JIM ROSE REMEMBERS RADIO Issue #671
WELCOME TO JIM ROSE REMEMBERS RADIO
June 10, 2009 [Wednesday]
Issue #671
PASS IT ON! SIGN UP!
Send Your Comments And Radio Stories
Please Include Your Full Name, City, State And Country
rosekkkj@earthlink.net
http://rbr.com/ & http://tvbr.com/
http://news.jimroseremembersradio.com/
www.Cashboxradio.com/ & www.cashboxmagazine.com/
ALL THE NEWS THAT IS NEWS
R&R IS GONE!
The Radio & Records publication upon which we place our reliance for decades vanishes into thin air as of Friday, June 5, 2009. In 1973, founder Bob Wilson brings R&R to us. Remember Broadcasting magazine? In the 1960s, we buy the new Broadcasting annual each year because it lists all American radio stations plus new changes. Then it disappears. In 1973, R&R is the flashing new knight at the radio round table. It covers all aspects of radio and the music that we play on the air. R&R is a powerful publication but when chief competitor Nielsen Business Media, the owner of Billboard, buys R&R many of us see the handwriting on the wall. Here in Houston, TX when the Hearst corporation, owners of the Houston Chronicle, buys the Houston Post, which is my favorite of the two newspapers, the massive white Houston Post building at the intersection of the Southwest Freeway and Loop 610 becomes vacant. The Post paper tosses away like dust in the wind. This is what happens with R&R. Buy out the competition and delete it. R&R employees drop from more than 100 to just about 40 souls. Like Timex watches R&R keeps on ticking. We R&R fans rejoice but it's just a matter of time. Reminds me of the classic book by German World War I vet Erich Maria Remarque All's Quiet on the Western Front where its last lines mention soldiers on the battle field who trickle down to just one and then there is none. As of Friday, there is no more R&R. We need to treasure what we have because these things, too, might disappear right before our very own eyes. JRRR salutes all of the fine R&R employees for jobs well done. We wish you well.
IF YOU THINK THIS ISSUE OF JRRR IS WORTH READING...Please forward this entire issue to five of your friends and associates! To subscribe to Jim Rose Remembers Radio send your full name, city, state and country of residence plus email address to rosekkkj@earthlink.net.
TERRESTRIAL RADIO HAS AN IDEA!
Remember in the mid 1970s when FM begins to dominate the ratings, AM radio switches from music to talk? Enter the Telcom Law of 1996 which narrows down the ownership of multitudes of mom and pop owners to one giant - Clear Channel - with 1229 in its pack. In the 2000s, the invasion of satellite radio, iPods and other ways to receive music causes another panic on the airwaves. A blue light special takes place at Clear Channel as it hacks away well over half its radio stations. Others like ABC get completely out of radio except its Disney formats. In 2009, one by one the once assertive FM radio moves from music to talk. All of these experts in radio ownership, management and programming have absolutely no clue as to why listeners fade away. They cannot see the forest for the trees. It’s very simple. Return to what radio once is with local programs and programming, ditch the corporate music jukeboxes, toss the voice-tracks, send the music syndicators to Siberia. Let's have local DJs who are on the air live, no more cluster PDs. Be sure to tell all of your friends in radio to sign up (rosekkkj@earthlink.net) and join us as JRRR brings back fond radio memories of when radio is real. For more exciting radio adventures tune in the Friday, June 12, 2009 issue of JRRR for the next exciting chapter in our wonderful radio reality voyage.
TRIVIA QUESTION: What mother and child Country singing duo spends years in Nashville as they shop their demo tapes to record labels in Nashville, TN that they record on a $30 cassette recorder? The answer appears below.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
•DEVI FAUBION 6 pm news anchor on WSOC TV CH9 in Charlotte, NC retires after 19 years. She joins WSOC in April 1990. Debi's co-anchor is Vince Coakley. Erica Bryant is her replacement. •KEVIN BLACK former Interscope and Warner Brothers Senior Executive joins Global Music Group as CEO. •GENE SIMMONS of Rock group Kiss puts his kidney stone up for bids on eBay for charity. $15,000 rolls in. •PETE THOMPSON 5 year Sports Director of WMGM TV NBC CH40 Atlantic City, NJ is one of several who leave the building along with behind the scenes people. Others take pay cut.
ENTERTAINMENT AND NEWS MILESTONES
•1958 RAY PRICE records Bill Anderson's City Lights in the evening of May 29th at the Bradley Studios in Nashville, TN. •1967 EMMA ANDERSON guitarist with British Rock band Lush born on June 10th. •1970 CONWAY TWITTY's Hello Darlin' hits #1 on Billboard's Country chart on June 6th. •1981 SEBASTIEN LEFEBVRE French Canadian rhythm guitar-vocalist with pop punk band Simple Plan born on June 5th. •1998 GEORGE STRAIT's I Just Want To Dance With You lands at #1 on Billboard's Country chart on June 6th. •2008 ALF ROBERTSON Swedish Country singer and composer dies on December 24th.
EMAILS YES WE HAVE EMAIL
SAM LEE (Beverly Hills, CA) Subject: Bruce Hughes - KLIF. Thanks for the note on Bruce Hughes. He was the brother I never had and we stayed close until his death. I nominated Bruce for the Texas Radio Hall of Fame. I hope all who read your column vote him in. Thanks for keeping the memories alive. Texas radio was special and so were the people of that era. As you know I had the opportunity to work in NYC and in Boston and while I made more money I had more fun and purpose during my years in Texas. Keep up the good work. Sam Lee
WHERE DO YOU READ JRRR? Tell us how far away from Houston, TX that you read JRRR. Send your full name, city, state and country of residence to
DICK GLANCEY (San Antonio, TX) Subject: KLIF. Jim, Either few remember or ever knew, Gordon owned KELP and started TOP 40 in El Paso. I first worked for Gordon when he owned KELP. There are still a few of us; very few, that worked for Gordon when he owned KELP. When he hired me as News Director at KLIF in the 60's...this was my second time I worked for the greatest broadcaster ever. Enjoyed your article today and thanks for remembering me. I'll never make the Hall of Fame...I was around before some that are candidates today...were even born. Try going back to 1951...my first job...few ever remember me...the mid 60's are even years in the past now. I was News Director for Jim Philips sometime in the 70's in El Paso when I came back from Dallas. One of two things...Either only a handful remember Gordon owned KELP in El Paso or ever knew. Dick Glancey
GARY DELAUNE (San Antonio, TX) Subject: KLIF. Jim: Just a short note to let you know I talked with Roy Nichols about ten days ago and he is having his 85th birthday this week. Roy had a great radio voice and he worked at KLIF during the early and mid 60's and then went to KRLD Radio and TV until he left the business in the 80's. He has some serious vision problems but sounds as good as ever and still has his sense of humor. He still has his notes the day JFK died at Parkland Hospital as he was sent to the ER by Joe Long and Gordon McLendon when they dispatched me to the police department. I told him he needs to donate them to the Sixth Floor Museum. He still lives on Classen in Dallas where has been for the past 50 years. Happy Birthday to a great radio man who had managed a station in Little Rock before he came to KLIF. Gary DeLaune
BILLY THORMAN (Ft. Worth, TX) Jim, I think all your readers will agree that you need a new puppy. When we spoke earlier, you said they're around $300 dollars. I looked online and it's more like 500 and up. I've talked to the few people I know who read your column and they are anxious to help out. If we can find 8 to 10 more people to chip in 30 bucks or less we should be able to raise the money. I want to thank Chuck Dunaway who has agreed to collect the money. I will also help out with shipping if needed. Jim, please print this note so you're readers know of the effort. All we ask is that you name the dog after us. Just kidding. All the best! Billy t
BILLY has Chuck Dunaway's home address at BillyThorman@aol.com.
CHUCK DUNAWAY (Houston, TX) Good Morning Jim: I see that you’re awake and on the old computer already…me too! I hope you have a wonderful day today. I’m now eating one of the tomatoes that I grew in my upside down tomato grower. It works…if you can get to the tomato before the birds. I’ve had two gobbled by birds and I’ve saved only three so far. Life is good on the farm. Take care my friend. Chuck
TRIVIA ANSWER: The Judds take demo tapes to many record labels in Nashville, TN that they record on a $30 cassette recorder and then they strike Gold.
JIMMY RABBITT (Grand Junction, CO) The next "Rock 'n' Blues Lab" with Jimmy Rabbitt is Tuesday June 16th. 12Noon-3PM PDT - 5PM-8PM EDT on KAFM-fm 88.1 Grand Jct., CO http://KAFMradio.org/ streaming at: KAFMRadio.org twittering at: http://twitter.com/elconejo09
GEORGE LESTER (Palestine-Elkhart, TX) Hi again Jim, In 1977 KIKK decided they no longer needed my services. I learned this only three days after I was told that my AM drive numbers were the highest the station had ever had. Go figure. Anyway, I landed on my feet as anchor for the KTRH Evening News Report. During that time our news editor was the now famous John Quinones with ABC. At a company social function I told John's wife that I felt he would far in the business. She seemed pleased at my assessment but wanted to know why. I had carefully watched young John at work and also how he handled the brass at KTRH. He had them eating out of his hand. He knew how to get what he wanted-a talent I never had. It wasn't long before CBS network offered John a chance to go to Columbia University in New York to get his masters degree and then to get in on the ground floor with the network. I don't know how it happened but he never went to work for CBS but instead landed a job at ABC... Now every time I see John Quinones doing such an impeccable job on 20/20 I remember our working relationship at KTRH. I would like to tell you about a funny incident concerning John at KTRH but due to limited space here, I'll save it for later. Best regards, George Lester
JEREMY IRONS (1948-p) We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams.
Jim Rose and Tejas
Houston, Texas - En Dieu nous croyons
JRRR ISSUES #1-#40 of the original first website that begin on May 24, 2004 are at: http://web.archive.org/web/20050320103555/home.earthlink.net/~rosekkkj/jimroseremembers/id5.html For column links, look to the far left side bar.
JRRR ISSUES #41-#70 of the original first website are at: http://home.earthlink.net/~rosekkkj/ For column links, look to the far left side bar.
To UNSUBSCRIBE click rosekkkj@earthlink.net and enter the word UNSUBSCRIBE
Comments