An Open Letter to KITS (105.3 FM)
tim.w...@gmail.com
the alt-rock station that broadcasts in the SF Bay Area, or anyone else
in a position to respond:
Dear Sir/Madam/Et Cetera -
Stop. Please.
Seriously, stop annoying me with your sad-sack 'feel sorry for us'
campaign. Stop suggesting that rock radio stations are a dying breed.
Stop eulogizing the alt-rock format and for the love of God, stop
continuing to play those bumpers that suggest we should be grateful
that you still somehow remain on the air. I've taken the opportunity to
resample some of your broadcasts in the past few weeks and they've left
me with one overwhelming conclusion:
If the alt-rock for doesn't go the way of AOR, it will not be because
of you and what you are doing to promote it as a musical genre.
You might roundly reject such a statement but do us both a favor and
keep reading. If I manage to change your mind by the end of this, I
promise that I won't do a neener-neener-neener on you for being big
enough to admit it.
I've been a loyal listener for a number of years, going back to the
days when you still had Alex Bennett and the crew for the morning show,
staying with you through the Howard Stern years, the absorption of
whatever was left of KOME and even now in your current radio program
strategy. I'm on the way out, by the way, but there's still a chance we
can somehow iron out our differences and retain a mutually beneficial
relationship.
I've got plenty of beefs with Live 105 overall, but I'm able to chalk
most of them up to pique and remind myself that I'm one guy out of 2.5
million people in your potential market. It's not your job to make *me*
happy...I'd be satisfied if you could do it maybe 30% of the time. As
it is right now, I'd consider myself a happy listener maybe 6% of the
time...on a good day, maybe 7.5. What's keeping me from reaching that
30% mark or the giddy heights above? Let me count the ways:
1. Stop Schilling - I know that you're an Infinity station and that
Infinity is a corporation that's in the business to make money like
every other one, but could you do me a teeny favor and STOP REMINDING
ME OF THAT EVERY TIME I TURN ON THE RADIO? Do no-name radio DJ's with
less than 5 years of medium market exposure need to be trying to sell
me iMacs and mattresses from Sleep Train? I'm not suggesting that you
not play commercials; Lord, no - that'd be silly. But having DJ's hock
stuff like Lasik or a Mach 3 razor blade is really pushing the
envelope. I understood why guys like Howard Stern could do it - they'd
already spent years developing their radio personality to the point
that I knew their radio shows weren't unduly compromised by some
corporate sponsor. When you have your afternoon drive DJ's spending
their back announce times to talk about iMacs or whatnot, I'm reminded
forcibly of that one scene in 'A Christmas Story' where Ralphie decodes
the message to find out that Lil' Orphan Annie wants him to drink his
Ovaltine. Seriously...stop, please.
2. Let me hear some of that rock n' roll music - Alt-rock being the
great-grandchild of bands like the Beatles, Chuck Berry and Led
Zeppelin, it comes as kind of a shock that you haven't re-introduced
your music program as a way to educate your listeners about the big
wide world of music just beyond the reach of the 'burbs. Sure, you've
got bands like Arctic Monkey and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah but bands
like them would not exist were it not for other influential bands like
the Stiff Little Fingers or guys like Elvis Costello. KFOG doesn't have
to have the market cornered on progressive rock acts - it wouldn't kill
you guys to have a regular show called "Rock 101A" where you spend a
little time educating kids about the significance of bands like the
Doors and the Ramones or rock venues like CGBG's, the Whiskey or the
Fillmore. It'd give them a little more context when they go to Hot
Topic. That brings up another point:
3. Stop being two-faced - Playing MC Lars' "Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock"
doesn't do enough to distract us from the fact that you both are
actually in the same business. You can't hate them...you are them. The
reason why a place like Hot Topic sucks is because they contribute to
the pseudo-urban posturing that too many kids in suburbia are wrapped
up in; they look silly...you and Hot Topic help them do that. So don't
waste our time telling us what we already know. Instead, go back to
Infinity and get some budget toward making your alternative-rock
station *really* alternative. Devote a certain percentage of your
commercial air time to local indie stores. Just for laughs, take maybe
5% of your listening time and offer a deal on commercials for places
that can prove they make less than $100K a year in profit - you would
win because you're giving them exposure they wouldn't otherwise get -
they win because they get some great advertising and later on when the
radio ads make their business skyrocket, they would be loyal customers
ready to pay your regular advertising rates.
You make the assertion that somehow you are the arbiter of alt-rock or
punk rock. The reality is that your radio station and places like Hot
Topic are selling the same thing - you both are taking what used to be
counter-culture and making it easily accessible to non-urban people at
a price. It's not a bad thing but don't waste your breath pretending
that you are somehow above all of that -you aren't fooling anyone.
What You Are Doing Right / Moving Forward
You're already on the right track with the College DJ of the Week
program, get some of those kids some jobs in the middle of the night
and develop a locally-produced radio show that has content for the
local market. Not only would you tap back into the market of listeners
who don't really care for a nationally syndicated radio show (and all
the homogenized content that goes along with it) but you'd also make
Live 105 a station worth listening to all over the world on the
streaming audio.
Let's face it - part of the reason I listen to streaming audio and
catch all the Euro stations is the cachet of hearing radio being
broadcast in another part of the world. I catch Digitally Imported from
the UK and had a ball listening to old big band stuff being
re-broadcast out of Switzerland. Just imagine the reaction of someone
in the EU or Asia listening to a wacky show that mirrors some of the
general weirdness of SF and the Bay.
In conclusion - rock is in a state of transition and your radio station
would be wise to be at the forefront of whatever this genre of music is
about to become. Avoid the mistakes of other stations like KFRC, KOME,
KSJO or KRQR - when it comes to rock there is such a thing as trying to
stay too long at the party. So, don't get scooped by people like Pirate
Cat Radio or, God forbid, KSAN. Change is inevitable - the only thing
we hope to do is be on the right side of it when it happens. The wrong
side is only too evident - you finish out your career like Ron and
Cammy, Don Blue or Darien O'Toole. You are upon the cusp - make the
right call and your secure future as the primary Alt-Rock station of
the Bay is assured.
Sincerely,
Tim Woolery - Rock Fan
J. Michael Scott
more than likely out of their target demo, which AFAIK, is males 25-35.
Also, realize that, at a station like "Evil 501" (as some of us at
KFJC used to call it), the PD's marching orders are probably coming
from farther up the corporate foodchain, or whatever his/her consultant
says. I don't purport to know the inner workings there, but I was
working for the sister station from '95 -'97 (KRQR/KLLC), and also was
there before the Infinty/CBS Radio merger. I came back in '01...things
had definitely changed, but that's how radio is....*sigh*
Years ago, I used to do an AM drive-time show at KFJC, and would take
gratuitous potshots at "Al Your Radio Pal", but despite what some
troll(s) keep insisting, it was all good-natured. Eventually, I even
became a regular audience member, and now really wish he was still on
non-satellite radio, but that's where a lot of radio is headed.
Your mainfesto reminds me of the discussions Paul (formerly The
Lobster) Wells & I used to have about why AOR/"Alt-rock"/"Progressive
Free-form radio went away. It's not likely to come back, either...
I agree that KITS is nowhere near as "cutting-edge" as they were in the
days of yore. Listening to last year's BFD/or whatever-it-was thingie
drove that home. Also around that time, I heard some weekender keep
blowing it, and then talking about it on the air....VERY lame, and a
good way to drive away listeners, as well as loss of an airshift!
My suggestion for those who hate the constant barrage of suck-y songs,
ads, etc.:
For the *new* stuff, try KFJC (89.7), KALX (forgot their #!!), KUSF
(90.3), & in the South Bay/SanJo area, KSCU (103.3), KSJS (forgot
theirs too), KZSU (90.1) & occasionally, K-YOU (Viacom's
"podcaster"-type affair, somewhere in the 1500s on AM. Also online:
WFMU.
Granted, the genre of music on these stations will change from show to
show, but just about all of them have websites w/ programming
descriptions. No ads. Yes, there is that "College Radio Lameness"
quotient, but it's a small price to pay so one doesn't have to hear the
same %$@-in' Train song in rotation.
Good luck in your quest for decent radio.
-"Jose' "Hawkeye Joe" Scott, radio broadcaster since 1979.
John Higdon
"J. Michael Scott" <radio_...@outgun.com> wrote:
> For the *new* stuff, try KFJC (89.7), KALX (forgot their #!!), KUSF
> (90.3), & in the South Bay/SanJo area, KSCU (103.3), KSJS (forgot
> theirs too), KZSU (90.1) & occasionally, K-YOU (Viacom's
> "podcaster"-type affair, somewhere in the 1500s on AM. Also online:
> WFMU.
May I add: KKUP for truly different and unusual stuff...beholden to
absolutely no one. 91.5.
--
John Higdon
+1 408 266 4400
tim.w...@gmail.com
Thanks for writing back - I feel slightly less crazy. The flip side is
that I'm thinking of starting my own personal pirate station a'la
Pirate Cat for the sole purpose of broadcasting in my near-vicinity.
I'll see how that goes, maybe update yawl on how successful it is.
Thanks,
T
John Higdon
tim.w...@gmail.com wrote:
I'm curious. Are you going to be on the air 24/7 or just when you're
bored?
David Kaye
> I'm curious. Are you going to be on the air 24/7 or just when you're
> bored?
If it's like Pirate Cat, it will be a CD changer or MP3 player that is
interrupted for live shows.
John Higdon
"David Kaye" <sfdavi...@yahoo.com> wrote:
My! How unusual. Originality knows no bounds.
Oh...I forgot: it's in the "mix".
Zzzz.
tim.w...@gmail.com
Henry Salvia
tim.w...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> Maw, git yer squirrel rifle out - the trolls are loose again.
Regarding the question:
# I'm curious. Are you going to be on the air 24/7 or just when you're
# bored?
right? hard to tell when you don't bother to quote what you're replying
to.
Why is that a troll? I read your open letter and thought it was a very
thoughtful and well-reasoned critique of 105 and "alt-rock" radio in
general.
But how does starting up a "pirate" radio station that's on the air when
you feel like it make things better? Why not just throw up a website and
offer a podcast? Same thing without the whole transmitter issue.
Henry.
David Kaye
> My! How unusual. Originality knows no bounds.
>From what I understand from someone who was a Pirate Cat volunteer
(until she decided to play country music or something), the volunteers
are flaky and the only way to assure that the station always has
something going on is to run a CD changer at all times. Then when
someone decides to put on a show, I guess they connect via the Internet
and the CD audio shuts down for the duration of the program.
I've never seen anything but a computer that talks to Pirate Cat, so I
don't know where it is or how it works at the transmitter end.
J. Michael Scott
tim.w...@gmail.com wrote:
> Maw, git yer squirrel rifle out - the trolls are loose again
John's no troll, but a long-time veteran of Bay Area Broadcasting.
Outspoken, yes, but deifinitely less unhinged than, say myself.
Trolls? Yeah we got a few...check the archives, or try
www.tch.org/~ser/ras for one of the more notorious Usenet abominations.
Either way, welcome to the NG. Some of us work in the business, some of
us are just fans, a few of us are both, and there's one or two who seem
to enjoying their visits here to our planet Earth. ;)
tim.w...@gmail.com
> thoughtful and well-reasoned critique of 105 and "alt-rock" radio in
>general.
I'm not going to debate the topic - I might have read it wrong. If so,
my bad.
> But how does starting up a "pirate" radio station that's on the air when
> you feel like it make things better? Why not just throw up a website and
> offer a podcast? Same thing without the whole transmitter issue.
Remember: *I* didn't say that it would only be on the air when I felt
like it. That was suggested of me without my agreement or comment.
Thanks for the response on my take on Live 105. I don't personally
think it's dead but without a major change of heart it's got maybe
12-18 months. I'm thinking that maybe it's less based on the
desperation in Sean Demry (sp?)'s voice. He might be part of a
last-ditch effort to keep Infinity from turning 105.3 into a
hip-hop/Latin station (92.3, anyone?)
tim.w...@gmail.com
How'd you guess?
> John's no troll, but a long-time veteran of Bay Area Broadcasting.
> Outspoken, yes, but deifinitely less unhinged than, say myself.
Again - I probably read it wrong. Sorry.
Thanks for the welcome - I definitely appreciate the tip about KKUP
(91.5) - I turned it on yesterday afternoon whilst working my speed bag
and have been happily listening ever since. I might just ditch the
radio station idea and listen to them.
tim.w...@gmail.com
actually right inside their demographic.
John Higdon
tim.w...@gmail.com wrote:
> Thanks for the welcome - I definitely appreciate the tip about KKUP
> (91.5) - I turned it on yesterday afternoon whilst working my speed bag
> and have been happily listening ever since. I might just ditch the
> radio station idea and listen to them.
Just a heads up: KKUP plans to go dark during the second week of April
in order to do some very much needed and wonderful studio remodeling. If
some means is found to put a computer full of MP3s or some CDs on the
air during that period, that will be a bonus.
So...if it's not there when you happen to tune in between the seventh
and the fifteenth of April, don't panic.
It's a bummer being a community station and not having all the money in
the world!
John Higdon
tim.w...@gmail.com wrote:
> Thanks for the response on my take on Live 105. I don't personally
> think it's dead but without a major change of heart it's got maybe
> 12-18 months. I'm thinking that maybe it's less based on the
> desperation in Sean Demry (sp?)'s voice. He might be part of a
> last-ditch effort to keep Infinity from turning 105.3 into a
> hip-hop/Latin station (92.3, anyone?)
I guess I should have pointed out up front that I agree fully with the
thrust of your "open letter". Unfortunately, it probably did you more
good than anyone else. CBS isn't much listening to anyone (especially
listeners) with any sort of creativity these days. I worked for the
company back in the Mel days, and you can say what you want about Mel,
he DID know how to run a radio company.
What can you say about a company that spun off its two highest
performing stations in the market, sent the fine GM of those stations
packing, and that hatched abortions like "Free [of substance or
entertainment value] FM" and KYOU?
Remember, too, that you have an outfit that feels, like Clear Channel,
that actually serving an audience is dull and mundane compared to doing
exciting things like smearing the band with HD and HD2.
I'm glad you got it off your chest, but don't count on the slightest
indication that anyone in a position to do anything is listening.
Cuz they're not.
Eric C. Weaver
> Thanks for the response on my take on Live 105. I don't personally
> think it's dead but without a major change of heart it's got maybe
> 12-18 months. I'm thinking that maybe it's less based on the
> desperation in Sean Demry (sp?)'s voice. He might be part of a
> last-ditch effort to keep Infinity from turning 105.3 into a
> hip-hop/Latin station (92.3, anyone?)
>
I happen to believe that Live 105 irreversibly jumped the shark back
when they canned Rick Stuart. At that point the last bit of the soul of
the place was gone.
Yeah, who knows, maybe we'll be faced with "105.3 El Kamino" in a year's
time...
tim.w...@gmail.com
> indication that anyone in a position to do anything is listening.
> Cuz they're not.
No worries, man - I'm just lighting a candle instead of cursing the
darkness. Thanks for the insight. I think I might do the pirate radio
during my local street fair (Niles Street Fair, last weekend of August
in Niles (Fremont, CA).
I'll call it "Radio Free Niles" if I can justify buying the amp and
putting the signal out. We'll broadcast some funky stuff and I'll see
how hard it'd be to fake a call-in show.
John Higdon
tim.w...@gmail.com wrote:
> > I'm glad you got it off your chest, but don't count on the slightest
> > indication that anyone in a position to do anything is listening.
>
> > Cuz they're not.
>
> No worries, man - I'm just lighting a candle instead of cursing the
> darkness. Thanks for the insight. I think I might do the pirate radio
> during my local street fair (Niles Street Fair, last weekend of August
> in Niles (Fremont, CA).
Well, speaking for myself and probably at least a few of my colleagues:
stay off of our licensed frequencies, please. I've got some right near
there.
John T
Heh. Back to its original KBRG roots? Where's Hugo Schneider when you
need him?
JT
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David Kaye
> You make the assertion that somehow you are the arbiter of alt-rock or
> punk rock. The reality is that your radio station and places like Hot
> Topic are selling the same thing - you both are taking what used to be
> counter-culture and making it easily accessible to non-urban people at
> a price. It's not a bad thing but don't waste your breath pretending
> that you are somehow above all of that -you aren't fooling anyone.
But KITS was never truly urban. I remember going to some of the KITS
shows and special events and seeing mainly white suburban 30-year olds.
In fact, during its heyday KITS seemed to go out of its way to keep
its music white. This continued long after hip hop went from being
marginal to being underground to becoming hip and then mainstream.
> In conclusion - rock is in a state of transition and your radio station
> would be wise to be at the forefront of whatever this genre of music is
> about to become.
You've got that right. Rock is dying. It's been replaced by hip hop
on one end and avant garde jazz on the other. (And a few bands such as
Shotgun Wedding Quintet combine them.) And then there are the lounge
bands such as MongoLounge (doing lounge-oriented Devo covers).
But rock? It's gone. Ain't nuthin new there. What's coming out today
is an imitation of a fossil.
tim.w...@gmail.com
> stay off of our licensed frequencies, please. I've got some right near
> there.
Of course...
David Kaye
> I happen to believe that Live 105 irreversibly jumped the shark back
> when they canned Rick Stuart. At that point the last bit of the soul of
> the place was gone.
I've been an owner and a manager of several businesses. I can't
imagine how someone making hiring/firing decisions can possibly let go
of someone when they have nobody better to replace them. Unless, we're
talking about someone so disruptive that they wreck the morale of the
place, but that's certainly not Rick Stuart. (I mean, I don't know
him, but everything I've heard about him has been positive.)
John T
His pile of beans was just too big for the Bean Counters to want to
continue counting, so they let him go and hired someone with a smaller
pile of beans that is easier to count.
JT
Eric C. Weaver
> His pile of beans was just too big for the Bean Counters to want to
> continue counting, so they let him go and hired someone with a smaller
> pile of beans that is easier to count.
Indeed. Too bad they didn't think of turning off the transmitter,
too... sure would save a lot of money without that thing drinking the
juice all day and night. [this is a deliberate riff on the famous
network accountant's remark oft quoted here]
--
He worked in local radio, which he always used to tell his friends
was a lot more interesting than they probably thought. -- D. Adams
John Higdon
"Eric C. Weaver" <we...@sigma.net> wrote:
> John T wrote:
>
> > His pile of beans was just too big for the Bean Counters to want to
> > continue counting, so they let him go and hired someone with a smaller
> > pile of beans that is easier to count.
>
> Indeed. Too bad they didn't think of turning off the transmitter,
> too... sure would save a lot of money without that thing drinking the
> juice all day and night. [this is a deliberate riff on the famous
> network accountant's remark oft quoted here]
Seriously, I've thought of that myself. When the bean counters decide to
get rid of the very people who make the station what it is, they might
just as well turn it off and send everyone else home as well. They would
save more money that way.
leansto...@democrat.com
station to hold their FCC license? The content can be crap, but the
transmitter needs to be running.
Some of those format change fillers I've heard over the years were a
questionable use of electrons.
Travis James
When Big Rick was on Live 105, I tended to tune away. My foggy memory
is that Carson Daly was opposite hime on KOME (circa 1995/96). It
wasn't that there was anything offensive about him, but he talked, and
talked, and talked. It was so tiresome. On the other hand, Carson Daly
would talk faster, say his thing, and move on. Plus, back then there
was a little bit more choice - KOME, KRQR, KSJO plus some of the
survivors of today KFOG, et al. If the DJ rambled, you could move among
similar genres in the commercial space.
Personally, I think Live 105 has slowly improved over the last 2 or 3
years. The format is wider with some interesting programming - the
guest college DJ, local lounge, and special weekend programming. (Okay,
last weekend's 90's resets was uninteresting and predictable. On the
other hand they did a weekend of "what's in your CD collection" that
was some of the most entertaining radio I had heard in my 10 years in
the area.)
Even the new morning show isn't awful. (Nice backhanded compliment,
isn't it?) I haven't listened for long stretches, but bouncing in I've
heard far more interesting conversation than other local rock stations
- local politics, interviews with musicians, and NOT a single phone
prank. I find Greg Gory an interesting person having never heard an
opinion from him for all his years filling breaks for Stern. Beats the
hell out of Lamont and Tonelli or Dave Morey in my book.
David Kaye
> His pile of beans was just too big for the Bean Counters to want to
> continue counting, so they let him go and hired someone with a smaller
> pile of beans that is easier to count.
And that's the second part: In my experience, good employees are harder
to get and keep than good customers. So, when I was an employer I gave
the benefit of the doubt to the employee, and I also rewarded them as
best I could given the budget.
I guess this goes counter to today's method of management, which seems
to say, find the employees who are going to do the least damage at the
cheapest price. There's a great book called "Sabotage in the American
Workplace" which details the trials, tribulations, and getbacks of some
of the nation's most poorly paid, put-upon employees.
American business is just asking for it if the fire people who do good
work and replace them with bad people at poor pay.
Goat Roper
David Kaye wrote:
> American business is just asking for it if the fire people who do good
> work and replace them with bad people at poor pay.
If you get lucky, those "broke turkeys" kick in the turbos and make the
ancestors look silly. BYO Mop/bucket?