http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/ http://www.eblah.com en http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1216257845/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1216257845/#num1 On Radio: Stations break out the summer mood music
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
July 17

On KMTT-FM/103.7, Duffy's beat-driven, hook-laden "Mercy" bursts from the speaker, leading a host to wonder aloud: "Is that the song of the summer?"

Over at KPLZ-FM/101.5, program director and radio consultant Kent Phillips doesn't think so; the song has been around for a while and may have already peaked. But there are plenty of other songs that, in his view, fit the bill: Kid Rock's "All Summer Long," Coldplay's "Livin' La Vida" or "Summertime" from New Kids on the Block.

Just as the coats and sweaters of the winter wardrobe are replaced by shorts and T-shirts in summer, so too is there a seasonal shift in the music. That happens almost regardless of musical genre. A few weeks ago in this space Bryan Lowe at KING-FM/98.1 noted that even in classical music there are pieces that fit the summer mood better.

"We always have a few upbeat fun summer songs that increase in rotation for the summer months," says Becky Brenner, who programs country station KMPS-FM/94.1. "It just makes sense to match the mood of the audience."

The station's Ryan "Big Daddy" Michaels nominates "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem," "When the Sun Goes Down" and "Summertime" by Kenny Chesney, "Summer's Comin' " by Clint Black, "Chattahoochee" and "Summertime Blues" by Alan Jackson, "Redneck Yacht Club" by Craig Morgan and "Sunshine And Summertime" by Faith Hill as prime examples of the summer song for country. This year's crop of summer-fun songs includes Jackson's "Good Times" and Brooks & Dunn's "Put a Girl In It."

Phillips says summer songs are characterized by "happy lyrics, talking about fun, they've got a beat to it." The use of some reference to the season or summer is also a clear indicator of the intentions ("Pocket Full of Sunshine" by Natasha Bedingfield).

Those elements, and the timing of songs containing them, are not accidents, Phillips adds. Most pop artists "are smart enough to release summer songs."

In other radio notes:

*KPTK-AM/1090 is bringing nationally syndicated talk hosts Stephanie Miller, Thom Hartmann, Rachel Maddow, Randi Rhodes, Sam Seder and Mike Malloy to a town hall forum, moderated by Ron Reagan Jr., at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall at 6 p.m. Aug. 16. Tickets are available through brownpapertickets.com. At present the station does not plan to air the forum.

*Salem Communications has swapped call letters on two stations, one of them in Seattle. KDOW-AM/1680, which carries brokered-time Spanish-language programming, is now KNTS-AM, with the former call letters going to a station in California.

*KEXP-FM/90.3 this week launches a 10-part documentary, "Death, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll," airing at 3 p.m. Thursdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays.

*Lee Callahan interviews Kimberly Dozier, CBS News correspondent and author of "Breathing the Fire: Fighting to Report and Survive the War In Iraq," on "Community Matters" at 7 a.m. Sunday on KJQ-FM/96.5 and 9 a.m. on KPTK-AM.

*Aimee Mann performs in the "Mountain Music Lounge" at 3:15 p.m. Thursday on KMTT-FM.

*Jim Wilke's Jazz Northwest at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM/88.5 features a recent performance by the Hadley Caliman Quintet featuring Thomas Marriott.

*Los Lonely Boys performs in the "Mountain Music Lounge" at 3:15 p.m. Monday on KMTT-FM.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.]]> Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:24:05 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1215690843/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1215690843/#num1 On Radio: 16 state attorneys general critical of proposed XM-Sirius merger
'Would not be in public interest,' letter to FCC says
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
July 10

The proposed merger of satellite radio services XM and Sirius hasn't really been around since the days when today's classic rock tunes were considered new music. It might just seem that way.

But by the standards of many corporate mergers, the XM-Sirius deal, first proposed in February 2007, has dragged on.

And it hasn't become any less controversial in that time, if a letter sent July 3 to the Federal Communications Commission (following up on a July 1 phone meeting with a commissioner) on behalf of 16 attorneys general, including Washington's Rob McKenna, is any indication.

Some of the attorneys general oppose the combination outright, while others suggest adding conditions to it. By and large, though, they agree on this point: "Granting the merger, as proposed by the parties, would not be in the public interest."

The merger has already been approved by the Justice Department, but the major roadblock is the FCC. The deal has been opposed by everyone from members of Congress to the National Association of Broadcasters (unhappy not only over the competition from another medium but that some of its programming is now duplicated on satellite) to those who want more satellite-radio channels dedicated to programming produced by women and racial and ethnic minorities.

The attorneys general letter says the satellite broadcasters haven't lived up to commitments in the original order establishing satellite radio, such as offering receivers that could be used with either service. Had they done so, the letter notes, XM and Sirius would have already offered such features as a la carte pricing and family-friendly programming they're now proposing to win approval of the merger.

Some of the AGs are also suggesting that satellite receivers include compatibility with HD radio, a technology that traditional broadcasters have been pushing as a competitor.

Should the FCC approve the merger, the letter adds, independents should be allowed to lease a part of the spectrum to provide competitive programming.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has endorsed the deal with conditions.

In other radio notes:

*Sandy Stahl, the one-time marketing director at KMTT-FM/103.7 and wife of afternoon host John Fisher, died June 27 of a bacterial infection. KMTT's Web site (www.1037themountain.com), which also includes a link to a memorial from John Fisher's page, notes that Stahl helped build its "Live From the Mountain Music Lounge" series of CDs.

*The loss of Sonics broadcasts won't be much of a disruption to the programming on KTTH-AM/770. The Sonics were the only sports programming on the conservative-talk station, whose afternoon/evening lineup (when most games aired) remains with local host David Boze 3-6 p.m. weekdays, followed by syndicated hosts Michael Savage (6-9 p.m.), Bill O'Reilly (9-11 p.m.) and Lars Larson (11 p.m.-2 a.m.).

"Not pre-empting them will make our conservative listeners happy," says program director Rod Arquette.

*KPLU-FM/88.5 named Mary McCann the host of "Saturday Jazz matinee," which airs 1-6 p.m. She currently programs world-music channels for AOL, and also serves as host of the 11 a.m.-3 p.m. shift Sundays on KBSG-FM/97.3. Ruby Brown, who had been the host of the Saturday program, continues with "Jazz Sunday Side Up" (9 a.m.-1 p.m.).

*KING-FM/98.1 broadcasts Seattle Chamber Music Festival performances at 8 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in July.

*King County Executive Ron Sims is the guest on "Weekday" at 10 a.m. Thursday on KUOW-FM/94.9.

*Lisa Loeb performs in the "Mountain Music Lounge" on KMTT-FM at 8 a.m. Friday.

*The Sunday edition of Jim French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM/880, includes a new Harry Nile mystery.

*Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels answers listener calls at 10 a.m. Monday on "Weekday" on KUOW-FM.

*"Voices of Diversity" at 6 p.m. Wednesday on KBCS-FM/91.3 looks at the subject of teen gangs.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.
]]> Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:54:03 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1215055816/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1215055816/#num1 On Radio: Religious station drops host of afternoon show
Thor Tolo is out at KGNW-AM
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
July 3

Religious broadcaster KGNW-AM/820 has dropped its afternoon local-talk host and is looking for a replacement.

Thor Tolo, who joined KGNW in 2004 after working as a sports-talk host at Pittsburgh's legendary KDKA-AM, worked his last show for the Seattle station June 25.

KGNW posted on its Web site that it has decided to "go in a different direction" with "Live in Seattle," heard 4-6 p.m. weekdays. It promises both familiar and "new and exciting voices" in that time slot as it looks for a new host.

Operations manager Tom Clendening declined to elaborate on the "different direction" the station wants to turn to, other than to say that KGNW, operated by Salem Communications, is trying to find "someone who fits the station."

He hopes to name the new host in the next 30 days.

Tolo said he leaves "with no regrets and with head held high. ... I would love to stay in broadcasting" -- he has worked in both radio and TV -- "and I would love to pursue that in the Puget Sound region."

One candidate for that job, who is doing a fill-in stint on the show this week, is Michelle Mendoza. She had been host of "Living Christian," a daily talk show on KCIS-AM/630, until September, when the station dropped the show because of budget cuts.

Since then she's been doing an online version of the show while talking with other radio stations about syndicating the program. "It would be really exciting if we could make KGNW the flagship station, then build (a network of stations) slowly," Mendoza said.

Clendening hasn't announced yet who else will be getting a tryout in the "Live in Seattle" slot.

In other radio notes:

*The musical/political/satirical group The Capitol Steps performs "Politics Takes a Holiday" on "Weekday" at 9 a.m. Friday on KUOW-FM/94.9.

*XM satellite radio is doing another salute to famed Seattle rock station KJR-AM, part of a series in which it re-creates the sounds of 1960s AM stations. The show airs 1-6 p.m. Friday on XM's channel 6.

*"Audioasis" presents live performances by Aqueduct and Rusty Willoughby from the High Dive in Fremont, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on KEXP-FM/90.3.

*Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM/88.5 features recent performances by the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra.

*"Voices of Diversity" at 6 p.m. Wednesday on KBCS-FM/ 91.3 looks at the effect of the mortgage crisis in Washington.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.]]> Wed, 2 Jul 2008 23:30:16 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1214447744/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1214447744/#num1 On Radio: KNDD-FM/107.7 announces new program director
Alternative format still the focus
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
June 26

No, the alternative format is not what you remember, or listened to, when KNDD-FM/107.7 hit the air in 1991 and Nirvana and Pearl Jam were first releasing music.

The End is also not the ratings powerhouse it was in those early, heady days.

But yes, it's still a viable format, music genre and lifestyle, says Dave Richards, who oversees Seattle's radio entry in the alternative arena.

"It's not as it was 15 years ago," says Richards, operations manager at Entercom Seattle, whose four FM stations in this market include KNDD. "It is a mature format."

"There are," he adds, "changes, challenges and opportunities for alternative."

Figuring out how to deal with all three and keep alternative relevant will be the task of a new program director for KNDD, whose appointment was announced this week. Mike Kaplan, currently operations manager for two of Entercom's stations in New Orleans, will join KNDD in July. Lazlo (who uses only one name on air), the current program director, will continue as host of the afternoon show "The Church of Lazlo."

"Mature" can be a deadly word for a format that relies heavily on listeners in younger demographics who, so the industry chatter goes, are increasingly tuning radio out.

That's hardly the start of the challenges. Alternative, like every other format on radio, is dealing with far more competition for its audience's time and attention than it faced when it launched. Listeners have far more channels for finding "alternative" artists and music.

Alternative was a vague concept to start with, but "there are a lot of styles now" to it, Richards says. The popularity of the genre's artists and music has had peaks and valleys (although it may be helped by the current success of such artists as Coldplay and Death Cab for Cutie, both currently on The End's playlist). Alternative artists can be found on other stations in the market, and there's competition for the same listeners from KEXP-FM/90.3.

To deal with those changes, alternative-format radio has tried to change. Once a music-intensive station, KNDD's program schedule now has a large component of talk-oriented programming, such as the syndicated Adam Carolla show in morning drive. "You have to be on a lot of different platforms to connect to the audience," Richards says. He likens the change to what has happened with MTV, which these days is a far cry from its origins of airing just music videos, "yet more people watch than ever before. The world changes. You can't do the same thing and expect the same results."

One other challenge to alternative stations is proving that the audience is still there. With so many younger listeners ditching traditional telephones in favor of cell phones, ratings services are having trouble reaching them to measure their listening habits, Richards says. Consequently, he adds, stations like KNDD are undermeasured (KNDD ranked 22nd in Arbitron's overall winter-quarter ratings; back in 2000 it was among the top five stations in the Seattle market).

Richards says he and Kaplan will put together a strategy for KNDD. "Will it continue to be alterative? Absolutely."

In other radio notes:

*Lizz Sommars' guests on "Conversations" at 6 a.m. Sunday on KISW-FM/99.9, KKWF-FM/100.7 and KMTT-FM/103.7 and 7 a.m. Sunday on KNDD-FM/107.7 include Taras Grescoe, author of "Bottom Feeder," a book on seafood.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.
]]> Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:35:44 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1213909594/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1213909594/#num1 On Radio: Popular NPR news quiz show returns to Seattle
'Wait Wait' performance already sold out
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
June 19

Author, playwright, screenwriter, competitive runner, extra in a Michael Jackson video -- Pete Sagal has had what might euphemistically be termed a varied career.

"Haven't I, though?" he says in a telephone interview. "I'm kind of proud of that, actually."

He has reason to be proud of one other entry in his resume -- host of one of National Public Radio's most popular programs, "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!," the weekly comedy program disguised as a news quiz that airs locally at 10 a.m. Saturdays on KUOW-FM/94.9

"Wait Wait," which also features NPR newsman Carl Kasell and a rotating cast of panelists (including Paula Poundstone, Tom Bodett, P.J. O'Rourke and Roy Blount Jr.), just marked its 10th year on the air and won a prestigious Peabody Award.

"Wait Wait" normally is based in Chicago, but the show is coming to Seattle to record an episode June 26 at the Paramount (the performance is already sold out). The show will air June 28. Poundstone, Paul Provenza and Adam Felber will be the panelists; the special guest (from Seattle) hasn't been announced yet.

This is the second appearance for "Wait Wait" in Seattle. Given its enthusiastic reception in 2001, as well as its strong performance on KUOW, "it's been too long since we've been back," says Sagal, who has another connection to the city -- as a playwright, he's had his work produced at Seattle Repertory Theatre ("What to Say").

In fact, it was while working as a playwright that Sagal was tapped to be a panelist on the first broadcast of "Wait Wait" in 1998. When the original host left shortly thereafter, Sagal was given what he calls a battlefield promotion, perhaps for no better reason than "he seems hosty," even though "prior to this show I had no radio experience or background or qualifications."

Sagal wasn't counting on a long run. He figured, "This will be a really fun way to while away the time," and to get medical insurance. But in fact "the show got really successful" and Sagal "proved to be better at it than anybody assumed I would be, given my lack of resume."

One reason for the show's success is its ability to find celebrities who understand the show's tone and can play along. Is it tough to find people who are both famous and funny? "Surprisingly not," Sagal says. "Everybody wants to be funny. I don't think there's a person on the planet who wouldn't stoop to being amusing."

It helps that "Wait Wait" doesn't bother with the obvious questions, leading it to some unexpected tangents and territory. A segment with Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer devolved into a discussion of whether high-court judges have to provide their own robes.

"Generally speaking we are not a 'gotcha' show," Sagal adds. That's not to say that, efforts to remain nonpartisan notwithstanding, the show doesn't leave some listeners claiming to be offended. "It's always a difficult line, and every week, as far as at least one listener is concerned, we walk over it."

Sagal last year had his first book published ("The Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things and How to Do Them"); he continues to write essays for "All Things Considered" and is a gear columnist for the magazine Runner's World. One aspect of his career that has taken a hit is playwriting. "I'm a victim of success," he says. "I could probably have a playwriting career and a family or I could have a playwriting career and a job. But I haven't been able to have a playwriting career, a family and a job."

Then there's that short-lived career as a music-video extra. In answer to the obvious question -- which Michael Jackson video -- Sagal was cast as an extra for "Remember the Time;" unfortunately for him, his scene was never filmed. "I hope that's not the highlight of my career but it's the one people are most interested in," he says.

As for "Wait Wait," Sagal is not expecting any big changes. "Right now we're having so much fun, it's hard to imagine how to improve it" -- other than, he adds, getting Bill Clinton or George Bush to agree to appear.

In other radio notes:

*Lizz Sommars' guests on "Conversations" at 6 a.m. Sunday on KISW-FM/99.9, KKWF-FM/100.7 and KMTT-FM/103.7 and 7 a.m. Sunday on KNDD-FM/107.7 include Bob Sullivan, author of "Gotcha Capitalism."

*Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM/88.5 features a recent performance by the Seattle quartet Ziggurat.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.]]> Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:06:34 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1213235543/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1213235543/#num1 On Radio: Mariners-free future suits KOMO just fine
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
posted 5.32 pm June 11

Will the Seattle Mariners prove to be the biggest loss-leader in the history of radio?

The term loss-leader doesn't mean the number of on-the-field defeats the baseball team sustains, although at its current pace the team threatens to compile a remarkable number of those as well.

In retailing, a loss leader is an item that a store puts on sale at or below cost, hoping to pull in shoppers who will also buy higher-margin merchandise.

When Fisher Communications won a six-season contract for the Mariners starting in 2003, some wondered whether there wasn't a loss-leader strategy involved in using baseball, which even in bad years draws a considerable chunk of the Seattle-Tacoma radio market, to bring listeners to the new format on KOMO-AM/1000.

Just as that retailer can measure the loyalty of customers when the bargains disappear, we may learn what sort of audience KOMO and its news-traffic-weather format has built if the Mariners go away.

The Seattle P-I's John Hickey reported last week that the Mariners could wind up on another station starting next year; sources with both the team and the station indicated the two sides haven't been able to reach a deal to the liking of both. One candidate for the Mariners' new radio home: KIRO-AM/710, which was the longtime flagship station of the team until losing the contract to Fisher.

If Fisher does lose the Mariners on the grounds that it's too expensive, it wouldn't come as a shock. The company has in recent financial presentations presented charts that show margins for radio are higher without the M's than with those broadcasts. At the time of the contract's signing it was believed to be one of the biggest radio-rights agreements in baseball.

Dennis Kelly, AM group program director for Fisher Radio Seattle, is reluctant to conjecture about KOMO post-Mariners when negotiations are still going on. "It could be they're going to be with us for years to come," he says "It's been a good partnership.... Ideally we'd love for the Mariners to be part of KOMO."

But asked if KOMO can survive in its present format without baseball, he quickly answers, "Absolutely."

The Mariners were no afterthought to KOMO's strategy, he adds. "We wanted to redefine what great sports radio could be in this market," he says. KOMO hired a full-time Mariners reporter -- Shannon Drayer -- and added former Mariners players (originally Mike Blowers, more recently Dave Valle and Bill Hasselman) to the pre- and post-game broadcasts.

But KOMO also sought to build a clear identity as a news station; it hired retired veteran KIRO news anchor Bill Yeend, and dropped talk programs from its schedule. In addition the station played up, and made use of, the connection with fellow Fisher property KOMO-TV.

What it got, Kelly says, are two large and loyal audiences, for baseball and for all-news. "The all-news format is a strong one; we have great confidence in that format with or without the Mariners," he says.

Whether Fisher achieved or missed its financial goals with the Mariners contract, it certainly raised the radio station's ratings and profile in the market. In Arbitron's winter-quarter 2003 rankings, just before KOMO's first Mariners season, the station was 19th in the market. In spring quarter of that year, the station shot up to seventh. In the winter quarter 2008 ratings (a period without baseball), KOMO ranked sixth among all commercial stations.

In other radio notes:

*Listeners to "Morning Edition" on KUOW-FM/94.9 may have noticed a change in traffic reports. Program director Jeff Hansen says the station has "scaled back" on reports, using its own announcers when there's a major traffic problem. (It does still work with Metro Networks, the source of reports for most stations).

"In our 'Morning Edition' clock, we can't do traffic reports long enough or often enough to get to all the major points," he says. Trying to do so eats into the time available for in-depth news and information, both local and from National Public Radio. "Traffic is not a tune-in factor for us," he says. "It's not our specialty."

*"BirdNote," the two-minute feature produced by Seattle Audubon that airs on KPLU-FM/88.5, can now be heard seven days a week, at 8:58 a.m.

*Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM includes a recent performance by pianist Lynne Arriale's trio.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.]]> Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:52:23 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1212643268/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1212643268/#num1 On Radio: Everett station to boost signal, broaden format
Local show beyond sports is possible
BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
June 5

Coming this fall -- a new radio station from Everett.

Actually it's not a brand-new station -- KRKO-AM/1380's predecessor was, according to its history, one of the first to be licensed in Washington.

But until now, KRKO's signal could be described as sketchy at best as far south as Seattle. The station is licensed to operate at 5,000 watts.

The Federal Communications Commission has granted an application from KRKO's owner, S-R Broadcasting Co., for a construction permit for a new transmitter site, consisting of four antennas. Once assembly and testing are complete this fall, KRKO will be operating at 34,000 watts during the day, 50,000 watts at night -- a signal strong enough to compete with such Seattle stations, it says, as KIRO-AM/710 and KJR-AM/ 950, and to be heard on car radios from Mount Vernon to Tacoma. It also plans to add high-definition technology to its signal.

The FCC approved the application over objections from area residents, some of whom organized as Citizens to Preserve the Upper Snohomish River Valley, on environmental grounds, including the effect on birds. The FCC ruled that S-R Broadcasting's application and environmental study met its requirements.

In announcing the application approval, KRKO emphasized the importance of having a full-power Everett-based station to give a voice to local issues and activities.

KRKO does have a local emphasis, with its broadcast of Everett Silvertips hockey and AquaSox baseball, and it does have one locally hosted talk show, with Jeff Aaron. But its format is sports, and much of its programming comes from ESPN.

"I don't think there's any conflict between being a sports station and getting involved in community issues," says Andrew Skotdal, the station's president and general manager. One way to integrate local nonsports issues into its format would be to add a second local show, perhaps in the mornings.

Another is to add a second AM station, which Skotdal hopes to do with an FCC-approved station for 1520 on the AM dial. Skotdal has proposed adding two more antennas to the four that will be built at the new site (two miles south of Snohomish) to accommodate the second station.

Skotdal is awaiting a decision from a Snohomish County hearing examiner on its application, as well as another construction permit from the FCC. "That's going to go a lot faster because the environmental review has been done" for the first set of transmitters at the site, he says. "The best scenario is that 1520 would be on next summer."

In other radio notes:


*A follow-up to our previous item concerning Spanish-language radio in this market: Colorado-based Seattle Streaming Radio has been operating three local stations -- KBRO-AM/1490 in Bremerton, KNTB-AM/1480 in Lakewood and KLDY-AM/ 1280 in Lacey -- that carry Spanish-language religious programming. They've now been converted to ESPN's Spanish-language service.


*KBCS-FM/91.3 has shuffled its program lineup. "Uncle Meghabhuti Presents" moves to 7 p.m. Fridays, while "Ampbuzz" shifts to 11 p.m. Thursday and "Melange" can be heard at 3 a.m. Tuesdays. New programs include "Slow Drive," hosted by Jean-Pierre Antoine, at 1 a.m. Tuesdays; "Soul Food," with Rodney Outlaw, at 3 a.m. Fridays; "Overnight Groove" at 3 a.m. Saturdays; and "Bygone Blues" at 2 a.m. Mondays.


*Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU- FM/88.5 features performances by the Roosevelt, Garfield and Shorewood high school jazz bands in the recent "Essentially Ellington" competition.


*The Sunday edition of Jim French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM/880, includes a new Harry Nile mystery.


*Jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan performs live in the studios of KPLU-FM/88.5 at 12:20 p.m. Tuesday.


*Newton Faulkner performs live in the "Mountain Music Lounge" at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday on KMTT-FM/103.7.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.
]]> Thu, 5 Jun 2008 01:21:08 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1212068382/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1212068382/#num1 On Radio: Spirit 105 finds balance with Christian format
Technology helps add new songs to the mix
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
May 29

The artists' names and music may differ from rock, country and adult-contemporary stations, but radio stations with contemporary-Christian formats face the same big challenge as their counterparts in other genres:

How do you retain those listeners who are loyal to and comfortable with familiar artists and music while attracting younger listeners accustomed to finding new music on their own, through such Internet channels as MySpace?

However the balancing act is done, Crista Ministries' KCMS-FM/105.3 seems to be managing it. In the most recent quarterly ratings, Spirit 105.3 was the eighth-highest-ranked commercial station in the Seattle-Tacoma market.

The industry appears to appreciate the job KCMS is doing. KCMS' Sarah Taylor was named music director of the year for major-market stations at the Gospel Music Association's recent Radio Echo Awards.

Taylor, who is also the station's afternoon co-host with Tom Pettijohn, says technology is changing how both listeners and the station discover new artists and music, just as it has in other formats.

"Back in the day, we had a core of artists" such as Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael Smith, she says. "Now I'm getting e-mails every day" about music a listener has discovered on the Internet. Says Taylor, who is in her 20s: "My generation, they like to find things out first. When we hear artists on the radio, that's old news."

"It's more song-driven rather than artist-driven," she adds. "There's more to chose from. It makes my job harder and easier."

New artists are showing up in contemporary Christian music; Taylor cites names such as Jeremy Camp, Chris Tomlin and Casting Crowns. New approaches are showing up, too. "We're seeing a lot of artists remaking hymns -- the same words with a modern twist," she says. One such song on KCMS' playlist is Jadon Lavik's reworking of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing."

Although KCMS doesn't have competition in the form of another contemporary Christian station in the market, Taylor says it still has to worry about listeners wandering off to another station. "Our competitors are the other AC (adult-contemporary) stations," she says, adding that Spirit 105.3 finds its greatest crossover listenership with KRWM-FM/106.9 and the country stations.

What will keep listeners tuned in is not just the music mix, but also the connection between hosts and listeners. Although plenty of local radio stations strive for that, Spirit 105.3 does have the added tie to its listeners of religious faith. "We share stories about our lives," Taylor says. She'll talk about becoming a mother, and when she's out on public appearances, listeners will ask to see pictures of her daughter. "I enjoy it when people call in and tell me where they're at in their lives," or ask off-air for prayers.

"They come for the music, but they stay for the relationship," she says.

In other radio notes:


*DeSol performs in the "Mountain Music Lounge" at 3:15 p.m. Thursday on KMTT-FM/103.7.


*Jazz organ master Lonnie Smith performs with saxophonist Donald Harrison and guitarist Peter Bernstein in the KPLU-FM/88.5 studios at 3:15 p.m. Friday.


*Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM features a recent tribute by Bebop Revisited, Joe Baque, Pete Christlieb and Bill Ramsay to the late Olympia pianist Jack Perciful.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.
]]> Thu, 29 May 2008 09:39:42 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1211430986/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1211430986/#num1 On Radio: Longevity links listeners to city
Some shows, and hosts, wear age well
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
May 22

"The Scandinavian Hour" is a throwback in multiple ways. In content, it's a living connection to one of the earliest major influences in the shaping of Seattle -- the Scandinavian community. In style, the show has a local, folksy, almost small-town feel that is a far cry from slickly produced, nationally distributed programs.

And in longevity, it's a stark reminder that radio isn't always about the format, host or program of the month. Even in an industry in which people are sometimes only as good as their next ratings book, it's still possible to carve out a longstanding relationship with listeners (although it may take jumping from one station to another to maintain it).

The recent passing of Ron Olsen, co-host of "The Scandinavian Hour," reinforces the point. Olsen and Doug Warne hosted the weekly show (with a short interruption in the early 1960s) since 1959, on half a dozen stations, and it operated with a different host before then. Most recently it's been heard on KKNW-AM/1150 at 9 a.m. Saturdays. With Warne pledging to continue the show, "The Scandinavian Hour" appears to be extending its title of the longest-running local show in Seattle radio.

But there is a close rival for the title: "The Swing Years," heard Saturday nights on KUOW-FM/94.9. Although details are sketchy as to when the show officially started, current host Amanda Wilde says a query to a couple of longtime listeners indicates that it was on in the early to mid-1960s, perhaps even earlier.

There have been others with lengthy careers in Seattle radio. Robert Baron, better known as "Music With Moskowitz," had a run of nearly 30 years, also on at least half a dozen stations, until his death in 2006. Ken Wiley's "Art of Jazz" on KPLU-FM/88.5 has been running for 26 years.

Nationally, four well-known radio shows that are still going are among the longest-running. The Grand Ole Opry was launched in 1925 and adopted its current name in 1927. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's "Music and the Spoken Word" was launched in 1929 (it's now heard at 7 a.m. Sundays on KBSG-FM/97.3). The Metropolitan Opera (heard Saturdays on KING-FM/98.1) began radio broadcasts in 1931. And "CBS World News Roundup" marked its 70th anniversary this year.

Paul Harvey (heard locally on KVI-AM/570) started his news and comment program in 1951 and "Rest of the Story" in 1976.

Compared with those, some of the best-known programs of today are mere infants. National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" debuted in 1971, while "Morning Edition" began in 1979. "A Prairie Home Companion" didn't start until 1974. And Rush Limbaugh didn't launch his nationally syndicated talk show until 1988.

The Seattle market can count a number of hosts who have had careers counting into the decades, such as Jim French (a talk host before moving to a second career as producer and writer of a radio drama series) and Bill Yeend (who put in 30 years at KIRO-AM/710 before moving over to his current post at KOMO-AM/1000). On the music side of the radio dial, veterans include Ichabod Caine at KMPS-FM/94.1, Steve Slaton and Gary Crow at KZOK-FM/102.5 and Kent & Alan at KPLZ-FM/101.5.

So what is it that allows a host, or a show, to stick around so long? "When it comes to (radio) personalities, the first word is being genuine," says Tom Evans Krause, head of the broadcast department at Green River Community College. "They're real people, someone you'd like to meet and hang out with."

KIRO-AM's Dave Ross is a prime example, he says, of someone who shows a bit of himself on the air so that "you feel as a listener like you get to know these people." At the same time, "They're always talking about things people care about."

Enthusiasm for radio also counts for a lot, Krause says. "You can tell when people are phoning it in," he says. "A lot of people in the business are thrilled to be paid to be on the radio. Most of them would have paid to be on the radio. That kind of attitude really comes across the airwaves."

In other radio notes:


*The Lyric Opera of Chicago performs John Adams' "Dr. Atomic" at 7 p.m. Saturday on KING-FM/98.1.


*The Sunday edition of French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM/880, features a new production of a classic Sherlock Holmes story.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.]]> Thu, 22 May 2008 00:36:26 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1210859652/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1210859652/#num1 On Radio: KKMO sale could mean loss of Spanish-language outlet
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
May 15

The winter quarter ratings book from The Arbitron Co. was a good one for Spanish-language radio in the Seattle-Tacoma market. Three such stations placed in the top 31 among all listeners.

Which adds an element of curiosity to Salem Communications Inc.'s recent decision to sell KKMO-AM/1360, marketed as Radio Sol.

According to a filing with the Federal Communications Commission, Salem has agreed to sell KKMO, one of five AM stations it owns in this market, to Intelli LLC of San Jose, Calif., for $3.69 million.

Intelli's owner, Tron Do, currently buys six hours of programming a day on a station in San Jose owned by Multicultural Programming Radio (which owns KXPA-AM/1540 in Seattle).

Neither Tron Do nor his attorney was available for comment on what the station's format might be after the sale.

Amador Bustos, whose Sacramento, Calif.-based company owns AM and FM Spanish-language stations in the Seattle market, says the San Jose station is almost entirely Vietnamese and Asian programming, and "probably that's the eventual format of (KKMO)." Though Bustos says that's an "educated guess," the record of the buyers would suggest "they don't have the experience or inclination" to do Spanish-language broadcasting.

Neither, it would appear, does Salem. While the Camarillo, Calif.-based company declined comment, the company's emphasis in formats is conservative talk and religious programming. That fits the profile of three of its remaining AM stations in Seattle -- conservative-talk KKOL-AM/1300 and religious talk and instruction stations KGNW-AM/820 and KLFE- AM/1590. The other Salem station in the Seattle market is KDOW-AM/1680, which, like KKMO, is Spanish language, but Salem hasn't said what it plans to do with it.

Less competition in that segment would be good news for Bustos' properties -- KDDS-FM/ 99.3 and KTBK-AM/1210 -- especially given the economic climate and its effect on advertising purchases.

Bustos says Spanish-language radio is holding up better than the industry generally. "We are clearly seeing a slowdown," he says, but Spanish-language radio is still able to produce single-digit percentage increases, while many general-audience outlets are seeing declines.

Major reasons for that, he says, are growth in the Latino/Hispanic market and advertisers getting more comfortable with buying on Spanish-language outlets, especially when Arbitron ratings demonstrate listenership (KDDS, KKMO and KTBK all had enough of an audience to show up in Arbitron's rankings). "We're educating advertisers and bringing them around," he says. "Advertisers are going to want to market to people who are consuming. Demographics is an inescapable fact."

In other radio notes:

*The winter-quarter ratings for noncommercial stations in the Seattle-Tacoma market are out, and by combining them with the previously announced Arbitron data for commercial stations, we have a revised winner: KUOW-FM/94.9, which finished well ahead of KUBE-FM/93.3, the top-rated commercial station. KPLU-FM/88.5 finished 12th in the market in the combined table.

*Dorsey Dunn performs on "Sonarchy" at midnight Saturday on KEXP-FM/90.3.

*The Sunday edition of Jim French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM/880, includes a new "Harry Nile" mystery.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.
]]> Thu, 15 May 2008 09:54:12 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1210258799/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1210258799/#num1 On Radio: KUBE takes over the No. 1 spot
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
May 8

The winter-quarter ratings book was a good one overall for KUBE-FM/93.3, while in the critical battle for morning listeners, it was very good for the market's two AM news stations.

KUBE claimed the top spot among listeners 12 and older, tuned in 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday in the Seattle-Tacoma market, according to survey data released by The Arbitron Co. In doing so it swapped places with KRWM-FM/106.9, which placed first in the fall ratings book and second in winter.

The ratings don't include noncommercial stations, whose results are compiled separately and released later. In earlier surveys KUOW-FM/94.9 has rated as high as first while KPLU-FM/88.5 has been at or near the top 10. While some commercial stations may not have a high ranking in the overall numbers, they may be popular with advertisers because they do well with certain age or gender segments of the market.

In the 6-10 a.m. weekday competition, KIRO-AM nudged out KOMO-AM by a fraction of a point. They were followed by KUBE-FM, with its T-Man show, KISW-FM (B.J. Shea), KMPS-FM (Ichabod Caine) and KZOK-FM (Bob Rivers).

KRWM-FM was first for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by KIRO-AM. In the 3-7 p.m. segment KUBE-FM bested KRWM-FM, while in weekday evenings (7 p.m. to midnight) it was KUBE-FM over KVI-AM (which carries George Noory's "Coast to Coast" for much of that segment). On weekends KMPS-FM and KUBE-FM were at the top of the ratings.

In other radio notes:


*Sports-talk veteran Dave Grosby told listeners Tuesday he'll no longer be doing the 1-3 p.m. weekday shift at KJR-AM/950 because of budget cuts. But he's not leaving the station. He'll continue to do "Groz With Gas" with Mike Gastineau 3 to 5 p.m., fill in for other KJR hosts and do more with the station's Web site, including a possible video blog. Ian Furness takes over the 1-3 p.m. shift; Elise Woodward will handle the 7-10 p.m. shift she had been co-hosting with Furness.

Grosby started with KJR in the early 1990s, left for KIRO-AM in 1993 and rejoined KJR in 1996.


*Following up on last week's item on Fisher Communications Inc.'s annual meeting, acting Chief Financial Officer Joseph Lovejoy says the Seattle-based based broadcaster has no plans to divest its three local radio stations (KOMO-AM/1000, KVI-AM/570 and KPLZ-FM/ 101.5). The combination of the three, particularly KOMO radio and its news format, with KOMO-TV, produces efficiency in news sharing and cost savings, as well as cross-selling opportunities with advertisers.

Fisher does own five small-market radio stations that it hopes to sell. But Lovejoy notes that current conditions in the mergers-and-acquisitions market make it "not the best time to be marketing properties."

Still, deals are taking place, as demonstrated by Salem Communications' planned sale of a Spanish-language AM station in Seattle. Would Fisher have an interest in buying, especially for properties that could be combined with its growing presence in Spanish-language TV?

While Fisher does look at opportunities as they come up, and while there are "very big synergies" in Spanish language audiences between radio and TV, Fisher isn't interested in AM stations, Lovejoy says. "We're not actively pursuing radio, and we're not actively divesting radio," he added.


*KTTH-AM has shuffled its weekend lineup, with Clark Howard's consumer-advice show added at 5 to 8 p.m. Saturdays. Allen Hunt, whose show focuses on issues of faith and life, has been added 6 to 9 p.m. Kim Komando's show on computers moves to 9 a.m.-noon Sunday.


*Seattle Opera performs Bellini's "I Puritani" at 7:30 p.m. Saturday on KING-FM/98.1.


*KSER-FM/90.7 has added "Academy of Comedy," focusing on the best of spoken comedy (with some musical bits thrown in) of the last 70 years. Hosted by Ed Gasparini, the show airs 6-8 a.m. Sundays.


*The Sunday edition of Jim French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM/880, includes a new Harry Nile mystery.


*The live studio performance by members of the Stadium High School Jazz band and trumpeter Lance Buller on KPLU-FM/88.5 has been rescheduled to 12:20 p.m. Tuesday.


WINTER QUARTER RATINGS

1. KUBE-FM/93.3

2. KMPS-FM/94.1 and KIRO-AM/710, tied

4. KISW-FM/99.9; KOMO-AM/1000; KWJZ-FM/98.9/ KCMS-FM/105.3; KZOK-FM/102.5; KING-FM/98.1; KQMV-FM/92.5 and KBKS-FM/106.1, tied

12. KKWF-FM/100.7; KTTH-AM/770; KBSG-FM/97.3 and KMTT-FM/103.7, tied

16. KVI-AM/570; KJR-FM/95.7; KJR-AM/950 and KPLZ-FM/101.5, tied

20. KJAQ-FM/96.5; KNDD-FM/107.7; KIXI-AM/880; KDDS-FM/99.3 and KPTK-AM/1090, tied

25. KFNK-FM/104.9 and KNBQ-FM/102.9, tied

27. KXXO-FM/96.1; KCIS-AM/630; KISM-FM/92.9, KTBK-AM/1210, KKMO-AM/1360 and KGNW-AM/820, tied

Source: The Arbitron Co.


P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319]]> Thu, 8 May 2008 10:59:59 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1209610099/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1209610099/#num1 On Radio: Fisher tuning in on TV -- at expense of radio?
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
posted at 5.58 pm April 30

Fisher Communications Inc. executives told Wednesday's annual shareholders meeting they believe the Seattle-based broadcasting company has great brands and great opportunities to add to its portfolio.

Left unanswered, though, is this question: Will radio be a part of that future?

About the only mention radio got during management presentations was a chart showing radio's margins with and without the financial impact of Seattle Mariners broadcasts. This is the last year for Fisher's six-season contract to carry Mariners games on KOMO-AM/1000, and lately Fisher has made several mentions of how the cost of those broadcasts is cutting into its margins for radio.

Instead, most of the emphasis was on the TV side, where Fisher has been investing in new markets (it recently bought two stations in Bakersfield, Calif.) and new audiences (through development of Spanish-language stations).

Fisher hopes to generate more revenue by collecting more in retransmission fees paid by cable, satellite and telecom companies, and by developing new ventures such as digital TV subchannels and Web sites.

Fisher operates eight radio stations, three of them in Seattle (KPLZ-FM/101.5, KOMO-AM and KVI-AM/570). The remaining five are in small markets, a segment in which Fisher has been unwinding its position. It also has 13 full-power and eight low-power TV stations.

One other important asset for Fisher: its longtime holding of Safeco stock. It sold some of that position last year to pay for the Bakersfield deal, but it still holds 2.3 million Safeco shares. With last week's announcement that Safeco will be bought for $66.60 a share by Liberty Mutual, Fisher could collect about $157 million (less taxes). "We have the ability to consider many growth opportunities," said Chief Executive Colleen Brown, adding that the company hasn't decided yet how it will deploy the proceeds.

But some large shareholders are unhappy with the way the company has been managed. They expressed that unhappiness by withholding votes for management-nominated board candidates and voting against an equity incentive plan they said would excessively dilute existing shareholders. While board candidates were re-elected with about 4.2 million shares apiece, each also had nearly 3 million shares voted against (in the form of "withhold" ballots). The equity incentive plan passed barely, 52 percent to 48 percent.

Brown said the company has made progress in cutting its debt load, selling off assets that don't offer growth potential, and boosting revenue and cash flow. But the stock price, which closed in trading Wednesday at $32.86 a share and was above $50 a share last year, doesn't reflect that, she said, which she blamed on the depressed market for media companies generally.

"We recognize there is great value in our stock," she said.

"But the market does not," an investor retorted.

Although it is itself a media company, Fisher did not permit reporters to attend its annual meeting this year (although it has in past years), one of the very few publicly traded companies to have such a policy. It did offer a Web stream of the annual meeting, which worked sporadically. Executives weren't available for comment on the meeting or plans for radio.

Fisher also announced first-quarter results Wednesday, with a loss of $1.1 million, or 12 cents a share, compared with a loss of $1.2 million, or 14 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue rose 10 percent to $37.7 million, mainly from the contribution of the Bakersfield stations.

In other radio notes:


*KEXP-FM/90.3 launches a new series of minidocumentaries Thursday with a 10-part feature on "Music Revolutionaries." The documentaries, each three to six minutes in length, can be heard at 3 p.m. Thursdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays.


*Entercom has launched a new nighttime program on its country stations called "2ndshift," hosted by Alan Kabel. It airs locally 7 p.m.-midnight on KKWF-FM/100.7.


*The Metropolitan Opera performs Mozart's "The Abduction from the Seraglio" at 10:30 a.m. on KING-FM/98.1.


*"Audioasis" on KEXP-FM presents live performances by Skullbot and Lords of the North from the High Dive in Fremont beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.


*Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM/88.5 features Gerald Wilson leading the Festival All-Star Big Band at Centrum's Jazz Port Townsend.


*KPLU-FM celebrates the release of its latest "School of Jazz" CD with a live studio session featuring members of the Stadium High School Jazz Band with trumpeter Lance Buller, at 12:20 p.m. Tuesday.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.]]> Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:48:19 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1208996623/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1208996623/#num1 Last updated April 23, 2008 5:01 p.m. PT

On Radio: Sports voice also broadcasts on substance abuse
'The bright side is recovery,' Neil Scott says
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER

You probably know the name and voice of Neil Scott from his sports news updates on KJR-AM/950, as well as in-game reports and postgame interviews on the Mariners, Seahawks and Sonics for such national networks as ESPN, Fox and Sirius.

In sports terms, he says, "I'm the long guy out of the bullpen."

But that's only a part of his broadcasting resume. Scott is also producer and host of "Recovery Coast to Coast," a two-hour, five-nights-a-week show that airs at 10 p.m. on KHHO- AM/850, as well as through streaming audio on its Web site at recoverycoasttocoast.org.

The show chronicles the lives, news and stories of those in alcohol and drug addiction, treatment, recovery and research (it also deals with such topics as eating disorders and gambling and sex addiction). The first hour features interviews with celebrities and newsmakers (guests have included Pat Summerall, Robin Williams and Betty Ford), authors and prevention and treatment professionals. The second hour is devoted to an interview with someone who has been in recovery continuously for at least a year.

Scott's interest in the subject grew out of his broadcasting career, which began as a rock-radio DJ in Rhode Island. He later moved to California and into TV, anchoring a newscast in Bakersfield.

It was while researching a story on the topic that Scott "really became fascinated" with addiction and recovery. Scott says both his parents died from alcohol-related health issues. "Very few people in this country are not affected," either directly or through family members, by substance abuse and addiction.

That interest led in turn to jobs with organizations on alcohol and drug use, which included editing publications and trying to raise awareness of the subject.

"People were missing a key aspect of this disease," he says. "The bright side is recovery."

To tell that part of the story, Scott, who had moved to Seattle in the mid-1970s, began a nightly local-radio show called "Straight Talk" in the 1980s.

More recently, Scott was approached about reprising that show, which led to the launching of "Recovery Coast to Coast" in October 2005 on KLFE-AM before moving to KHHO-AM. It's now approaching its 700th show. Scott also has another business of handling master-of-ceremonies duties at auctions.

The program's official sponsor is the Seattle-based Alliance for Recovery. It's a commercial show, and Scott would love to have more sponsors. But because of the social stigma of alcoholism, he adds, "it's been tough raising money." Whereas those in recovery talk about making it one day at a time, "we talk about staying on the air one show at a time."

He'd also like to have wider distribution for the program. "It would immediately bring to the table thousands of people," he says. But Scott, who says syndication has been difficult, has to fight the notion that the topic is too narrow or too dull.

"It's not the dull, boring Sunday morning public-affairs program people pigeonhole it as," he says. Between those who have been, are or should be in treatment and recovery, "there's a huge market out there."


In other radio notes:

*Washington State Ferries Director David Moseley takes listener calls on "Weekday" at 9 a.m. Thursday on KUOW-FM/ 94.9.


*The Metropolitan Opera performs Donizetti's "The Daughter of the Regiment" at 10:30 a.m. Saturday on KING- FM/98.1.


*Singer Connie Evingson and members of Pearl Django perform live on KPLU-FM/88.5 at 12:20 p.m. Tuesday.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.]]> Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:23:43 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1208407153/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1208407153/#num1
On Radio: Revenues up for Seattle radio
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER

The radio industry continues to fret about its future amid an increasingly fragmented media market and competition for advertising dollars, but for the moment, at least, someone wants to buy time on stations in the Seattle-Tacoma market.

In fact, estimated gross revenues for Seattle-Tacoma radio stations hit $231.9 million in 2007, according to BIA Financial Network Inc., a media and telecom industry adviser that compiles the data annually.

That was up 5.7 percent from 2006, and the percentage gain looks even better when compared with national numbers. BIA says radio revenues were down 2.3 percent from 2006, following two previous years of increases that were less than half a percent in each.

The contrast was even sharper when comparing Seattle-Tacoma, ranked 13th in terms of radio revenue, to other metro areas, says Mark Fratrik, vice president at BIA. Atlanta was down 3 percent; Boston reported a 4.5 percent drop; and Washington, D.C., was off 7.5 percent.

The relative strength of the local economy compared with other metropolitan markets probably explains why Seattle-Tacoma was up while others were down. Seventy-five percent of radio revenue here comes from local sources, which Fratrik says is in line with other markets.

The attraction of radio to advertisers, says John Levich of Seattle-based Levich Advertising, is that "it can reach who we want to reach. It's a little easier to target (specific listener groups), with all the formats and times. You have a pretty good selection."

Even so, the Seattle-Tacoma market isn't back to the levels reported by BIA in 2003, 2004 or 2005. The recent peak was $237.1 million in 2004.

BIA is warning that 2008 could be another disappointing year nationally because of the economy, but revenue could rebound in 2009 as conditions improve and the industry finds more ways to generate income from digital outlets.

One anomaly about the Seattle-Tacoma market is the number and audience size for noncommercial stations, which also draw on marketing dollars in the form of underwriting and sponsorships. KUOW-FM/94.9, which in some Arbitron ratings quarters has topped all stations, collected $3.75 million in business support for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007.

But Fratrik says there isn't a direct impact of that support on advertising spending at commercial stations. While public and community stations do draw business marketing dollars (and the sponsorship messages on occasion sound much like ads), some of those sponsors, including major corporations, wouldn't necessarily buy ad time on commercial stations the way local retailers might.

The top revenue stations on the FM side, according to BIA, are KMPS-FM/94.1, KZOK-FM/102.5 and KRWM-FM/106.9. On the AM side, KIRO-AM/710 and KOMO-AM/1000 top the list.

In other radio notes:


*Randi Rhodes has parted company with Air America, ostensibly over remarks she made about Hillary Clinton, not on the air but at a radio-station event in San Francisco. But she's joined another syndication service, Nova M, that carries another former Air America host, Mike Malloy. The switch means there will be no change for local listeners; her program will continue to air at 6 p.m. weekdays on KPTK-AM/1090.


*Last week it was on an interim basis, but now it's official: Stephen Kilbreath has been named news director at KMPS-FM, handling news and traffic duties on the Ichabod Caine morning show, as well as handling the weekend public-affairs show. He succeeds the recently retired Don Riggs.


*The Metropolitan Opera performs Philip Glass' "Satyagraha" at 10:30 a.m. Saturday on KING-FM/98.1.


*Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. on KPLU-FM/88.5 features the recent world premiere of "Heaven and Hell," a work for tentet by Tom Varner, who also played French horn in the work.


*The Sunday edition of Jim French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM/880, includes a new Sherlock Holmes adventure.


*"Voices of Diversity" at 6 p.m. Wednesday on KBCS-FM/91.3 looks at the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Seattle chapter of the Black Panther Party.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.]]> Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:39:13 ronrob http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1207834544/ http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1207834544/#num1 On Radio: KMPS-FM's Riggs calls it a career
'One of the few news guys left at a music station'
By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE P-I REPORTER
April 10

He worked for a bank collecting money at the World's Fair in Seattle, as an organ player in a bar, served on several public sector boards and councils in Bellevue -- and in between squeezed in a radio career than spans 55 years.

But that career comes to an end Friday, as Don Riggs delivers his last newscast at KMPS- FM/94.1 as part of the "Ichabod Caine and the Waking Crew" program.

"I was one of the lucky ones who decided when I was about 12 this was what I wanted to do -- and did," says Riggs, who began his career at a small Renton station while still in high school.

After college and an Army stint (working in both radio and TV) he returned to the region to work as both DJ and news reporter for a host of stations.

In a 2003 interview he recounted being one of six people on the KMPS news team.

"I'm probably one of the few news guys left at a music station," he says now, with many other stations outsourcing it or dropping news altogether. "I wish there were more of us doing it."

The most fun he had on a story was while working as a TV reporter at KIRO. Having once played the organ in bars in Yakima (where he worked in radio early in his career), he got to play the theater organ in West Seattle's Admiral Theater.

He's also proud of his community involvement in Bellevue, including serving on the board of the Meydenbauer Center, 15 years as an elected member of a community council and working on the city's downtown park.

After his retirement, Riggs may do some more traveling. He owns a 15-year-old RV with just 35,000 miles.

"The thing is sitting around like a planter," he says. "We'll see if we can put some more miles on it."

One change for Riggs upon retirement is the end of waking up at 3 a.m. for a show that begins at 5. On weekends Riggs has slept in as late as 6 or 7. "A week from now, that may be early," he says.

Riggs' interim successor doing news on the KMPS morning show will be Stephen Kilbreath.

In other radio notes:


*Mitch Levy's morning show on sports-talk station KJR- AM/950 has a new audience; a simulcast of the 6-9 a.m. segment is now heard on Spokane's KGA-AM/1510. KJR program director Rich Moore says the station isn't embarking on a major syndication effort, but it has had an interest in giving its programming a greater reach in the region. "They approached us," he says. "We'll give it a shot."


*Dave Samson, who hosts the Friday night blues program "The Nightshift" on KBCS-FM/ 91.3, is moving to KMTT-FM/ 103.7 at the end of April to handle Saturday mornings and Sunday brunch. His last show on KBCS will be at 7 p.m. April 18. Meanwhile, Drew Dundon has left the station.


*The Metropolitan Opera performs Prokofiev's "The Gambler" at 10:30 a.m. Saturday on KING-FM/98.1.


*"Bluegrass Ramble" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KBCS-FM features Seattle bluegrass band the Downtown Mountain Boys.


*The Sunday edition of Jim French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM/880, includes a new Harry Nile mystery.


*"Voices of Diversity" at 6 p.m. Wednesday on KBCS-FM looks at the sanctuary movement in Seattle.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com]]> Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:35:44 ronrob