The great Wave/KOST fight of the 2010s rages on!!!

[wdb2003]

I understand what you meant kinda like CBS WWFS in New York. They have a AC/Hot AC format. Im actually enjoying KTWV's format but when it comes to a flip more than likely it will be full blown AC. I dont see them becoming a clone of KHHT.

I also agree on the Rhythmic AC format. All of them have been poorly programmed. KBIG was the only one that lasted the longest. Only thing that screwed them up was adding Delilah again. KMVN had so many issues with their music it was sad. It was sounding good for a few months before the LMA. Its funny that the PD who turned KMVN into a Oldies station is programming KISQ in SF and it performing better. Market wise both LA and SF are different.

Agreed KTWV is too Soft AC to even match up to KHHT Hot 92.3. Hell I'm falling out of my chair reading your post . Then again yeah wdb2003 you've really hit the nail on the head. As for Rhythmic AC let's just say Los Angeles may have outgrown the format that's just my opinion so don't shoot the messager lol :.

No Los Angeles can still support the format KBIG was the most sucessful. Clear Channel just didnt wanna give it a full try because it would overlap with KIIS which started to lean Rhythmic after Dee's departure. Like justpassingthough mention they have all been program poorly. KBIG adding Delilah and KMVN with its mix of Disco and Pop Hits. WMIA in Miami and WKTU in New York are good examples. Different markets but both stations have adapted to the music changes.

 

[RBRadioWaves]

I understand what you meant kinda like CBS WWFS in New York. They have a AC/Hot AC format. Im actually enjoying KTWV's format but when it comes to a flip more than likely it will be full blown AC. I dont see them becoming a clone of KHHT.

I also agree on the Rhythmic AC format. All of them have been poorly programmed. KBIG was the only one that lasted the longest. Only thing that screwed them up was adding Delilah again. KMVN had so many issues with their music it was sad. It was sounding good for a few months before the LMA. Its funny that the PD who turned KMVN into a Oldies station is programming KISQ in SF and it performing better. Market wise both LA and SF are different.

Agreed KTWV is too Soft AC to even match up to KHHT Hot 92.3. Hell I'm falling out of my chair reading your post . Then again yeah wdb2003 you've really hit the nail on the head. As for Rhythmic AC let's just say Los Angeles may have outgrown the format that's just my opinion so don't shoot the messager lol :.

No Los Angeles can still support the format KBIG was the most sucessful. Clear Channel just didnt wanna give it a full try because it would overlap with KIIS which started to lean Rhythmic after Dee's departure. Like justpassingthough mention they have all been program poorly. KBIG adding Delilah and KMVN with its mix of Disco and Pop Hits. WMIA in Miami and WKTU in New York are good examples. Different markets but both stations have adapted to the music changes.

I dont think WKTU would be a Rhythmic AC. WLTW, on the other hand, is too similar to the old KBIG. You cant play Lady Gaga for 19 hours, then seuge into Delilah's sugary lovesongs show.

Enough about that, KTWV will probably NOT flip to "Fresh", to try and protect AMP and KEarth. AMP would be cannibalized by Fresh, and KEarth would lose it's backup, putting/securing KOST in 1st.

 

[calguy]

I understand what you meant kinda like CBS WWFS in New York. They have a AC/Hot AC format. Im actually enjoying KTWV's format but when it comes to a flip more than likely it will be full blown AC. I dont see them becoming a clone of KHHT.

I also agree on the Rhythmic AC format. All of them have been poorly programmed. KBIG was the only one that lasted the longest. Only thing that screwed them up was adding Delilah again. KMVN had so many issues with their music it was sad. It was sounding good for a few months before the LMA. Its funny that the PD who turned KMVN into a Oldies station is programming KISQ in SF and it performing better. Market wise both LA and SF are different.

Agreed KTWV is too Soft AC to even match up to KHHT Hot 92.3. Hell I'm falling out of my chair reading your post . Then again yeah wdb2003 you've really hit the nail on the head. As for Rhythmic AC let's just say Los Angeles may have outgrown the format that's just my opinion so don't shoot the messager lol :.

No Los Angeles can still support the format KBIG was the most sucessful. Clear Channel just didnt wanna give it a full try because it would overlap with KIIS which started to lean Rhythmic after Dee's departure. Like justpassingthough mention they have all been program poorly. KBIG adding Delilah and KMVN with its mix of Disco and Pop Hits. WMIA in Miami and WKTU in New York are good examples. Different markets but both stations have adapted to the music changes.

KBIG was successful in the respect that it was the leader in the format of Rhythmic AC, but Clear Channel had no-one to lead the station once Jhani Kaye left the building. KMVN could have, but never beat KBIG. Movin was too slow to add staff who for the most part were the wrong picks for the station. The music was never right either. I believe that CC felt that even though KBIG was the leader in the format in LA, it wasn't successful enough. It was a great flanker for KOST. Now I believe that it's actually hurt KOST in some ways, not that most would think so looking at the ratings today, but I think they took some steam out of KOST's engine in some of the demos.

 

[Marv-L.A.]

One of KMVN's biggest problems was their burnt-to-a-crisp library, and most of those tunes were also in KBIG's library; consequently, the adults & baby-boomers who wanted to hear current music alongside the best top 40 smashes from the eighties and nineties but who had outgrown KIIS had no reason to listen to KMVN in the first place.

Insofar as KRTH goes, from what I've read in R&R, Billboard & elsewhere over the years, lots of Oldies/Classic Hits have very grudgingly added more 80s music to their libraries, and even late eighties and a few nineties tracks as well; I've heard Santana's 'Smooth' on KRTH for instance, which isn't that out of place, but being flabbergasted by hearing G N R's 'November Rain' on KBIG yesterday afternoon was a real stunner and major-league head scratcher.

Jhani Kaye knows this market as well as anybody, and I do recall reading somewhere that Michael Martin was quoted last year or the year before as saying that 'LA is an over-researched market', and I'm very inclined to agree with him; that's certainly an assessment which could be aimed at several other stations besides KRTH.

I've heard mid-eighties hits from the likes of Don Henley, Huey Lewis & The News and Phil Collins/Genesis on KRTH, so Kaye is definitely trying to freshen the station, and even airing the full 8+ minute version of 'American Pie' deserves some accolades, even for a 40-year old tune.

As is the case in numerous markets across the country, KBIG has essentially become this market's de facto top 40 radio station, and has been for several years for adults who can't listen to KIIS and who bailed out of the format 20+ years ago and never came back. They can certainly play some rhythmic product, but they just have to be extremely selective.

I'm not sure what the term 'overindexed' means as it relates to LA's Hispanic audience or other minorities, but if it means that KBIG should decrease the percentage of rhytmic product in their library and perhaps add even non-rhythmic 80s and 90s product for their suburban listeners in OC, the IE & Ventura County, then that would make plenty of sense.

KOST is another story altogether; I've never heard any radio station during my almost six decades of living here that didn't appear to be a victim of being sabotaged deliberately from the inside.

The AC format has certainly evolved throughout the years, and since Ms. Prado learned the ins & outs of the format from the one person who essentially reinvented the format just like Gerry DeFrancesco did in launching a renaissance at top 40 radio with Rick Dees & KIIS in the early eighties, I have no idea why somebody is cutting her off at the knees and making the station sound so inconsistent and all-over-the-lot, with no clear focus or sense of direction

 

[ChannelFlipper]

KOST is another story altogether; I've never heard any radio station during my almost six decades of living here that didn't appear to be a victim of being sabotaged deliberately from the inside.

The AC format has certainly evolved throughout the years, and since Ms. Prado learned the ins & outs of the format from the one person who essentially reinvented the format just like Gerry DeFrancesco did in launching a renaissance at top 40 radio with Rick Dees & KIIS in the early eighties, I have no idea why somebody is cutting her off at the knees and making the station sound so inconsistent and all-over-the-lot, with no clear focus or sense of direction

I don't listen to KOST enough to make blanket statements, but lately I have been forced to listen to it in the Wife's car, and what I have noticed is not just that the station now seems really unfocussed as mentioned above, but there is a noticeable effort to make the station much more upbeat than it was it its dominating heyday. Back then, the station unapolagetically played the likes of Diamond, Streisand, Carpenters and Manilow alongside the Mariahs and Whitney's of the day. And the mushier and sappier the better. But now they seem to be doing some sort of KBIG-lite type thing. It used to be KBIG was positioned to flank and support KOST. I am not sure what the thinking is now.

I really noticed the change on the hourly "Love Song" letter at night. Used to be they would read the letter and then play some sappy Lionel Richie or Billy Ocean song (like Richie's "Hello" or Ocean's "Suddenly"). Now every time I hear it, it is always some upbeat song of more recent vintage, some you could even dance too. I know some of it is just a change in the average age of the audience so those older artists are no longer on the menu, but it is clearly a programming shift too. In short - mushy out, upbeat in.

 

[calguy]

KOST is another story altogether; I've never heard any radio station during my almost six decades of living here that didn't appear to be a victim of being sabotaged deliberately from the inside.

The AC format has certainly evolved throughout the years, and since Ms. Prado learned the ins & outs of the format from the one person who essentially reinvented the format just like Gerry DeFrancesco did in launching a renaissance at top 40 radio with Rick Dees & KIIS in the early eighties, I have no idea why somebody is cutting her off at the knees and making the station sound so inconsistent and all-over-the-lot, with no clear focus or sense of direction

I don't listen to KOST enough to make blanket statements, but lately I have been forced to listen to it in the Wife's car, and what I have noticed is not just that the station now seems really unfocussed as mentioned above, but there is a noticeable effort to make the station much more upbeat than it was it its dominating heyday. Back then, the station unapolagetically played the likes of Diamond, Streisand, Carpenters and Manilow alongside the Mariahs and Whitney's of the day. And the mushier and sappier the better. But now they seem to be doing some sort of KBIG-lite type thing. It used to be KBIG was positioned to flank and support KOST. I am not sure what the thinking is now.

I really noticed the change on the hourly "Love Song" letter at night. Used to be they would read the letter and then play some sappy Lionel Richie or Billy Ocean song (like Richie's "Hello" or Ocean's "Suddenly"). Now every time I hear it, it is always some upbeat song of more recent vintage, some you could even dance too. I know some of it is just a change in the average age of the audience so those older artists are no longer on the menu, but it is clearly a programming shift too. In short - mushy out, upbeat in.

The problem at KOST, and I've said it before with no one ever commenting, like I shouldn't be saying it, but the problem is Prado's immediate boss. I know enough people in that building and that many professionals can't be wrong. I've been told that the first thing he did when he came to LA was tell the jocks to bring up their energy. Then he proceeded to make the station over. Many at the time were saying, if it ain't broke what the hell is this guy doing? I also know that morale there has been in the dumps for a couple of years now. The people there are afraid and worried every day. Listening to KOST now it's easy to hear what's wrong and with some direct competition they'd be in trouble. The music doesn't sound like it represents LA, the jocks are stuck in a promotion after promotion mode. If you go back to January 2010 you'd notice a completely new clock, new jingles and a sweeper, jingle whatever in between every song. The jingles were horrible and the clutter eroded listeners. Sometime later in the year after dropping in almost every rating period someone said something and the clock reverted to something more listenable. Last year they finally went back to JAM for their jingles. I heard that Prado's boss went with it, kicking and screaming all the way. He is also from what I've been told the reason the Lovesongs show sounds so weird now, programming all the wrong music for the show. But hey, I'm sure the suits think it's all hunky dory because the rating are good now. Christmas was a savior for KOST, but will their rating hold? They weren't doing that well before Christmas. Listened to the new afternoon guy again today. What were they thinking?...

Oh, almost forgot, Prado's boss is the PD for KBIG.

 

[davideduardo]

Insofar as KRTH goes, from what I've read in R&R, Billboard & elsewhere over the years, lots of Oldies/Classic Hits have very grudgingly added more 80s music to their libraries,

"Like" or "Not Like" are not part of the decision. The stations simply freshened the music to welcome in those entering the young end of the demos, and removed music that only had strength among those who aged beyond 55.

and even late eighties and a few nineties tracks as well; I've heard Santana's 'Smooth' on KRTH for instance, which isn't that out of place, but being flabbergasted by hearing G N R's 'November Rain' on KBIG yesterday afternoon was a real stunner and major-league head scratcher.

I do recall reading somewhere that Michael Martin was quoted last year or the year before as saying that 'LA is an over-researched market',

There is no such thing as having too much information on what listeners like and dislike. There is, however, a shortage of the skills needed to interpret research. A music test can't program a station... a PD can.

KBIG has essentially become this market's de facto top 40 radio station, and has been for several years for adults who can't listen to KIIS

KIIS is often #1 25-54, so that's not a problem for them. KBIG is simply one of radio's many flavors and fills the spectrum between KIIS and KOST and flanks KHHT.

I'm not sure what the term 'overindexed' means as it relates to LA's Hispanic audience or other minorities

When we say a station underindexes against Hispanics, it means that there might be, let's say, 50% Hispanics in 18-34 and an underindexing station might only has 30% Hispanic cume in that demo. Since it is pretty hard to be successful in LA withought performing well with Hispanics, the way a station indexes is very, very critical.

[/quote]KBIG should decrease the percentage of rhytmic product in their library ... for their suburban listeners in OC, the IE & Ventura County, then that would make plenty of sense.[/quote]

Not really. Ventura County and the IE are not part of the LA market, and the listenership there can not be monetized and is, thus, of nearly no value. The OC is only 20% of the LA market, but it is now approaching the same general ethnic composition as the rest of the county.

KOST is another story altogether; I've never heard any radio station during my almost six decades of living here that didn't appear to be a victim of being sabotaged deliberately from the inside.

Funny, but the ratings don't say that...

[/quote] I have no idea why somebody is cutting her off at the knees and making the station sound so inconsistent and all-over-the-lot, with no clear focus or sense of direction
[/quote]

The listeners don't seem to think so. Comparing February from the last 3 years, 2012 is about 15% about 2010 and 5% above 2011 in 24-54. That is quite an accomplishment, in fact.

 

[calguy]

Yes David, they're doing well at KOST and I firmly believe that you can thank the Christmas music for that. The listeners have spoken via PPM, but it still doesn't change the facts about how things are run there and how bad it is for employees. Of course you could say that employees at most stations are scared because of the current corporate culture and you'd be correct...

 

[justpassingthough]

KBIG now seems positioned to flank KIIS instead of KOST- but it truly is a bridge between the two. While its technically a Hot AC- it leans Adult Top 40- which isn't uncommon for many Hot ACs these days. It is heavy on the rhythmic for a Hot AC, but thats to be expected in this market, given the ethnic composition.

They are currently spinning Rihanna "We Found Love" and Gym Class Heroes "Stereo Hearts" in their top 5- two highly successful rhythmic songs at CHR, which wouldn't have had a prayer at making it onto Hot AC ten years ago, but now sound at home in the format. Plus, I've heard LMFAO "Sexy and I Know It" several times, and they have Eminem & Rihanna "Love the Way You Lie" on gold status. I almost fell out of my chair when I heard Eminem on a Hot AC. KBIG isn't the only Hot AC playing the track, though. The times, they are a changin'...

Since CHR, which is so heavy on rhythmic product currently, does well in 25 to 54 both in our market and nationwide, its not surprising that Hot AC and AC shift away from being so conservative with new music. Hip hop has been a dominant player in the music industry for 20 years, so even the most ardent detractors have probably come around on the lighter hip hop fare that now tests well enough to be acceptable to a more musically conservative Hot AC audience.

 

[leethalweapon]

I still find it rather amusing that people around here can't embrace change. Formats and stations evolve to suit the taste/lifestyle of their listeners. I don't understand how stations that cume over three million plus listeners a week, and is easily hitting high numbers in there target demo's, are considered failures. Is just a failure in some peoples eyes because to them, time has marched on and the station they once loved is now seen as a younger station, simply because you are now out of their target demo. I pose the question, if KOST is so bad because they got rid of the (aging?) talent, who then mostly moved to the Wave, how come the Wave has nearly half the audience of KOST?

 

[calguy]

I still find it rather amusing that people around here can't embrace change. Formats and stations evolve to suit the taste/lifestyle of their listeners. I don't understand how stations that cume over three million plus listeners a week, and is easily hitting high numbers in there target demo's, are considered failures. Is just a failure in some peoples eyes because to them, time has marched on and the station they once loved is now seen as a younger station, simply because you are now out of their target demo. I pose the question, if KOST is so bad because they got rid of the (aging?) talent, who then mostly moved to the Wave, how come the Wave has nearly half the audience of KOST?

Does KOST sound younger to you Lee? Doesn't to me. Everyone is aging, you could describe everyone that way. Doing the math, they replaced one guy with another who is 4 to 5 years younger, and actually he sounds even older to me. He has a lighter voice, and he's still doing and saying for the most part all the same things as the guy he replaced, he's just doing it for less cash. Besides, no one is saying that KOST is bad for replacing talent, although age is not a factor right? If it was those people leaving could sue for discrimination, right? From those I know in the building the motivating factor isn't age, or even talent for that matter, it's money. The new afternoon guy makes less, Kim's replacement makes a LOT less, and she's not happy about it. But then, the people working there aren't happy either.

You're comparing two stations that really do not sound alike at all. The music is very different, even though they share some songs and many artists and are fighting for most of the same demos. The question is, if the Wave went head to head as a DIRECT AC competitor, would KOST be doing as well in the PPM? They weren't before Christmas. Yes, stations evolve, KOST doesn't sound the way it did in 2006 or 2007, and what they sounded like then was quite different from 15 years before, and so on and so on. KIIS is still a great CHR, but it doesn't sound the same and continues to evolve. So what you're saying is you think KOST sounds good and sounds younger, that's your opinion. The music is always younger if you maintain your library. As time goes on titles move in and out. You can say it's to make the station younger, but that's a very small part of what's going on over there. I believe that since they're the only game in town, they've been winning by default and that with real competition they would be in trouble.

The talent that went to the Wave did it to make money to live on, same as jocks did 50 years ago. Simple as that, and believe me, if you worked in radio right now, no matter your age, you'd know that finding work in an industry stripped to the bones by corporate greed is very difficult.

 

[Marv-L.A.]

If KOST really wanted to 'get younger', wouldn't they immediately drop all of the sixties product which have been staples at KRTH for three decades?

Evolving is one thing, and I certainly agree that all stations have to do that; I certainly KRTH isn't going to toss all of their pre-70s product overboard, but wouldn't increasing the amount of eighties product they play conceivably boot their 35-44 and 35-54 numbers, even if that came at the expense of some of their 55-64 listeners, myself included?

Mr. Kaye has to 'thread the needle' like many other Classic Hits/Oldies PDs, but at least KRTH sounds somewhat fresher than it did under Jay Coffey & his immediate predecessor, whose name escapes me right now.

David---Thanks for the explanation regarding under-indexing.

 

[calguy]

If KOST really wanted to 'get younger', wouldn't they immediately drop all of the sixties product which have been staples at KRTH for three decades?

Evolving is one thing, and I certainly agree that all stations have to do that; I certainly KRTH isn't going to toss all of their pre-70s product overboard, but wouldn't increasing the amount of eighties product they play conceivably boot their 35-44 and 35-54 numbers, even if that came at the expense of some of their 55-64 listeners, myself included?

Mr. Kaye has to 'thread the needle' like many other Classic Hits/Oldies PDs, but at least KRTH sounds somewhat fresher than it did under Jay Coffey & his immediate predecessor, whose name escapes me right now.

David---Thanks for the explanation regarding under-indexing.

Jay Coffey's immediate predecessor was Mike Phillips who had success in his early years with KRTH. As I mentioned in another thread about KRTH, his philosophy was to tighten playlists at the Top 40 and AC stations he programmed. It worked for him, but unfortunately that could only work for so long at an oldies station before it became super stale. Phillips is also responsible for bringing Morgan and Steels to KRTH.

 

[RBRadioWaves]

I still find it rather amusing that people around here can't embrace change. Formats and stations evolve to suit the taste/lifestyle of their listeners. I don't understand how stations that cume over three million plus listeners a week, and is easily hitting high numbers in there target demo's, are considered failures. Is just a failure in some peoples eyes because to them, time has marched on and the station they once loved is now seen as a younger station, simply because you are now out of their target demo. I pose the question, if KOST is so bad because they got rid of the (aging?) talent, who then mostly moved to the Wave, how come the Wave has nearly half the audience of KOST?

It's not the change that's the problem, it's how the change is enacted. For example, KOIT in San Francisco fired their Midday and Afternoon DJs within months of each other. BOTH OF THEM got a chance to say goodbye and sign off. When Bryan was canned from KOST, he just signed off like normal, was brought into the GM's office, and told to clean his office and vacate the property. Same with Mike and Kim. And the ReelWorld Jingles..... I could not LISTEN to KOST until they got rid of them.

The Wave's audience is smaller because people think that "Wave" means "Smooth Jazz". And we all know what THAT means in a PPM world. If the Wave was in ANY OTHER market, or controlled by any other program director, the station would be dead. Adding Kim Amidon essentially saved "The Wave".

 

[Seltzer]

Yeah you do have to move on to keep up with the times despite it being Oldies. I also heard Janet Jackson's "Miss You Much" and "Come Back To Me" a few weeks back and it sounded pretty good on KRTH.

Jane Jackson 80s tunes make sense. But I wouldn't be anywhere near the 90s on this station. Selena? Is Celine Dion far behind? I hope not.

 

[calguy]

It's not the change that's the problem, it's how the change is enacted. For example, KOIT in San Francisco fired their Midday and Afternoon DJs within months of each other. BOTH OF THEM got a chance to say goodbye and sign off. When Bryan was canned from KOST, he just signed off like normal, was brought into the GM's office, and told to clean his office and vacate the property. Same with Mike and Kim. And the ReelWorld Jingles..... I could not LISTEN to KOST until they got rid of them.

The Wave's audience is smaller because people think that "Wave" means "Smooth Jazz". And we all know what THAT means in a PPM world. If the Wave was in ANY OTHER market, or controlled by any other program director, the station would be dead. Adding Kim Amidon essentially saved "The Wave".

It does seem to be an unceremonious way to to leave after close to 30 years at KOST. He was the personality that signed the station on to the AC format and did PM drive longer than anyone else who has done the afternoon show there. If he had left on his own he no doubt would have been given a nice sendoff and even a chance to say goodbye. It would have been nice to have the guy around for the station's 30th anniversary of AC this year.

I agree, Jhani Kaye saved the Wave. Not so much by adding Kim Amidon, a good move, but I think it's the change in music that has helped keep the Wave on the air. Getting KOST's cast-offs didn't hurt either.

 

[BJordan]

Yeah you do have to move on to keep up with the times despite it being Oldies. I also heard Janet Jackson's "Miss You Much" and "Come Back To Me" a few weeks back and it sounded pretty good on KRTH.

Jane Jackson 80s tunes make sense. But I wouldn't be anywhere near the 90s on this station. Selena? Is Celine Dion far behind? I hope not.

Who knows we might start hearing Janet's 1993 and 1994 smash hits "That's The Way Love Goes" and "Any Time, Any Place"(The R Kelly Remix) on the 101.1 dial soon. That would be a COMPLETE shocker. Selena's hits "Dreaming of You" and "I Could Fall in Love" were both released in 1995. You gotta do what you can to keep the formula fresh.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Yeah you do have to move on to keep up with the times despite it being Oldies. I also heard Janet Jackson's "Miss You Much" and "Come Back To Me" a few weeks back and it sounded pretty good on KRTH.

Jane Jackson 80s tunes make sense. But I wouldn't be anywhere near the 90s on this station. Selena? Is Celine Dion far behind? I hope not.

Who knows we might start hearing Janet's 1993 and 1994 smash hits "That's The Way Love Goes" and "Any Time, Any Place"(The R Kelly Remix) on the 101.1 dial soon. That would be a COMPLETE shocker. Selena's hits "Dreaming of You" and "I Could Fall in Love" were both released in 1995. You gotta do what you can to keep the formula fresh.

Except those cuts were not as strong or as memorable as her earlier material. It will all come in time BJ, be patient.

 

[BJordan]

Yeah you do have to move on to keep up with the times despite it being Oldies. I also heard Janet Jackson's "Miss You Much" and "Come Back To Me" a few weeks back and it sounded pretty good on KRTH.

Jane Jackson 80s tunes make sense. But I wouldn't be anywhere near the 90s on this station. Selena? Is Celine Dion far behind? I hope not.

Who knows we might start hearing Janet's 1993 and 1994 smash hits "That's The Way Love Goes" and "Any Time, Any Place"(The R Kelly Remix) on the 101.1 dial soon. That would be a COMPLETE shocker. Selena's hits "Dreaming of You" and "I Could Fall in Love" were both released in 1995. You gotta do what you can to keep the formula fresh.

Except those cuts were not as strong or as memorable as her earlier material. It will all come in time BJ, be patient.

I already know that it'll come in due season.

 

[Marv-L.A.]

The nineties were an absolute disaster for top 40 radio as country, AC, Smooth Jazz, Classic Rock and the burgeoning Hot AC format all took healthy chunks of listeners from what had been a very stout format; over 100 stations bailed out of the format between the very late eighties and the early 2000s.

KRTH is in the same predicament as many other Oldies/Classic Hits stations; how to play more 80s and a smattering of nineties music without alienating the listeners who turn to KRTH for the 60s and 70s music which is the heart & soul of the station.

I also agree that Jhani Kaye saved 'The Wave' by decreasing the amount of instrumentals in favor of more vocals, but had the station been suffering the same 'aging audience' problem that KRTH has before Kaye took over?

I also agree that the dismissal of the air talent at KOST was hideous & unconscionable; Bryan Simmons certainly ranks as one of LAs finest air personalities ever, and not everybody gets to work the PM drive timeslot which has spawned tons of legendary jocks in LA going back to the sixties, and I have no idea why Kari Steele was moved to KOST from KBIG.