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What Has Been Some of The Worst Radio In Los Angeles?

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On this board we often talk about the greatest radio in Los Angeles broadcasting history, along with the greatest broadcasters.

So, I'd like to flip it around and ask...

What have been some of the worst radio moments in Los Angeles broadcasting history?

What have been some of the worst jocks, talk show hosts, radio promotions, formats, jingles, etc.?

**

Thinking about this question what comes to mind is when David G. Hall let interns play talk show hosts a few times during the overnight hours on KFI in the late 1990s. That was pretty painful to listen to.

Also, after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake KNX didn't seem to "get it together" for sometime after the earthquake. The least of their problems were the sounds fumbling after the earthquake. I understand this was a major earthquake and they're some things that cannot be controlled, like items falling, power outages and the fear and confusion that accompanies disaster, but I clearly remember, as I know others on the board do, just how unprofessional KNX sounded the first few hours after the earthquake. (Compared to KFWB, which remained on-the-air through the quake and began coverage immediately with Ken Jeffres [sp?] in the studio and Pete Demetriou out in the field.)

Then there was that new morning guy at Arrow 93 who was advertised with much hype, but didn't last more than a month as I recall before being let go.
 
KHJ's "Car Radio" format (1984-1986): Burned-to-a crisp recurrent, spot break, traffic report closing with "Now another Car Tune from Car Radio 93/KHJ", burned-to-a-crisp recurrent. Repeat in 10-minute cycles 24/7.

---Michael Hagerty
 
michael hagerty said:
KHJ's "Car Radio" format (1984-1986): Burned-to-a crisp recurrent, spot break, traffic report closing with "Now another Car Tune from Car Radio 93/KHJ", burned-to-a-crisp recurrent. Repeat in 10-minute cycles 24/7.

---Michael Hagerty
Click to expand...

The funny thing is that this format could never have worked in the diary, where short listening to utility-type stations often did not get registered. In the PPM, which is very cume sensitive, it could work... but the lifespan may be short as more cars and even smartphones have real time traffic.
 
DavidEduardo said:
michael hagerty said:
KHJ's "Car Radio" format (1984-1986): Burned-to-a crisp recurrent, spot break, traffic report closing with "Now another Car Tune from Car Radio 93/KHJ", burned-to-a-crisp recurrent. Repeat in 10-minute cycles 24/7.

---Michael Hagerty
Click to expand...

The funny thing is that this format could never have worked in the diary, where short listening to utility-type stations often did not get registered. In the PPM, which is very cume sensitive, it could work....
Click to expand...

Shh! David! Someone running a station might hear you!

---Michael Hagerty
 
One happening right now!

The Sound is a joke! Talk about boring radio! A huge L.A. signal and a going nowhere station on it!


Pirate Radio was a disaster too....100.3 just seems to be unlucky??
 
Bob Rivers was that Arrow 93 morning guy. Coincidentally he got a mention on today's LARadio.com.

The first station I thought of was the early days of 97.1 FM as a talk station. Kaeto Kalen et al. Yikes!
 
This one is easy. Greaseman on KLOS nights in the early 90's. Most painful voice and program to listen to ever. No one is even close for number 2.

A few dishonorable mentions though:

The two ladies who were doing what I would call "chick talk, but only more ridiculous" mornings on KTWV in the late 80's.

The lady who was doing fortune telling for callers on KBIG evenings for awhile. It wasn't even a dopey Sunday evening show, they had her on every night of the week! So stupid.

Al, Janeane, and the whole crew at Air America on KTLK. Al was so boring, No-Doze sales plummeted while he was on as sleep-inducement was the only tangible benefit to his show. Janeane was so consistently fact-challenged and wrong, but it wasn't a problem because it was all Bush's fault - and I mean ALL BUSH'S FAULT!! ALWAYS!!

Karel - Karel and Andrew were bad, but bad became worst whe Karel went at it alone. KFI ratings skyrocked upon his departure. 'Nuff said.

KTZN 710, "The Zone" - "Talk radio focused on women" was really bad too, but I don't remember much about it. I must have tuned out too fast! Its lifespan could be measured in mere months.
 
SuperRadioFan said:
Bob Rivers was that Arrow 93 morning guy. Coincidentally he got a mention on today's LARadio.com.

The first station I thought of was the early days of 97.1 FM as a talk station. Kaeto Kalen et al. Yikes!
Click to expand...

Bob Rivers wasn't bad, he was just put on the wrong station. Arrow 93 was mind-numbingly boring as they played the same 500 classic rock hits over and over, but the one thing they did that kept the ratings up in the morning was play the music. There were morning shows on every other station in town and Arrow was the only spot on the dial where you could hear a few tunes while on your way to work. Anybody they put on who talked and didn't play the tunes was going to be negatively received. Bob is very successful in the Pacific Northwest and has a number of comedy albums to his credit, particularly Christmas novelty records. His act may be to "Seattle" to work here, but he never got a real chance to tell.
 
Vox, the Rock n Roll Psychic on "Real Radio 97.1"

Jonathon Brandmeier's two attempts to break in L.A.. I'm not saying he wasn't talented but his deep Chicago roots didn't transfer over well to us silly LA-LA people, either time. Pairing him with Tracy Miller (who is somewhat known here) was awkward to listen to. Zero chemistry.

Greaseman on KLOS for sure.

93.1 KKHR
 
I believe it was in the '70s...

KADS 103.5 in Los Angeles

K-ADS - All Want Ads, All The Time.

I win!
 
The "Chick Talk" that was referred to on this subject was back during the mid-late 90's when 710 tried their brief talk format that catered mostly to women. One show that stands out was the "Two Chicks on the Radio" show that featured Tracey Miller and Robin Abcarian. If I remember correctly, this station was also carrying the then-California Angels Baseball Games.
 
This is ancient history, but a few old fogeys like Mr. Hagerty will remember:

KRLA/1110, when it was Top 40 in the 60s and 70s had occasional periods of brilliance, but there were a few embarrasing periods too. In 67-68, they voice-tracked all of the DJs outside of drive times, using what was probably the best technology available at the time. When it was working, it sounded as good to the listener as anything voice-tracked today. But the system had frequent glitches, so it wasn't unusual to hear the same song played repeatedly - maybe 3 or 4 times in a row, with Reb Foster's same into, then the system would go down and there would be nothing but dead air for minutes on end. I used to wonder why there wasn't a Board Op on duty who could go reset the system, or at least kick the temperamental thing.

A few years later, KRLA decided that "comedy-teams" would be big, so all the time slots were filled with 2 jocks at a time. Problem is - they obviously didn't hire any writers, and none of these guys were Bob & Ray or Lohman & Barkley. There was usually no chemistry between them. One exchange I remember:

Other jock to Lee Sims: "Hey, Lee - why do they call you Lee Baby?"

Sims: "Cause it sounds better than Lee Adult."

Truly awful.
 
Greaseman was an acquired taste. He's actually a great talent, but he was on the wrong station/format at the wrong time of the day.
He was a Top 40 jock who usually did drive-time. He can be funny as hell, but was terribly miscast at KLOS.
 
Personally, I think the worst radio format in LA history depends on what you're into. I'm sure there's some people who loved the way stations like V100 and Movin' operated. But I couldn't stand any of them. I also agree The Sound is a waste of a Class B signal, but there are some people out there (especially in the O.C.) that are CRAZY about The Sound. I'm still waiting for the day Bonneville is going to make the flip on 100.3
 
In the sports category, there was a time when Vic "the Brick" Jacobs got a show with
former NBA player Karl Malone as his co-host. Apparently Karl Malone to this day
still does not know he had a co-host.

Also, no thanks to Don Martin's impeccable skills of pairing together impossible personalities,
he assembled Fred Roggin, TJ Simers, and Tracy Simers (daughter) into one of the
worst morning shows ever.

Most recently, anything with Dave Denholm of KSPN instantly turns the show into
amateur hour.

Not sure if syndicated programming or broadcasts into the LA market from powerful
San Diego/Tijuana radio towers would count:

Rick Schwartz had a relatively modest night show and was asked to do mornings
on AM690 with two jocks. Unfortunately, the morning show title sounded more like
a law firm and was canceled before long.

Two Live Stus (syndicated) on 1540AM (before it turned into a Korean station).
 
A "recurrent": 18 hours non-stop of Dr. Laura on KFWB and infomercial weekends, again, on KFWB. Enough to make one turn off the radio.

Oh, and anyplace (KYSR & KLSX) with Danny Bonaduce.
 
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