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Cutbacks at KCSM

RadioJunkieMike said:
Last day of KCSM's Fall Pledge Drive, and they are $103,000 short (!) of their goal. And here's why I give them grief at pledge time: they lost a LOT of listener trust after the great clusterf*** of Feb 2017. And yet there was Alisa Clancy this morning, going on about how there's "always" a live person on the air. Except there isn't -- we get canned programming from Chicago in the 10p to 6a hours. There *used* to be live deejays in late-nite, but the College of San Mateo messed up the sale of their TV station and tried to recoup by forcing the radio station to eliminate 30 hrs a week of live programming, which served the added purpose of sticking it to the announcer's union. Sad situation all around, but fudging the facts doesn't help.
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I understand the sentiment, but that programming from Chicago could be live. Just because its remove, doesn't make it automatically canned. So if it's live from Chicago from 10-6, then the statement is accurate.

Most major market radio stations are no longer live in the overnight unless it's a national show. Revenue from overnights is nil. You might hear some request shows or mix shows running until 2 on the weekends.

https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/21Rradio.html
 
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Michael Rivers Kramer said:
I understand the sentiment, but that programming from Chicago could be live. Just because its remove, doesn't make it automatically canned. So if it's live from Chicago from 10-6, then the statement is accurate.

Most major market radio stations are no longer live in the overnight unless it's a national show. Revenue from overnights is nil. You might hear some request shows or mix shows running until 2 on the weekends.

https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/21Rradio.html
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I'm pretty sure it's not live (it's "The Jazz Network", a service of WFMT): https://radionetwork.wfmt.com/programs/jazz-network/ (When Neil Tesser was still part of WFMT's stable of hosts, they were running shows of his that were nearly 2 years old)

In any case, KCSM runs promos referring to the shows as being "from KCSM's creative team!" which is really stretching the truth.
 
Not a complaint, but KCSM seems to be playing a lot more Christmas music than they normally would at 2 weeks out. Wonder what prompted that? (It's actually quite nice to hear holiday stuff that isn't Mariah Carey every 2 hours.) :)
 
RadioJunkieMike said:
Not a complaint, but KCSM seems to be playing a lot more Christmas music than they normally would at 2 weeks out. Wonder what prompted that? (It's actually quite nice to hear holiday stuff that isn't Mariah Carey every 2 hours.) :)
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When Mariah comes on, I spin the dial to another station.
 
Michael Rivers Kramer said:
I understand the sentiment, but that programming from Chicago could be live. Just because its remove, doesn't make it automatically canned. So if it's live from Chicago from 10-6, then the statement is accurate.
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RadioJunkieMike said:
I'm pretty sure it's not live (it's "The Jazz Network", a service of WFMT): https://radionetwork.wfmt.com/programs/jazz-network/ (When Neil Tesser was still part of WFMT's stable of hosts, they were running shows of his that were nearly 2 years old)

In any case, KCSM runs promos referring to the shows as being "from KCSM's creative team!" which is really stretching the truth.
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Lo and behold, KCSM has just recently added an ID, running right before "Jazz Tonight", that says "the following program has been pre-recorded." Do tell! And it only took them 3 years ...
 
DaveBayArea said:
Everyone has started to take notice of that situation after this:

https://www.radioworld.com/news-and...-fine-after-violation-of-live-broadcast-rules

Dave B.
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Ha, yes, I read about the Salem thing last month. And I thought it had more to do with the fact that the recorded programs in question were call-in talk shows (and they were giving the phone # to call, which of course folks listening to the taped version could not do). But hey if it wakes everybody up, great!

Now if we can just get KCSM to stop running promos referring to JazzTonight as being from "KCSM's creative team", LOL.
 
DaveBayArea said:
Everyone has started to take notice of that situation after this:

https://www.radioworld.com/news-and...-fine-after-violation-of-live-broadcast-rules

Dave B.
Click to expand...


I've now heard several salem stations running a locally originated/voiced disclaimer "the following program is pre-recorded so the hosts aren't available to take your calls".. heard it going into syndicated programs on KTKZ 1380 Sacramento, 710 KNUS Denver... and ive heard similar on Crawford Broadcasting owned stations
 
Last year I was trying to figure out why my reception of KCSM FM had declined. I spent time fiddling with antennas. Then I found a brief mention online that its K216FV translator on Mt. Diablo had been dropped, probably in early 2018. I sought confirmation from KCSM mgt, but got no response. I don't know what the translator was costing, but it was in a growing area. Parts of the Mt. Diablo area can get good reception of KXPR (Sacramento) which broadcasts jazz in the evening. KXPR's jazz programming isn't as good as KCSM's, but KXPR's classical programming during the day is good competition to KDFC.

I recently discovered that the KCSM FM signal is being broadcast on KPJK TV subchannel 60.6, which I receive a lot better and can route to my hifi system. KCSM FM on 60.6 is practically a secret, which baffles me. Maybe both organizations consider it to be a temporary arrangement.
 
Nice to report that KCSM exceeded their Pledge goal tonite -- which makes, I think, the first time in a while that they have done so in consecutive fund drives (first, Fall and now, Winter; they skipped their Spring drive last year). I've been critical of them elsewhere in this thread but must say they've done a fine job during the pandemic. I guess being at home has reminded folks how important live local radio can be, particularly when a unique format is involved.
 
The KCSM website contains no reference to its signal being carried by KPJK TV 60.6. KPJK has no website. The site of its parent company, Northern California Public Media, deep in its Frequently Asked Questions, has a brief comment about KCSM FM and channel 60.5, not 60.6.
 
KCSM reached their Spring 2021 Pledge Goal tonite, but for some reason the goal this time was only $200G instead of the traditional $300G. Not sure why that is; they took the usual 24 days but only needed to raise 2/3 as much. Has it been less-expensive to run a station during the pandemic?
 
KCSM's longtime morning host and PD, Alisa Clancy, has announced she is retiring -- last day on-air will be Fri July 2nd. I criticize the station occasionally, but she's been a great, upbeat morning host and did a terrific job during the pandemic these past 15 months.
 
RadioJunkieMike said:
KCSM's longtime morning host and PD, Alisa Clancy, has announced she is retiring -- last day on-air will be Fri July 2nd. I criticize the station occasionally, but she's been a great, upbeat morning host and did a terrific job during the pandemic these past 15 months.
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Oddly, this obscure blog post from last month mentions Clancy's impending retirement (and went unnoticed) but the official announcement came this week. Alisa Clancy’s Swan Song: An Exclusive Interview with KCSM Legend – Paul Duclos' Cultural Currents
 
RadioJunkieMike said:
Oddly, this obscure blog post from last month mentions Clancy's impending retirement (and went unnoticed) but the official announcement came this week. Alisa Clancy’s Swan Song: An Exclusive Interview with KCSM Legend – Paul Duclos' Cultural Currents
Click to expand...
Another piece about Clancy's retirement -- they're not talking on the air about it being a "forced" retirement, but this article is a bit more upfront. Being written up by the station manager for working 20 minutes past her 4 hour shift? or for coming in early?and "cussing"? Seriously, WTF?

www.sfcv.org

KCSM’s Alisa Clancy Signs Off

Listen in this week as the “mama bear of the Bay Area jazz scene” reluctantly wraps up her long run on KCSM.
www.sfcv.org www.sfcv.org
 
RadioJunkieMike said:
Another piece about Clancy's retirement -- they're not talking on the air about it being a "forced" retirement, but this article is a bit more upfront. Being written up by the station manager for working 20 minutes past her 4 hour shift? or for coming in early?and "cussing"? Seriously, WTF?

www.sfcv.org

KCSM’s Alisa Clancy Signs Off

Listen in this week as the “mama bear of the Bay Area jazz scene” reluctantly wraps up her long run on KCSM.
www.sfcv.org www.sfcv.org
Click to expand...
"
At 60, she figured she’d reach the four-decade milestone at KCSM, but a series of conflicts with the station manager Dante Betteo left her in an untenable position.

“During the pandemic he’d laid down rules that we weren’t allowed to stay and work after a shift, but all our materials are there,” she said. “I made the mistake of picking up the phone at 10:20 one day and he screamed at me because I’m still there. ‘You are not authorized!’ He was not writing anybody else up for these infractions. They didn’t come right out and fire me. They do progressive discipline. Dante started writing me up for things like cussing or coming into work early. You get five write ups, and then they ask you to resign.”

She either hit five or knows the fifth one is inevitable. Damn shame.

When she says the GM wasn't writing up anyone else over these things, that means she's been targeted. There's probably more than one lawyer reading that article thinking sex, age or wage discrimination.
 
I was at KCSM from 1981 to 1988. Was forced to leave as well. I was doing Operations and I had to train someone else for that position. Nothng has changed
 
jprg said:
I was at KCSM from 1981 to 1988. Was forced to leave as well. I was doing Operations and I had to train someone else for that position. Nothng has changed
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A few of these types of progressive, non-commercial stations (as well as organizations in sectors like the arts) are very much a case of "if your face fits". They exist largely to provide continued employment to a small "club" of insiders, and everyone else is disposable.
 
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