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With so much of the attention on the realignment of Sirius XM (and it is understandable), so much of the focus has been taken away from HD Radio. Many believe that HD Radio is a major reason that Clear Channel fought the Satellite Radio merger and helped the merger process drag on months longer than it should have.Last year when Clear Channel began to add HD channels for many of its stations, the CC web site included a regularly updated list of its HD channels online, along with links so that people could listen to a choice of their HD stations via the internet. Personally, I took advantage of that several times and liked what I heard on some of the channels their stations offered. Granted, some of the specific channels went the 'catchy name' route, and as a result I had no idea what they were programming. But that is a marketing issue. Many of their HD music channels went away from the typical Clear Channel restricted playlists and were actually worth a listen. It had been a month or so since I had listened to one of their HD channels while working in my office, and this morning I went to the site that would enable me to see which HD channels were available via the various markets across the country. And for the first time in over a year, there were no HD Radio choices that I know of.This web page seems to have been replaced with the menu of online stream choices from Clear Channel around the country. Yes, the actual over-the-air radio stations, which can be selected by music or talk format.I'm sure that the response from the Clear Channel powers that be will be something along the lines of how they wanted people to sample the HD channels as an incentive for them to buy an HD Radio set so they could enjoy their local HD services. And I can appreciate and understand that response.However, it is not as though HD Radio has caught on to the point where taking the HD stations away from the internet is not a big deal. As listener dissatisfaction with radio grows, only having their over-the-air stations available for streaming is not going to make people want to rush out and buy an HD Radio for what they will perceive as "more of the same". When they don't enjoy "the same" nearly as much as they once did.Face it, if AM and FM radio had the degree of competition and over-the-air stations making the effort they once did, there probably wouldn't be any worry about satellite, HD, online channels, or any of the other radio alternatives that have spung within the past few years.I'm not sure how typical of a radio "consumer" I am these days. But I can tell you that now that the Clear Channel HD Radio channels are not an option for me, I have already gone back to an assortment of online "free" music channels in the different categories that I enjoy. I wonder whether or not radio station owners will be able to get enough of the population base to sample HD Radio. Not having it available online, and not telling anyone (that I know of) that it has been moved, is not the way to make it happen.
Let me count the ways. Or should I say the format changes. I'm not even going to bother with comments about how by the 10th of November 2 stations in Milwaukee and 2 stations in Boston have already changed over to holiday music.
But Jacksonville Florida's WSJF 105.5 FM takes the cake this year. Last week, this station began their third different format. This year.
As of this writing, WSJF has become progressive talk on weekdays. Yes, after the election is over they made the change. In August of this year, they became on oldies station. That replaced their sports format from way way back to this past spring.
Now I wonder if they'll switch to holiday music for December too.
Meanwhile, for those who missed this, the excellent radio site, LARadio.com, is free for the remainder of November, so take advantage. It goes back to paid subscriptions for much of their material come December 1st, so enjoy it while you can.
Years later, there is still no doubt about the best radio memories from the Louisville market. With all due respect to the full service and tradition of WHAS, the memories of the good old days of AM radio in Louisville continue to reside from the next spot over to the left - 790 WAKY, from its hey days of the 60's and 70's.
RadioRecordings.com has just listed an entire series consisting of more than 7 hours of scoped air checks recalling the great WAKY sound of the 70's. All together on an 8 CD series.
There is even one CD devoted to the "Final Day" of the legendary top 40 station. The rest of this series are devoted to its most important and most remembered personalities. Nights in Louisville have never been the same without Coyote Calhoun. Even after all these years, his 70's afternoon drive air checks continue to sound a lot like Kris Eric Stevens.
This series also features the legendary Gary Burbank, including a full CD air check of his final WAKY show, before he moved on to Cincinnati powerhouse WLW to continue one of the most significant radio careers ever.
You can also remember Bill Bailey in the morning. (This is one of the Bill Baileys that had a stint on WLS Chicago.) Two of the CD's in this series bring you vintage Bailey.
And, we wouldn't be in "line" without including Mason Dixon. Actually, Mason Lee Dixon, and more than 90 minutes of airchecks from 1971 and 1972. Included in this set is Dixon's memorable interpretation of Don McLean's "American Pie" as it originally aired back in 1971.
That segment is probably one of the most important air checks in the collection. While hearing and re-living the memories of the good old days of radio is so enjoyable for most of us, I so enjoy these type of features that tie us to a particular date or era. The "American Pie" interpretation is one of them. It is fun to remember how many of the dj's of that era tried to put their own spin on the meaning of the lyrics. That song was far from being the first about music, but was a long way from "At The Hop" and "gotta be Rock & Roll Music if you wanna dance with me".
"American Pie" had a serious overtone. A message about the music. The writer honestly saw a change he didn't like after the fatal Buddy Holly plane crash and used a curious code to vividly express himself. It seems as though at least one dj in each radio market sought or received some notariaty by issuing his interpretation of those lyrics. Dixon's was among those.
In fact, Bob Dearborn authored perhaps the most famous interpretation of "American Pie". Or, maybe it became the most famous because he was on Chicago's WCFL. In any event, Dearborn still has his writing about it available via his blog, and this is 37 years later with Dearborn on the air in his native Canada.
Most of the time, the RadioRecordings.com air check series are anywhere from 1 to 3 CD's for an entire series. In the instance of these WAKY air checks, and the memories they bring back, the decision was made to issue them as an 8 CD series.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120331545898&ih=002&category=307&ssPageName=STORE:PROMOBOX:NEWLIST#LIST
If you are among those who decide to acquire this series, I'm sure that our group would appreciate your feedback. Not only about the wonderful WAKY series, but about the issuing of expanding and offering larger CD series in tribute to the great stations.
WKTI-FM 94.5 Milwaukee became the latest Milwaukee station to change formats, with an all-of-a-sudden switch at high Noon today (Thurs. Nov. 6). The "hot contemporary" format they had been doing as recently as this morning disappeared, and on came "Lake 94.5" with an "all music no air personality" approach. It looks as though the air staff is being let go. Word is the station will not have air personalities until 2009 at the earliest. So those are the facts. Thus far, the playlist is 60's to today with no live announcers. They don't say "Jack-FM", but I would say it's only because they can't. But they might as well. After all, that is the best excuse to not have any air personalities and cut back on payroll. Once upon a time when AM + FM radio actually made a difference, Milwaukee radio had some degree of innovation and was a breeding ground for young talent headed to Chicago and points beyond. Now, this market recycles everybody else's ideas that are killing the radio we once knew, enjoyed, and cared about.Last week's Milwaukee format change was 95.7 FM suspending their classic hits (yep, remembering you can't say "oldies" anymore) format to begin playing holiday music during the warmest start to a November in many years. In September, it was WOKY-AM dumping their retro 60's rock and jock format - not for talk - to change to country music with a weak night signal on the AM dial.I could go on about WKTI-FM and its place in Milwaukee radio over the years, the long time personalities, and the effort made toward its morning drive presentation. But that won't bring it back. Yes, Milwaukee radio truly got "Jacked" today. Again.
