Goodbye KLSX 97.1 "Talk Radio" (format change) (Los Angeles, Anaheim: promotional, to buy)

[cricket_factor]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

Yes, I'm less than impressed by the 10,000 commercial free songs we now get instead of live people entertaining us.

Time to delete 97.1 from my preset buttons! Another good radio station bites the dust in L.A.

I was sad yesterday. Now I'll be even sadder after work on Monday. Tom was a respite from John and Ken. Too much politics.

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by DaBeez

Im just glad I got to hear........for the last time.......Tom's very last "Blow me up!!! "

Tom Leykis is a radio god.

I was pretty sure that the very last thing we'd here would be his trademark explosion sound effect, and it's comforting that indeed that's how it ended.

Originally Posted by mbecquet

And here's the main thing? People past 30 can actually pay for what we want. And so...I guess we will. At some other radio station or website - whatever. I want to hear Adam Carrolla. That's it. If you're too stupid to have him on your station? .... that's your problem. Moron.

I think the target demographic is 20-30 age group. While I too feel like I have money (relatively speaking), I think it's that people in the 20-30 age group are more likely to dispose of their income on the superfluous things often advertised on the station, that people in the 20-30 age group are easier to persuade to dispose of their income without giving as much thought as older groups.

As far as the format, I think that many of us are comforted by hearing talk instead of music. When you listen to music you're still alone with your thoughts, and maybe some of your thoughts are uncomfortable, anxiety causing. Listening to talk radio takes a bit more of your attention and draws your thoughts to the program and away from your own personal problems.

I think that people in their 20s are a bit more shallow, and I don't mean to disparage that age group. I was in my 20s for 10 years, and back then the most important things were getting a date and getting some smoking material. You don't really need talk radio to take yourself away from that stuff. It's only when you get older and have more serious responsibilities that you sometimes just wish to not think for a few minutes with talk radio.

The AM talk radio shows don't cut it with me. I don't want to hear about politics. Every time I hear about politics my anxiety level goes astronomical. I start hyperventilating. I cannot stand to hear people arguing about politics. The AM talk radio shows do nothing for me.

Originally Posted by Raggy dee Ann

I was listening to Leykis way back when he was with KFI, even almost got a job on his show. I can take hom in small doses, but he can be hilarious....and the callers are something else.

He grew on me. I don't recall being as enthusiastic about his show when I first heard him, perhaps 10 years ago. It was after a few times when the phone calls and Tom's response were so funny that I almost had trouble controlling my car, that's when I realized that there would always be really humorous shows if I became a regular listener. I began listening to him EVERY day on my homeward commute. (I've been listening less frequently lately since I don't commute anymore.)

Originally Posted by cricket_factor

I was sad yesterday. Now I'll be even sadder after work on Monday. Tom was a respite from John and Ken. Too much politics.

I never listened to John and Ken, but from what I've heard I probably wouldn't enjoy their show. As I said, I don't want to hear politics. I want something funny. I want something comforting. I want to be taken away from thinking about myself and about my own problems.

Well it was a good run. Every run has an end. Let's all us Leykis fans hope that eventually he will appear on a different station and we can get back to the good times.

[Lovehound]

I just want to repeat a reminder. Leykis fans can monitor the following sites for news on when he will return to the radio. Remember that he is currently under contract to CBS Radio and will continue to receive a salary until the end of his contract. That's good, but it prevents him from working elsewhere until the contract expires. I suspect such contracts run for about a year, but there's no information on when his current contract started so we won't know when to start looking. Tom was asked about this, about when he would return to the air, and his response was a rather reserved "When it is appropriate." I'm sure it's good for his business to not shoot off his mouth until something has been decided, so I don't mind at all that we won't know when he will be back until it's definite when and where he's coming back. Here's the websites to keep up with Tom Leykis news:


Blow Me Up Tom.com
My Space.com/Tom Leykis

[Lovehound]

By the way, regarding Frosty, Heidi and Frank. I liked their show too, but there were so many times I almost called in to correct some false statement they had made. They were wrong so often about facts that I almost couldn't believe they were spreading such misinformation on the air. Yet I resisted calling in and correcting them.

One day I realized that it didn't matter if they were right or wrong. They were entertaining! They were funny! That day I quit worrying about the facts, quit worrying about the misinformation, and just let myself enjoy the show. Factual experts they were not. But entertaining they were.

It would be nice if Frosty, Heidi and Frank would also show up on whatever station Leykis lands at. And same for the other hosts mentioned earlier in this topic. Although I may not be a fan of the other hosts, it takes a lot of variety to fill the pipe, and I hope other fans get their favorite hosts back too.

I'm sure there's room somewhere for a non-serious, non-political, humorous talk radio format. Let's just hope we don't have to wait too long for our kind of talk radio to return to the airwaves.

[SandyCo]

I just read in the L.A. Times that Tom's "no cut" contract goes through March 31, 2012, which means it could be a while before we hear him back on the airwaves. However, that doesn't preclude personal appearances, interviews, books, blogs, etc.

KLSX-FM (97.1) clears the air of Carolla, Leykis - Los Angeles Times

I can't stand John and Ken; they attack certain issues (California's budget, for example) as if they're rabid dogs with very little common sense. I can feel my blood pressure spike whenever I listen to them.

[Fontucky]

As was mentioned often during yesterday's 11 final hours (of which I listened to all 11, even Bonadouchebag, which is something I never do), thanks and appreciation go out to CBS for bucking the industry trend by allowing the talent 2 show days to say their goodbyes.

Except in the case of Stern, that almost never happens. Usually the way we listeners find out is by tuning in some Monday and hearing a new voice or voices, and nothing is ever mentioned about the former occupants of the broadcast booth. Overnight they become personae non gratae.

[Lovehound]

Thanks for the article link Sandy. It was the best article on the topic that I've seen, and I've been hunting for good articles. I still rather like Carolla's comment: "All you're going to hear on L.A. radio now is ranchera music and Top 40." Too true.

I'm happy for Tom, sorry for us that his contract runs for about three more years. However that doesn't mean it's for sure that we won't hear a new Leykis show until that date. I'm of course not a lawyer, but I suspect that if another radio station wants Tom's show there could probably be negotiations with CBS Radio to sell the contract. It would be analogous to a sports star being sold to another team. Without CBS Radio getting Tom to talk on the air they have no benefit but have to continue paying his salary, so I suspect they'd be motivated to release Tom from the contract and quit paying him, possibly with additional money exchanging hands.


Jack I agree with you that it was nice of CBS Radio to allow the hosts to have final shows and give the listeners and fans some sort of closure. As you said it is virtually always the case that the audience's first clue that the format has changed is when they punch on their radio and discover that it's a different station except for the call sign and numbers. At least they gave us that.


As far as music in my car, I really love my MP3 CDs. I can fit almost a dozen full albums on one CD at 128 kbps. I have a CD carrier which holds 10 CDs, so including 1 in the radio and 10 in the carrier I carry over 100 albums of my favorite music. I've got an iPod jack too but I've found I don't need the iPod with such a large but compact music collection. And the best part is that if somebody steals my CDs I can re-burn the whole set from masters kept safely at home, at a total cost of a couple dollars.

I don't need another "Top 40" or AMP music station. I don't need even one of them. I'll listen to my own music when I'm driving, and I'll punch in the radio only when I want news and traffic.

Meanwhile I'll check Tom's Internet links from time to time and hope he pops up before 2012.

[Fontucky]

Los Angeles

[9126ebk]

This sux [mod cut: offensive]... I loved that station, I won the 5day/4night lake tahoe/ski lift/dinner cruise tickets and also won Kings tickets from this station. Tom Leykis was the best, but when Brian Witman left the sation thats when it seem to start going down hill. I know live in Seattle, the best talk show we have here is the BJ Shea (mornings) and the Mens Room (afternoons). Well good luck to all the guys at KLSX, Ill miss ya.

[irvine]

At least the Phil Hendrie Show is back, kind of...