~ You gotta excuse us: we've had to be away from the radio a lot, and have been blogging lite, lately. We've had a big project and then, of course a death in the family. We're getting our head up out of it now, but thanks for bearing with us.
~ And oh yeah... we haven't asked for awhile: do you work in a talk radio station, and have anything to share? Need to squeal on your boss? Want to get ahead by leaking embarrasing information about your colleagues? We're here to help: discretion is what our fine old reputation is built on.
~ Happy Birthday, Pat O'Day
. He was 73 on Monday: he took us for a nice ride on his jet ski up there in Friday Harbor.
~ Rush Limbaugh made up the Betrayus joke in the first place! It was clear last January, and it
was the loyalty of a Republican he was trying to smear! Nobody paid much attention at the time, but Big Pants referred to Sen. Chuck Hagel as "Senator Betrayus " because he opposed the war. All
that self-righteousness and Mutually Assured Distraction around the
Moveon ad that lured earballs so effectively away from real issues like
the war and the shambles of the Bush administration, and it was
mudhoney from the dastardly and ungrateful Rush Limbaugh all along.
Will the prevailing head
winds in the teapot ever die down?
(photo: Pat O'Day)
~ Loopy Livershorts is Rush's silly name.
~ be still our hearts... We've heard for months that Billo Reilly's (KTTH m-f, 9-11p) ratings all over the country match his in Seattle- they suck and alwa
ys have!
On Monday last Steve Young in the Huffington Post wrote that Billo will
be giving up his show sooner than later. That was doused next day by
Brian Maloney, at the Radio Equalizer
on Tuesday; on Wednesday Young wrote that his original story was
incorrect and that O'Reilly had re-signed with Westwood One. Later on
Wednesday, Maloney had an exclusive that O'Reilly was truly on his
way out. Now Radio Insider is saying that O'Really has signed for
another year. Like that old Norwegian said as his wife lay dying, "wish
she'd get well... or somethin'...
~ The French word for toad is crapaud.
~ Food for thought: We've been meaning to ask: Is the new KIRO a Lifestyle talk station with morning news?
~ Food: it's a great time of year for musk melons.
~ Overheard in the Radio Info chatroom: When was the last time a PD
in this market had an aircheck session with ANY talent?? I
consistently hear the same crutch phrases and weak delivery/execution
by MANY Seattle on air talents. These same bad habits have gone
unchanged for years.
~ Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's silly name is Pinky Diapernose.
I don't know what an aircheck session is, but I'd be amazed if there was ever an intention to reduce repetition in radio given how ordinary it is and always has been.
All the radio hosts have a thing they say at the start of their show, we can all recite them word for word. They are completely useless except for the fact that they make a guy talking in a microphone seem more profound and important than it realy is. Dori Monson even has repetitious catch phrases in his show, such as when he says "now for our top story" like a girl. They all hang up on people the same way, not matter who it is. I hear the hosts hang up on people when I dream, "all right, thank you for your call" and "that's your opinion but I apreciate you call." There's numerous other examples.
It's annoying but I'm sure they know the value of repetition in everything they do. In the radio spots they'll constantly repeat the name of the company or the phone number waaay too many times. "stop freakin call beacon!" what? "stop freakin call beacon!" what? "stop freakin call beacon!"
Posted by: Andrew | September 25, 2007 at 02:11 AM
airchecks can be really cool as historical artifacts. back in the old old days they would do airchecks for jazz bands/combos and you have some great music that was recorded which otherwise would be lost in history.
Posted by: PugetSound | September 25, 2007 at 04:53 AM
Airchecks?
Hmmm... Dori RUNS 710DORI, who would tell HIM what to do?
KVI and KTTH are programmed by gerbils.
Posted by: Shlub | September 25, 2007 at 06:22 AM
Aircheck sessions are CRITICAL to anyone in radio wanting to improve. I hate them with a passion, but know that I need another qualified person to point things out to me I might not have caught. The key word here is "QUALIFIED".
I've known some insecure PD's who just look for things to tear somebody down with, and others who know what they're doing and honestly want to help the airstaff improve.
And as to repetition in spots, its VITAL, though irritating, to the message. Giving a phone # once is useless, unless its a novel one. The rule of 3 always applies here. People in their car don't really hear it until the 3rd time.
Posted by: Bill | September 25, 2007 at 07:49 AM
I don't mind repetition in an ad; but, those constant repetitions of ads simply encourage me to use the on/off button more . . . or the band button or the volume button. Once I've changer the station, it stays changed for a while.
The worst is when you're cruising the dial and hear the same ad on various stations at the same time.
Sometimes you just can't win!
Posted by: joanie | September 25, 2007 at 08:05 AM
I don't mind repetition in an ad; but, those constant repetitions of ads simply encourage me to use the on/off button more . . . or the band button or the volume button. Once I've changer the station, it stays changed for a while.
The worst is when you're cruising the dial and hear the same ad on various stations at the same time.
Sometimes you just can't win!
Posted by: joanie | September 25, 2007 at 08:05 AM
HAYES BARNARD NEEDS TO DIE IN A FIRE! Honestly, Would anyone do business with this slimy sounding individual?
Posted by: Jon | September 25, 2007 at 08:15 AM
I like what Tommy008 said about that guy "Hayes Barnard sounds like a cult leader. All he needs is a jungle clearing a seedy P.A. system, an audience of 400, and the tables with pitchers of koolaid and stacks of dixiecups on them."
Posted by: Andrew | September 25, 2007 at 09:49 AM
Hey I thought it was illegal to run jet ski's in the San Juan Islands! Did you buzz any whales?
Posted by: ballrdboy | September 25, 2007 at 11:53 AM
When was the last time a PD in this market had an aircheck session with ANY talent??
__________________________________
Answer: Those same crutch phrases are the ones the the brain-deak PDs have put on the liner cards for the "talent" to read.
Posted by: Stan the Man | September 25, 2007 at 12:17 PM
I was convinced all the talented business leaders lost interest in radio given the obvious decay of quality control and the auto-pilot mentality of giving Frank Shiers or Phil the Slave a radio show, but the overhaul of KIRO's branding, the replacement of all their bumpers and the 6pm news hour shows that someone there has faith that radio could be good again.
Posted by: Andrew | September 25, 2007 at 12:29 PM
It's not just the PD's fault. Talk radio is just in a down cycle. There are no new ideas, just people recycling other's worn/failed ideas.
It's just like music in the 1980's. There was a terrific flowering in the 60's and 70's, but by the 80s those folks were aging. 'New Wave' and Disco came along, and both were very bad.
Eventually, techno came out of disco, and was very good. Then there was the grunge thing, which wasn't to my taste, but seemed to at least be somewhat musician-oriented.
I just don't understand why the talent that does exist is unused. E.g. Larry Elder & Neal Boortz are both 10x better than Savage, Levin, o'Reilly, etc. but neither is on the air here. Even Tom Leykis was good talk radio, although admittedly his schtick was fast wearing out.
Anyway, the cycle inevitably will once again turn upward.
Posted by: moronthislater | September 25, 2007 at 04:12 PM
I remember KVI went through a lengthy process of trying out prospects for the 3-6 slot, and came up with Peter Weissbach. He seemed great at first, but wore out his welcome. I knew he was not long for this world when he kept pestering Carlene Johnson to demo the use of her breast pump after she returned from maternity leave.
Posted by: moronthislater | September 25, 2007 at 04:36 PM
60's, 70's good, 80's bad, 90's better than 80's but not as good as the 70's. Let me guess: you're 50 right?
Posted by: Andrew | September 25, 2007 at 04:49 PM
Pretty good Andrew, ya whippersnapper. Just turned 51 two months ago.
Posted by: moronthislater | September 25, 2007 at 05:52 PM
worst radio ad.
the King and Bunny Store. With that horrible 60's Yakety Yak Sax playing in the background. King's voice has those Pall Mall damaged vocal cords.
That commercial causes an automatic reaction of switch that dial.
Posted by: PugetSound | September 25, 2007 at 06:17 PM
There's this gnawing sense of loss that Walt Crowley has left us. I've wanted to attend a wake, but I think everyone is too stunned to do anything. He had so many circles of friends, so what can we do? I suppose there is an event planned, but those are scripted and cold, and I leave such occasions feeling very much alone and disconnected. It's such a communal loss, he was and still is part of Seattle's soul.
Posted by: JimmyB | September 25, 2007 at 06:18 PM
Someone help me out; I'm a common person. How would I have known of Walt Crowley?
Posted by: Andrew | September 25, 2007 at 06:30 PM
Walt was often published in local newspapers, so that might be a way you would know of him. Also on TV and radio as a pundit and commentator on local issues. One of those Old Seattle characters in the leage of Ivar Haglund and Emmett Watson. Walt, sorta like you maybe, was an uncommonly common person, a champion of us average folk.
Posted by: JimmyB | September 25, 2007 at 06:39 PM
I do not think that you would have known Walt. From reading your stuff, you seem to be in your twenty's or maybe early thirtyish. He was seen regularly in the late 80's and early 90's on tv, debating John Carlson on the issues of the day.
You could tell that he was passionate about his views in a time that liberals and conservatives could be and were civil with each other.
I thought it was some of the best commentary of the time re local issues.
I could be wrong about you, but that is my memory of him.
Posted by: chucks | September 25, 2007 at 06:44 PM
No you're right, I'm late 20s. I would have been in my early teens at the time he was on TV regularily. Too bad there are no YouTube archives to look back at. There might be I didn't check given the unlikliness of it.
Posted by: Andrew | September 25, 2007 at 06:47 PM
PugetSound: true, but the instant you mentioned that ad, it was there playing in my head, like nothing so much as a band of attacking clowns. You couldn't not remember that ad, and you couldn't not remember the 'King & Bunny' name. In short, it was a brilliant ad.
Posted by: wutitiz | September 25, 2007 at 06:54 PM
wutitiz
brilliant ad in terms of ingraining deep in the membrane but for that very reason i would never ever shop there.
just too painful.
Andrew,
Try his historical website. It is a very good website and worth your time.
Posted by: PugetSound | September 25, 2007 at 08:18 PM
I have to say that I have friends (I'm over 50 and will say no more:):):) who did not know who Walt was. One has to be culturally tuned in and curious to know Walt. He didn't seek celebrity but earned it by being interesting, witty, knowledgeable and an activist.
He was simply himself.
Posted by: joanie | September 25, 2007 at 08:27 PM
Oh, Jimmie B, I totally agree on the Emmett Watson analogy. Emmett and "Lesser Seattle" . . . would that he had prevailed. I miss my old invisible and rainy Northwest.
Posted by: joanie | September 25, 2007 at 08:34 PM
I'm with Lt. Suits on an issue fo r once. The cops had no right to seize that guy's 274,000 dollars and then say they'll return it if it's proven clean. since when does the citizen have to prove he's not a criminal? they can't cite a statute that allows them to legally seize that money, with no evidence of drugs in the car or any other crime. another case of too big for their britches, badgeheavy pricks, basking in the narcissistic glow of cops glorification reality shows on FOX and elsewhere.
Posted by: Tommy008 | September 26, 2007 at 08:10 AM
I would just as soon allow the cops to investigate that one. When the guy was questioned and changed his story around would make me suspicious as well.
What citizen? I thought the guy was a foreigner of some kind.
The cop shows on Court TV are better.
Don't question my authoritie!! (Cartman)
Posted by: chucks | September 26, 2007 at 10:48 AM
The only thing i would agre with y on is the guy should have had some sort of receipts showing that he won and received the money at casinos. it was the casinos obligation to give him sime sort of proof he won the money at their establishments. Don't they do thid with huge amounts f winnings? even so, the cop still has no legal right to take the money, even temporarily.
Posted by: Tommy008 | September 26, 2007 at 11:20 AM
008
You and I both know the guy was not being truthful with the cop. That alone is reason enough for further investigation.
Dumb SOB should have just declined the officers request to search his car. Cop did not appear to have probable cause to detain or search.
But he allowed the search. Should have had better lies.
Posted by: chucks | September 26, 2007 at 11:42 AM
Who would have predicted that Jethro and Dori can actually agree on something. Could Jethro be changing colors? Only time will tell.
Posted by: nevets | September 26, 2007 at 04:33 PM
Maybe, like you chucks, he thought he didn't have anything to worry about 'cause he's innocent.
Couldn't happen to you, now could it?
Posted by: joanie | September 26, 2007 at 10:00 PM
Frank is again tiring us with his "Governor of King County" line, referring to Gregoire. What a whining, petty, paltry little puke of a man, not big enough to acknowledge that his candidate lost fair and square, in the court process. This is the kind of thing that makes us despise this fellow.The race was so close that either candidate pretty much had an equal right to be called Governor, but it had to be decided one way or another, and Gregoire had slightly more votes, according to the best count possible. Give it a rest , Frank. Try to have some class.
Posted by: Tommy008 | September 26, 2007 at 10:15 PM
Gotta agree with Tommy 008. The ones that insist on not calling Gregoire the duly elected Governor are wrong. Get over it. Gregoire was named Governor. That's it. Don't like it, then work your tail off in 08 to defeat her. Keep your eye on the ball. Lamentations are for losers.
Reminds me of the poor demented types that ran around in the first term of W saying he wasn't the elected President OR the same ones that whined about the 04 election 'machines.'
Posted by: PugetSound | September 27, 2007 at 08:14 PM