KYXY’s Christmas numbers hint at a repeat of LA’s holiday wars in America’s Finest City this Fall.  KOST (103.5) has traditionally done so well with all-Christmas music from Thanksgiving through Christmas Day in La-la land that The Wave (KTWV 94.7) jumped them and went all-Christmas music two days before KOST this past quarter.  KYXY is ripe for some competition this year.  We tried here at Pala Rez Radio, but with only 91.3 hours of the barking dogs and Grandma wearing hoofprints starting December 22, I guess we didn’t have enough time to build a credible challenge … LOL.  But you know, we didn’t turn on our Personal People Meter coding until two weeks ago, so maybe … mega LOL.  Trust me, I know my station is not in the same ball game.  That’s why I can talk about everyone else!

Speaking of PPM’s, they’ve really revolutionized ratings.  KHTS and XHTZ are getting monster cumes, but not nearly the time spent listening they used to promise clients.  So basically, if you’re an advertiser and want under 30 demographics in San Diego, buy a #@&*load of spots on those two stations, run one every 5 minutes and every under-30 in town will hear you.

Look at cume (relatively massive) vs. AQH (pitiful) for Ponte Exa 91.7 (XHGLX) and Q96, or as some call it, K-Sick (KSIQ 96.1), the half-hearted move-in from Brawley.  People are checking them out, but not sticking around.

I’m sure it will as people get used to the idea of news/talk on FM, but KOGO FM really needs to show ratings improvement in Q1 2012.  That’s embarrassing to finish behind the Julian repeater for the K-Love network! 

It’s always been said that San Diego is “over-radioed”.  What with move-ins, PPM’s and improved signal processing, transmission and reception there are now 67 signals listed in the San Diego ratings.  67!  And talk about fragmentation!  Only 19 of them have better than a 2 share … the point at which it was time to fire the PD and switch formats back in the day (1970′s and 80′s).  Barely more than a third have better than a 1 share.  OK, I’ll cut some slack and even offer congratulations to the stations based in LA and Inland Empire that made small showings in the San Diego book.

One of the most interesting and positive signs I see for the future of streaming is KYXY’s stream-only ratings.  Though it may be tainted by their substitute holiday format, when the relatively few streaming listeners they have tuned in, they really stuck with it.  If they’re listening on the go, I’d like to know who their cell service is with.  I can’t listen more than 10 or 15 minutes without losing connection.

If goofy government and myopic music companies don’t wreck it, streaming will soon be a force for the current over-the-air top dogs to content with.  Some of the potential victims like KYXY are wisely leading the charge.

In the works now, I hope to let you know soon about some important streaming changes and a San Diego radio icon coming to Rez Radio.

Gonna beat mah feet in the Hollywood mud – It’s announcements like this that make you think San Diego is just a farm team for LA.  KABC 7 Eyewitness News anchor Harold Green … once KGTV 10’s main anchor and still a San Diego County resident … is getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Other former America’s Finest City media names, Shotgun Tom Kelly (with one “e”… now at K-Earth) and Lou Waters (formerly with XETV 6, now at CNN) will join longtime LA weather cut-up Dr. George Fishbeck in speaking at Green’s induction ceremony July 15, 11:30am at 6806 Hollywood Boulevard.

E-mail … we get e-mail – From West Covina ham Mark Nodine (KJ6MS) “A new AM is conducting test routines.  XEUT AM1630, a public station of the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, was heard playing music and hourly announcements of equipment tests.  The station is Mexico’s first high powered offering on the expanded AM band with 10,000 watts day and 1,000 watts night from the University’s campus just across the border from Otay Mesa.  Date of regular broadcasts is unknown.”

From Los Angeles Clippers play by play guy Ralph Lawler in response to last week’s interview, “I programmed with and against several of the people you mentioned in your Gary Allyn notes.  I was at KDEO AM 910 from 1970-74.  We had our few minutes of fame in 71-72 playing FM rock on AM.  Royce Johnson, Perry Allen and Mike McGregor were our main personalities.  Our studios were in Fletcher Hills next to the 7-11.”  Ed:  that building is now a print shop.  Prior to KDEO’s arrival it was a bank.  Lawler continues, “I have no memory of a DJ named Tom Clay.  Do you know when he worked there?”  What a coinky-dink.  I just happened to be swapping coded missives with the ol’ Ranger at the time of Ralph’s query.  In response, Gary writes, “I think ’74 or ’75.  It was a short stint, maybe 4 months or so.  Neil Ross worked there at the time along with Mike McGregor and Rod Page (old friend.)  I wanted to try something new, so I came up with a Star Trek format whereby we used Star Trek sounders and effects on the news, weather and sports intros.  Each jock would ‘log on.’  We had approval from Gene Roddenberry’s people to do it.  They sent us the sound effects.  I think it was a little too innovative for the time.  Tom used to drive down from LA every day to do the show.  He would spend two or three hours in production before and after his show preparing.  What a pro.  He had taken a payola rap and couldn’t get work in LA.  That’s how we got him.  He was one of the first soft but tight air talents, as opposed to a Top 40 screamer.”  Gary also says he remembers meeting Ralph and his lovely wife Yvonne.

Gary also said that last week’s article made him remember things he wished he’d told me.  In particular, that he and Neil Ross “came up with the Ranger idea after (management) at HIS and HERS turned us down when we wanted to order Dick Orkin’s “Chickenman” series.  They said, ‘You boys are clever. Come up with your own ideas.’  So we did.  By the way, ‘Chickenman’ is still going strong.  Talk about dated stuff.” 

Since his 15 minutes of cyber-glory, Gary’s gotten himself online.  Gary Allyn can be reached by e-mail at gsallyn@nctimes.net.

Curb Service – Did anyone notice that KOGO (600AM) had the only radio coverage of the recent seven-hour standoff with police by that wack job from Ranchita on the 78 freeway.  All the local TV and a few from LA covered it, but only news director Cliff Albert’s operation covered it on the radio other than pointing out that the afternoon commute from Escondido to Vista would be a little more screwed than usual.

Does Kelsey Grammar know about this? – Sideshow Bob is back on mornings with Dave Smiley at Mix 95.7 (KMSX FM) following a pay dispute.  Apparently Clear Channel wasn’t giving him enough to support his lavish wardrobe.  You gotta look good for the radio.

Number One with a bullet on the Big, Boss Hit Parade – The most requested song on classic soul Magic 92.5 (XHRM FM), where they actually do play requests if within the format … “Always and Forever” by Heatwave.  Boy, I’ve played that at a few wedding receptions.

A few clicks short of a website – Free shameless plugs for other cyber-scribes.  You’ll enjoy Robert P. Laurence’s article on KOGO’s Roger Hedgecock and opportunism.  Go to http://www.uniontrib.com and search the Archives for the July 9 article. 

Also, fans of former KCBQ jock Lee “Baby” Sims will get a kick out of e-mails to Don Barret at his http://www.laradio.com regarding Simms’ relation to KRLA’s Doc Frail, the incompetent fill-in.  The mentions appear in the July 8 and 9 columns.

In memorium -  A belated farewell to 17 year San Diego radio news veteran Ed Deverill.  He died May 3 at his home on Hanalei Beach on Kauii, Hawaii of complications from a stroke suffered last Christmas.  It was the house where he grew up in the early 1920’s.  One of Ed’s favorite stories was about the time he fainted on the job at a station in Honolulu.  He’d just gotten the news over the wire of President Roosevelt’s death.  His San Diego credits include KFSD, KGB and KCBQ.  Ed Deverill was 81.

Genesis – A new beginning for this San Diego radio reptile.  Beginning Monday, I’ll be the Production Director for the West Coast division of Catholic Family Radio.  It’s a new focus for me with a growing chain of stations … currently 8, on target for 20 by the end of the year.  And led by the man responsible for the highly successful former Noble Broadcast Group, John Lynch.  No longer a shift host air talent, I’ll be holed up in a production studio with all my little imaginary friends, further regressing into my second childhood.  I’m really looking forward to it.

Exodus – continues from Channel 9-3-3 (KHTS 93.3 FM).  Spice grrrrl wannabe Angel moves to midday at KXMX (the former KEZY, Anaheim) to see if she and fellow former KHTS co-horts Ran-man and Ron Geronimo Price can find a way to take a bite out of the Big Orange with Clear Channel’s corporate Mix format.  Also exiting … morning sidekick Karen Kay, who used to answer phones for me in the afternoon at B-100.  In between she was on Q-106.  Karen’s a sweetie.  Amazing … they managed to get her photo off their website within 24 hours.  My weasels tell me 9-3-3’s General Manager isn’t the easiest person to get along with.  Perhaps these defections are proof.

And Leviticus - From his General Managerial office at Catholic Family Radio’s KPLS … my new home in Orange (the city that doesn’t rhyme with anything) … KSDO and 10 News alum Hal Brown and I were discussing potential properties for the rookie network to acquire here in CFR corporate home town San Diego (which rhymes with Lego, of which there are now a whole lot in Carlsbad.)  Apparently, KCBQ AM 1170 is no longer on their short list of possible buys.  Which means … brace yourselves … legendary 60’s Top 40 giant KCBQ stands a good chance of ceasing to exist within the next couple of years.

Holy kilocycles Batman!  It’s no joke.  I’ve been hearing various scenarios.  Bottom line is, what used to be cheap land on Mission Gorge Road out in the sleepy country town of Santee where Q moved its transmitter around 1960, is now 20 acres of very valuable commercial property … and the lease is up next year.  So why not move?  Because twenty acres of land anywhere in San Diego County ain’t cheap anymore.  And KCBQ isn’t the money maker it used to be.  It’s mixed bag of syndicated talk shows barely registers a blip in the local ratings. 

A different inside weasel tells me the electricity for that 50,000 watt transmitter costs more than the station currently bills … a lot more.  If no white knight steps forward soon, they may just pull the plug now and cut their losses.  But at this point, all that buyer would be getting is a license … an AM license with a lot of directional restrictions.  The Q may be 50 K, but most of it gets blown out over the ocean.  You can’t hear them in LA. 

And so, dear reader, it will soon be my sad duty to tell you that the six tower array and the little building on the 10 foot high flood mound have been bulldozed to make way for a Lowe’s Home Improvement Center.  I don’t know about you, but I may never be able to look at a 6 penny nail again.  Until that time I hope to hear from everyone who ever had a fond memory of  KCBQ.  E-mail me at Jfox@radiodigest.com.  From now until the final legal ID, this column will include a segment of Q memories every week.

Who was that masked man? … From out of a cave at the foot of Sunset Cliffs, the thundering hoofbeats and a hearty, “Hi-ho Sylvia … away!”  The O.B. Ranger rides again!

Yeah baby.  Austin Powers may be the embodiment of the 60’s retro spirit, but who was the keeper of the flame for San Diegans in the 60’s?  The generational throwback then was to radio and movie serials like the Lone Ranger.  Enter Gary Allyn and Neilson Ross … otherwise known as the O.B Ranger and his faithful Indian companion, “Indian.”

From his famous “wine colored velvet covered sofa” in North San Diego County, I recently had a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation with Gary, the leader of the little people … a tag some Sasquatch of a co-worker laid on him.  Though it started out to be a quick call to finally meet one of the guys responsible for some of the funniest radio comedy long after radio ceased to be a variety medium, Gary’s involvement in Top 40 radio in San Diego necessitated numerous side trips.  So, in true disjointed Quentin Tarrantino order, here we go.  And speaking of trippin’…

The O.B. Ranger – “Far out!  Groovy! And outasite!  I am the O.B. Ra…” and that’s as far as Gary ever got in announcing the arrival of the crimefighter in the daily comic vignette heard in 1971 and 72 on Victor Diaz’s  XHIS  FM Stereo 90  (now XHTZ  Jammin’ Z-90). 

The Ranger skewered local politicos and the drug scene of San Diego’s own Haight-Ashbury … Ocean Beach.  There were episodes celebrating various holidays, Ranger style.

The three to four minute skits were generally aired in two parts, a premise one hour followed by a conclusion the next.  There were a total of 98 episodes.  From the first 50 or so, Gary and Neil culled enough material to press a double album, which sold about 4,000 copies.  “It actually charted in Buffalo,” says Gary.  “A station there started playing it and in spite of all the local San Diego references, people loved it.  It wasn’t nationally distributed, so word got back to us when record stores there began getting requests for the album.”  Even though there were almost 50 more episodes written and aired after that, there never was a Volume 2 pressed and sold. 

The two were  also famous at the time for their parodies of local merchants’ spots … like the rip-off of Engine Eddie’s Boom-Boom girl on  their Transmission Teddy spot.

Recently, Gary and Neil put together a special new episode of the Ranger for then-General Manager Larry Shushan’s 75^th birthday party in Murietta.

For the benefit of purists who remember the original episodes, Gary was the voice of the Ranger.  Neil, now a successful voice-over artist in Hollywood/Burbank, was Indian, bad guys Panama Red and Emil Nitrate, Chief Gus Stoppo, the announcer and just about everybody else with a male voice.  The Chief’s secretary, Miss Melons, Madame Sativa and all the female parts were played by Lee Mirabal.  Everything was written and produced by Gary and Neil and the art work on the album cover was courtesy of Account Executive, Jan Moorhouse.

His and Hers - One of Gary Allyn’s most interesting stories had to do with the previously mentioned outlet for all this foolishness, XHIS.  “His” radio was possibly the first classic rock station.  Gary programmed it with all the hip rock hits of the late 60’s that everybody else was passing up as old and outdated.  He and Neil Ross worked out of one eight by eight foot studio in a hotel across from the tall ship Star of India, moored along side Harbor Drive.  Their programming was shipped across the border to air on the Mexican stations.  At the time, it was not allowed to originate programming here and send it by phone line for retransmission across the border.  Everything was on a tape delay with the tapes physically carried across the border.  91X started in 1980 with the same setup.

Paul Schafer (not the bald one on the Letterman show) had sold the design for the automation system he created and which powered many of the Beautiful Music formatted FM stations of the 60’s.  Now he’d come up with a new design based on cassette tapes.  Keep in mind that in 1970, cassettes were not as popular with consumers as 8-track.  The system involved clear and foil leader tape for light sensor and magnetic signals to control the sequence of events.  Schafer had a no-compete clause, but it only covered the United States … the same loophole that today allows Clear Channel to control such a large percentage of stations and revenue in the San Diego/Tijuana market. 

So, Schafer sold Victor Diaz on the idea and the system was installed at the Tijuana transmitters for 200,000 watt XHIS … hard rock station “His” … and 100,000 watt XHRS … soft rock station “Hers.”  And, yes there was also going to be an “Ours” station further up the dial that never got off the ground.  The 100.1 frequency used by Hers now belongs to the little Julian station carrying the satellite delivered Christian “Love” format.

The two stations were run out of two equipment racks, each with 10 cassette machines.  Now, cassettes run at a speed of 1 7/8 inches per second.  That, combined with the less stable players of the time and the still unpredictable quality of electrical power in Mexico made for an experiment in broadcasting that certainly had its moments.  Gary tells how, “every day at 4, all the cassettes at the transmitter would go into rewind.  We finally realized that was the time of day the sun came in the window, hit the equipment rack and set off all the light sensors on the cassette machines.”

It all started at a little 1,000 watt radio station in Fresno …actually, in Gary Allyn’s case, it was WING in Dayton, Ohio circa 1955.  He was studying Radio-TV, Theater and Journalism in college when he got an offer to do overnights.  He was not quite 18 at the time.  His next stop was a daytimer in Cincinnati where he continued classes at night.  Stops in Florida, Atlanta, Denver, San Antonio and a stint in the military brought him to San Diego in 1965 and two years at KCBQ’s 7^th and Ash studios.  It was there that he recalls the eager face of young Tom Irwin pressed up against the glass of the studios.  Tom Irwin is now better known as Shotgun Tom Kelly.

In ’67 Gary went back to San Antonio to PD for a year before returning to KCBQ, now operating at the transmitter site in Santee.  He was PD and midday jock during the glory years of ’68 and ’69 when Q had a 30 share.  The secret was in bringing San Diego up to date.  The owner, Lee Bartel had up to that point insisted that Q be a dayparted adult rock station.  Boss Radio KGB was hipper and more consistent Top 40.  KCBQ and the rest of San Diego was “five to ten years behind the rest of the country,” according to Gary.  Once Bartel was forced out, it was just a matter of 50,000 watt Q outdoing 5,000 watt KGB at their own game.  KCBQ was huge.  They were even #1 in Tijuana.  Harry “Happy Hare” Martin, the morning man, was the most recognized name in town.   Says Gary of following Hare on the air, “It was like following a 14 year old trying to get him to clean his room.” 

“Night guy Lee “Baby” Sims was “one of the best DJ’s I ever saw.  And he was even better in San Antonio.  He had a 60 or 70 share at night there.”  That wasn’t really possible at 1170 AM KCBQ.  They may have had a fat, if highly directional, daytime signal, but at night they were pitiful.  Since losing a dispute with nearby KSDO AM 1130, also in Santee, their nighttime power is now even lower.

In an odd turn of events, the programmer of the station Q had beaten, Buzz Bennett, became Gary’s replacement at Q in ’70.  From there, Gary made the rounds at many San Diego stations, including His and Hers as well as KSEA, San Diego’s first Top 40 FM.  “At KSEA, we were in the basement of the old College Grove Center along with KSON.  Our airstaff included me (Gary), D.J. McKay, Jeff Prescott, Gene Knight and Gary Kelley … all on an annual budget of about $30,000.  B-100 may have been the FM that finally killed KCBQ, but KSEA paved the way for B-100.

The Long and Winding Road – In the spring of 1970, a milestone occurred in the music world.  The Beatles broke up.  Gary Allyn and Neil Ross went into the production studio at KCBQ with Beatle records, records of other artists doing Beatles music, taped interviews and razor blades and in about ten days, created a powerful three hour documentary called “The Long and Winding Road.” 

“We got it on the air as soon as we could, and in the process made two mistakes,” said Gary.  “We didn’t promote it enough and we ran it late in the day.  The sun went down , we went to our night pattern and everyone north of Poway missed the last half of the program.  We scheduled a repeat, promoted it heavily, ran it in the middle of the day on a weekend and got a 90 share of the audience.”  The show was then sold to stations all over the country.  The success of the Beatles documentary encouraged the duo to do similar shows for Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix when they died later that year.  “We put the Hendrix special together in one day.”

Random thoughts and insights from the Ranger –

• Best DJ ever … Tom Clay.  He once worked at KDEO AM 910.  This is the guy that did the version of “What the World Needs Now” with the little kid interview in it.
• PD as king … Program Director isn’t just a title, it’s a job description.  The PD has to have total control over the end product.  What ever goes on the air has to have PD approval … spots, promotions … everything.
• Dumbest radio idea … 15 in-a-row.  Why would any advertiser want to be #5 of 9 commercials after 40 minutes of music.  And there’s no longer any separation of competing ads.
• It really gauls me that of all the great music, everyone plays the same over-researched 300 songs.
• Pet Peeve … too much sound processing.  What is real?  Keep it clean.  The original studio producer knew what he wanted.  Don’t second guess him.
• Best Radio ever … Texas in the 50’s and 60’s.  The best of the best was KONO in ’64 with their KONO Millionaire promotion. Clues as to where the Millionaire had hidden his money led to a crowd of 75,000 people surrounding his Lincoln in an open field.  Police were not amused.  It was great!
• There is too much copycatting in radio.
• Stick to the fundamentals, but dress it up.

Where is he now? … For the last 11 years Gary Allyn has operated Sports Fantasy.  For a fee beginning at about $40, Gary will produce a 5 to 6 minute custom play-by-play tape of the sport of your choice with the opponent of your choice and featuring you … or the person of your choice.  “Bill Cosby has had me do a couple of dozen over the years.”  Phone or fax Sports Fantasy at 760 740 1100.

And the Ranger? … Gary thinks it may be time for the Ranger to come out of retirement.  I think he’s right.  San Diego is on the brink of another Mayoral scandal.  O.B. can look into reports of tainted Viagra at the Sands of La Jolla retirement home.  The possibilities are endless.  Here’s hoping that the crime fighter’s paisley mask doesn’t have too many moth holes in it.

Night Hawg … Beginning July 11, Harley Davidson joins Magic 92.5 (XHRM) for evening duty.  Most recently with Media Master out of Milwaukee, he’ll replace Mark in the Dark at the Classic Soul station.

Magic twanger … Fear not for Mark.  He’ll segue from Magic to Hot New Country 99.3, XHCR as Program Director.

Do they call the station van a Popemobile? … La Jolla based Catholic Radio Network has closed a deal for an outlet in Chicago … WYPA AM 820.  That gives the Family oriented network facilities in Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Denver, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Chicago and Orange County, California.  Still no signal in San Diego though a power increase is in the works for KPLS, Orange (AM 830) that’ll bring it into San Diego almost as strong as KFI (AM 640).

The Fat Lady Report … Longtime San Diego personality currently doing afternoons at KPOP AM 1360, Jerry G. Bishop is working on a new weekly show  that sounds ripe for syndication.  It’s called “It Ain’t Over,” a show for the AARP crowd much as Adolfo Guzman Lopez’s KPBS FM evening show is aimed at lifestyle issues, features and entertainment for people in their 20’s.  It’ll air from 5 to 6 pm Sundays.  The pilot for Jerry’s show features an interview with entertainer and SDSU alum Art Linkletter, an 85 year old athlete from the Senior Olympics and a segment on Viagra.

Damn!  There goes my script idea for the O.B. Ranger

Just call him Rocket Rick … ‘cuz he’ll be blasting out of KOGO AM 600 as soon as possible.  The inside scoop from a reliable former Jacor employee (the best kind) is that evening talker Rick Roberts will be leaving the Clear Channel station, and almost certainly San Diego, when his contract is up.  He’s already hired the same agent as Dan Rather and Matt Drudge to start the shopping process.   Though he has triple the ratings of the Best of Dr. Laura, the suits at corporate are telling him “not to say his name on the air.”  Why?

There has never been any love lost between Rick and afternoon host Roger Hedgecock.  Word is, ever since Jesse Jackson appeared on Rick’s show during his first week in town, Roger’s been out to get him … calling him a liberal, making up a story about Jesse sexually harassing somebody at KOGO.  If Rick’s people produce a promo from that day’s show, Roger’s people conveniently lose it.  If anything, management appears to be siding with Roger since he’s got the longer and richer contract.  To top it off, next season’s acquisition of Padres broadcast rights means mucho preemptions, most of them in the evening.

As God as my witness, I didn’t know all this would happen if I let Roger out of that locked announce booth 20 years ago. 

Et tu, Ted? … Along with the Padres announcement one month ago that they would be moving back to KOGO, came word that their number one play-by-play guy and master of malaprops Jerry Coleman would continue with the team for another three years.  That’ll take him into his fourth decade with the team.  He’s been callin’ ‘em for the Pads since Randy Jones and Willie McCovey wore the brown and yellow … 27 of the last 28 years.  He took one off for a disastrous experiment in managing the team.  Oh doctor!

What isn’t so clear is what Ted Leitner’s involvement will be, come spring training.  Actually, it’s not so much what, as how.  Padres President Larry Luccino says Ted will continue to be “part of the Padres family.” 

“I’m gratified as hell,” says Ted in a recent Union-Tribune interview.  “Larry really protected me.  What could happen is you do 20 years, the rights are lost and you lose.  For him to say you can’t have the deal unless you take Jerry and Ted is as good as it gets.”

The fly-ball in the ointment is Ted’s affiliation with KFMB AM and TV where his contract expires in May, 2000.  KFMB President Ed Trimble isn’t eager to have his 20 year veteran star sportscaster miss his TV gig so he can be on a competitor’s radio station.  “It’s different when it’s the same company,” says Trimble.  “There’s some residual value that overlaps.”  He acknowledges Ted’s popularity and says they will have to work something out … meaning TV.  There’s little chance that something will include any more of Ted on 760 AM.

KOGO is spending, as Ted would put it, “bozo bucks” for baseball broadcast rights.  Truly “bozo” when you look at the facts.  Twenty million gets them four years of Padres baseball.  That’s four million more than KFMB offered.  And even under the previous, less precious contract, KFMB claims a loss of a million and a half a year on the deal.  If that includes any pre and post-game show revenue the station gets to keep, plus ads from Padres advertisers during the rest of the day and the (potentially) higher rates the station gets from the extra ratings share or two having baseball brings, then somebody really needs to explain the math to me.

As for previous reports in this column that at least KOGO has a better signal than KFMB, that’s a mixed bag too.  According to a former employee, although KOGO has a less restrictive coverage pattern and stations at lower frequencies tend to travel farther, 600 kilohertz is plagued with more interference if you’re listening inside a building … probably less of a factor now that every game is available on some form of TV.

A technical comparison of the two shows KOGO with 5,000 watts directional day and night.   KFMB is 5,000 watts non-directional daytime and 50,000 watts directional nighttime.  Daytime advantage, KOGO … unless you’re near electrical interference or live in the east county directional null.  Long distance nighttime advantage, KOGO.  But for the area it does cover, KFMB’s 50,000  watt nighttime signal is superior.  And you can hang a star on that baby.

Speaking of “Baby”… KGB FM 101.5’s mysterious  “Sell Your Baby” and later “Free Baby” billboards turn out to have been a tease for a car giveaway.  At last week’s sold-out Sky Show XXIV at Qualcomm Stadium, the Clear Channel classic rocker revealed “Baby” to be a replica 1961 Porsche Speedster they’ll be giving away with a try-your-key contest.

And then there were two …  With the impending acquisition of Metro Networks by Shadow Broadcast/CBS/Infinity, all traffic and news  (for stations without their own news departments) will now come from one of two, rather than three sources.  The other one being Airwatch … the company founded over 20 years ago by former KFMB and Automobile Club of Southern California eye-in-the sky Steve Springer.

Who’s on First? …  KFMB’s experiment in a split shift morning show with Jack and Joe (Woods and Bauer) covering 5:30 to noon in various incarnations is over.  They and their entourage are back to 5:30 to 10 followed by Consumer Champion Clark Howard from 10 to 1 and Money Talks with Bill Holland from 1 to 2.  I still think San Diego radio has way too much business talk, but maybe that’s how people can afford to live here.

Rosie O’Donnell?  Fugettaboudit …  Syndicated reviewer of movies from a family perspective, Holly McClure is the true queen of nice.  The veteran of L-A Christian talk radio at KKLA and KBRT is now on Salem’s KPRZ AM 1210 weeknights from 7 to 8.  Click www.kprz.com for details and links to her latest review. 

Farewell … Former broadcaster, writer and producer for KSDO AM 1130, George Riley was found dead of natural causes June 11 in his Spring Valley apartment.  His career spanned 30 years beginning in San Diego in 1980.  In ’88 he received a Golden Mike award for anchoring “AIDS, the San DIego story.”  Fellow broadcast journalist, Ken Yearwood said George was always two steps ahead of everyone else.  “(He) was doing stuff on AIDS before anybody knew what it was.” 

He is survived by his mother and a brother in his home state of Minnesota.  George Riley was 56.

The Compass points South … KXST Sets 102.1’s parent Company, Compass Broadcasting has filed with the FCC to move the station’s city of license from Oceanside to Encinitas.  Spreading the wealth I guess.  Their transmitter is in San Marcos.  Long time residents may remember pre-Rock102.1 as the last of the automated “Beautiful Music” stations … originally “KUDE, the sound of brilliance.”

Anyone wanting to monitor Sets’ playlist won’t have to spend hours listening … though if you want to hear the widest, most imaginative playlist in San Diego, you should.  Their website www.sets102.com keeps a running tab of everything that aired during the previous 6 hours complete with links to artist websites.

May be too intense for small children  … Over a recent dinner in West Hollywood, longtime San Diego radio and TV personality, now afternoon driver at K-Earth, Los Angeles, Shotgun Tom Kelley shared a story of how he’s ingratiating himself with his morning counterpart, Charlie Van Dyke and company. 

Shotgun recently obtained a larger than life-size cutout of himself in tuxedo and trademark Smokey Bear hat … a duplicate of which can be seen at North County Ford.  He brought it to the Venice Boulevard studios of K-Earth and spent much of the day Martha Stewarting for the perfect place for the object d’art.  The seven foot tall cutout ended up in the station lobby at the far end of the reception desk from the front door. 

The following morning, Charlie Van Dyke, Joni Caryl and various and sundry producers arrived en-masse and stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of a large silhouette lurking in the lobby at 4am.  Joni was reportedly the most freaked, although it might have been fun if deep-baritone Charlie had been the one to scream.  The raucous Shotgun Tom has been known to frighten small children.

Program Director Mike Phillips thought the whole thing was pretty funny following hot on the heels of a practical joke he had just played on Shotz for calling into Phil Hendrie’s show on KFI when Phil mentioned Shotz and K-Earth’s Huggy Boy.

And the offending artwork?  It was turned around to face the corner says Shotz, “Like a bad boy.”  For his antics, Shotgun says he is “the Kramer of the K-Earth family.”

Musica para caballeros gringos – As of this week, Chula Vista based Califormula’s XHKY –FM 99.3 (X-99) goes from Spanish “country music” or Ranchera/Banda, to pretty much the same thing in English. No sooner did we finish getting the history of Country music stations in San Diego straightened out than here comes another one. The new XHCR will compete head to head with Jefferson Pilot’s KSON 97.3 … a station that hasn’t had any serious format competition since KCBQ tried hat music over a dozen years ago. KOWF 92.1 in Escondido was country for many years up until they became Classical KFSD a year ago, but their Class A signal prevented them from offering any serious challenge to KSON’s dominance. Indeed, KSON has been at, or near number one in the market for most of the 90’s.

Califormula owner Victor Diaz says the reason for the switch is simple … dinero. While San Diego and Tijuana stations have lagged in the ratings compared to other heavily latino major markets, sales for Spanish language stations here have really lagged. While they account for one third of the stations heard here in the lower left corner they’re only responsible for 10 percent of listenership. Some of that can be accounted for since Arbitron, does not survey Tijuana. But that’s nothing compared to the revenue gap, about which there is no disputing methodology. English language stations in San Diego/Tijuana bring in about $140 million annually. Spanish language station sales are less than $10 million. “I believe we will be able to triple our sales potential,” says Diaz. No doubt the arrival of Heftel … now HBC … and their two north of the border conversions to Spanish language had something to do with the decision as well. As reported recently in RadioDigest.com, KLNV 106.5, the former Q-106, is poised to enter the market’s top ten when the spring book comes out.

After a week of no-commercial introduction into the market, XHCR will be known as Hot New Country 99.3 FM. An ironic moniker since they seem to be leaning more on 80′s music than KSON. They’re currently hiring an air staff. No word as to when they will debut.

X-99’s programming will be combined with that of XTIM FM 91.7 and become known as X91.7 FM La Mejor. XTIM is owned by Multivision of Mexico City but will be LMA’d along with XHTIJ FM 97.7 to Califormula who also own and operate XHTZ FM 90.3 (Jammin’ Z90,) XLTN FM 104.5 (Radio Latina,) and the new XHCR. The other major Spanish language players locally besides HBC are J.C. Gates/Grupo Uniradio with five station including XHFG FM 107.3, XHTY FM 99.7, XHARM FM 94.5, XEMO AM 860 and XERCN AM 1470 … MEC with XMOR FM 98.9 and XEBG AM 1550 … Radio Unica with XEMM AM 800 … and KURS AM 1040.

Califormula is also currently awaiting Mexican approval for a new frequency, the programming for which can already be heard on the internet at www.xlnc1.com.

Skeleton in my closet … almost – As promised … ladies and gentlemen, the long awaited Roger Hedgecock story:

Before he held court daily on KOGO AM 600 … before KSDO … even before he was the Mayor of San Diego, forced to resign after being found guilty of campaign irregularities … I knew Roger Hedgecock. Not on a first name basis mind you.

It was 1979. I was fresh out of San Diego State and working as Production Director at KFMB AM 760. We were preparing for our annual radiothon fundraiser for the local chapter of the Leukemia Society. I was pulling every name I could into the production studio announce booth … a tiny little four by six foot room … to do liners for the benefit. Being an AM/FM/TV combo … or as we liked to call it, KFMB AM, FM and BM … we got a fair number of celebrities coming through. I remember having Charlie Daniels, Johnny Rivers, Steve and Cindy Garvey (before Steve was a Padre,) the future Dr. Quinn … Jane Seymour … who from that day on starred in many of my fantasies … and Wally “Famous” Amos who, embarrassed by his own illiteracy, went on to become a big advocate of child and adult reading programs.

We also invited every local politician, police and fire chief to drop by and record something for the radiothon. One of those was then-County Supervisor Roger Hedgecock who dutifully dropped by for his quick session. All went well. He nailed everything in a take or two and got up to leave. Problem was, the door to the booth didn’t agree with that course of action. Though the building was only two years old, the heavy-duty institutional lockset on the door had jammed internally and no amount of twisting from either side could make it work.

Now we were starting to attract a crowd. Sales people, who always seem to be around when you don’t want them, were getting quite a kick out of seeing the captive Supervisor. It was all I could do to keep them from rapping on the glass and teasing him with snacks like a monkey in the zoo. Even the General Manager, Paul Palmer seemed amused.

I just couldn’t get a break on this mishap. Every other door in the building was hung on a flexible aluminum jamb loosely fitted into the gypsum board and metal stud walls. Whenever we needed to get into any locked office, we just pushed the door jamb until the door bolt had room to slide past the striker plate. It was several years before management realized that once you were inside that building, you didn’t really need keys. But the door to the little announce nacelle was the exception to the rule. To top it off, in the confusion I had left the booth mic on. Unless you saw the unlit toggle switch pushed to the right, there was no reminder … so poor Roger never heard any of my apologies or progress reports over the intercom. His hot mic muted the speakers in the booth.

While not outright angry, the future Mayor was definitely doing a slow burn … you know, like those guys in the silent movies. It was almost a half hour before we finally located the building superintendent who took what seemed like another eternity to devise and execute an extraction of the guy. In spite of the tiny dimensions of the room, the door swung in, so removing the hinge pins was not an option, though we briefly considered busting through the drywall and handing Roger the tools to do that himself.

Finally we broke the handle off the outside and dug the lockset out of the door. Paul put his arm over Roger’s shoulders and jovially ushered him to the lobby. For all I know, I had caused him to miss a vote at the county building on something like re-zoning Torrey Pines as a landfill.

What I wasn’t prepared for were the long term consequences of this episode in forced toilet training for Hedgecock. Following his resignation in disgrace from the job of Mayor of San Diego, I was frequently reminded that this never would have happened if I’d just left him locked in that studio forever … that I had somehow defied divine intervention intended to prevent the mayoral mess. And finally … Roger, if you’re listening … I’d love to know if during that 45 minutes or so, some sort of microbe blew out of the duct work and into your lungs, infecting you with the desire to eventually spend every day in a radio studio, or if you took up the calling in spite of your 1979 incarceration in my little booth at KFMB.

Errata other than Demi Moore in Striptease – RadioDigest.com Houston correspondent and San Diego County resident Chris Carmichael e-mails to note a couple of problems with the list of on-line streaming stations in San Diego. First, KOGO’s site is still under construction (I took someone else’s word that it was up). Second, I omitted KXST, Oceanside, which has live streaming available at www.sets102.com.

Also, in the item on Noel Confer, I said KDEO AM 910 is now KMJC. That was one set of call letters ago. It is currently KECR.

Meet the new wuss … Same as the old wuss – Borrowing a chapter from Star’s Jeff and Jer … who probably didn’t originate the bit either, Rock 105.3, KIOZ is holding its first Mr. Puny-verse pageant. Only 98 pound weaklings needs apply. The winner gets $1,000 from the “skinny wimp glorification station.”

One unhappy camper – Star 100.7’s first man in line for Star Wars, Jedi Josh and his “benefactors” at Midwest Television’s KFMB FM have parted ways on a sour note. Feeling that being housed in a donated tent, fed for a couple of weeks, given “15 minutes of fame” on local radio and TV, offered a couple of jobs and even a date or two wasn’t enough, Josh decided he was entitled to keep the laptop computer the station loaned him. He quickly sold it for some fast cash after the movie premiere. Now, Star wants it back.. As Jar Jar Binks would say, “How wude!”

Previews of coming contractions – Today is the day KGB FM’s Dawn Patrol of Dave Rickards, Shelley Dunn and Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph let us all in on the “Baby” mystery that started a couple of months ago with the unattributed “Sell Your Baby” billboards. More recent ones have referred in “Free Baby” and identified 101.5 KGB. GM Todd Little says today is the day KGB will “deliver Baby.” We’ll let you know if it’s a … whatever, in the next column.

Also next time … an interview with the O.B. Ranger himself, Gary Allyn. Until then … Hi-yo Silvia … away!!!!!

Home is where you hang your@ – I’m a firm believer that the Internet is already the most important form of communication for the first part of the 21^st century.  It’s given me a journalistic outlet I never would have had and probably never would have sought in traditional media.  As we create an on-line division for my wife’s Hallmark store, we’re seeing unlimited potential … much like the explorers of 19^th century North America and the entrepreneurs of the 20th.

As it pertains to radio, the Internet is an equally wild and wooley frontier.   Those who choose to embrace it will find new avenues for success and wisely meet new forms of internet-only radio head on.  In a San Diego Union-Tribune interview, KFMB AM&FM General Manger Tracy Johnson said Internet audio streaming “is a technology we need to embrace.  We either join it and take advantage of it, or we  will become victim to it much the way broadcast TV was the victim to cable TV 20 years ago.”   Happily, it seems that most San Diego broadcasters are on the bandwidth bandwagon.  Twenty-two currently offer live streaming of their audio and several more have plans to do so this summer. 

Clear Channel San Diego webmaster Russ Gilbert oversees the greatest number of these including the San Diego radio website most completely integrated with its over-the-air counterpart … KSDO.com.  As reported in this column two months ago, the launching of that site and matching on-air identity gave both radio and computer listeners 24-hour capability to instantly communicate with the station’s on-air business talk hosts via telephone or cyberspace.  Gilbert says that same technology is now being used for cutting edge rocker XETRA-FM at 91X.com.

Most stations however prefer to use their website simply as a connection point for live streaming and a promotional bulletin board.  Rick Roome, operations manager for the Astor group of stations in Carlsbad (KFSD 92.1, KCEO 1000, and KSPA 1450) says the live streaming, which will begin soon on his three stations, offers a worldwide audience to even the most underpowered station.  It’s also a major boon locally … the only listeners that count with Arbitron … enabling low powered and AM stations to reach inside office buildings. 

With that in mind, here are the stations currently offering Internet audio streaming through a variety of audio players, though most use RealAudio G2.:

Califormula Radio Group

            XHTZ FM 90.3- http://www.z90.com

            XHKY FM 99.3 – http://www.x99.com   

            XLTN FM 104.5 – http://www.radiolatina.com

            Internet only – http://www.xlnc1.com  An FM on-air license is being sought in Mexico.

Chancellor Media

            KYXY FM 96.5 – http://www.kyxy.com

            KPLN FM 103.7 – http://www.planetfm.com

Clear Channel Communications (formerly Jacor)

            XHRM FM 92.5 – http://www.magic92five.com   (Magic 92.5 is owned and operated by Binational Broadcasting Company and LMA’d to Clear Channel.  All the Mexican stations listed under Clear Channel are LMA’s.)

            XETRA FM 91.1 – http://www.91x.com

            KHTS FM 93.3 – http://www.channel933.com

            KMSX FM 95.7 – http://www.mix957.com

            KGB FM 101.5 – http://www.101kgb.com

            KIOZ FM 105.3 – http://www.rock1053.com       

            KOGO AM 600 – http://www.logoradio.com

            XETRA AM 690 – http://www.xtrasports690.com 

            KSDO AM 113 – http://www.ksdo.com

            Coming soon:  KJQY FM 94.1 and KPOP AM 1360

HBC (formerly Heftel)

            Coming soon:  KLQV FM 102.9 and KLNV FM 106.5

Jefferson Pilot

            KBZT FM 94.9 – http://www.kbest95.com

            KSON FM 97.3 – http://www.kson.com

            KIFM FM 98.1 – http://www.kifm.com

Midwest Television

            KFMB FM 100.7 – http://www.histar.com  Star 100.7 also programs an internet only music service called “Ultimate 80’s” at this website.  Additional services are planned.

            KFMB AM 760 – http://www.760kfmb.com

Salem Communications

            KPRZ AM 1210 – http://www.kprz.com

San Diego City College            

            KSDS FM 88.3 – http://www.jazz88.org

San Diego State University

            KPBS FM 89.5 – http://www.kpbs.org

There’s no place like home-dot-com – A 30 year San Diego radio veteran now does his daily one hour show from the den of his home … not uncommon for some of the biggest names in the business.  Talk about telecommuting!  Gabriel Wisdom fires up his Switch 52 box, listens in his headphones to his producer at his sydicator’s studios in Colorado Springs, adds his commentary  which is mixed with phone callers and production elements back at the control room and the result is then sent  via satellite to stations all over the country including KCBQ AM 1170 weekdays from 3 to 4.  It is officially known as the Business News Network’s “Financial Hour with Gabriel Wisdom”, and it was recently named one of the 100 most important talk shows in America by Talkers Magazine.  A professional investment advisor for 15 years, Wisdom is currently managing director of American Money Management. 

And how are things on the Isle of Capri? -  That’s what Neil Ross e-mails was the original identifier for KPRI FM in the 50’s and early 60’s … “the wonderful isle of Capri.”  San Diego … and most markets … had a glut of “Beautiful Music” stations on FM at that time … lots of strings, instrumental standards and Montovani type stuff.  According to Neil, “Somewhere in the mid-60’s the all night jock on KPRI started playing album rock music, then the 6 to midnight guy started doing it too.  Little by little the freaks sort of took control of the station and San Diego’s first ‘underground’ FM  was born..”  Gabriel Wisdom was one of those freaks beginning in 1968.

Oh wow man, that stuff really does affect your memory. –   Richard Martin e-mails that he used to handle the advertising for a large San Diego motorcycle dealership in the 60’s and early 70’s.  Most of the time they bought was on the Top 40 stations, KCBQ 1170 and KGB 1360.  They did try a small buy on KPRI.  Says Martin, “They were so busy being laid back, they forgot to bill us.”

The Mighty 690 and beyond -   Richard also remembers XEAK and Ernie Meyers “who along with Noel Confer entertained this young San Diego lad” with one of the pioneering rock and roll formats beginning in 1957.  Noel himself e-mails to correct a comment I made about 690 being in Rosarito Beach.  It is now, but in the 50’s and 60’s “it was on Camino de Tecate, about five miles from Caliente racetrack..  The very talented Ernie Meyers did mornings for only one very short stint.  He was the 690 star of mid-mornings.  (I) was the first morning man and was still doing 6 to 10 am when (Gordon) McClendon bought in.  The first Mighty 690 crew was Noel Confer, Frank Thompson, Art Way, Bob Donnely,  Bud Handy, Stan Evans and Glen Boyd.  Ernie Meyers, Ralph Menard and Jim Ruddle came aboard at various times later.”  Noel and XEAK lasted about four years.  He then went to KDEO (now KMJC 910 AM) first as News Director, then as PD/DJ.  Just before the Beatles came to America, the McKinnon family bought KSON AM 1270 and KSEA FM 97.3.  The AM “tried every format imaginable until, as a last resort, they went Country and Western (both kind of music, according to the bar maid at Bob’s Country Bunker in the Blues Brothers movie).  The original approach was very ‘hillbilly.’  Then Chuck Owen came aboard and put in a ‘modern country’ format.  Chuck did mornings, the engineer, Jack “Boots” Rabell was midday and I did afternoon drive.”

“During those years, KSEA-FM was an automated elevator music throw-away.  Sherwood Gordon had just sold KSDO AM 1130 and was left with classical music KSDO FM (102.9).  At the instigation of his manager, Jim Price, he decided to try C/W and it became Country KOZN. (ed. – although I could swear “Country KOZN” was 103.7.)  I was PD.  We had an antiquated automation rig and my voice was the only one on the air for years. We beat KSON in our first book because they went to a ‘Boss Country’ format that I countered on KOZN with ‘Real Country’ heavy on the oldies.”  During this time, KSEA was San Diego’s first FM Top 40 station and included personalities Gene Knight and Gary Kelley.  Noel continues, “Hearing rumors that Gordon was about to sell KOZN, I joined Roy Stringlet and Art Way to take the recently renamed KSON FM back to country.  Another talented jock that we brought in was Nick Upton from Escondido.”  Nick still does middays at KSON FM 97.3.  So there’s the answer to our most recent trivia question:  KOZN, located in the Travelator Hotel complex on the same block of Ash Street as KPRI, KYXY, KITT, XETV Channel 6 and earlier, KCBQ, was San Diego’s first Country FM while the current country king, KSON FM(then-KSEA) was Top 40.  Noel Confer left San Diego in the mid-70’s to work at a friend’s country station “about a hundred miles from San Diego” for the next 20 years.  He retired to his home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1996.

We do take requests/Preview of coming attractions – In response to Tom Daly, who e-mailed from Escondido, I promise to tell you my Roger Hedgecock story in the very next RadioDigest.com San Diego column.

Play Ball! … but not here –That hot rumor about the Padres jumping stations is no longer half baked … it’s out of the oven and on the cooling rack. After 22 years at Midwest Television’s KFMB AM 760, the team is switching … not to XTRA Sports 690, but to fellow Jacor talk station, KOGO AM 600. KOGO is the station the Padres were origionally on from their inception in ’68 until ’77. Beginning with the 2000 season, that’s where they’ll be again … on the second best nighttime signal in San Diego … XTRA being the best. Times have changed a bit. In the early 70’s, the old Birch ratings used to show KOGO jumping from its usual 6 or 8 share up to 20 or more during baseball season. Lately, even with a World Series appearanace, KFMB has been lucky to see the Padres make a 2 share difference … and that was last year. This year’s performance can be summed up in the words of KGB FM 101.5’s Cookie “Chainsaw” Randolph last week. “The Padres took yesterday off. Unfortunately, they had a game that day.” That, following an 11-1 embarrassment by Philadelphia.

Steady Teddy … let Rick and Roger duke it out – You gotta wonder how long time Padre broadcaster / KFMB TV sportscaster / KFMB AM talk show host Ted Leitner is going to fit into this new scenario. Of even more immediate interest is what’s going to happen with current KOGO afternoon host Roger Hedgecock and evening host Rick Roberts. There is no love lost between these two … which has become abundantly evident following CBS 48 Hours’ airing of a story about the Stepahnie Crowe murder case in Escondido. Rick was featured in the piece siding with the Crowe family and their son, who’s accused of the crime. Roger is firmly on the side of prosecutors and highly critical of the Crowe family for disrespecting Stepahnie’s memory by inviting friends over to watch 48 Hours … and they’re both conservatives! When the Padres arrive next year, these two are going to have a lot less to fight about, with at lease one of them getting pre-empted almost every day. (I swear I’m going to tell you my Roger Hedgecock story one of these days.)

Radio station du jour – Humphrey’s on Shelter Island is two days away from kicking off its 18th summer concert season. A natural for light jazz and once again this year heavy on the genre, this venue has is an equal opportunity promotion for sponsoring stations. With over 50 shows already booked starting with Howie Mandell this Thursday and including Al Jarreau, the Doobie Brothers, Vince Gill, Donna Summer, Tom Jones, Rick Springfield, Spyro Gyra, Chicago, Cowboy Junkies, Ray Charles, Bill Cosby, and the B-52’s among them, expect heavy sponsor tie-ins by at least a half dozen of the most promotionally aggressive stations in town … KIFM, KYXY, Planet, Star, KSON, Magic 92.5. This intimate little spot built on the tailings from San Diego Bay dredging decades ago is a delight if you’re new to town. The artists love the place. Tickets are a little steep … about 25 to 50 bucks … and for that you sit on Acme U-Rent folding chairs … but it’s a beautiful outdoor setting overlooking fancy yachts who by now are either used to the free amplified music every stinkin’ night included with their exorbitant slip payments, or they’ve followed the S.S. Minnow out to sea. And with a capacity of 1,300, you can actually see what you always only heard at, say the old Sports Arena. OK, bad example, you can’t see or hear there, but you get the drift.

Bags O’ Mail – It would appear we’ve struck the lost chord with last week’s (overly) brief history of KYXY, KITT and Ernie Meyers.

Joe Goria e-mailed that I forgot to mention 105.3 and later 1170’s Urban Cowboy days in the late 70’s/early 80’s before 105.3 became “the Eagle.” Yes Joe, I do tend to forget Country … as often as possible. This week’s trivia question: Name the San Diego station that did Country on FM before KSON (97.3). Hint: 97.3 was Top 40 KSEA at the time.

Neil Ross, former San Diego radio star at KCBQ(1170 AM), KDEO(910 AM), “His” and “Hers” (XHIS 90.3 and XHERS 100 point-something) and current Hollywood voice over talent e-mailed to remind me that KPOP’s Ernie Meyers goes back farther in San Diego than mornings at KOGO. About Ernie, Neil writes, “Prior to his KOGO days he did mornings on tape for what was then XEAK ‘The Mighty 690’ from Rosarito Beach. Sometime around 1960, KFSD AM 600 (and TV Channel 10) changed call letters to KOGO and Ernie came aboard to do mornings. At the time, the owners (Time-Life) announced that the KOGO call letters had been chosen by a computer. Very heady stuff back in the days when ‘computer’ meant a room sized Univac. Supposedly the computer had chosen KOGO as the easiest to remember call letters of those currently available. The station logo was a cartoon rendering of a kangaroo. Shortly after the KOGO switch, XEAK changed to XETRA and became the first all news radio station.” Thanks Neil. Reminds me of the time I went on a school field trip to Old Town for the San Diego bi-centennial celebration in ’68. KOGO was on remote, but we didn’t get there until after 10 so I didn’t get to meet Ernie. I had to settle for Rick Martel … who was very nice to all us nosey grade schoolers.

Richard Martin e-mailing from Sedona, Arizona takes things back even further to XEAK’s predecessor, XEAC, which in the mid 50’s was the only place San Diego kids could hear rock and roll. The show, “Ray Robinson’s Record Rack” played the new kind of music from 3 to 5 until the station became XEAK, one of Gordon McClendon’s new 24 hour a day Top 40 formatted stations. This, when most stations signed off for the night at 9. Richard mentions XEAK Top 40 sheets touting their twin studios at the Mission Valley Inn on what is now Hotel Circle and at the Hollywood Towers on Hollywood Boulevard. (690’s signal is pretty much city-grade day and night in Los Angeles too.) Regarding the demolition of the old KYXY and KITT offices at the El Cortez Hotel, Richard wrote, “The El Cortez Center was also home of Channel Six, XETV for many years. At one time on the corner opposite KYXY, KCBQ had moved their studios from the Lafayette Hotel (on Broadway) to the second floor of a corner building with an all glass studio. This was in 1957. As kids, we would go down there and watch the DJ’s put on a show for the street audience. Happy Hare (Harry Martin) was on the air at that time. This studio was on the cover of Life Magazine in 1957, with a story about rockin’ San Diego radio.” KCBQ’s transmitter was at the eastern edge of town near San Diego State College (now University) at the corner of College and El Cajon Boulevard … then the main east-west road in and out of town. They made their move to Santee with a power increase to 50,000 watts daytime in the mid 60’s and went on to dominate San Diego and influence stations all over the country for the next 10 years.

Thanks for the info everyone. I think I’m ready to go order a bentwood rocker, rent some grandchildren and bore them with stories of the good ol’ days now. Keep the e-mails coming. If you’re currently or formerly in the business and wondering why I never mention your station, a quick note … preferably a 10 or a 20 … will certainly grease the wheels of cyber-journalism. Failing that, a simple e-mail will do.

If you blinked, you missed it – About a dozen billboards appeared around town with the words “Sell Your Baby” and nothing else.  Due to complaints, within a day or two, the ads were taken down.  Phoenix based Outdoor Systems, Inc. acknowledged the ads were for 101.5 FM, KGB … though what the ultimate payoff was going to be, we’ll never know.  KGB’s Promotions Director Jay Isbell, denies knowledge of the billboard and General Manager Mike Glickenhaus ain’t talkin’.  But this is the same company (Jacor) that recently got their butts paddled by the public for the Rock 105.3 (KIOZ) billboard with the picture of a guy with his head up his.  Public outcry led to the addition of a “Censored” sticker over the offending orifice.  Outdoor System’s explanation of the latest aborted campaign is “We reserve the right to approve and review all ad copy, and this is not in good taste,” according to quotes in the San Diego Union-Tribune.  “Outdoor Systems reviews the ads before they go up, but these mistakenly slipped through.”   Apparently, being in Phoenix, Outdoor Systems doesn’t listen to KGB.  I believe they do play “Once Bitten, Twice Shy.”

Radio que? – Gates Radio and its Tijuana partner (every U.S. broadcaster working out of Mexico’s gotta have one) have swapped formats on two of their five stations.  XHTY “La Invasora” is now at 99.7 FM and XHARM “Radio Amor” is now at 94.5.  Of the two, 99.7 is the killer signal … 60,000 watts, covering all of San Diego County except the deserts east of the Cuyamaca Mountains.  The group also operates XHFG 107.3, XEMO “La Poderosa” at 860 AM and XERCN “La Caliente” at 1470 AM.

Touching listeners — KPBS FM (89.5) reporter Carrie Kahn did a feature story carried by NPR on the death of three undocumented Mexican immigrants who died during a recent cold snap in the hills of San Diego County.  Resulting donations from all over this country to Mexico’s Bancomer will help the families of the three, each of whom have to pay $3,000 plus mortuary costs to have the bodies of their loved ones shipped back across the border.  If their loved ones were the kind who needed to sneak across the border, that’s probably at least a year’s wages.

They don’t build ‘em like they used to – Recent photos in the San Diego Union-Tribune show demolition of parts of the old El Cortez Center downtown as part of a restoration effort.  The part being demolished on Ash Street used to house KYXY (96.5 FM) and KITT.   KYXY moved to its current location in Kearny Mesa about 20 years ago and has consistently programmed AC music since the 60’s.  KITT’s history is a little more varied.  In ’77, they were broadcasting as a Class A … 3,000 watts at sea level.  KITT was still in mono and at half power when they were sold for $100,000 and went dark for 6 months, reemerging as all-disco K-105.   That lasted through the fad, when the station, now a more competitive Class B, was again sold to the owners of former market powerhouse KCBQ (AM 1170).  Needing an FM to stay competitive, the Q folks created Eagle 105.  The oddly formatted Adult Rock station never really gained a following. After a few years it became a nod to the KCBQ AM of the 50′s, 60′s and 70′s as KCBQ FM, San Diego’s second Oldies outlet … relying on the KCBQ heritage and a lot of the old KCBQ crew like Rich Brother Robbin and Shotgun Tom Kelley.  Around ’92 it was sold to Par Broadcasting, owners of Q-106 and KOGO, drifted through a couple of forgettable formats, finally settling on Sets 105.  By now, part of the Jacor megalopoly in San Diego, they saw fit to send the less successful format to their Oceanside property in exchange for that station’s Hard Rock format on the Oceanside signal which was unlistenable south of Mission Valley … thus creating Rock 105.3, KIOZ.  I still have rate cards from KYXY and KITT’s El Cortez days.  Sixty seconds on KYXY was $4.  Poor little KITT was literally asking a dollar a holler.

The circle of (radio) life – Stacy Taylor failed to make to the switch to KOGO (AM 600) along with fellow local talker Roger Hedgecock and disappeared from San Diego talk radio when KSDO AM 1130 switched to its business format in February.  Stacy began his career in America’s Finest City in ’86 on KSDO, moved to KFMB (AM 760) in ’90 and went back to KSDO last year after Midwest Television (KFMB) declined to renew his contract.  The 25 year radio veteran said Jacor went the opposite direction after giving him the impression they were going to create an even more localized talk format on KSDO.  Yeah, Stacy … there’s a lot of that going around.  That leaves Roger as the only local non-sports daytime call-in show in town.  (One of these columns, I gotta tell you my Roger Hedgecock story.)  Taylor has since done a few fill-ins at KABC, Los Angeles and is putting out feelers for a new full time gig … possibly in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, Ken Copper and Cynthia Heath, who have been missing from mornings at Oldies outlet K-Best 95 (94.9) about as long as Stacy has been off middays at KSDO, are back playing even older music on Adult Standards KPOP (AM 1360).  They’re filling in for Ernie Meyers who took listeners on a trip to the Kentucky Derby and a Mississippi River Boat cruise.   Ernie is best known to his generation as the morning man during the 60’s and 70’s on KOGO.  Anybody remember him hosting “Dialing for Dollars” across the hall on KOGO TV-10?

Ya gotta admit, Howard is a phenomenon.  What other subject could possibly generate so much response. 

Response was very evenly divided … about half pro, half con.  Some examples:

            From Leslie Brand, “Howard, please don’t go here.  There is no humor in this. None whatsoever.  Please advise your audience to see this for what it is.  One of the greatest tragedies of history.  Be part of the solution.”

            Tim Nichols writes that Howard is no more to blame than a bartender who serves someone who then drives drunk.   “Stern is funny and dark..  He brings out a kind of truth too real for us to believe.  Don’t kill the messenger.”  Fair enough Tim, but pick another comparison.  Bartenders ARE liable when they serve someone who is obviously already intoxicated, as Howard is … with himself.

One e-mail called Howard “ethically bankrupt,”  another said I should “live quietly with (my) embarrassment and guilt”  since I am a part of da big baaad media who create the feeding frenzy around events like Columbine.  In fact, the one thing both pro and con seemed to agree on was that it was the television station’s fault for not “checking its sources…” which misses the point entirely.  There is a difference between not getting your facts right and being deliberately misled. 

While it is admirable and preferable to err on the safe side, why should the media … or anyone have to constantly be on the defensive for those who wish to trick and deceive?  First Amendment rights only extend to the point where someone gets hurt by “protected speech.”  You know … fun stuff like slander and fraud.  Maybe I’m being a little too “George Bush” with ideals of a kinder, gentler society, but I stand by everything I said in ”Note to Howard:  It’s not funny.”   I appreciate that the morning after I wrote it, Howard chastised Captain Janks, telling him his phone call to the Denver TV station was over the line.  However, by continuing to acknowledge Janks, Howard gives him exactly what he wants and thus, perpetuates the problem … which is why I say Howard bears some responsibility.  Howard IS the bartender continuing to serve drunks. 

A lot of the negative e-mails mentioned the old standby, “If you don’t like it, turn it off.”  That applies very nicely to the subsequent “sexy teen age girls” comments that are creatin’ a whole ‘nother stir, because that was also on Howard’s show … a show which will continue as long as there are listeners and advertisers.  The Janks call was an ambush.  If you want to spend the rest of your life perpetually on guard, unable to even make eye contact with anyone for fear of  an “honest, real, rude, hurtful” response … fine.  I prefer decent, ethical, forthright and trustworthy.

Enough said.  Thank you all, pro and con, for your responses.  In Howard’s world, any publicity is good publicity and I’ve given him enough for now.  I’ll bill him accordingly.

Meanwhile, back in the lower left corner…

760 KFMB’s Jack and Joe in the morning are doing a new staggered shift.  Joe Bauer continues to work 5:30 to 10am as he has for 25 years … most of that with the late Mac Hudson.  Jack Woods … Charlie, from Charlie and Harrigan … now arrives at 7:30 and continues until noon each weekday.  The 11 to noon portion of the show pairs Jack with money man Bill Holland.  The  Dr. Laura-wanna-be syndicated Dr. Joy Brown show is out.

Speaking of Bill Ballance’s favorite dalliance … what’s with Dr. Laura saying the Trench Coat Mafia kids at Columbine deserve to get picked on?

The Mix (95.7 KMSX) broadened their already ultra wide, if not deep, playlist by offering a true request pay-for-play weekend.  They raised $17,000 for Kosovo refugee relief at $50 per song.  The last time I heard Dolly Parton back to back with Led Zeppelin was the morning before our music consultant was fired.

Why one station would want to draw attention to another station’s promotion, I don’t know, but 91X has been after Star 100.7’s Star Wars campout like a little rat dog worrying a ham bone.  “Jedi Josh” has been camped out at a Mission Valley theater waiting for Star Wars tickets.  Star 100.7 has sponsored the campout because they have the local premiere.  91X has been taking pokes at the situation on their morning show, pointing out how Josh flunked Star’s Star Wars aptitude test and sending a commando to bomb Josh’s tent with water balloons.

The latest full list of 12+ Mon-Sun San Diego Winter ’99 Arbitron ratings are available elsewhere on this page.  Here are some highlights:

            KYXY stays flat but becomes #1 as country KSON drops .7.  News/talk KOGO gained almost a point to become #3 … their strongest performance since they had the Padres.  (DING DING DING.  That’s right!  The answer to last week’s question, “Who had the Padres 23 years ago?” is KOGO, am600.  You win an order of Nachos left over from the World Series.)  And what of the Padres current station, KFMB?  I’d have to see the monthlies to know for sure, but it looks like they’re hurting without baseball … down almost 2 points to 2.5.  The big winner was Magic 92.5 … up 1.6 for an 8^th place finish.  The Mix did well, gaining 1.1 … still not in the top 10.  Significant is 106.5 KLNV, up 1.2 and finishing in 11^th place.  Their strong trend portends the first ever top 10 finish for a Spanish language station in San Diego come the spring book.  Interesting that it’s taken this long since the number 1 and 2 stations overall in Los Angeles are Spanish, and have been for several books.  Heftel is the dominant force in Spanish radio.

The San Diego Union-Tribune has a series of where are they now articles leading up to the millennium.  A couple of recent ones were about Bill Ballance and Harry “Happy Hare” Martin.  Happy Hare was the first person to put me on the radio.  When I was in 5^th grade, I called him at KCBQ with a weather report when, for the first time in memory, it snowed and they closed the schools in Fallbrook.  Check out the archives of the paper’s website, www.uniontrib.com.

E-mails, other than those pertaining to Howard and what a douche bag I am for getting on his case:

          Joe Tedd is looking for Bobby Messina, who he heard was working in San Diego, possibly under a different name.  Joe remembers him from WXLO, New York back around 1980.  Joe can be reached at Radioboys@FCC.net.  Yeesh!  I wonder what Bobby did to get noticed by the FCC?

          Bobbi Marks checks in from WSB-FM, Atlanta.  Bobbi did overnights at KCBQ in ’93.  She says she misses the beach (not the one formerly at 102.9), wants to come back  (take a number girlfriend) and sends a shout out to KGB’s John Leslie, “the walking encyclopedia of rock.”

          Bryan Dean e-mailed the only response so far to my request for your thoughts on the future of this wacky business that pays us all so handsomely.  Bryan says to expect a melding of current broadcast with internet, satellite and telephone technologies. Yeah, but Bryan, who’s going to own it all?  Clear Channel, Disney, or Bill Gates?

C’mon kids.  Step into the wayback machine with Mr. Peabody.  Where’s the world of radio headed?  Where will you be in 5 years?  Will Howard be working at a thousand-watter in Fresno?  Will there be any more nude photos of Dr. Laura?  Will Rush and Calista Flockhart be wearing the same size jeans?  What wild weird stuff is gonna happen?

That’s why Howard’s fans love him.  It’s not the lesbians.  It’s not the bathroom humor. It’s not the freak show.  It’s the attitude.  Confidence inspires confidence.  And that’s the power of radio.  Once you’ve gained their confidence, they’ll do anything you say.

That’s why big name celebrities are so in demand for personal endorsements.  Whether you’re Howard Stern or Michael Jordan, your word is God …an awesome responsibility.  Something many can’t handle.

Today, as I was reporting on the shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado … working to put together the fragmented facts of the incident … monitoring CNN and all the Denver media … scrambling for sound bites … and somewhere behind the requirements of the job, grieving and commiserating along with all feeling human beings, I had my mind made up for me regarding Howard.  About an hour and a half into coverage of the unspeakable tragedy, one of the Denver TV stations put a caller on the air live who claimed to be a spokesperson for Sweedish Hospital, where some of the wounded were being transported.   The anchors began the interview.  The caller began describing details of the shooting in measured tones and then said, “…and the shooter was Howard Stern.  And Howard said he did it because not enough people were watching his …”  That’s when the director cut off the call.  The anchors professionally drew little attention to the hoax and moved on.

Crank phone calls are childish anyway.  This particular instance was incredibly cruel … perpetrated by an unthinking, insensitive moron who may as well have stood alongside the two “trenchcoat mafia” misfits as they blasted away in the school cafeteria, and poured salt into the victims fresh gunshot wounds.  One can only hope that people like this get star 6-9’d by a Montana militia man.

A lot of people think the Jerky Boys are hilarious.  Many very popular radio personalities have made a reputation for themselves with their crank phone calls … Rick Dees, Gary Burbank … though I never really cared much for the bit, I even made some when I was a “josh dickey.”  But don’t try this at home kids.  Comedy is a serious business.  You’re constantly dancing a fine line that sometimes gets crossed.   Just ask the Greaseman.

Through the urging of Howard Stern and his minions, loyal followers (read:  weak brainless sheep) are encouraged to place phone calls to other radio and TV shows, convince the producers and interviewers of their veracity, then slip in some comment about “mind melding with Howard Stern’s penis.”  Again … childish and offensive, but generally harmless.  This time he’s gone too far … crossed the line to the point of no return.   Making light of the death and wounding of dozens of  kids … some, days away from their high school graduation … living what should be some of the best days of their lives … is unconscionable.  The wounded … the classmates who watched their friends get shot … and all their families are psychologically scarred for life.  About 25 had everything they ever had, and everything they ever would have had, taken away.  And some yahoo, with the tacit approval of Howard Stern, has the gall to make a joke.  Not even a joke … a commercial.  Howard bears direct responsibility for this unforgivable transgression of human decency.

Like all good entertainers, he claims everything he says and does is all in fun … don’t mean nuthin’.  In Howard’s case, the flaw in that logic is that he doesn’t want his own daughters listening to his show.  The truth is, anyone who positions themselves in the public spotlight and achieves that high a profile is, like it or not, a role model with all its attendant responsibilities.  Even if you don’t want to be a good role model, at least don’t contribute to and encourage moral decline.

Go ahead Howard, send Stuttering John out to honk off Jimmy Connors and Donald Trump with loaded questions.  They’re another sad part of your world anyway.  They deserve it.  Feel free to pass gas and obsess over lesbians.   Your 18 to 34 male demographic will continue to worship you.  Your personal endorsement clients will continue to pay you several thousand dollars a holler.  Most everyone else will either shake their heads or sputter with moral indignation.   Just remember … when one of your drones laughs in the faces of the grieving families and friends and spits into the open coffins of the victims of this country’s worst school shooting ever, it’s because you encouraged the mindless chimp to do it. 

Pig Vomit was wrong.  You’re not the anti-Christ.  But you’re helping to train him. Sleep well, king of all media.