where are our Gabes? our Herkimers? our Susie Q's?

[indieradioguy]

Maybe it's just me, but the reason so much of KTAR's "live and local" lineup is so boring is because they never take calls from listeners - who, in years past, have been just as entertaining as the host in some cases. Why has KTAR essentially handed the local call duties over to KFYI? OF COURSE Mac & Gaydos are boring. OF COURSE Kari & Chuck are boring. OF COURSE the only reason people listen to KTAR during the day is because of Detour Dan's traffic updates. By limiting the shows content to only the hosts and not taking calls, they pretty much preclude ever getting a regular rotation of callers. It seems like the only "live and local" host at KTAR who still takes calls - including from some regulars - is Jaybird on the weekends.

Who decided it would be "toaster talk" to take calls? Isn't that point of the format, even in the age of the internet and comments section on web stories? And if KTAR once declared in promo material not too long ago, "We need to talk," who exactly is the "we"? Tucson's talk radio stations put callers on the air all the time. Why can't we? Major cities are *supposed* to have regular callers - it's like KTAR only takes calls after Cardinals games, but never after news events. Thereby making "toaster talk" a-okay for Cardinals Talk but not okay for Thanksgiving plane crashes, missing kids in Glendale, and the Phoenix mayoral race. That's the *bad* kind of "toaster talk." I wish I understood the double standard.

 

[urmanega]

I don't know. I prefer fewer calls from listeners. There are only so many "thanks for taking my call" remarks one can take in an hour.

 

[asugeorge1]

Maybe it's just me, but the reason so much of KTAR's "live and local" lineup is so boring is because they never take calls from listeners - who, in years past, have been just as entertaining as the host in some cases. Why has KTAR essentially handed the local call duties over to KFYI? OF COURSE Mac & Gaydos are boring. OF COURSE Kari & Chuck are boring. OF COURSE the only reason people listen to KTAR during the day is because of Detour Dan's traffic updates. By limiting the shows content to only the hosts and not taking calls, they pretty much preclude ever getting a regular rotation of callers. It seems like the only "live and local" host at KTAR who still takes calls - including from some regulars - is Jaybird on the weekends.

Who decided it would be "toaster talk" to take calls? Isn't that point of the format, even in the age of the internet and comments section on web stories? And if KTAR once declared in promo material not too long ago, "We need to talk," who exactly is the "we"? Tucson's talk radio stations put callers on the air all the time. Why can't we? Major cities are *supposed* to have regular callers - it's like KTAR only takes calls after Cardinals games, but never after news events. Thereby making "toaster talk" a-okay for Cardinals Talk but not okay for Thanksgiving plane crashes, missing kids in Glendale, and the Phoenix mayoral race. That's the *bad* kind of "toaster talk." I wish I understood the double standard.

Agreed, I miss the listener input as well. Sometimes I think KTAR does it because some of the shows come from a source outside the studios or are previously recorded (this happens more often than you think).

Remember when Preston Westmoreland was at KTAR? He would take calls all the time, even during evening drive-time. Remember the Gripeline? That was amazing radio because you never knew what a caller was going to say. You had 30 seconds to say whatever you wanted on any topic, the only rule was that it had to be clean and, I still remember Preston saying this every time, "don't bite the hand that feeds you." (in other words, don't insult KTAR!) Gaydos used to have a similar thing during his "Gaydos After Dark" show. In my opinion, those were the golden days of KTAR with great live and local talent. Who knows, it looks like KTAR has taken notice that people like live and local talent and are trying to reflect that in their lineup. Still, as long as stupid Dave Ramsey is on for six hours every weekday evening starting at 7:00 P.M., I will not be satisified with KTAR's "attempt" to be more live and local.

 

[DrAkbar]

Still, as long as stupid Dave Ramsey is on for six hours every weekday evening starting at 7:00 P.M., I will not be satisified with KTAR's "attempt" to be more live and local.

Guess all the calls on KT'R are now being handled by Dave Ramsey : No wonder he's on seven days a week!

 

[OneHorseTown]

I have absolutely, positively NO IDEA what a Gabe is, a Herkimer is, or a Susie Q is.

Just sayin'.

 

[buster2]

Susie Q, I don't recall.... But Gabe and Herkimer were two notable frequent callers to Bob Mohan's show on KFYI. They had personality and were entertaining to listen to. Mohan was a master at engaging people in a genuine conversation. He was controversial and entertaining, but a genuinely decent guy (still is, just not on the radio).

Now talk radio has devloved to talking points from one side or another or benign observations on life, politics, sports or whatever. Aside from Barry Young, nobody really does talk radio anymore, they just talk.

 

[norman881]

I think that Gabe died a few years ago. Herkimer was known as "The Bard of Glendale."
If I remember correctly he was also visually challenged/blind.

Mohan had some blow out the phones get togethers that many of his callers would attend.

There was a sultry, seductive woman that used to call. That may have been Suzy Q.

Someone with more knowledge or memory please feel free to correct any errors here.

Norman

 

[DrAkbar]

I think that Gabe died a few years ago. Herkimer was known as "The Bard of Glendale."
If I remember correctly he was also visually challenged/blind.

Mohan had some blow out the phones get togethers that many of his callers would attend.

There was a sultry, seductive woman that used to call. That may have been Suzy Q.

Someone with more knowledge or memory please feel free to correct any errors here.

Someone with more knowledge? Aint Los Buckeye Boyz, but we'll use the FezPhone to contact the Old Gringo if you wish :

Cat Woman had the sultry voice...and then there was Whiskers, who is probably still mining the Lost Dutchman claim in the Superstitions.

Getting back to topic - Nurse Jeff and I believe TMISU are relying on social media instead of phone calls for the Bruce, Karie & Chuck shows. Notice the number of references to Tweets and Facebook on KT'R during those hours. By hopscotching phone calls, they position themselves as being in touch with much younger listeners and eliminating the likes of Aunt Edna from Sun City. It's a pretty interesting strategery, except when they air those Pat McBland commercials for geezer products.

Now excuse me, but I need to tweet that it's raining where we are

 

[norman881]

Thank you Dr. Akbar. clap clap clap

 

[pattiwacki]

Gabe was on KTAR as much as he was on KFYI. Sometimes callers would try to imitate Gabe's "distinctive" voice and crack themselves and the host ( and listeners!) up. Don't forget about Mary (who always turned whatever the topic of the hour, no matter what it was, into sex) and the Taxi driver Terry. Terry still calls Jay on weekends, think I've heard Mary a time or two as well. It was fun to tune in to hear the callers as much as for the content of the show and host. It felt like a community and there was lots of spontaneous fun.

 

[Legend City]

I think that Gabe died a few years ago. Herkimer was known as "The Bard of Glendale."
If I remember correctly he was also visually challenged/blind.

Mohan had some blow out the phones get togethers that many of his callers would attend.

There was a sultry, seductive woman that used to call. That may have been Suzy Q.

Someone with more knowledge or memory please feel free to correct any errors here.

Norman

Gabe did indeed die, I met him once, he was collecting signatures at the library. A bit of a nut, but fun to listen to "Uh, yeah, this is Gabe" in that high pitched voice.

Talk radio has run its course, 5 minutes of listening to Broomhead will convince you of that. Uneducated redneck with bad info and a terrible show (and a knack for backing losers, Pearce and Cain)

KTAR tries, but, except for Bruce, its all pretty dull. Don't get me started with Barry Young, he may as well be in a coma on his show, its only good when the other Barry (Markson) is filling in.

 

[phil]

John Dayl took a lot of listener calls on KFNX, and more important, he didn't rush the listeners. Gave them sufficient time to express themselves. Sam Steiger also took calls from listeners. I miss them both. Phoenix talk radio hasn't been the same.

 

[indieradioguy]

Gabe was on KTAR as much as he was on KFYI. Sometimes callers would try to imitate Gabe's "distinctive" voice and crack themselves and the host ( and listeners!) up. Don't forget about Mary (who always turned whatever the topic of the hour, no matter what it was, into sex) and the Taxi driver Terry. Terry still calls Jay on weekends, think I've heard Mary a time or two as well. It was fun to tune in to hear the callers as much as for the content of the show and host. It felt like a community and there was lots of spontaneous fun.

It was certainly more entertaining to listen to than hearing Jamie tell Mac & Gaydos, "I just a got a text from a listener" or hearing them refer to their Facebook page. WTF? That's not good radio. It's terrible radio. How do we know it's even from a listener? It could be some Bonneville employee down the hall texting in comments. Boring. And not good radio. At all.

Ditching listener calls was never about the demos. It was about the hour-long wait to get to talk to the host for a few seconds. Obviously, waiting an hour on hold is no big deal for dear Aunt Ethel in Sun City, but there are plenty - plenty - of angry white men and Tea Party'ers who would wait twice as long for even less airtime. That will always be the case. KTAR without listener calls is like...it's just not talk radio anymore. If KTAR can spend quite literally all days Sundays taking phone calls about the Cardinals - does "Cardinal Talk" take Tweets and text messages from Cards fans before and after games? - then they can talk calls from listeners calling about NEWS. Otherwise, they're hypocrites. And should go all sports and leave the "real" talk radio to KFYI.

 

[norman881]

John Dayl took a lot of listener calls on KFNX, and more important, he didn't rush the listeners. Gave them sufficient time to express themselves. Sam Steiger also took calls from listeners. I miss them both. Phoenix talk radio hasn't been the same.

I remember Gabe telling Sam Steiger (when Sam was driving from Prescott to Guadalupe to broadcast on 1060) that he was registered as a Republican to sway the vote and Sam laughing so hard that he had to take a break.

 

[Bill Drake]

Susie Q, I don't recall.... But Gabe and Herkimer were two notable frequent callers to Bob Mohan's show on KFYI. They had personality and were entertaining to listen to. Mohan was a master at engaging people in a genuine conversation. He was controversial and entertaining, but a genuinely decent guy (still is, just not on the radio).

Now talk radio has devloved to talking points from one side or another or benign observations on life, politics, sports or whatever. Aside from Barry Young, nobody really does talk radio anymore, they just talk.

The right has the talking points down to a discredited science. --- Of which Barry "not his real name" Young is a master ---- How much of that crap can any sane person listen to? Saying something is so even when it isn't is textbook insanity. Everyone can have their own opinions but the last I checked there is only one set of facts.

Bob Mohan? He came flying off the rails back in the 1980's. I had hoped he would have sought help by now....

 

[indieradioguy]

The right has the talking points down to a discredited science.

It's not about "right" or "left." It's about a TALK RADIO station making a conscientious decision to shut out listeners from calling in to the hosts, thereby resulting in bad radio - boring, non-entertaining radio. I don't know who decided the format should become the audio equivalent of a really bad vaudeville act, but if it weren't for Detour Dan's traffic updates, I'd already be done with KTAR and listening to CD's or/and KWSS-LP all the time. And people wonder why KFYI gets consistently better numbers - it's not science, rocket science or otherwise, and there's nothing discreditable about it. Entertain me or I won't listen.

 

[Board Editor]

MOVED: TIO: where are our Gabes? our Herkimers? our Susie Q's?

Some posts in this topic have been moved to Take It Outside.

[iurl=http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=202644.0]http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=202644.0[/iurl]