I was in Santa Cruz on Saturday enjoying the summer-like conditions and seeking a refuge away from my mighty MacBook; a temporary reprieve from away from the vast broadcast wasteland called terrestrial radio.
On the way down to see some friends at KSCO, the AM community, 10,000-watt nifty little powerhouse, got a chance to visit the studios. What a museum! What facilities. A radio station with old-style RCA microphones and studios right out of the Texaco theatre. A gorgeous outpost right on the sweeping Santa Cruz coastline, a stone's throw from the Boardwalk which was full of January sun-worshippers. January? It felt more like the middle of summer without the fog.
**I've begun listening to more Internet radio. Most stations that are in the big leagues have live streaming audio. What a relief. Really no more reason to listen to local radio, other than KCBS for some news at the top of the hour; KQED, KCSM, for just periodic news and some local big-band/jazz offerings.
KGO has become merely an afterthought. An outright albatross shuffled into an empty forest with more baggage than Louis Vitton. The Monday-Friday content is officially abysmal and just a complete joke. And the leftover sloppy thirds on the weekend is almost as unlistenable as the weekday, only now more comical and irrelevant as all get go.
They shuffled out the late-night ghost-hunting, "guest host" with another borrowed shlug from Knibber, (stick to sports, buddy), with a very out-of-control, loud, obnoxious voice that tried in vain to create the impression that somebody cared; not.
It only reinforced my trip to the net to navigate to something serene and necessary: Saturday wee hours listening to Charlie Parker and McCoy Tyner. Add a little George Benson too from a recorded concert in Boston and I was in a state of bliss. You can do this anytime of the day, 24/7--it beats the hell out of listening to the utter audio contempt. I have resisted the 4.0 maneuver to Internet radio mostly out of sheer laziness and the fact that most of my radio services, (until now), has been concentrated on conventional local offerings. What a waste.
It is, after all, part of the "415 Media" landscape, and I'll continue to monitor the local landscape--part of the reason I write this blog. While I have some personal misgivings about the current palate, (like you didn't know already), I'll still check its pulse. Professional courtesy. Plus, I'm delighted that we have a vibrant new, "NewsTalk" station on 910 AM, (Steady doses of Tillem, Rothmann, Wattenburg, Colmes and the like), and local news stalwart, KCBS--hardly 1010 WINS, but just good enough and devoid of endless SweetJack propaganda.
Internet radio provides welcome musical, political, cultural, theatrical and even sports-themed content. It's a little less contrived and honest. not spectacular, but if you have a thirst for radio and like to listen, particularly when the local content is so awful, this is more than a healthy alternative.
Satellite radio is downright terrific. If your a sports junkie, you have endless NFL/MLB/NBA and even NHL offerings, with endless chatter too. I'm now a huge "Mad-dog/Chris Russo" fan. A taste of NY-flavored sports news and commentary makes the scene here, by contrast, just pathetic.
I've always been a Howard Stern fan, even with his juvenile toilet humor, but Stern always managed to provide the frenetic, funny, hysterical histrionics that few others could provide. His interviews are priceless and some of his very best content. Stern, by virtue of his shift to satellite, has come off the conventional water-cooler content machine, but that's fine with me.
Satellite isn't for everyone. First off, it's not free, and in this economy, it's a luxury, that many simply won't pay for, but if you drive a lot and are wanting something devoid of the commercial crap, it's out of this world.
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I've been listening to internet radio for years. It has less commercials and more diversity, generally speaking. It has dodged a few bullets too with Congress, aided by lobbyists for record companies and Satellite and Terrestial radio, playing with upping the royalties on the artists played to something many of these Mom & Pop internet stations could not afford to ether push out this new competition or make it a Rich Man's game.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, it is surviving although probably from flying under the radar. Once it can get beamed into a car and your radio choices are anything on the internet rather than what satellite can hold or the limited numbers on a radio dial, then things will really take off. While not there yet, it is just starting to break free of the stationary computer with apps on iPhones and such.
I loved Satellite radio, but I eventually dumped it. The prices kept going up, something like $17/month when all was said and done. I realized I only listened to maybe 5-8 stations on regular rotation and that didn't make paying the $17 worth it. I'll note, however, they did try to offer me a retention package, 5 months for $20. I stood my ground though.
ReplyDeleteI now use the Slacker internet radio app in the car. Thanks to my in-car bluetooth streaming audio feature, I just hook up my smartphone to my car's bluetooth and every time I play a station on Slacker, it goes over the speaker. My only fear is if a cop sees me on my phone while changing stations. Although Im not talking on the phone, I'm still holding the device. Which would make this radio modestly more expensive than satellite. :-D
The changes at KGO helped to accelerate the migration of thousands of listeners to Internet based broadcasts which include traditional over-the-air stations and Internet only stations. AM radio will eventually be irrelevant. The value of a 50KW broadcast license will diminish. You have more than 50K options through TuneIn.com on your computer and wherever you go by installing the phone App for Android or Iphone. Did I know this two months ago? - No. Why, because I was happy with KGO and had no reason to look for alternatives. Thanks Cumulus.
ReplyDeleteAfter your previous visit to KSCO, I am glad to hear that they let you in. I'm surprised that Kay didn't have bouncers at the door! It is a cool set up at KSCO, but I still dislike the programming with Rush all morning, Bill W. 3 days a week at lunch...eh...he chooses an issue and hammers on it...now it's highway 17...Corey Gold, 2 lunchtime days a week with his right wing politics and all the callers left over from listening to Rush. Gold does have comedic talent and a good radio voice and when he does his comedy shtick, it's very good. The rest of KSCO...well the name of the after 2:00 show is "What's Left"...that that's supposed to represent the "other side"...sounds like leftovers (hey, they could just as easily use that name for the show). The hosts are boring even if their topics are interesting, at time.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, glad you still have friends at KSCO!
Streaming radio, from any city in the world, is in its wild west phase. Trust me, those greedy bastards in suits won't let the free ride last very long.
ReplyDeleteJohn Rothman is my favorite guy locally.
ReplyDelete910 could be better without fox news and the fair and balanced BS.
The stuff limbaugh spews is criminal.
I enjoy Alan Colmes, also. Best host if you enjoy making fun of Rick Santorum's stillborn child.
ReplyDeleteWhy are hiding Alan's gaffe? Maybe because you're embarrassed?
Rick Santorum's late term aborted 20 week old fetus...is an issue because Mr. Santorum would not extend to women other than his wife..the right to have a late term abortion...certainly not to bring it home rock-hard and not fully formed for the other kids to cuddle.
ReplyDelete@11:05
ReplyDeleteEverything you have said is correct. However; I am a Pandora person.
First you have to have an iphone which (although I don't have one and don't want one) costs quite a bit of money monthly as well, doesn't it? All this technology just to listen to the radio, and having all those gadgets to access internet programming certainly is expensive and lining the pockets of the corporate-types, too. If you don't want to invest in ipad, iphone, laptop ...... you're kind of out of luck hearing all these programs unless you sit at your computer and listen. For me, the nice thing about the radio is that you could listen while you were doing other things -- chores, driving, gardening, sewing, cooking, etc.
ReplyDeleteGranted, listening online may be the only reasonable option left, but it certainly isn't convenient, easy, or cheap.
Fox News Radio has it's faults (and biases) obviously.
ReplyDeleteHowever, deals are deals and Fox News needs a San Francisco clearance and Fox is "safest" on 910 -- not on 960 with the likes of Malloy, Press, Rhodes, Miller and Beck who, as you remember, was terminated from Fox.
It's the "news" name to keep costs down and to clear Colmes, Sullivan and whatever Clear Channel may throw at it.
I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see Spencer Hughes on 910, with Gene Burns blessing, as they are good friends, the Hughes, who is already on Fox News Radio for 2 hours a day didn't move the needed at KGO or KSFO, so, we'll have to see -- but don't lose that thought.
It's a lot more expensive to pay John Rothman than to import a satellite signal for mere dollars and a contract to sell the affiliation to other stations outside the market. 960 is, essentially, of no value -- or they would have moved the progressive talk to 910. They didn't, so Fox wants to stay where it is.
Colmes gaffe was sickening, but then again, Karel out does that with two-headed baby masturbation and "explosive diarhea" narcissism every night he's on KGO. It's a competitive battle to get on-air, let alone work for audience.
After all, look at "Monty" -- the dimwit part time from KNBR now on Sat & Sun night (for now) on KGO.
Tim Montemayor is almost as low as you can get, with the distant exception being Karel. Montemayor is a former sports talk producer -- not host -- and has already been fired in the market and producers are all-in-all a dime a dozen.
His schtick is not news talk. It's sports. And on top of that, all he does is that old "Top 40" radio trick to hype the "youthful male demos" 18-35 and 25-49 ... he "screams" just like old timers Jackson Armstrong, The Real Don Steele, Wolfman Jack and so many dozens of others in the nighttime daypart.
Kids used to eat that fast talkin', screaming BS up, and, thankfully, outside the three above, it was short lived. It's an artform to do well -- and Monty ain't got no art. He's luck the Occupiers were agitated last night or he'd have not topic. He "sex talk" at midnight was a boring snoozefest.
As contracts go -- if he lasted six weeks, as Spencer Hughes did (conflict my ass) -- he'll be gone before the second have of his first 13 week deal kicks in and he'll be gone.
There are lots out there prime for auditioning. That's the problem. Will KGO come to its senses (KSFO with JD Hayworth, too, phoning it in from Scottsdale)? It's desperation time at Cumulus. (Hence, why the program schedule is not updated) and the Dickey's are screaming "GET US SOME SYNICATED TALENT CHEAP THAT CAN HIT 500 RADIO STATIONS NOW!"
Till then, it's play by numbers and this is what we get. A Nibber flunky. Oh, and Karel. Enjoy!
Incidentally -- talk about keeping it all in the family and nepotism at it's greatest -- I forgot to mention:
ReplyDeleteYou know who distributes Fox News Radio? No, not Fox News.
Premier Radio Networks which, of course, is owned by Clear Channel. So, it's just keeping it in the family, now with Fox Noise, El Rushbo, Sullivan, Armstrong & Getty, and Colmes (owned by Fox, distributed by Premier Networks.) Just sayin'. Fox ain't goin' nowhere.
Keep this in mind, too. Love XM Sirius all you want (and I do.) A suite of streaming terrestrial stations are owned and programmed by -- ta da!
ReplyDeleteClear Channel.
Clear Channel Adjusts Their Suite Of Channels On XM June 8, 2011
Clear channel announced that beginning today they will be switching their suite of channels on XM Satellite Radio. The company was an early investor ($250 million) in XM Satellite Radio starting in 1999 and has long had five channels to program on the service. It is interesting that Clear Channel is remaining a part of the XM lineup when they have their popular iHeartRadio now entering the dashboards of cars.
Looking at the channel lineup it appears that four of the five channels have been identified:
KISS FM Los Angeles – KIIS FM is LA’s #1 Hit Music Station playing the biggest Pop, Hip Hop, Dance, Latin Pop, Rock and R&B hits. This channel includes popular radio personality Ryan Seacrest.
Z100 New York – Z100 plays the biggest hits in pop, rock, dance, Hip Hop and R&B.
WLTW Lite FM – playing the best variety of yesterday and today. This channel includes popular morning hosts Bronson & Christine, Delilah, and Nina Del Rio.
WSIX Big 98 Country – Country music straight from Nashville.
According to the Fly On The Wall, “Clear Channel Radio announced that five of its industry-leading radio stations, covering five different formats, began simulcasting on the XM satellite radio service beginning today at 12:01 a.m. The company’s new simulcasts replace current Clear Channel programming on XM satellite radio, although only one involves a change in format. The simulcasts will not appear on Sirius Satellite Radio.”
KSCO 1080 is awesome list of shows and I'm glad that they added Dr Bill Wattenburg Noon-2pm Mon Tues & Wed. Podcasts:
ReplyDeletehttp://ksco.com/dr-bill-wattenburg & http://bit.ly/DrBill10312
Direct Listen Live link: http://bit.ly/KSCO1080
I am also happy to hear that KKSF Newstalk 910am, a Clearchannel outlet, has added Len Tillem, The Loyah, 3pm-4pm(pst)(http://bit.ly/LenTillemPodcasts),Gene Burn 4pm-7pm and Leo Laporte the tech guy on Sun 1-4pm.
Direct Listen Live: http://bit.ly/KKSF910
Gil Gross on Sat. 8am-10am "Real Estate Today"
on http://bit.ly/KLIV1590
To Follow former KGO hosts: http://on.fb.me/FindFormerKGOHosts
The Future is in internet radio as the old terrestial radio fades into obscurity.
Monty is a Latino I think-but he wont admit it. And how KGO under the Dickeys know who's a conservative? They must like FOX, have a litmus test. Its kind of scary that as Rich documents corporate radio not just owning stations-as they always have,they now facist like,are having the politics one sided-News or Sports. I don't hear of any new liberals getting a shot,the older ones seem to play footsies to stay on air.
ReplyDeleteMonty,D.Bruce,Ratto ...is more KNBR what the bay area wants???
Just think predatory business practices..Dick and Bungerhole working in Lockstep. Scary.
Rich: I was gratified to read you promoting Internet Radios. A few years ago I had several XMRadio receivers and loved them. Then the subscription price went up and some programs I liked disappeared. I could never get a response from Customer Service and decided to cancel my subscription. I had a many-year subscription because of the much better rate. When I canceled it took almost a year of constant emails, letters and telephone calls before I received my refund. As far as XM/Sirius: Never again!
ReplyDeleteI AM hooked on WiFi/Internet radio and have four different brands:
Logitech Squeezebox
Roku Soundbridge
Chumby One (two of them)
Grace Innovation III
(Some of these are discontinued.)
For three of these Internet radios I feed low-power FM transmitters so I can listen via any FM radio in my house. It is beyond the scope of the Blog to discuss the pros and cons of my radios and transmitters. But I'd like to add that if CCrane has dropped advertising of KGO, a show of support/appreciation would be to order their Internet Radio (Model CWF). While I do not have one of these WiFi/Internet radios, my experience over the years with CCrane has been great.
Keep in mind -- some of the programs from KKSF-910 will NOT be heard via iHeart on your computer or smarthphone (like Rush, Leo Laporte and others.
ReplyDeleteThis won't affect "live & local" personalities like Len or Gene. They will be heard on iHeart via your computer and smarthphone.
A good number of the other shows are contractually not allowed be put on the Internet without extra cost and to prevent piracy by stations. That's why you hear nothing. In very few cases, for stations willing to pay exhorbitant fees in the thousands of dollars, you "might" hear one or two such programs, but not many. And not in the Bay Area via computer.
12:54 (and others) -
ReplyDeleteMight I highly recommend and suggest a Wi-Fi Internet radio? It "picks up" well over 10,000 radio stations, including local, Bay Area statios in crystal clear quality, no static, no fading and, yes, lots of SweetJack commercials.
You will hear stations from New York as clearly as stations in San Francisco and in big cities and little towns.
I've been using mine four 6 years and won't listen to anything else. It's the very same signal you are listening too, only in studio quality. The cost ... a little more than $100 but well worth it.
You can take it anywhere within a wi-fi range and some do run on batteries as well.
Check out the CCrane catalog for a wi-fi Internet Radio -- you'll love it. Easy to use, has a clock, identifies the station and you tune it just like a radio because, well, it IS a radio. And it costs nothing except having wi-fi. Save the smartsphone expense.
There are several brands -- I have a Roku, Sangean, CCrane, several others. Just "Google" "wi-fi Internet Radios."
No computer needed, just a wi-fi connection through the air. Looks like a tabletop radio and sounds great.
You'll like it a lot, I promise.
Remember how when there would be an earthquake or big power outage or flood...and it's 2 in the morning. You would tune in to your battery operated Radio Shack radio to KGO. You would get news and talk from locals and neighbors and friends you hadn't yet met, and you would hear from the Lennon guy, too!
ReplyDeleteGone.
There are rumors floating around that Cumulus is hopping in bed with Clear Channel by way of IheartRadio. Cumulus using Iheart seems odd, freaky, and a little conspiratorial. But then again I have some trust issues..with um..Cumulus(the butcher of KGO).
ReplyDelete1:31 p.m. what are you talking about regarding KSCO's "awesome" shows?
ReplyDeleteYes, it's comforting to hear Dr. Bills voice a few times a week, but he, in my opinion, wears thin, quickly. A little bit goes a long way. So what are you talking about over than Dr. Bill? Maybe you like the 3 hour morning segment with Rush? What is awesome?
I've been listening to Internet radio for well over a decade now. (I can remember listening to KGO while I was in Israel in 2002.)
ReplyDeleteA lot of folks seem to be under the impression that they need a special wifi radio to listen. This is wrong! You have internet radio on your computer right now. The easiest way to listen is through iTunes (click the radio link at upper left), or through one of the dedicated websites such as 'TuneIn' and 'iHeartRadio'.
Perhaps the best device to listen to internet radio is a smart phone or tablet. If anyone is confused by how to do this, just post your question here.
Ken W:
ReplyDeleteCCrane is a nice company, but their wifi set got lousy reviews on Amazon. There are better units out there.
As I said in my post above, the best device is just a wifi enabled tablet or smartphone. But if you really want a proper Internet Radio, the Squeezebox is one of the best.
Leo Laporte What a fucking gas bag he is. Basically he scores all the gear, software hardware, smart phones, cameras, etc, from companies for "review". His show is an endless commercial for all kinds of stuff you don't need, and he whines about Facebook a lot. Good riddance on that fucking dope. Glad KGO dropped the Tech Whore. Look him up on You Tube, where another tech guru kids him about taking payola for nice plugs on gear, he goes bat shit and fires the guy live on the show. Little too much truth. Leo La Whore.
ReplyDeleteThank you 3:38. My brother knows a lot about this stuff and I can get him to help me set up a wi-fi radio. I just like to listen around the house to keep me company and don't want to invest in a smart phone or any other of that kind of stuff. The simpler I keep my life, the happier I am.
ReplyDeleteThis blog is turning out to be an educational experience in itself. Several posters seem to be radio industry people and give great explanations about advertising, programming decisions, local vs. syndication when it comes to how everyone is paid and all of that, so this blog has become much more than just a venue to discuss local media. THANK YOU EVERYONE.
Rich will KSCO ever increase it's power?
ReplyDeleteAt 10,000 watts I don't know how they can sustain a strong audience for very long.
How can you maitain a viable listening audience when your signal is not heard beyond Watsonville?
We experience the same thing with 1050 at night.
I agree about Leo LaPorte. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but his love for electronics is annoying and facile. He seems to be a guy who doesn't quite understand the purpose of life.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I'm actually saying this, but I'm gonna miss Spencer Hughes's "ghost talk".
ReplyDeleteI listen to KGO online with my earphones. That Monte dude's voice is hard on the ears. He's very LOUD!
I don't know what you're saying - Pat Thurston, not an original old timer on KGO, but on long enough before The End to be legitimate, is quite excellent on Sat and Sun mornings on KGO 8-11. Curious that they don't have her up on the podcast offerings- listen to her on the hourly archives if you missed her.
ReplyDeleteRich who the hell is this Monty buffoon? This guy is so bad I almost want the paranormal guy back. What the hell!? Did you hear the other idiot in the afternoon? The fool who was on before Karel on Sunday. He said he was from San Jose. What a God Damned gas bag he was, no callers at all. He went on 12 minute rants Rush style. This fucking shit gets worse by the day. I hope the Dickies die a slow horrible death someday. They deserve it for what they did to SF radio. Here I am again listening to coast to coast am again....
ReplyDeleteLeo buys all his gear. It was Michael Arrington that mistakenly tried to insinuate that he got free stuff. He we was wrong and admitted it. A lot of other Bay Area bloggers do receive free stuff (some with made up names that write sex advice columns).
ReplyDeleteInternet radio does rule! I listen to mostly college/indie radio station (KFJC and KEXP). I cancelled my Sirius subscription for economic reasons but still download Stern from various sources. He is truly one of the great radio talents. Always hilarious and I love how he's created an ensemble cast of misfits that are always getting into some form of interesting trouble.
ReplyDeleteStern for free is funny $17 dollars a month not so funny. he is off 4 months a year.Only on air three times a week. blocks of commercials.Talks about his new tv show.SELL OUT$$$$$$$$$$$$$
ReplyDeleteNever understood how anyone could appreciate Howard Stern's raunchy, lowbrow humor.
ReplyDeleteTo each his own, I guess.
I am not a Howard Stern fan but I do have Sirius and used to bounce bewteen KGO and Sirius but now KSCO and Sirius. At least KSCO has an independant owner and that is worth a bunch today. Anyway back to Howard. I have heard him interview some people. Barbara Walters comes to mind and it was as good an interview as you would ever want. No low brow there. After listening to that interview and a couple like it I realized how talented he is. Most of the time I think he is catering to his demo.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Arbitron, the San Francisco Bay Area market is #4 in the nation, with 6 million people. By comparison, the Monterey-Santa Cruz-Salinas market has less than one-tenth that audience, with 557,000 people. In other words, KSCO is never going to compete with any of the big Bay Area stations.
ReplyDeletebut KSCO has a quirky situation with the siting of its towers on a lagoon.....it reaches many more people than it probably should...part of its charm
ReplyDeleteEnjoying reading all of the posts while Charlie Parker plays in the background and I watch the boring Alabama/LSU National title game with the sound off. (9-9'Bama at Halftime? UGLY!) As much as I like college football, this is a bad match up and will prove to be one of the most boring big games in the recent history of college football.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to the 49ers this weekend against the Saints! They're going to need it as Drew Brees looks as good as Unitas, Montana, Marino,
any of the greats from the past. But SF does have a great defense and they are united under the dynamic Jim Harbaugh. Whatever happens this weekend, Niner fans should take heart that this team has really 'turned the corner.' And those that still 'dis Alex Smith?Hey, the guy threw only five interceptions all year and put up pretty good numbers. And he finally had a guy coaching him who knew how to extract the most out of his talent.
And whoever wrote those comments about 'Monty,' or whatever his name is? He washed out of 'the Game' and KNBR and KGO gives him a shot?
That's real programming genius! Sounds like a classic move by the clueless Lee Hammer!
7:59 --
ReplyDeleteThanks, much! I'm trying.
Enjoy that wi-fi radio!
KSCO won't be increasing its power or direction. It can't go south because of interference to KNX 1070 and can't go north due to potential interference with KFAX 1100 (2nd adjacent channel.)
ReplyDeleteThe KSCO 500 watt nighttime signal is abysmal at best. The only way that lagoon would help the signal day or night is if it is a salt-water lagoon - like the one that KGO's 3-towers occupy off the Dumbarton Bridge.
salt water...lagoon...on beach.
ReplyDelete