Idaho Radio News Etc.

KTHI-FM is giving away $10,000, according to its website. It does not appear to be a multi-market contest (it’s Journal anyway… a multi-market contest isn’t going to be very many markets).

If they are pumping that it’s LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL, the promotion might get some real buzz — and drive listeners.

Just over the wire…

‘Cookie Monster’ cutting back on carbs
NEW YORK (AP) — The “Cookie Monster” is straightening up his act.

“Sesame Street’s” beloved blue, furry monster is going to learn some lessons about moderation as the children’s show kicks off its 36th season on P-B-S.

“Cookie Monster” will now advocate eating healthy. His “C is for cookie” song has been replaced with a new song — “A Cookie Is a Sometimes Food.”

There’s more.

The show’s vice president of research and education says each episode will open with a “health tip” and there will be new characters — like talking eggplants and carrots.

Show producers say with the rise in childhood obesity, “Sesame Street” is focusing on teaching children about healthy foods and physical activity.

What’s next? Bert & Ernie in separate bedrooms?

My dad sent me an interesting NYTimes article the other day.

It notes that XM Radio added 540,000 subscribers in Q1, and that XM with Sirius should surpass 8 million paying customers by the end of the year.

It goes on to call the sat-banders a “unprofitable blip ” in the radio industry — but this blip is clearly having an effect.

To wit: Clear Channel’s efforts to slash commercials. New “experimental” formats like Jack, Doug and My. Plus, the expected boom of digital radio — allowing broadcasters to spew forth five channels of audio from one signal. And you think this market is over-signaled now.

The central argument of the traditional broadcasters boils down to this, vocalized by Joel Hollander, CEO of Infinity: “At the end of the day, people want to hear what’s going on in their local market. People are emotionally involved with local radio.”

True? Lemme see… I can get all my favorite music from my iPod or XM. I can get local news, weather, sports scores and traffic online… heck, even on my cell phone.

So what’s local radio’s niche? Will local radio stations be relevant in 10 years? The death of radio has been hinted at… even predicted before. It’s always overblown, and still hasn’t come to pass.

The article’s a must-read. I urge you to weigh in in the comments thread.-

I guess we know how KBOI redistributed it’s talent cash over the past year.

The news staff page is huge: Paul J. Schneider, Chris Walton, Dan Winans, Ken Weaver, Brett Reckamp, Bryan Harris, Rob Branch, Sara Orton and Deb Courson are all listed as newsies. Andrew Paul and promtions director Linda Rupe also make appearances on the page — bringing KBOI’s “on-air staff” to 11. Wow.

KBOI has rearranged its program schedule. Bill O’Reilly has been kicked to prime time replay status. His replacement is Laura Ingraham from 10-1. Jerry Doyle moves to the 9-midnite slot. This is KBOI’s second schedule change in less than a year (the first coming shortly after Dr. Drew left the station).

The lineup:

5-10am Idaho’s First Morning News/Idaho Talks Live
10-1pm Laura Ingraham
1-4pm Sean Hannity
4-7pm Michael Savage
7-9pm Bill O’Reilly
9-12am Jerry Doyle

I just read AllAccess’s entire April First news hit. It’s breathlessly written with lines like, “Southeast syndicated morning team ACE & TJ reeled listeners in hook, line and sinker this morning for an APRIL FOOLS DAY gag,” and “This morning, INFINITY Hot AC WWMX (MIX 106.5)/BALTIMORE’s JOJO & KENNY pulled a fast one on local listeners” and “NC PD/morning man STEVE BATTON had his listeners all worked up this morning (4/1) “.

Apparently the AA folks think that all radio listeners are gullible fools. Perhaps some are, but most people get that it is April First.

Did anyone top last year’s stunts?

Update: Well: there’s this. Long live the R.
Update2: The R is dead.
Update3: You can still see it here.
Update4: Nothing new. Just like typing the number 4. Seriously — something else had to happen today. Got the juice? E-mail