Seattle Talker Siegel Will Replace Clear
GA-AM has found its replacement for Richard Clear: Mike Siegel.
In other words, the station has managed to find a new afternoon talk host even more controversial than Clear.
Siegel is the Seattle talk host who was fired by KVI-AM in 1996 for airing false and salacious rumors about then-Seattle Mayor Norm Rice.
After that, Siegel hosted a syndicated show based in Everett for a while, but more recently he has been free-lancing and filling in for other talk hosts.
“I’m ecstatic,” said KGA program director Dean Allen. “I know we’ll keep our present audience, and I hope to bring in a new audience, too. The show won’t be all political like it was in Seattle. We’ll bring in life issues, too.”
Siegel won’t actually be moving over to this side of the state; KGA will install a line in his home so he can do the show from the Seattle area two or three days a week. Then he will come over here and do the show from the KGA studio the other two or three days a week, said Allen.
Clear’s last day will be Friday. He is quitting, most likely to run for Congress against Rep. George Nethercutt. Siegel will begin March 27, 3 to 6 p.m. Mike Reagan’s syndicated show will fill the gap.
It’s fitting that Siegel is taking over for Clear. The Rice rumor incident was actually part of a cross-state simulcast with Clear. Yet Siegel’s the only one who got fired.
Ratings race
Meanwhile, the fall Arbitron ratings for radio are in, and once again KZZU-FM rules the airwaves.
KZZU (The Zoo, 92.9) has been No. 1 overall for six straight quarters, a remarkable show of stability in the fickle world of radio. The rest of the Big Three was stable, too: KKZX=FM (98.9 Classic Rock) was second followed by KDRK-FM (Cat Country, 93.7) in third.
However, there was a surprise in the Top Five, with KGA-AM storming up to No. 4. This news-talk station was all the way down at No. 11 last quarter.
“KGA-AM was incredibly up,” said Brian Paul of the rival KXLY Radio group. “Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura were all huge.”
“Rush is really beginning to kick in with the political season getting going,” said Allen.
Another big winner was KNFR-FM (KIX Country, 96.1), which shot up to No. 4 from No. 13, with its new country-hit format.
Also doing well was KJRB-AM (K-FAN, 790) which went from 17th to 13th. Its syndicated “Don & Mike” show has become a strong ratings draw. Local listeners are still buzzing about the hilarious on-air phone call Don & Mike made this week to Dean Allen, in which they complained about being pre-empted for the State B Basketball Tournament.
KCDA-FM (The Mix 103.1), with its new hot-adult contemporary format, has faded from No. 14 to No. 17.
Here are the fall rankings, for the period from Sept. 23 to Dec. 15, quarter-hour share, for all listeners 12 and over, copyright The Arbitron Company:
1. KZZU-FM, contemporary hits, 9.2.
2. KKZX-FM, classic rock, 8.6.
3. KDRK-FM, country, 7.2.
4. (tie) KGA-AM, news-talk, 6.4.
4. (tie) KNFR-FM, country, 6.4.
6. (tie) KXLY-FM, adult contemporary, 6.3.
6. (tie) KAEP-FM, adult alternative, 6.3.
8. KISC-FM, adult contemporary, 6.1.
9. KXLY-AM, news-talk, 5.5.
10. KEYF-FM/AM, oldies, 4.6.
11. (tie) KAQQ-AM, nostalgia, 3.8.
11. (tie) KHTQ-FM, rock, 3.8.
13. (tie) KJRB-AM, sports and talk, 2.8.
13. (tie) KEZE-FM, hot adult contemporary, 2.8.
15. KWHK-FM, classic rock, 2.3.
16. KTSL-FM, Christian, 2.
17. KCDA-FM, hot adult contemporary, 1.4.
18. (tie) KSBN-AM, business news, 0.8.
18. (tie) KAZZ-FM, nostalgia, 0.8.
20. (tie) KSPO-FM, Christian, 0.5.
20. (tie) KXLI-AM, all-news, 0.5.
Saluting the flag
I probably should point out that KGA-AM did receive a “flag” in this Arbitron book, which is a notice that KGA did something on-air which may have affected the ratings.
On Aug. 16, afternoon talk guy Clear discussed the Arbitron ratings. He mentioned how vitally important each Arbitron diarykeeper is to a station’s ratings, and also how important the part of the diary labeled “time spent listening” can be.
This doesn’t sound like much, but discussing any aspect of the rating system is a no-no in Arbitron’s eyes. Arbitron’s “Special Notice Report” said, among other things, that “… KGA’s comments may prompt diarykeepers to overreport listening to KGA, as a gesture of support.”
“It’s no big deal,” said Allen. “It’s the most minor of punishments that they can give. It was on Aug. 16, which doesn’t even affect this book. That was during the summer book.”
Who knows whether this had any effect at all? Even competing station execs say it couldn’t explain all of KGA’s strong showing.
Talking ranks
Speaking of stability, The RadioMen at KKZX-FM scored their 11th straight No. 1 morningshow ranking (listeners 12 and over), followed by The Breakfast Boys (and Molly) of KZZU-FM in second place and Jay & Kevin at KDRK-FM in third. If you narrow the demographic to listeners age 25-54, the RadioMen have been No. 1 every quarter since spring 1994.
Among talk radio hosts, Rush is No. 1. Among local talk hosts, Rick Miller is No. 1, followed by Clear and then Fitzsimmons & Bickel.
KREM-2 mornings
“KREM-2 News Early Morning” will move to a 5 a.m. start beginning Monday, which means that now all three local morning news shows will be running from 5 to 7 a.m.
“People are getting up earlier,” said news director Tamara McGregor (formerly Lehman).
The show also now has a new team in place, “the best team we’ve had for a couple of years,” according to McGregor.
The team consists of co-anchors Issa Arnita and Robyn Nance plus weather anchor Katie Baker.
Symphonic Europe tour
Now, here’s a trip I would take if I had $2,990 burning a hole in my violin case: The Spokane Symphony Associates “Music, Musicians and More” European Tour.
A group of 26 to 42 Spokane music-lovers will visit Prague, Vienna and Salzburg on this 12-day tour. Not only will the group hear Spokane’s most famous baritone, Thomas Hampson, singing “William Tell” at the Vienna Opera House, but they will have dinner with him at one of Vienna’s famous “wine taverns.”
The tour will include many other musical and sightseeing highlights. Call 326-3136 for a brochure and more info.