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Saul Levine to program KKJZ

K6JHU said:
The reference is at:

http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_4449248

but in essence Cal State is going to start negotiations to have the ownrer of KMZT replace PPR as the operator of KKJZ. Time frame is expected to be 3-6 months.
Click to expand...

So KKJZ will stay all jazz? I guess Saul can stick to one format, after all KMZT hasn't changed in a long time. But Saul's AM's seem to be rotating formats at will. We'll see...
 
That's actually a very interesting article, Saul is only a small part of what's going on. It's obvious the school has lost all its faith in PPR - asking the board to resign, yikes! Surprised to see the blues festival tanked this year, it's usually their only reliable fundraiser of the year. I guess starting to promote a Labor Day concert in February helps! But it's been apparent the last few years they're stretching the definition of "blues" to work in more "name" acts like Joe Cocker and War, who are perfectly fine but not at a blues festival.

As I've said before, too bad about PPR, but the only thing that matters to me is that the station retains its classic jazz and blues format; that's why I send them money during begathons. As a listener, I couldn't care less who's running the joint. And let's not forget that Saul has done jazz and knows jazz, unlike the folks at KPCC. In the wise words of Adam Ant, things down in Long Beach are desparate but not serious.
 
gerald said:
That's actually a very interesting article, Saul is only a small part of what's going on. It's obvious the school has lost all its faith in PPR - asking the board to resign, yikes! Surprised to see the blues festival tanked this year, it's usually their only reliable fundraiser of the year. I guess starting to promote a Labor Day concert in February helps! But it's been apparent the last few years they're stretching the definition of "blues" to work in more "name" acts like Joe Cocker and War, who are perfectly fine but not at a blues festival.

As I've said before, too bad about PPR, but the only thing that matters to me is that the station retains its classic jazz and blues format; that's why I send them money during begathons. As a listener, I couldn't care less who's running the joint. And let's not forget that Saul has done jazz and knows jazz, unlike the folks at KPCC. In the wise words of Adam Ant, things down in Long Beach are desparate but not serious.
Click to expand...

True, Saul knows jazz. It's a format he abandoned in LA a while ago. But you're right, as long as the station continues to play jazz and blues, that's all that really matters. Wonder if he'll fire the current air-staff?
 
KKJZ has never recovered since Chuck Niles passed away. They need to do a nationwide
search for some real authentic radio pro that gets jazz, not Joni Caryl for cripes sake.
Saul has a tendancy to hire no-name, third string talent, hopefully some of those
jokers from KKGO won't be on the air at KKJZ. As far as promoting the school, F*$&
the school,it's all about jazz!
 
Niles worked for Levine at KKGO for almost two decades.

The talent at KMZT is hardly no-name.

And Saul dropped jazz at 105.1 to pick up classical when KFAC dropped classical, and the audience was looking for a new home.

In all fairness, CSULB made a good decision. I hope the KKJZ talent gets first choice for jobs at the new 88.1. I wonder if the studios will be in Westwood???
 
zumahans said:
Niles worked for Levine at KKGO for almost two decades.

The talent at KMZT is hardly no-name.

And Saul dropped jazz at 105.1 to pick up classical when KFAC dropped classical, and the audience was looking for a new home.

In all fairness, CSULB made a good decision. I hope the KKJZ talent gets first choice for jobs at the new 88.1. I wonder if the studios will be in Westwood???
Click to expand...

No, the studios will remain at CSULB. The idea is that there will be internships, etc. for the students. That was one of the boards' gripes, no interaction with the college.

But Saul is going to have to bring some credibility back to KLON, er, KKJZ. He can begin by dusting off some of the old KLON playlists and then judiciously bring in some new artists/recordings that are actually respected by jazz fans. Forget the smooth jazz crowd.

True, Chuck Niles was a treasure for KLON/KKJZ. He not only knew jazz but personally knew the artists, the famous and obscure. Saul will need to bring in someone who truly knows and loves jazz. Perhaps a Leonard Feather-type person but with broadcast chops.

In the end, it could be an exciting era for KKJZ if Saul does it right.

db
 
dbdigital said:
zumahans said:
Niles worked for Levine at KKGO for almost two decades.

The talent at KMZT is hardly no-name.

And Saul dropped jazz at 105.1 to pick up classical when KFAC dropped classical, and the audience was looking for a new home.

In all fairness, CSULB made a good decision. I hope the KKJZ talent gets first choice for jobs at the new 88.1. I wonder if the studios will be in Westwood???
Click to expand...

No, the studios will remain at CSULB. The idea is that there will be internships, etc. for the students. That was one of the boards' gripes, no interaction with the college.

But Saul is going to have to bring some credibility back to KLON, er, KKJZ. He can begin by dusting off some of the old KLON playlists and then judiciously bring in some new artists/recordings that are actually respected by jazz fans. Forget the smooth jazz crowd.

True, Chuck Niles was a treasure for KLON/KKJZ. He not only knew jazz but personally knew the artists, the famous and obscure. Saul will need to bring in someone who truly knows and loves jazz. Perhaps a Leonard Feather-type person but with broadcast chops.

In the end, it could be an exciting era for KKJZ if Saul does it right.

db
Click to expand...

Great idea, but who's going to teach the students? Is there an actual class in broadcasting at CSLB anymore?
 
calguy said:
dbdigital said:
zumahans said:
Niles worked for Levine at KKGO for almost two decades.

The talent at KMZT is hardly no-name.

And Saul dropped jazz at 105.1 to pick up classical when KFAC dropped classical, and the audience was looking for a new home.

In all fairness, CSULB made a good decision. I hope the KKJZ talent gets first choice for jobs at the new 88.1. I wonder if the studios will be in Westwood???
Click to expand...

No, the studios will remain at CSULB. The idea is that there will be internships, etc. for the students. That was one of the boards' gripes, no interaction with the college.

But Saul is going to have to bring some credibility back to KLON, er, KKJZ. He can begin by dusting off some of the old KLON playlists and then judiciously bring in some new artists/recordings that are actually respected by jazz fans. Forget the smooth jazz crowd.

True, Chuck Niles was a treasure for KLON/KKJZ. He not only knew jazz but personally knew the artists, the famous and obscure. Saul will need to bring in someone who truly knows and loves jazz. Perhaps a Leonard Feather-type person but with broadcast chops.

In the end, it could be an exciting era for KKJZ if Saul does it right.

db
Click to expand...

Great idea, but who's going to teach the students? Is there an actual class in broadcasting at CSLB anymore?
Click to expand...

No, they don't. So radio broadcasting will be a new program for CSULB if they decide to pursue it.

By contrast, neighboring Long Beach City College, where I attended school in the 70's, always had a vigorous radio broadcasting program. In fact, they were the ones who originally held the license to KLON when it was a Class D station. A student attending there could get his 3rd class ticket with broadcast endorsement, was taught how to take TX readings, keep FCC logs, board op, etc. I throughly enjoyed the program and worked at KLON during those days.

But Cal State Long Beach had nothing like it and still doesn't.

db
 
Actually, I believe that was KSOL. When CSULB took the license, they changed calls, I think at the same time.
 
zumahans said:
Actually, I believe that was KSOL. When CSULB took the license, they changed calls, I think at the same time.
Click to expand...

When I interned at KLON, those were the calls I used. I did a call sign history check on the FCC's site and it indicated that KLON and KKJZ were the only calls given to the Long Beach station. Whereas the KSOL calls seem to have always remained in San Francisco.

db
 
zumahans said:
Hmmm. You must be right, someone told me wrong.
Click to expand...

According to an article in another local paper, KKJZ has about 300,000 listeners and an annual budget of $3 million. The station had been suffering financially and was on the verge of laying off staff and going dark.

Under the new agreement, the CSULB Foundation will continue to partially fund the station (studio space, utilities, GM salary) provided Mt. Wilson offer student scholarships, internships and jobs. There are no plans to change the station's format and the new managers will try to retain as many of the staff as possible.

So, hopefully, it will be a smooth transition. Pacific Public Radio's contract is set to expire the end of this year.

db
 
zumahans said:
Hmmm. You must be right, someone told me wrong.
Click to expand...
Not wrong, really, just an incorrect character. The student run station at CSULB had the call letters KUSL. It was shut down when CSULB purchased 88.1 from The Long Beach School District.

Lee
 
Qwestr said:
zumahans said:
Hmmm. You must be right, someone told me wrong.
Click to expand...
Not wrong, really, just an incorrect character. The student run station at CSULB had the call letters KUSL. It was shut down when CSULB purchased 88.1 from The Long Beach School District.

Lee
Click to expand...

And if I recall, it was just a campus station not having the equipment or license to broadcast into the community.

db
 
I must correct myself, it was KSUL, not KUSL, and yes, it ran at about 8 watts out of the campus. Saul Levine is still negotiating an agreement with CSULB and claims not to be making any radical changes to programming, but will use his sales staff at KMZT to sell underwriting for the nonprofit 88.1.
 
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