Idaho Radio News Etc.

I’m now hearing that it’s possible Rodgers will not be the guy at KJOT…

Developing…

So I did a little digging on KIZN’s Flash applet that displays current song information.

It’s not just a KIZN thing — or Citadel for that matter.

Punch up http://206.165.114.205/ and type in a stations calls. Up pops the current song. I tried several different stations — KIZN, KRVB, KJOT, KCIX — even KTPZ — and they all work.

I can’t verify if the data is actually correct – though it’s sourced to something called MediaGuide.

See a sample for KTPZ.

I’m told that Brian Rodgers is set to be announced as KJOT’s new Program Director at any time.

It would be a promotion of sorts for Rodgers — he is currently Journal Boise’s Production Director, and can already be heard on the station during weekend shifts.

Cool: KIZN.com has a cool new flash applet, that shows the time — current song and artist — and gives you a direct link to iTunes to buy it. VERY slick.

But: It blows up the page in Firefox — and makes the entire site look very sloppy. KZMG.com is also a mess in Firefox right now.

FIRST ON IDAHO RADIO
Aaron Traylor will be the new program director at Boise’s KISS-FM, replacing Hoss Grigg, who left earlier this spring.

Traylor comes to Boise from Missoula, Montana — though he already has a presence on the station — as the night voicetracker.

We’ll have more on this story later this weekend.

Update:Look for that “more” later this week.

Former KZMG night guy Carlos Morales left WAIA in Florida for 98.9 KISS FM in Louisville, KY. An Idaho kid does good.

This is a bit off topic.. but you might find it interesting none-the-less.

I wanted to give a friend’s project a bit of promotion. My former co-worker Seth Randal is producing a documentary called “Fall of ‘55.” It’s topic will be the “Boys of Boise” controversy from — you guessed it — the fall of 1955. A book several years ago talked about the prosecution of homosexuals in Boise 50 years ago, and the film hopes to explore the subject in greater depth.

Seth is currently looking for people with all sorts of talents to help with the film. I think that this project has huge potential — and some of you may have skills that could help make Fall of 55 big. It’s going to be narrated by Claudia Weathermon — a familiar voice no doubt.

Learn more on the Fall of ‘55 blog.

O… K…

I’ll admit it. If there’s news to be had… from anywhere. I’ll take it.

Ian pointed this out in comments:

The closest thing this valley is going to see to a “Jack-FM� is this weekend as we at the X do our Shuffle weekend. We’ll be playing everything in our system at “random� starting at five on Friday and not ending til Tuesday when the morning show returns. And yes, just like a Jack-FM, we won’t have any jocks on the air.

Oink.

Oh, and yes… I had fun shuffling the logo.

Hmmm… before I went to bed at 1am Pacific Time, the voting order for the “guys” poll on KZMG.com was Ryan Panitz, Eric Harryman, Mark Johnson, J Bates and Shane Johnson.

So why is Mark Johnson not in today’s poll?

What’s the point of doing this if you’re just going to manipulate the reults? I don’t get it.

I’ve posted a TIME magazine article on the Jack craze from earlier this month. You can read the whole thing by clicking the link below:

Radio’s Last Hope?

As the clock signals 11 a.m., and work-weary Dallasites bide time until their noon lunch break, a smattering of songs streams over their radios. Pink kicks off a four-song music block, followed by Lenny Kravitz, Tina Turner and Led Zeppelin. These days radio listeners usually have to surf different stations to hear those four sounds, as the range of genres doesn’t fall within a typical station’s playlist. But not at one Dallas station–a station that has topped the ratings charts for five of the nine months since it switched formats.
Read the rest of this entry »

Is this the new look of Magic93.com:?

Click here to enlarge

As we reported earlier this month, the Boise Community Radio Project is set to begin online streaming on July First — with a 24-hour-a-day programming schedule.

BCRP Executive Director Jeff Abrams said the initial launch will feature 20-25 weekly music shows produced by local folks — with an eventual target of 75-100 program producers. Abrams says the schedule will also include “Democracy Now!” and “Free Speech Radio News.”

“We also expect to run other independently produced issues-oriented programs interspersed within any given day’s schedule,” Abrams said via e-mail to IdahoRadioNews.

From a technical standpoint, the station will use the Live365 service for streaming — in MP3 format at 64 kbps. Because I’ve been on a Podcasting kick of late — I asked if any programs would be archived — and for now at least, the answer is no.

Abrams said BCRP will cover initial costs by “event-driven income and underwriting by local businesses.”

He hopes to apply for an FM construction permit in the next available window.

“Engineering analysis for an FM frequency has been completed for technical solutions to several different broadcast scenarios,” Abrams said. “Construction and operational costs of terrestrial broadcasting will be obtained through listener support, underwriting, foundation contributions and grant funding.”

The project is already looking for listener input on its website – with a rather-detailed music survey.

KSAS night slammer Aaron Traylor is the author of a book. (I’ll wait for you to read that sentence again… ok.. moving on).

A little surprised? I certainly was.

Here’s the scoop — Traylor is the author of “The DJ Chronicles: A Life Remixed.”

Here’s the blurb from the publisher (which happens to be a company owned by an “Ellen Traylor”):

Enter the world of a legendary disc jockey! From corporate radio to dingy nightclubs and sweaty underground raves, inspired by the story of DJ O2-N: Aaron Traylor. At 18 years of age he reached the top of the charts as one of the most listened-to DJs in a large American city. A decade in the limelight brought little of the joy and glamour he had expected, and much that he would later relinquish. Not even a world record for marathon turntable mixing brought the high he was seeking. Failed relationships, the death of a friend, and empty dreams…This is based on the story of a seeker of enlightenment through music alone…Then one day, a vision and a voice led him to his true calling.

Here’s the Amazon listing, and a review from the Missoula Independent

In my side of the business, we call this a tease:

- New details on the Boise Community Radio Project
- A Boise-market DJ writes a book!
- More on KJOT’s new PD.

All that, plus your 5 day forecast… still ahead.

Seen the little poll on on KZMG.com about the “hottest TV hottie?”

A little “war” has broken out between J Bates and Maggie O’Mara & Ryan Panitz. Seems J went on 93 to complain about his losing status (to Ryan) — so Maggie & Ryan went on with Shamus to battle back.

Ryan makes a good point: J’s no longer in TV…

Make your voice heard!!!

It sounds like KJOT isn’t the only station about to get a new chief… rumors are flying that a new PD will enter at KSAS in coming days — and this person will “be live and local to breathe new life into the station.”

Again, stand by for news…

I’m told KJOT is VERY close to naming a new Program Director — and that an announcement could come at any time.

Stand by for news.

KBOI-AM is adding a morning show of sorts to Saturdays.

Chris Walton & Bryan Harris are set to host “Weekend Idaho.”

“The emphasis is on recreation and outdoors activities” KBOI PD Andrew Paul said. “It will [also] include weekend weather forecasts and travel traffic reports.”

Paul said the show will air live each Saturday from 6-8am. It aims to hit all the weekend bases — from entertainment, to travel — and even gardening and home improvement.

One final E. Idaho note from Ben:

KWYS-FM is now on-air and is running a random playlist… or so it seems. If they had any imaging, it’d be “Jack’ed up”

Yippee.

On Ben’s recent Eastern Idaho trip — he also noticed that KOUU-AM 1290 has boosted it’s power.

The new non-directional antenna gives AM Stereo Cow Country 1290 coverage in both Poky & IF — and fringe in to Hailey and TF:

(Click to enlarge)

Quoting Ben here: “This station makes no sense to me, as all it does is simulcast KZBQ 93.7 – which has a very clean signal valley-wide (but with different liners).”

An update to a story we first reported earlier this year: Our friend Ben reports that KIGO 1400 has completed its move to 1420 AM.

That would mean that the station is now operating on its new CP — moving from its old power of 1,000 watts to 32k — with a signal pattern that Idaho Falls — Pocatello — St. Anthony — and as far south as Soda Springs. With the move — the station segues from a class C — to class D.

A comment below notes that “DJ Radio” 890 AM is up and running — with air-staff, liners and the other things that make a radio station sound real. The station claims to have the largest on-air library.

One note — a mistake that I made, and one that the Boise Weekly also printed last week — KDJQ is not the only locally owned station in the Valley. There are several Christian radio stations — as well as KIOV-AM and KWEI-AM/FM — plus the “Locally Owned Radio” group (gee, the name should have been a giveaway) of KTPZ, KSRV et al. I regret the error.

The Music Monster is still searching for its next DJ. Can I vote for “Scotty Free?” I like the symmetry of The Monster being Scotty free if you know what I mean.

It’s another Idaho Radio News caption contest….