDAY, etc. The only exceptions were the #1 drive time guys like Morgan and Steele, and even they switched stations once or twice a decade.

It's the same way in San Francisco, and everywhere, I'm sure.

You can find images of quite a few old radio record surveys on line - like the KEWB or KFWB Fabulous Forty. The personalities are all on the front cover. If you check any two a year apart, at least half of the jocks are different.

I was just joking of course. I realize this is quite common. I worked in three small markets in three years. Since I wasn't willing to live in poverty for 10 years or so, I went back to engineering. Hmmm. I guess that's why I've been at this gig for 6.5 years. 8)

As a listener, it is maddening to see your favorite personalities go bye-bye. I enjoyed KLSX...now gone. I've listened to Mark & Brian for 25+ years. I was very disappointed to hear Mark's leaving.

 

[Carmine5]

So Rick Dees can now be heard on KBBY-FM Ventura.

http://www.b951.com/

One day Rick's only So. Cal. presence will be somewhere out in Palm Desert. Dees had a wonderful, long run here in L.A. But nothing lasts forever--especially in radio.

 

[michael hagerty]

So Rick Dees can now be heard on KBBY-FM Ventura.

http://www.b951.com/

One day Rick's only So. Cal. presence will be somewhere out in Palm Desert. Dees had a wonderful, long run here in L.A. But nothing lasts forever--especially in radio.

Carmine: You missed the big deal...he's on middays (10AM-3PM)! That's just wrong.

 

[Carmine5]

So Rick Dees can now be heard on KBBY-FM Ventura.

http://www.b951.com/

One day Rick's only So. Cal. presence will be somewhere out in Palm Desert. Dees had a wonderful, long run here in L.A. But nothing lasts forever--especially in radio.

Carmine: You missed the big deal...he's on middays (10AM-3PM)! That's just wrong.

As I see it, Michael, the big deal is going from market #2 to market #118 (Oxnard-Ventura).

 

[TheBigA]

I suspect this is one of his syndicated projects, not "live & local."

 

[Carmine5]

I suspect this is one of his syndicated projects, not "live & local."

Oh, no doubt. But in terms of presence, it's kind of like being moved from an office suite on the top floor with a view to a cubicle that's near the exit.

 

[TheBigA]

But in terms of presence, it's kind of like being moved from an office suite on the top floor with a view to a cubicle that's near the exit.

I imagine he has quite a few stations carrying this show, not just Ventura. So it's comparing a concentrated mass of LA with a more disbursed national audience. I'm sure as far as he's concerned, it's all the same as long as the check clears.

 

[michael hagerty]

So Rick Dees can now be heard on KBBY-FM Ventura.

http://www.b951.com/

One day Rick's only So. Cal. presence will be somewhere out in Palm Desert. Dees had a wonderful, long run here in L.A. But nothing lasts forever--especially in radio.

Carmine: You missed the big deal...he's on middays (10AM-3PM)! That's just wrong.

As I see it, Michael, the big deal is going from market #2 to market #118 (Oxnard-Ventura).

We disagree. Syndication puts him in markets of all sizes. He didn't go from L.A. to Ventura. It is a shame that's the closest to Los Angeles he currently airs.

But what is a shock is that a guy who has never been a timeslot DJ...but who helped define the whole "high concept" morning show standard would be airing in middays. Not even afternoon drive...middays. Totally misplaced.

 

[TheBigA]

But what is a shock is that a guy who has never been a timeslot DJ...but who helped define the whole "high concept" morning show standard would be airing in middays. Not even afternoon drive...middays. Totally misplaced.

My understanding is that the show is available for both mid-day and afternoon drive. I think stations may prefer mid-days, so they don't have to share revenues from a more lucrative daypart.

 

[wdb2003]

In Atlanta Rick is on a 80's 90's Hits station Journey 979 (via translator) in the afternoons Sunday are his Classic Weekly Top 40 shows from the 90's

In Topeka, KS Rick is on Middays on KMAJ Majic 1077 (AC)

In Indianapolis, Rick is on Middays on I 94 (Hot AC)

In Las Vegas Rick is on 105.7 The Oasis overnights. (Rhythmic AC)

In Jefferson City Rick is on middays on KPLA (AC)

Cumulus is mostly using Rick for filler programming on most of its stations.