What's happening at KEOM?

[oldmanradio]

What happened to the high school kids on the air?

Is it just summer vacation?

Or are things changing at the Great 88?

I tuned in between 4:45 and about 5:30 this afternoon, and I heard a grownup playing DJ on "Mesquite Schools' Radio".

And a grownup doing the "Community Calendar".

And four disco songs in a row is ... four too many for me.

Tony
Tony Lyndell Williams

 

[charles123]

What happened to the high school kids on the air?

Is it just summer vacation?

Or are things changing at the Great 88?

I tuned in between 4:45 and about 5:30 this afternoon, and I heard a grownup playing DJ on "Mesquite Schools' Radio".

And a grownup doing the "Community Calendar".

And four disco songs in a row is ... four too many for me.

Tony
Tony Lyndell Williams

Summer vacation, probably.

 

[oldmanradio]

This morning around 10 a.m., I heard a female high school student. But she was not given much to do -- read the weather and traffic reports.

 

[DFWPT]

Tony -

It's summer.

No students until August 24....and even then, many weeks before they are in the studio.

During the summer (in middays) all on-air duties are covered by select graduated seniors from the program (interns). We are voice-tracked on Fridays. They also do most of the summer production work, but not all. Some of that is covered by the full time staff.

6a-8a weekdays is myself, Chris Douglas. 4p-7p weekdays is Dallas-area radio vet Dean Bailey (the one "playing DJ"). Since these are not school hours, they are always covered by myself and Dean.

As for 4 disco songs in a row: I am the Music Director, and can assure you that such a thing is not suppose to happen. If it did, my apologies to your ears! Our playlist is far from where we see it in the future, but we are getting closer to where we want to be each and every day. I hope you will keep listening!!

 

[scrtr84]

This morning around 10 a.m., I heard a female high school student. But she was not given much to do -- read the weather and traffic reports.

And that's the jest of what all you will normally hear whenever you tune in.

 

[scrtr84]

Tony -

It's summer.

No students until August 24....and even then, many weeks before they are in the studio.

During the summer (in middays) all on-air duties are covered by select graduated seniors from the program (interns). We are voice-tracked on Fridays. They also do most of the summer production work, but not all. Some of that is covered by the full time staff.

6a-8a weekdays is myself, Chris Douglas. 4p-7p weekdays is Dallas-area radio vet Dean Bailey (the one "playing DJ"). Since these are not school hours, they are always covered by myself and Dean.

As for 4 disco songs in a row: I am the Music Director, and can assure you that such a thing is not suppose to happen. If it did, my apologies to your ears! Our playlist is far from where we see it in the future, but we are getting closer to where we want to be each and every day. I hope you will keep listening!!

Chris,

You are a friggin' joke. I cannot believe they are still letting you work there, after your recent bashing-former-employees stunt. They should have canned you for that. It's really sad how the once-good days of KEOM, are long gone.

 

[little1]

What's the old saying about truth being a defense in libel cases? Maybe he's not in trouble because his employee bashing is completely true.

There's always the chance that the story that R-Bass is throwing out is shaded in his favor. Maybe whatever info Chris has posted isn't bashing, but is the truth. You really think someone should be canned for (maybe) telling the truth?

 

[scrtr84]

What's the old saying about truth being a defense in libel cases? Maybe he's not in trouble because his employee bashing is completely true.

There's always the chance that the story that R-Bass is throwing out is shaded in his favor. Maybe whatever info Chris has posted isn't bashing, but is the truth. You really think someone should be canned for (maybe) telling the truth?

Bass is a FORMER employee. Whatever gets posted about him here, is beside the point. A 'current" employee (i.e. Chris) chose to bash former employees! If I had someone on my staff who did that, I would kick 'em to the curb in a heartbeat. Why? Because allowing someone like that to remain an employee makes my station look bad. And remember, KEOM is TAXPAYER funded. That makes what Chris did, even worse. An educational institution employee bashing former educational institution employeses on a message board? That is TOTALLY uncalled for. It shows me that like Peggy, Chris has zero class.

 

[arnoldevns]

Our playlist is far from where we see it in the future, but we are getting closer to where we want to be each and every day. I hope you will keep listening!!

This is a baffling statement to me. If the playlist is not to your liking, why not change it now? What do you see in the future that you can't put into place today? It's not like you're programming current music and trying to figure out what the next hit will be. If you're targeting a certain demographic and you think changes are needed to the playlist - change the playlist!

Put another way.. If you were going to transition a classical music station to country, you would play one last classical song then start with a whole new playlist of country music. You wouldn't sprinkle in a little George Strait between Bach and Beethoven and add a new country song a day until the whole playlist was country.

 

[thunderradio]

Tested has a very good point.

 

[little1]

Put another way.. If you were going to transition a classical music station to country, you would play one last classical song then start with a whole new playlist of country music. You wouldn't sprinkle in a little George Strait between Bach and Beethoven and add a new country song a day until the whole playlist was country.

But if you wanted to move from classical to country without making an abrupt transition, you WOULD start dropping in a little George between the Bach and Beehtoven. Add a little George here, a little Martina Mcbride there, some Carrie Underwood, and sooner or later you tune in expecting to hear Ein Kliene Nicte Musik but you're pleasently suprised to find your self singing "We'll put a boot in your ass it's the American Way" ....

I took that comment to mean that if they're transistioning from 70's to 80's (and that makes sense, odds are a lot of the 70's music is older than the parents of the MISD students-a 15 year old who was born to parents 25 years old makes the parents born in 69. they'd be much more likely to be an 80's fan wouldn't you think?) he can start working in more 80's music bit by bit over X number of months. Instead of just swapping out the O'jays for Prince, Maureen McGovern for Madonna and "We're an American Band" for "Born in the USA" in one day, why not work it in over a number of weeks or months?

 

[DFWPT]

little1 -

i don't know who you are, but i sure do like your postings!

 

[thunderradio]

What Little 1 suggested is just plain common sense . You add spices to bring up the flavor. Its an old true formula that has constantly worked,and hopefully todays broadcasters will learn how to do it.Isaid "hopefully". KLUV is doing has done it, and are doing it from 60's to 70's on to the 80's.

 

[oldmanradio]

Tony -

It's summer.

No students until August 24....and even then, many weeks before they are in the studio.

During the summer (in middays) all on-air duties are covered by select graduated seniors from the program (interns). We are voice-tracked on Fridays. They also do most of the summer production work, but not all. Some of that is covered by the full time staff.

6a-8a weekdays is myself, Chris Douglas. 4p-7p weekdays is Dallas-area radio vet Dean Bailey (the one "playing DJ"). Since these are not school hours, they are always covered by myself and Dean.

As for 4 disco songs in a row: I am the Music Director, and can assure you that such a thing is not suppose to happen. If it did, my apologies to your ears! Our playlist is far from where we see it in the future, but we are getting closer to where we want to be each and every day. I hope you will keep listening!!

Thanks for the information, Chris.

A couple of points:

Many posters have urged KEOM to integrate more '80s music in the playlist. In the last few days, I have heard KEOM promoting it plays music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

I respectfully disagree with the other posters. Why not stick with an all-70s music format? It fills a niche that other stations do not. KLUV already adequately covers the 60s, 70s and 80s already albeit with a restricted playlist.

I have heard enough of "Born to be Wild" by Steppenwolf to last a lifetime, and I heard that song today on KEOM.

Why be a clone?

However, I do agree with other past posters that the students should be allowed to do more on the air. Why not let them do at least part of what you already do in the mornings and afternoons?

You cannot learn to run by sitting in a chair or watching others run. You must run.

Why not allow them more freedom? Sure mistakes will occur. But isn't the main purpose of the station to serve as a training ground for future broadcasters?

As it is, the students serve only as straight announcers. Demand for that job almost entirely ended with the dawn of television and the end of the golden age of radio.

Regarding the phrase "playing DJ", I did not intend it in a pejorative sense. Being a DJ was always play for me, not work. It was fun. I would have worked for free. Still would, if anyone would have me.

And I'd love to see the KEOM studios, if anyone would invite me.

Finally, yes, I will keep listening. It is a well-run station and fun to listen to.

Tony
Tony Lyndell Williams

"If it is to be, it is up to me"
-- Lt. Col. Woodrow "Woody" Wilson (December 19, 1915-August 12, 2009)

 

[little1]

I respectfully disagree with the other posters. Why not stick with an all-70s music format? It fills a niche that other stations do not. KLUV already adequately covers the 60s, 70s and 80s already albeit with a restricted playlist.

But what audience (if any) are they trying to appeal to? If they're trying to appeal to parents of current MISD students, see my example above. A 15 year old now would have been born in 1994. If the parents were in the 25-30 range, that puts their birthyears as 1964-69. So if they focus on 70's, they'd be playing music that is probably TOO old for them. By tranistioning to 80's, they appeal more to the current student parents, rather than their grandparents...

 

[oldmanradio]

I respectfully disagree with the other posters. Why not stick with an all-70s music format? It fills a niche that other stations do not. KLUV already adequately covers the 60s, 70s and 80s already albeit with a restricted playlist.

But what audience (if any) are they trying to appeal to?

Who cares?

So what?

KEOM is not in it for the ratings -- or shouldn't be. It's a training ground for high school students.

Frankly, if a choice is to be made, I firmly believe that the station should appeal to the students. It's for them ... not the parents.

Let them listen to KLUV or Platinum ... or KAAM ... or ...

Tony
Tony Lyndell Williams

"If it is to be, it is up to me."
-- Lt. Col. Woodrow "Woody" Wilson (December 19, 1915-August 12, 2009)

 

[charles123]

I respectfully disagree with the other posters. Why not stick with an all-70s music format? It fills a niche that other stations do not. KLUV already adequately covers the 60s, 70s and 80s already albeit with a restricted playlist.

But what audience (if any) are they trying to appeal to?

Who cares?

So what?

KEOM is not in it for the ratings -- or shouldn't be. It's a training ground for high school students.

Frankly, if a choice is to be made, I firmly believe that the station should appeal to the students. It's for them ... not the parents.

Let them listen to KLUV or Platinum ... or KAAM ... or ...

Tony
Tony Lyndell Williams

"If it is to be, it is up to me."
-- Lt. Col. Woodrow "Woody" Wilson (December 19, 1915-August 12, 2009)

Has anybody out there noticed that KEOM has added Delbert McClinton to their playlist? KLUV don't even play him and KEOM does. And also KLUV don't even play the 80's songs that KEOM has been playing lately: (Human League, Tommy Tutone, The Police, Dexy's Midnight Runners etc.).

 

[DFWPT]

...And I'd love to see the KEOM studios, if anyone would invite me.

Finally, yes, I will keep listening. It is a well-run station and fun to listen to.

Tony -

The KEOM main office number is on our web site, www.keom.fm

We do not conduct tours in the 1st 6 weeks of the school year, but feel free to call me in about 7 weeks to set up a time. We'd love to meet you!

chris

 

[oldmanradio]

...And I'd love to see the KEOM studios, if anyone would invite me.

Finally, yes, I will keep listening. It is a well-run station and fun to listen to.

Tony -

The KEOM main office number is on our web site, www.keom.fm

We do not conduct tours in the 1st 6 weeks of the school year, but feel free to call me in about 7 weeks to set up a time. We'd love to meet you!

chris

Chris,

Thank you for the invitation. I will take you up on the offer.

That is most gracious of you.

Regards,

 

[grantchester]

Instead of '70's commercial hit radio, or 60's 70's and 80's pop, why not do a 20th century format? J.P Sousa, Scott Joplin, Robert Johnson, George Gershwin, Benny Goodman, Bob Wills, Perry Como, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Clapton, John Hartford, Stevie Ray etc etc... There was plenty of good music in the last century. Maybe the students could learn about it and be inspired by it. You probably wouldn't be able to buy a syndicated package, but the music is available. It would be a useful research project to have the kids find it and put it together. Then assemble a team of reporters and have them do shows or segments about things of interest. It would certainly serve them better in their future endeavors than learning to read liner cards...
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