What's happening at KTWV "The Wave"?

[ChannelFlipper]

David, there is a 100% chance. I just e-mailed David Gleason to ask how I can get those newsletters and magazines to him. I may just let him keep them all. I'm running out of room to store all my radio memorabilia and comics and books and magazines and Disneyana and postcards and baseball cards and business cards and Coca-Cola items. I should be featured on an episode of Hoarders.

I know you are either just messing with us or typed too fast, because I know (at least I am pretty sure) that you know that Eduardo and Gleason is the SAME GUY.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

I know some things change around here and I generally don't care about them, because well... I just generally don't care. I But in this case i am a bit amused.

I have been on this board for over 15 years - since it was mainly a place for dance lovers to cry about not having a dance station on in LA as opposed to an actual radio board (I used to read all of the gnashing of teeth posts that would suggest that KIIS should go entirely dance and snicker. Good times! ) - and now after all of that time and lotsa posts I see that I am a "Junior Member" relegated to the overnight shift. How long do I have to be here/old do I have to be to not be a junior member? And I don't expect an actual drive time slot, but I think I have at least earned and am ok for mid-days. I will only be overnights if I can be like Ladd and pick all my favorite Doors songs to play as I see fit.

 

[Thomps2525]

I did not know that David Gleason and David Eduardo are the same person. If I had known, I would have just asked him on this site to send me his address. After I send all the KTWV newsletters and magazines to him, he can put them on the American Radio History site and then Mister spiritof67 (and everyone else) will be able to see them. While I was searching for the KTWV material, I found a few copies of KABC's mid-1990s Let's Talk magazines. The cover of the fall 1995 issue has a big picture of Larry Elder and the caption "The Sage from South Central: Larry Elder Electrifies California." A two-page story notes that "the outspoken KABC host has quickly become the 'buzz' of Los Angeles." I wonder whatever happened to that guy.

 

[Gregg.]

I was such a BIG fan of the early days of The Wave. I wonder how many still remember when KTWV first went on the air? There were no DJs. Artists were invited to record liners for their songs. ("Hi, I'm Larry Carlton and that's my new song "Smiles and Smiles to Go.") The music was mostly New Age, Soft Contemporary Jazz (no one called it "Smooth" in those days) and Soft Rock (Sting, Basia, Phil Collins, George Michael) but few hit singles. Andreas Vollenweider and Enya were major artists. The station used a comedy troupe to perform vingettes at the top of every hour, where somewhere in their skit, they'd mention the time. ("Dan, why are you climbing on the roof? Don't you know it's eleven o'clock?")

When I first heard it, I was totally amazed. The music was so good, the station formatics so revolutionary. Of course, it didn't last long. Eventually, DJs were hired, the music moved more to what we call today Smooth Jazz, as the New Age and Soft Rock songs were deleted. But the station also became one of the biggest money-makers in the country, among CBS's top earners, with an affluent LA audience in the 25-54 demo.

Unfortunately, that demo aged. Younger people have no interest in any instrumental music anymore. And might I say, no interest in challenging music either. So over the last decade or so, all the Smooth Jazz stations have gone, as well as Commercial Classical and anything else that isn't either Top 40, Country, Urban or Latin. I commend CBS for trying to keep some remnants of The Wave still playing in LA. I miss the Old Wave but this Wave is pretty good too. Unfortunately most LA radio listeners don't seem to agree.

 

[Thomps2525]

I taped the KMET/KTWV changeover and the first hour of "The Wave" but I didn't like much of the music, I didn't like the automation, and I hated those idiotic vignettes. I didn't keep the tape...and now I wish I had. I thought the first song, If You Love Somebody Set Them Free, was played as a not-so-subtle message to all the loyal KMET fans who were upset about the format change. The title also uses incorrect grammar but we can discuss that in our English class next Monday. And I agree that young people do not want to hear instrumentals. The last big instrumental hit was Kenny G's Auld Lang Syne (The Millenium Mix), which reached #7 on the Hot 100 in January of 2000. Of course the third millennium could not begin until the first two millennia were over with. After two thousand years A.D., the third millennium began on January 1, 2001, and not on 2000 as most people believed. But we can discuss that in our history class next Tuesday.

 

[benale]

I enjoyed KTWV during it's first few years. Folk rock,new age and jazz mixed together. Nothing like this was heard on commercial radio before. The classification for KTWV and similar stations was "New Age". I discovered a lot of great music back then that is sadly no longer heard.

When DJ's were added, the music was still the same. In the mid 90's the music evolved with urban and mainstream artists like Phil Collins added. I guess any song that featured a saxaphone was on the playlist.

 

[Art Landing]

I also did not know that David Eduardo and Gleason were the same person, but simply have respected David E for who I've come to know him to be.

But now that the topic has been brought up I've read a bit more about him - seems his career could fill a book worth reading!

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.radio.shortwave/GsevsVUvL28

http://www.davidgleason.com/

The interesting thing is that he was given one surname at birth, another upon baptism. Neither had anything to do with securing employment in either the Hispanic or Anglo communities, although he since has made distinguished contributions to both.

 

[Thomps2525]

Art, thank you for posting the link to the David Gleason page so I could finally learn the details of his radio career. I also enjoyed the article about the first top-40 station, KOWH in Omaha. I wonder if in 1952 there were a lot of listeners complaining about hearing Blue Tango and Wheel Of Fortune ten times a day.

And David? Tell me where to send those KTWV newsletters. The radio fans are awaiting!

 

[crainbebo]

Gregg - KSRW 92.5 in Bishop sounds like the old Wave, although a LITTLE updated. It still sounds like 1997 however. "Sierra Wave." They air LOTS of Jimmy Buffett. I swear I've heard 10-15 album cuts from him in the past several months. Smooth jazz here and there, rare soft rock goodies, pop rock from the 1970s, etc. First time I ever turned on KSRW's stream I heard a rare cut by the country-pop band Poco, 1978's "Crazy Love". Steely Dan, Enya, Michael Franks, Carly Simon also common. I've even heard the Miami Vice "New York Theme" on this station!
Tunein.com, and search KSRW. The stream should be on there, but the quality really SUCKS! 16 kbps maybe - telephone quality at best.
Michael Hagerty is planning on heading up toward Bishop toward spring time, so maybe he and Bennett Kessler (who runs the amazing KSRW) can make a deal and see if a better stream can be established.

Yes, KTWV used to be a mix of soft rock, smooth jazz and other goodies. Then they ended up Smooth Jazz completely, and the playlist got smaller and tighter. Kenny G and Sade more common in the early-mid 00s.

Smooth Jazz can still be heard from a few west coast stations - KOAZ 1510/K279BP 103.7 Albuquerque is a wonderful smooth jazz station, with Steve Hibbard (from the old Jones network) as the program director. This means, Kenny G is blacklisted and there's loads of plain groovy jazz, Latin guitar and vocals. One song will be Manhattan Transfer, the next David Benoit.
KYSJ-105.9 Coos Bay OR is also a good station. Tunein has a link.

Most younger people would stare blankly if they were asked who Richard Elliott, Dave Koz or Anita Baker is. But they would know Lil Wayne right out of the front of their brain. Must be why we don't see ads for smooth jazz concerts on TV; just mainstream/top 40/country/rock artists. Same with ads for Beats by Dr. Dre every half hour on cable, and no commercials for AKG, Beyerdynamic or Sennheiser. Mainstream people only care about bloated boom boom bass rap hip hop.

And Andreas Vollenweider was a great composer! I love his track, "Night Fire Dance" from 1986. Like entering another world.

-crainbebo

 

[michael hagerty]

Gregg - KSRW 92.5 in Bishop sounds like the old Wave, although a LITTLE updated. It still sounds like 1997 however. "Sierra Wave." They air LOTS of Jimmy Buffett. I swear I've heard 10-15 album cuts from him in the past several months. Smooth jazz here and there, rare soft rock goodies, pop rock from the 1970s, etc. First time I ever turned on KSRW's stream I heard a rare cut by the country-pop band Poco, 1978's "Crazy Love". Steely Dan, Enya, Michael Franks, Carly Simon also common. I've even heard the Miami Vice "New York Theme" on this station!
Tunein.com, and search KSRW. The stream should be on there, but the quality really SUCKS! 16 kbps maybe - telephone quality at best.
Michael Hagerty is planning on heading up toward Bishop toward spring time, so maybe he and Bennett Kessler (who runs the amazing KSRW) can make a deal and see if a better stream can be established.


-crainbebo

Just for clarity...I have no power to make any deals with anybody. Bennett and I met a few times 40 years ago when she was getting KNYO in Independence on the air. I doubt she remembers. I'm just going to call, ask if I can stop by for a tour and gently mention that KSRW has fans outside the market who would really enjoy an upgraded stream.

 

[crainbebo]

The main site owner (Boz) decided to do this little "ranking" system based on radio jobs. You start as an "intern" (post #1) up through Weekends, Overnights, Nights, Middays, Afternoons, etc. DavidEduardo is the "Chairman of Radio" with 26K+ posts...
Which means in less than 700 posts, Boz will put you up to Promotions Director.

-crainbebo

 

[michael hagerty]

The main site owner (Boz) decided to do this little "ranking" system based on radio jobs. You start as an "intern" (post #1) up through Weekends, Overnights, Nights, Middays, Afternoons, etc. DavidEduardo is the "Chairman of Radio" with 26K+ posts...
Which means in less than 700 posts, Boz will put you up to Promotions Director.

-crainbebo

I found the policy discussion thread and made my comment about it there, and edited out the question probably about the same time you posted. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[K.M. Richards]

And here is a link to the referenced thread on the "user ranks":

http://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?683282-User-Ranks

 

[Thomps2525]

I e-mailed Boz about those radio-related appellations before I saw the thread in which he explained them. After I saw the thread, I commented that we can see everyone's post counts and we don't really need to have job titles attached, especially when those titles give the erroneous impression that each of us works in radio. Today I see that the titles have been removed. Such is the fickleness of the radio industry: My job in "Mornings" didn't last long.

Today KTWV played the same old burned-out hits that Among them: they play two or three times a day every day. (Yes, there are many other stations besides KRTH doing that.) Happy, Sailing, My All, True, Superstition, Midnight Train To Georgia, Just Once, Just To See Her, Every Breath You Take, What A Fool Believes, Oye Como Va, In Too Deep, Caught Up In The Rapture, Shining Star, Whip Appeal, It Ain't Over Til It's Over, I Heard It Through The Grapevine...and Givin' It Up by Richard Elliot, to fulfill the station's self-imposed obligation to play a saxophone instrumental once an hour. Maybe KTWV could switch to a current-based urban adult contemporary format. Would that improve their ratings?

 

[TheBigA]

Maybe KTWV could switch to a current-based urban adult contemporary format.

So you can complain about their repetition in another format?

 

[Thomps2525]

Well, you just broke your New Year's resolution to not pick on me any more.

In the 1970s-80s, I liked urban contemporary KACE-103.9. The station was known as "K-Ace, a new deal in music." Unfortunately, it didn't come in very well in north Glendale. KHHT is r&b oldies and KPWR is rap/hip-hop. There is a "hole" in the market. The Wave has ebbed. (Cute?) KTWV could bring back the KACE call letters if they're available and change the format to urban adult contemporary...with a large playlist of currents and oldies going back to the 1970s. Good idea?

 

[TheBigA]

KTWV could bring back the KACE call letters if they're available and change the format to urban adult contemporary...with a large playlist of currents and oldies going back to the 1970s. Good idea?

What have we told you about large playlists?

BTW KTWV is already describing its format as "Urban AC."

 

[michael hagerty]

Naming a station after one that wasn't all that big 35 years ago....what could go wrong?

In the 1970s-80s, I liked urban contemporary KACE-103.9. The station was known as "K-Ace, a new deal in music." Unfortunately, it didn't come in very well in north Glendale. KHHT is r&b oldies and KPWR is rap/hip-hoKTWV could bring back the KACE call letters if they're available and change the format to urban adult contemporary...with a large playlist of currents and oldies going back to the 1970s. Good idea?

 

[crainbebo]

I still don't get why KTWV could just go back to plain SJ/NAC. If they are playing 1 smooth jazz instrumental an hour, why not 10? Over in Albuquerque it WORKS! People are loving KOAZ. Steve Hibbard is a great PD and the jazz mix is wonderful, even for 2015.
Coos Bay - Works! KYSJ.
Fort Walton Beach - Works! WSBZ.

Even in 2005 we had dozens of SJ stations still on the air. Now just a handful if that. What's wrong with relaxing music? And how come classical is getting good ratings on public stations, and even in Dallas on WRR, when smooth jazz is sort of the same concept - relax + unwind?

BTW, Spiritof67, who posted on this thread, has LOADS of old Jones Radio Network Smooth Jazz airchecks. Dating back to January 2000 (KZSP Love 95.3-South Padre Island TX). The Smooth Jazz network was also Steve Hibbard's PD job for a long time, Terry Hickman was the old PD pre-1997 or 1998. He plans on posting more when he has time - the majority of the airchecks come from FL affiliates WJSJ-105.3 Jacksonville and WJZT-97.9 Tallahassee.

-crainbebo

 

[K.M. Richards]

I still don't get why KTWV could just go back to plain SJ/NAC. If they are playing 1 smooth jazz instrumental an hour, why not 10? Over in Albuquerque it WORKS! People are loving KOAZ. Steve Hibbard is a great PD and the jazz mix is wonderful, even for 2015.
Coos Bay - Works! KYSJ.
Fort Walton Beach - Works! WSBZ.

Even in 2005 we had dozens of SJ stations still on the air. Now just a handful if that. What's wrong with relaxing music? And how come classical is getting good ratings on public stations, and even in Dallas on WRR, when smooth jazz is sort of the same concept - relax + unwind?

-crainbebo

Albuquerque: Market #68.
Coos Bay: Unrated market.
Fort Walton Beach: #187.

Los Angeles: Market #2.

Lots of formats "work" in non-top 50 markets. Dozens of stations -- most in the larger markets -- found the format was not working for them and bailed out over the past ten years. What's wrong with relaxing music? Remember what happened to Beautiful Music in the late 1980s. Format becomes background music, poor listener response to local ads, revenue declines. Stations pull plugs. Smooth Jazz has gone into the same decline; sure, there will be a station here and there where the format still "clicks" (Palm Springs still has a Beautiful Music station!) but you're not likely to get a lot of major market stations to go back to the format when it has -- by your own statement -- declined in terms of number of stations nationwide.

KTWV is owned by CBS, and they are among the least likely people to try to resurrect what is seen as a dying format.