Richmond Radio: Old Graffiti 3-1-04 thru 7-24-04

Posted on Monday, March 01, 2004 - 4:12 am:

What's Jim Jacobs doing nowadays? When is he going to dip back into the Jacobs File (jacobsjacobsjacobsjacobs) again?

Posted on Monday, March 01, 2004 - 8:46 am:

Welcome back thor, we never missed you...

92.1 and 107.7 have merged and become Lite 92 in Norfolk LOL...

Oldies 107, home of the survivor morning program LOL...

Posted on Wednesday, March 03, 2004 - 7:16 am:

Listening to Garret Chester is agony, agony! Oh my god he's exactly the opposite of:
1. funny
2. entertaining
3. the kind of person I would like to spend time with each morning

If I were trapped in an elevator with this guy for anything over, let's say, 45 minutes, I'd kill myself.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I screamed " shut up! " at my radio the past two mornings.

He may be the best example yet for an all powerful government who cuts out the tongues of anyone the kind finds not funny.

" Hey, want to hear the impression of that 1970's B actor you haven't thought about in years? Hey, wanna hear my impression of everyone in Richmond falling asleep at the wheel?"

I'm listening right now.... make him stop make im stop - no wait, he's going to do Barney Fife! That was great -WHEN HE STOPPED!!! "

Who's next on this merry go round of the mediocre? No Bender - No Wicker - haven't we all suffered enough, Garret Chester???? How did these people earn enough money to purchase a radio station? Oh, it's daddy's money?

make him stoppppppp

Posted on Wednesday, March 03, 2004 - 12:41 pm:

According to a post at Radio-info.com...

Cumulus is "kicking the tires" at MQ Richmond? Hmmm...Thoughts?

As for the progress of 98.9, WKSK in South Hill is still on...I guess the feds will wait until they move to 101.9...

Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 1:23 am:

What a surreal morning! I've been following the antics of the $ 1.98 Beauty Show on 107.3 for the past few weeks. Garrett Chester followed by Jeff Wicker, oh my. John Allen Mohammed is going to fry but if they decide they Malvo is too young for a death sentence, my suggestion is to pipe either Chester or Wicker doing mornings into his cell for the rest of his life.

He'll hang himself within a month.

Then the surreal Monday morning experience. My alarm went off and Jeff Beck is on the air, sharing his show with a girl named Kelly. Back in the Jeff and Jeff days, this was the kind of show Beck made fun of.

Kelly laughed at almost everything, and nothing, I mean nothing was funny. Beck's intro of traffic wasn't funny, but Kelly laughed. His quick weather hits weren't funny, but she thought they were. And so on.

She did the same thing for Wicker and Chester.

She has to either be sucking on laughing gas or perhaps she has some sort of social anxiety problem where she feels that if she laughs no one will notice she has nothing to say.

And poor Jeff Beck. Once part of a legend, he's be reduced to this. The problem is, he's being played out of position. He was a great straight, calming foil for Jeff McKee. As the lead, he's all wrong.

And that I think is very instructive. This is a very very interesting time to be a student of radio. What we're seeing on a local and national level is that it is very hard to do a funny, entertaining, PG morning show. When I did sales at XL 102 when Jeff and Jeff were in their glory and Brian Illes was the p.d., we were told we could tell potential clients that they'd never hear anything on the morning show that they'd have to explain to their children.
And yet the show was so entertaining that nobody ever noticed it wasn't dirty.

Fast forward to now and the Stern backlash shows that not everybody wanted what he had to offer and how foolish it was for corporate programmers to try and force that down everybody's throat. I'll bet every major chain in the country would kill to have the kind of show that the Jeffs did back then. It was hip, it rocked and it would never get them fined.

So how surreal was it to hear Beck struggling this morning and then open the paper to read the article on McKee teaching rock and roll to high school girls? There is such a demand for the skills that guy has and this is what he's doing?

At our morning sales meetings we talk about the happenings around the dial. At first we were concerned about 107.3. It didn't take long for us to start laughing at the bad radio moments.

I don't know what is going to happen next in radio morning shows. Because of syndication and voice tracking two generations of potential morning show hosts haven't had the chance to figure out how to put together a good morning show. Before that, most of the rock morning shows were bad Stern clones. These kids didn't even get a chance to listen to anything that might have inspired them in a different direction.

Okay, I'm ranting. I couldn't sleep and my wife didn't want to talk radio. Jeff Beck, old chum, my heart goes out to you. I know if you get a chance you'll do a good job at the oldies station but you and I and anyone who is old enough to love oldies will remember when every morning was filled with possibilities.

Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 2:10 pm:

Four words: Bring in the Greaseman. ;)

(No, that wasn't really serious---but he's currently operating on a DC-area AM station that is one third right wing talk, one third Korean Christian, and one third static. Surely he's got better things to do.)

Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 2:58 pm:

Wanna hear a good station?

www.kjq.com

excellent version of "classic alternative"...99X in Atlanta and 'HFS up in DC need to check that out.

Since it's pretty slow around here, can anybody pick up the new Bob 106-1 in Norfolk? What's the playlist like?

Any new cool 98.9 suggestions? If Cumulus purchased MQ Richmond, would that shake things up?

Thanks for the time...
RadioX

Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 11:49 pm:

WRXL, once Richmond's proud undisputed home of rock & roll for 10, 20, 25 years and then..... Clear Channel corporate programmers swarmed in on the sleepy southern town who's overall morals and values had not been overtly polluted by the seedy, sleazy cancerous gak of filth that had seeped into rock and roll morning shows around the country.

Their tactics were simple; clone the low-rent low i.q. moron pandering crap that combined sex, bowel movements and stupidity and spread the dread across the nation like sh*t on a giant paint roller via their rock stations and their morning shows.

Here in Richmond their initial instinct was to replace Jeff and Jeff with Bubba the Love Sponge. It would have happened too had it not been for a hog murder in a parking lot broadcast live on his show. I know this for a fact because I was in a meeting when the plan was put forth to our sales manager and G.M. via speaker phone via a corporate vice president.

Okay, so Bubba didn't work out. What could possibly be even sleazier and dumber than the Love Sponge? Dee Snyder. How'd that work out?
Okay, so how about this Elliot Kid from up in D.C.?

So goodbye J & J, hello Elliot. And how'd that work out?

Ripped from today's headlines:

FCC Proposes Fining 'Elliot in Morning'
Fri Mar 12, 4:00 PM ET

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Regulators proposed a quarter-million-dollar indecency fine against Clear Channel Communications on Friday, a little more than a month after hitting the nation's largest radio chain with a record $755,000 penalty.

The Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites) voted 4-1 to cite Clear Channel's "Elliot in the Morning" show for nine alleged violations "that involved graphic and explicit sexual material, and were designed to pander to, titillate and shock listeners."

It was second large fine this year against the radio giant, which has recently promised to clean up its programming. Last month it fired the disc jockey known as "Bubba the Love Sponge," took the Howard Stern show off the six Clear Channel stations that broadcast it and outlined new standards that include immediate suspension of any on-air performer accused by the FCC (news - web sites) of airing indecent material.

In statements released with the announcement of the fine, three FCC commissioners applauded Clear Channel's efforts but said penalties still were warranted for the "Elliot" show.

The FCC is seeking the maximum $27,500 for each of the alleged violations, or $247,500 in all, from a March 13, 2003, broadcast that included a graphic discussion about pornographic film star Ron Jeremy. Portions of the conversation were rebroadcast eight times in promotional spots for the show, hosted by Elliot Segal.

FCC Commissioner Michael J. Capps voted against the fine because he didn't think it was severe enough. He said the FCC has received previous complaints about Clear Channel and Segal and should have considered revoking the licenses of the stations that broadcast the show.

"Such a `cost-of-doing-business fine' is never going to stop the media's slide to the bottom," he said. "The time has come for the commission to send a message that it is serious about enforcing the indecency laws of our country."

"Elliot in the Morning" is heard on Clear Channel stations WWDC in Washington; WRXL in Richmond, Va.; and WOSC in Bethany Beach, Del.

So they dump Jeff and Jeff, which in retrospect now seems like Masterpiece Theater and replaced it with serial pig after serial pig.

The company itself is in a downwards spiral. The damage done to a town who's rock and roll mindset once thrived along with it's vibrant morning show is now like bombed out Berlin after World War 2. Why don't we have some sort of Nurenberg style trials for the people who committed radio atrocities?

I once had a very cool life, sold rock and roll radio and kept a great relationship with credible across the board clients and people in the community. I was forced to flee to the kind of stations that are the opposite of what is now offered. I make a nice living but I feel like a zombie.

I really feel like crimes were committed, not just now when someone says a dirty word on the air but then when true things of value were destroyed by people who now must surely seem like idiots.

I really hope XL loses it's license. It would serve them right considering what they had and what they threw away and the lives they screwed with while they were making all those huge mistakes.

Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 5:42 pm:

Been away for a few days, but oh boy I have to admit that the fine that CC has to pay for what happened on Elliot might just cost him what it cost Bubba, his job. Buddy, XL will not lose it's license over this. If they were in any danger in doing that, they would have gotten it when they were in the syndication deal for Kramer and Twitch. Elliot might get fired, and if that does take place, then CC will have to find yet another morning show to do here.

I figured out what Mainquad can look towards for a format for 98.9. 106.1 out of norfolk is being somewhat of a AAA with a twist, they play almost everything from 1970 through today. Sutff ranging from Steely Dan to Sheryl Crow to Disco music. They are WPLA, We Play Anything.

Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 9:17 pm:

Dan,

Please read my comments more closely. I didn't say that CC would lose their license, I didn't even say they were in danger of it, I simply said that, in light of the damage they have done because of their poor choices, I hoped they would lose their license. More clearly, I was saying that if their was really a radio god in heaven, he would take their license away from them. I know it's not going to happen, just wish it would because they've hurt the community and they've certainly hurt many people who are close to me and, since once I was very happy and felt good about my job, I guess they've hurt me too.

As far as Elliot causing them to lose their license and " If they were in any danger in doing that, they would have gotten it when they were in the syndication deal for Kramer and Twitch, " Danny, you'll have to admit that the political climate is a bit hotter these days. Offensive content way back when could cause huge fines, loss of jobs and who knows what else now that Powell and his vultures are flying over the wagons.

I hate the bad choices, the way constantly going for the lowest of the lowest common denominator has made rock and roll radio stupider than stupid but I also despise the way Powell is using this issue as a political issue.

If he really wanted to go after the true problem, he'd go back to deregulation which caused a few corporations to have the power to inflict such damage by allowing a few syndicated shows to spread the cancer so widely.

Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 9:22 am:

Not to be a smarty-pants... 106.1 is WPYA...WPLA is Planet Radio 9-3-3, erstwhile home of Bubba the Love Sponge. I liked Bubba, when I was down in Disney, I ate at the House of Blues, and Real Rock 101-1 was giving a remote there for a Trapt concert. Not only did I meet Bubba, but I got a Real Rock beer cooler and tickets to the concert!

Does anyone think that 98.9 will actually "go out on a limb"? As for its arrival, WKSK needs to move to 101.9, and their CP doesn't expire until 2006.

Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 9:23 am:

PS...I wonder if Jay Smack got scolded for his plug of WRIR last night on Studio B?

Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 12:18 pm:

Looks like WRVA has its Graham-crapular replacement. From dcrtv, same stuff on vartv too:
Richmond talk blowtorch WRVA (1140 AM) hires Mac Watson from a Waco AMer to be its afternoon guy. He replaces Michael Graham, who recently left for a late morning gig at DC's WMAL.....

He may be from Waco, but I'm betting he'll be an expert on all matters relative to our wacky (waco?)City Council in about three nanoseconds. Really, WRVA could save some $ by just looping tapes of Allen Price or Michael Graham saying, "Oh that crazy City Council. What are those guys smoking?" That's all WRVA has been doing for over two years now.

Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 11:51 am:

Thought you fine radio folks might appreciate the following lyrics regarding radio by Dead Prez. The tune is called, "Turn Off Your Radio."

Turn Off the Radio Lyrics (Dead Prez)

Woohoohoohoohoohoo...
Crank up yo' speakers!

[Stic.]
To all my (niggaz)
Every hustlin (nigga)
Strugglin (niggaz)
Revolutionary (niggaz)
Gang-bangin (niggaz)
Chain-gangin (niggaz)
Tune yo' frequency...

I refuse to be a stereotype in ya box
Never wanna try to be somethin I'm not
I'm just a nigga from the block, if you got it twist it
Stay blowin on green, if you got it, twist it on up
DP's givin a f**k - R.B.G.'d up in some gangsta chucks
Throw ya fist up homie if ya know what's up
All my comrades puttin in soldier work
We rollin dirty wit it, fully dedicated
So real that the radio'll never play it
But that's cool, the enemy supposed to hate it
Freedom ain't gon' come til we regulate 'em
That's why I'm in the dojo, not just for the video
Really though, we really got beef with the po-po (woop-woop)
Never know when they gon' put you in a chokehold
This is for you new niggaz, holdin for the radio

[Chorus]
Turn off the radio!
Turn off that bullshit! (freak-freak y'all)
Turn off the radio!
Turn off that bullshit! (freak-freak y'all)
Turn off the radio!
Turn off that bullshit! (freak-freak y'all)
Turn off the radio!

*phone rings*
[M-1] People's Radio
[Stic.] Yo hang up, that's the police

[M-1]
What's on the radio, propoganda, mind control
And turnin it on is like puttin on a blindfold
Cuz when you bringin the real you don't get ro-tation
Unless you take over the station
And yeah I know it's part of they plans
To make us think it's all about party and dancin
And yo it might sound good when you spittin your rap

But in reality, don't nobody live like that
You wanna know what kinda nigga I am?
Lemme tell you 'bout the nigga I'm not - I don't f**k with the cops
Platinum don't mean that it gotta be hot
I ain't gotta love it, even if they play it a lot
You can hear it when you walk the streets
How many people they reach, how they use music to teach
A 'radio program' ain't a figure of speech
Don't sleep, cuz you could be a radio freak (freak-freak y'all)

[Chorus]
Turn off the radio!
Turn off that bullshit! (freak-freak y'all)
Turn off the radio!
Turn off that bullshit! (freak-freak y'all)
Turn off the radio!

[Stic.] People's Radio, you on the air
[caller] I got a phat chain, I got a phat whip
[caller] I got a... *hang-up*
[Stic.] Nigga get off that bullshit!

[*high-pitched voice*]
Crank up your speackers, your woofers and your tweeters
Turn up your receivers, we bangin off the meter
Crank up your speackers, your woofers and your tweeters
Turn up your receivers, we bangin for the people
Crank up your speackers, your woofers and your tweeters
Turn up your receivers, we bangin off the meter

[Stic.] - 2X
Freak-freak y'all, to the beat y'all
DP's dawg, we got the heat dawg
People's Radio, on ya stereo
For the ghettos, and the varrio

[*high-pitched voice*]
Crank up your speackers, your woofers and your tweeters
Turn up your receivers, we bangin off the meter
Crank up your speackers, your woofers and your tweeters
Turn up your receivers, we bangin for the people

��"Turn Off the Radio Lyrics" of Turn Off the Radio Album by Dead Prez

Seeing as most of you are die hard Hip-Hop fans, I guess you know this tune already...

Frank_Dreben (Frank_Dreben)

Posted on Sunday, April 18, 2004 - 10:14 am:

Hello, is this thing on?

Radioguy1963 (Radioguy1963)

Posted on Monday, April 19, 2004 - 6:39 pm:

Seems like it's been off since Sis Bopst posted the crap up above. This board has been steadily going downhill and looks like it finally hit bottom.

Posted on Thursday, April 22, 2004 - 4:30 pm:

It's not dead yet, if I have anything to say about it...I'll post something on Radio-info.com tomorrow

Posted on Friday, April 23, 2004 - 8:35 am:

Mix 103-7 has jocks now...I heard a Dave Weaver on there last night, definitely reading liner cards...

Frank_Dreben (Frank_Dreben)

Posted on Friday, April 23, 2004 - 5:08 pm:

The Dave Weaver from WVGO? He didn't have the best radio voice, but was a good on-air personality.

I'll have to give it a listen. Now, who's going to be the new morning host over there?

Homeboy (Homeboy)

Posted on Saturday, April 24, 2004 - 12:55 pm:

I just noticed this posting from sometime ago..

"What's Jim Jacobs doing nowadays? When is he going to dip back into the Jacobs File (jacobsjacobsjacobsjacobs) again?"

Well, you made my day when I read that someone mentioned that "jacobsjacobsjacobs" drop. I had forgotten about that one!

Posted on Monday, April 26, 2004 - 1:55 pm:

Man, long time, no see everyone...

Um, so very sorry about the Dead Prez posting (Turn Off Your Radio). I thought it was a great concept as the group used radio-friendly beats & music (stolen actually) and twisted them into compelling rants against corporate radio. I guess some of you "faint of heart" types don't feel the same.

Radio voices, radio voices...

Big John Trimble has got a finely tuned one. Floyd Henderson ain't no slouch either.

I have to admit to liking the DJ's on Power 92 though they tend to be a tad bit excitable. And the mindless repetition of hits gets in the way as well.

The "Y" and the "X"= Coke vs. Pepsi (Tell me something I don't know)

WCVE-Please, oh please, stop playing classical music all the time. Is that too much to ask?

Posted on Tuesday, April 27, 2004 - 9:15 am:

Hey, I'm not against WCVE-FM playing classical, but I would love to see Talk of the Nation on there, maybe like WXEL in Palm Beach...Classical until 2, TOTN until 3, Fresh Air until 4, then All things considered after.

How about 93.1? VARTV kinda sorta hinted with its low ratings, something might change there...could one see a simulcast with the new highly directional 98.9? Now that B-103 has gone the way of the Buzz and WVGO, will that change 98.9's format any?

Posted on Tuesday, April 27, 2004 - 5:12 pm:

Re: WCVE.

Give me Dianne Rehm. That is all. (Well, TotN would be cool, too.)

Posted on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 1:14 pm:

BIG JOHN TRIMBLE�S
EAST COAST OPRY
SUNDAY MAY 2ND.

3:00 P.M.
HENRICO VOLUNTEER RESCUE BUILDING
(CORNER WILLIAMSBURG ROAD & LEWIS ROAD)

FEATURING
MICHAEL HOCKADAY�PRESTON LADD
AMY LADD �TRISH BONWELL
RENEE & GEORGE BOND-ELSIE & GUY RAY
J.J. BROWN �--BOBBY LINDSEY
MIKE ROBBINS---RALPH HARTWELL
A N D
�MEMORIES OF MINNIE PEARL�

$ 10.00 ADVANCE $12.50 DOOR

RESERVE: (804) 222 3145
HTTP://WWW.BIGJOHNTRIMBLE. COM

BROADCAST LIVE ON HTTP://WWW.WCLMRADIO.COM

Posted on Thursday, April 29, 2004 - 2:46 pm:

Well, I kinda knew something would shake up at Q, since those grrreeeeaaat ratings

Posted on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 10:54 am:

Damn, they blew the place up. Anybody know what lies in store for the "new" Q94?

Posted on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 2:13 pm:

Will it still be called Q-94? Hmmmm...I see a big promotion comming up after Q-94 "dies"...

Posted on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 10:43 pm:

Well folks, looks like the joke was on everyone but the four people fired from Q94. To all of those terminated from yet another Cheap Channel screw up, my heartfelt sympathy. Just sad, very sad that again, CC decides to screw around with people and jobs.

About 93.1 and 98.9 being one station, well it could happen. Would love to see it be a return to Star, or even AAA. I know guys, I am wishfully thinking here, but one can wish right??

Posted on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 12:44 pm:

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Friday May 7th
at Alley Katz (10 Walnut Alley)

Sweaty, raw-to-the-bone FUNK by an 8-piece band that plays it in the seminal late 60's/early 70's southern fashion. It should prove to be one hell of a dance party. Y'all dance, right?

Opening the show is local DJ body movers, The Scorpio Brothers (who, by the way, would make excellent radio DJ's if radio, corporate radio, didn't, well, you know, SUCK) providing rare slabs of R&B, Soul & Funk on beautiful vinyl before and after the group's performance.

Tickets: $8 in advance (Plan 9 Records in Carytown), $10 dollars at the door. I believe, sadly, the show is open only to those of us 21 & over.

For more information on Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, go to: http://www.daptonerecords.com/pages/stable_sharon.html

For a review of a live Sharon & The Dap-Kings show, go to: http://www.popmatters.com/music/concerts/j/jones-sharon-030510.shtml

To Read a review of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings recent release, "Dap-Dippin� � with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (2002) and to hear song samples, go to: http://www.guypetersreviews.com/sharonjones.htm

Also, May 7th is the first Friday art openings on Broad Street in simply, breathtakingly beautiful downtown Richmond, Virginia where all the city's galleries have one big collective opening. Always a good time.

For more information on Richmond's First Fridays, go to: http://www.firstfridayrichmond.com/

Next Friday should prove to be one hell of a night in this former capital of the confederacy...

Mark (Mark)

Posted on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 4:25 pm:

Wow, this whole Q94 thing is sad and interesting at the same time. It's gonna be cool to see how it sounds. It should be fun, but I feel for Jake Glenn & Surf, who I both knew. I didn't know Travis or Betty, but I feel for them too.

Posted on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 9:47 pm:

Mark, from what I have read it is going back to the old school of the Q. No Rap until about 6ish and the R&B will be toned down. More or less a Pop top 40 until about 6, then after that more R&B and rap on the playlist. What they are doing, is abandoning the top 40 all the time that is on the top 40, which is 40% R&B, Hip Hop and when that happens, look for more listeners to abandon the Q. I see this as a attempt to grab listeners that feel bad after the departure of B103.7 to Mix 103.7.

What to do with 98.9? That is the question. If you try to let it simulcast it with 93.1, the ratings would be around 3.0-4.0. Assuming it stays all jazz. If it were to try to go at 80's look at it around a 4.0 if you merge the stations.

Posted on Monday, May 03, 2004 - 12:28 pm:

That is the thing...folks don't like to change channels. I think the 80's are dead in RIC, but I could see an 80's-intensive Hot A.C. like B-103

Posted on Monday, May 03, 2004 - 11:30 pm:

Radio, how's it going? would love to see a 80's intensive hot AC, that would make B103 go into a dogfight with lite 98. One day, clear channel will learn, but it will snow in h**l before that happens!

Posted on Thursday, May 06, 2004 - 7:21 am:

Wow.....990 is a mess. Yesterday, during the 6 o'clock hour, they had two idiots---seemingly dragged off the street---waxing political. Their intro music was one of those Toby Keith "The Americans are gonna kick you butt" songs, which is fine except they gave us two full stanzas of it.

Local radio is great, but not when it sucks.

Posted on Friday, May 07, 2004 - 12:52 pm:

ouch...

Posted on Friday, May 14, 2004 - 9:17 am:

Well, since nobody else is talking, I guess I will.

Well, this week we said goodbye to one of the best "true" alterna-rockers in the nation, WOXY 97-X.

I always loved listening to 97-X, they were a family owned station in Ohio that broadcasted over the internet. Now they sold to a conglomerate and are playing the same Limp Bizkit/Linkin Park/alterna-B.S. that most rockers play now.

Also, perhaps closer to home, WTRG/Raleigh is dropping their longtime oldies format on June 1rst. This, like most stations, is owned by CC, and will probably go the direction of 106.5 here, as "100.7 the Beat".

Posted on Sunday, May 16, 2004 - 9:28 am:

Well the oldies merger is working, Oldies 100.3/107.3 actually got to number 9 in the ratings book. Beating out Q94, B103, Y101 and the X. LOL. Probably won't get past 6, but still a great improvment.

Posted on Monday, May 17, 2004 - 7:59 pm:

Happy trails to Don and Mike, WHAN has dropped your show due to a lack of support, cheer up though, if 98.9 goes hot talk, expect to be on a stronger frequency that covers the area, not just a county.

RadioX, hey guy there is still MAX RADIO for all of us that love the indie alt scene. Also Yahoo has a music area called launch, that also plays good music, and you can set your own station. For those who want to hear my blend, look for it when Evansva1993 is online.

Happy Trails to Oldies radio in Raleigh NC. You are going off the air for a new format to be named. Bet you it's either country or R&B. WTRG will be missed by everyone there but Clear Channel Worldwide!

With 2 stations set to go on the air this year, one has to wonder, will they fall apart quicker than a kid experimenting with legos or will they actually bring a punch into radio.

Frank_Dreben (Frank_Dreben)

Posted on Monday, May 17, 2004 - 9:04 pm:

I was at the West end Henrico County dump this afternoon and saw a new 4 tower array. I presume this is either 1480 or the new 990 site. Anybody here know which it is? Whichever it is, they can't be too far from turning it on.

Posted on Monday, May 17, 2004 - 9:12 pm:

Frank, that is the new tower for 1480, which actually will have a stronger signal than 990 and a stronger one at night as well. For those who don't know, most AM stations have two separate transmitter watts signals, one for daytime one for night, WRVA is one of those who is 50,000 watts 24-7. Last i heard, 1480 and 98.9 are due sometime in the summer.

Posted on Tuesday, May 18, 2004 - 12:21 am:

Happy trails to Don and Mike, WHAN has dropped your show due to a lack of support, cheer up though, if 98.9 goes hot talk, expect to be on a stronger frequency that covers the area, not just a county.

I noticed, Dan. Stock dork stuff is on there now.

Hopefully, D&M will resurface here, and hopefully by the time they do, their show will be back to something resembling the days of move-to-you-left, move-to-your-right, best-thing-you're-gonna-find....instead of occasional spurts between vacations and suspensions.

Posted on Tuesday, May 18, 2004 - 12:32 am:

Is the skinny still that 990 will feature the music of your life stuff, sliding over from 1340, to complement the Floyd Henderson extravaganza; while 1480 will carry on in the current and prestigious tradition of "[Not Hot] Talk 990"?

Posted on Tuesday, May 18, 2004 - 9:13 am:

Good question. Maybe they are just going to sell the signal as soon as it is up & running?

Posted on Wednesday, May 19, 2004 - 1:01 pm:

Happy Anniversary, fellas: One year ago, today, this site was last updated. I guess Richmond radio really is boring.

Posted on Wednesday, May 19, 2004 - 3:58 pm:

By the way, if anyone wants my printed Richmond History stuff that I got from the T-D microfilm, e-mail me at radiodxrichmond@yahoo.com You'll need to mail me the postage or some cool airchecks.

I have officially given up with building a RIC history site for now...working at a station combined with two other jobs leaves little time for extracurricular activities. I will also be available for reference with history of stations...not saying that I'm a genius in the radio history dept., but....

Posted on Tuesday, May 25, 2004 - 6:23 pm:

I'm just glad Randal Bloomquist is running a quality operation up in the Nation's Cap. From dcrtv....

Instead of sending out a required monthly Emergency Alert System test, WMAL sent out an actual tornado warning telling everyone to "take cover immediately." The bogus tornado warning was then sent to all the other radio and TV stations down the line and was aired on many. Some stations had to go on the air to say the "tornado warning" was an error.

Heh.

Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 2004 - 11:19 pm:

Well folks, I had the fun time to go to the beach last weekend and listen to 106.1 BOB FM down there and I admit it was nothing short of a blast. When 98.9 comes on the air, maybe Mainquad should consider doing this type of format... a little of the 60's, all of the 70's-90's and some of todays music all blended in, which gives little room for repeats. Give out a secondary frequency for the outline areas, and you have a station that might hit big here!

Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2004 - 8:31 am:

I like BOB-FM as well...too bad they don't have an internet stream.

As for 98.9, I doubt they would go anything remotely oldies, like BOB-FM. AAA would be nice, but I'm certainly not holding my breath.

I'm thinking "98.9 WXGI-FM...Today's best country!"

Posted on Thursday, May 27, 2004 - 10:03 pm:

If mainquad is smart, then they know that K 95 owns the country station format in this area. It won't get knocked out by anything, look at The Bear 104.7 and 105.7-100.3 The River. So in that regard, AAA would be a great idea, but X I have to agree not to hold my threat!

Posted on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 8:53 am:

You're right....K-95 generally has a strangle-hold on the market, but that wouldn't mean too much.

I could see a "broad" Hot A.C., even though I'm hoping for either AAA or country, so CC has no reason to switch 102.1...

By the way, no "Elliot in the Morning" today...absolutely NO references to it on the X. It was a "Smells Like the 90's Weekend"

Posted on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 11:26 pm:

Well on the WTRG front, they pulled off a Q94 and ran into that contest for money LOL. Just shows how bad CC can get!

I hope 98.9 and 93.1 merge into one format, it might breing up the ratings that way.

Posted on Saturday, June 05, 2004 - 2:41 am:

Hi guys, I've been out of town for about a month dealing with a sick parent. How about filling me in on a couple of pieces on info?

Awards at the Broadcasters lunch?

I just read that Elliot was mia the other morning. Was he on Friday morning? Any idea of his numbers?

Who got the morning gig at Mix?

That's about it, just want to get back in the loop before I return to work for the first time in 5 weeks.

Mark (Mark)

Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 - 2:56 pm:

The new Q-Zoo has to be the most boring one in the history of Q94's Zoo. Here's what they're missing:

-A strong-voiced Zooleader: The guy Wayne hardly speaks, and him & Darrin sounds SO much alike. NOT a good thing.

-A young, crazy Zoo stunt man: Greg T (of Z100's Zoo) or Teapot Tim (of HOT 99-5/DC's Morning Mess...pretty much a Zoo) are wild, on the street crazymen. Sure, this is Richmond, but why would you send some boring-voiced, Promotions Director Skip out on the streets. He doesn't look like he could fit the job.

-No interesting or weird stories: They have Lunch giveaways on the Zoo. Excuse me? Lunch giveaways? What the hell is this, Bill Bevins? Gimme a break, they should've kept Wicker, best morning man they had in years.

Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 - 9:57 pm:

Two words: Jack Diamond.

He'd solve everything. ;-)

Posted on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 - 6:04 pm:

Well folks, nothing will beat some of the morning shows of the past, I am talking about Corey Dietz, Jay Hamilton and Betty Bodine. They were a class act and it is sad that they had to disband, with them, mike and don on the buzz, Jeff and Jeff on XL and a host of others. Back in the past is where you find the morning shows of people that knew richmond virginia. Now we have syndicated shows that try to blend in, but they really have little clue on being a local show per say.

With the alternative wars, the X is still pulling away from Y 101 with Y101 getting close to a 3 share. I think when Mix 103.7 dropped the alternative rock off of the format and went Soft AC, the X and Y gained listeners from Mix 103.

Now the attention turns to this late summer, when 1480 and 98.9 debut. My final predictions for these stations will raise a few eybrows, so lets have some fun.

WTOX 1480 AM (Hot Talk)
5:30-10: Imus

10-1: Liddy

1-3: Dennis Prager

3-7: Don and Mike

7-11: Opie and Anthony

11-2: Phil Hendrie

2-5:30: Local

WCUL 98.9 and 93.1: Classic Alternative

5:30-10: Mike Hsu and Don Walker (If i can't get Jeff and Jeff back, bring back these guys)

10-3: Lucas Foxx

3-7: Rebecca Wilde

7-12: Rik Maybee

12-5:30: Crash

There we go, listing for the weekdays, if I ran these two stations.

Posted on Friday, June 25, 2004 - 5:22 pm:

Dennis Prager followed by D&M and O&A. Talk about cognitive dissonance! Do O&A even have a station, to say nothing of a syndication deal, lined up yet?

What kind of local programming comes on between 2-5:30 PM?

Anyway, other than Prager, I can live with that.

Posted on Friday, June 25, 2004 - 5:29 pm:

Any news on WRNL v. WXGI?

I know WRNL has comedians on the Maniscalco show every Friday, but still. It would be nice of 950 developed an afternoon drive show; I get the impression that "The Sports Bash" is just an ESPNRadio filler show for those affiliates that don't have anything better to put on in afternoon drive.

Speaking of 950, here was a Classic Big Al Moment, from yesterday morning: Running down the likely top picks of the NBA draft, Big Al says, "Orlando will take Dwight Howard, Charlotte will take Okafor, Chicago will go with . . . " [he pauses for a couple of seconds, and you realize that he doesn't know how to pronounce "Luol Deng"] ". . . the Duke forward."

Playaradio (Playaradio)

Posted on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 7:35 pm:

ESPN Radio 950 (WXGI-AM) is going all sports on Saturdays, mostly sports on Sundays after 12p. Tune in to Big Al's show during the 7a hour on July 1 for a programming announcement.

Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 - 1:35 pm:

A sad day for local radio...

Here's a mixed blessing for local Richmond, Virginia radio...

Starting Monday July 5th 2004, The Bopst Show, hosted by Chris Bopst (who was recently described as, "a mediocre talent in a 3rd tier small market like Richmond" by a poster on http://www.richmond.com) will be broadcast 1-4PM, Monday-Friday, on WCLM 1450 AM (on the web at: http://www.wclmradio.com)

Posted on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 - 6:52 pm:

So what's this "big announcement." Unless it's a tremendously underwhelming tease ("Big Al has just installed in-door plumbing!!!!"), I guess it's probably one of several things:

A. Hey, we're all sports now! But we knew that already..... Yeah, but we're ANNOUNCING it now!

B. We've got a new frequency for all that country stuff.

C. We're starting a new local (or Virginia-oriented) afternoon call-in show. Since Bill Roth, voice of the Hokies, was on commercials today telling listeners to look out for the annoucement, maybe he'll be doing a regular and longer show on WXGI?

D. We've got rights to the Redskins games!

Or E., None of the Above.

Playa Radio (Playaradio)

Posted on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 - 12:32 pm:

Wow...a programming tease answered with a multiple choice question. Does this mean you have no idea and you get to throw out 5 guesses while everyone else has to choose the correct one?

Well, with 5 guesses you came close, but the correct answer is still out there.

Playa Radio

By the way..."A" is funny! Wrong, but funny.

Posted on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 - 9:38 pm:

Chaser, well the 2am-5:30am block can be local or maybe Tom Leykis out of LA. There are a lot of opts that people can think about to fill in 3 hours of dead air. As for WXGI I am going to go with option A with a focus on drawing people towards a sports radio fight between WRNL and WXGI.

Chris, best of luck with your new slot, although with my schedule, I will be lucky to hear two days of it in a week.

Here is a thought for 990 when WTOX hit the air, go back to all AP news. It was nice when it started, in 60 minutes, you get the world! That way 990 and 1480 won't be twins of sorts, they will have their own identity.

Playa Radio (Playaradio)

Posted on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 - 11:52 pm:

The answer was C, sort of, with Greg Burton of CBS 6.

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031776343923&path=%21sports%21columnists&s=1045855935437

Posted on Thursday, July 01, 2004 - 12:05 pm:

Too bad about XGI. Do we really need more sports talk on the radio? Is it really that big a market share? What about the rumored FM station?

Thanks Dan.

Posted on Thursday, July 01, 2004 - 5:45 pm:

I guess WXGI has evidence that a significant portion of the Richmond sports radio market believes that WRNL doesn't satisfy the market's expectations, or at least engages in "national-driven" overkill. Personally, I think this is precisely the case.

WRNL doesn't really have bad shows (other than J.T. the Brick); what is has, though, is too much of essentially the same show. Maniscalco's show falls into this rut. It's just a pseudo-edgy national show with a lesser host and poorer production values.

It's overkill, and I think WXGI has some sort of market-oriented evidence of this feeling (surveys? I don't really know how the industry works . . . ) and wants to capitalize.

I think Greg Burton's a great choice. First of all, he strikes me as potentially a very good host; when he filled in with the other Channel 6 sports guy a few years ago after Bob Black was unceremoniously dumped, I thought he was superb. Second, as a TV reporter, he's got to have great access to sources and personalities, which is perfect. This is a good thing, in my estimation, because it will absorb many of the people who don't listen to sports talk for pre-packaged "takes" from the host and from mouth-breathing callers. (Call it the "Jeff from Richmond" effect.)

So, I'm really happy with the choice, I plan on listening come July 19, and I wish Playaradio...ahem.....Greg Burton the best of luck then. ;-)

Posted on Friday, July 02, 2004 - 12:01 pm:

XGI is collecting a monthly check from ESPN, which must make things easier for them, right? Just plug in the feed and walk away. ESPN can say they have added a new market so they can milk coke, pepsi & other big names for another couple of grand. I'm sure they think this is a win-win situation for the both of them.

Posted on Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 2:59 pm:

VARTV has the latest ratings summary. Apparently 910 has a one-tenth lead on 950 in the all-important-Bopst-lovin'-sports-radio battle.

What's happening to WRVA? It was fifth overall 12+, but in only one time period, mornings, did it crack the top five (it was fifth). Is the afternoon drive show (what's the new guy's name?) tanking? I guess it's ratings peaked somewhat last year with an active ground war and the whole build-up to that.

Also, I found this interesting from DCRTV. It apparently scooped that Don & Mike (and Ron & Fez) would be on in Tampa. It then added:

DCRTV hears that D&M will soon reveal three more stations for their national Westwood One show

I'm not sure if Richmond's significant enough to merit an announcement, but D&M's syndication does sort of cater to second-tier markets, at best. (Hello, Omaha!) Could there be any possibility that the radio gods will actually be on 1480 if/when that station ever comes on the air?

Posted on Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 4:15 pm:

Chaser, 1480 is expected on the air by fall, and with the letters WTOX i would think that it might be possible for them to pick up D&M assuming that 98.9 does not go hot talk. If they do go talk, 1480 could go all news, but at this point, who knows.

As for WXGI vs WRNL, I prefer WXGI mainly because they have more local programing.

Posted on Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 6:19 pm:

Hey y'all...nice to be back up in VA again after a few good days of R&R at granny's house in Ft. Lauderdale...By the way...Florida's nice, and their radio situation is much better than up here

So, still no word on 98.9, huh? Still not too much buzz on it yet, but I'd place bets on either country or some hot/rock/modern A.C.. Another thought
"I went to this convention where I saw some of them folks from MainQuad who said that the Oldies station was gonna be on the new station comming in...'course that was before the Star changed."
-from a sales guy I work with

As for 1480, well, the calls speak for themsleves, but watch 'em do some real cheezy switcharoo and put Gospel on WTOX...just what we need

As for X vs. Y, well, X is ahead of Y by about a point, making me think that X is up around a 3.5 or-so. Any thoughts of either bowing out? I think a lot will have to do with MQ's 98.9. If it does country, neither will have much of any format to switch to...maybe classic alternative or something

By the way, anyone besides me think the X's playlist is getting tighter and tighter (of course, I don't mean 'tight' as in 'cool)? It gets almost reeeeeeeeaaaaalllly boring to listen to. Oh well, at least we have WNRN up in C'ville

Posted on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 - 9:39 pm:

Hey Radio X, ever notice how the only actual time you can hear mostly 90's on the X is at noon and on certain weekends LOL. I wish that one or the other would bow out and go classic alternative, and let 98.9 go Hot AC. The last thing this market needs is another FM country station, given that K95 has been a staple for so long in that area.

I have heard WNRN, kind of like the station, but you guys know me, I prefer BOB FM out of Hampton Roads, great station and a ton of variety.

Is it me, or does the new Q 94 suck? I have tried listening to it, but it does nothing at all. I predict that it will flush itself out and the zoo will be fired within a year or 2. The ratings did go up, because B103 flipped to Soft AC, big deal, the station stinks!

Posted on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 2:21 am:

Isn't that the fate of all radio stations?

Posted on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 7:24 pm:

Bopst, it is the fate of most stations that become run of the mill, top40 bull s*it. Look at all of the so called Heritage Top 40 outlets, 95% of their playlists are made up of music that is from other formats. The Simpson Sisters, Spears, NSync aside, it is all borrowed from other formatted stations that get mainly higher ratings.

The great thing about Bob out of Hampton Roads is that there is little repetition because of a vast archive of music. If WCUL 98.9 goes that route, it might take ratings from some of the top 10 mainstays because of the unique variety. The more I see into it though, the more I am thinking Hot AC, Country, Hot Talk, Jazz(merge with 93.1), or AAA will be the possibilites for this station.

Clear Channel's new Motto "We play what other stations played one hour ago, Clear Channel World Wide"

Posted on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 11:21 pm:

I set my car clock by "the X." If it's 12:42 pm, I know "old school Beastie Boys" of some stripe will be better. Consistency is the hobgoblin of foolish minds, as Emerson said.

Posted on Thursday, July 15, 2004 - 11:22 pm:

For the purpose of that last post, "better" = "there." (????)

Posted on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 4:22 pm:

Oh, the X is eroding quicker from "general alt. rock station" to "ear bleeding P.O.S.", even during the 90's nooner. I run to Taco Bell at 12, and I always hear "Man in the box", at least twice a week. Ugh!

Well, we're long overdue for a good station in RIC. I hope that "the powers that be" may perhaps recognize this...ha!!! Well, at least I have a CD player in my truck now..woohoo

We shall see soon (hopefully) about the future of 1480, 98.9, and...country music in RIC.

Playa Radio (Playaradio)

Posted on Monday, July 19, 2004 - 9:02 pm:

Anyone catch Greg Burton on WXGI or notice WRNL's sudden interest in being local?

Posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - 5:41 pm:

LOL playa, WRNL is only interested in being local because of WXGI having local shows during both rush hour shifts. WRNL basically does fox sports out of the LA studios of Fox Broadcasting in the morning. In the afternoon, it's Mike Maniscalco who is basically a Richmond extension of Jim Rome. Mike does do some local discussion, but a bulk of it is national sports.

These days, I set my alarm to NPR or the X, pending on the mood. Problem with the X is that after elliot is off the air, it is Y101 on a delay there, and sometimes you can hear the same song at the same time on both LOL. Same goes for Power 92 and 106.5 the Beat.

I know pre-season has not started yet but....
GO SKINS!!!!

Posted on Thursday, July 22, 2004 - 10:49 pm:

Listened to some of Playa Radio's . . . ahem . . Greg Burton's show today, and it's good. Too much of the "Totally" and "Definitely" and "Dude" kind of filler, but those rough edges will be smoothed out soon enough, I believe. He somehow interviewed a backup NFL linebacker and two CIAA football coaches and still had an interesting show. Pretty impressive. They were relaxed conversations, which is quite a different vibe from Maniscalco's interviews, which seem to serve the one purpose of counting down to the next traffic report. In a logical universe, WXGI would now blow WRNL out of the water, but I'm sure CC will do something gimmicky and preserve the style over the substance.

As for NPR, Dan, it's tough to listen to "Morning Edition with Steve Innskeep and Renae Montaine." Not that they're bad, but it just isn't Bob Edwards.

BTW, are the Skins still going to be on 105.7 here? (Not that it matters, what with Doofus Larry Michael now the pbp guy . . . )

Playa Radio (Playaradio)

Posted on Friday, July 23, 2004 - 11:39 am:

The Skins v Bears will be on WXGI October 17, as well as the Eagles, Ravens, Panthers and other NFL Games of the Week this season.