‘Big Talker’ may quiet down at night
The Federal Communications Commission approved KGA-AM’s (1510) nighttime power reduction plan on Tuesday.
This opens the way for owner Mapleton Communications to reduce the nighttime power of the station once known as “The Big Talker” from 50,000 watts to 15,000 watts.
It also permits Mapleton to boost the nighttime power of its Piedmont, Calif., station, KPIG-AM, to 2,400 watts at night. KPIG is on the same 1510 frequency as KGA
An objection filed by a citizen argued that the reduction will cause KGA to “lose much of its historical West Coast nighttime service area.” The station will lose its longtime status as a Class A, clear-channel station operating at maximum power.
The FCC’s ruling essentially said that increasing the reach of other stations and “reducing total interference in the AM band” were higher priorities than keeping KGA a Class A station.
KPIG would gain 1.8 million potential listeners in the Bay Area; other stations in Oregon City, Ore., and in Ontario, Calif., would also increase their reach due to reduced interference from KGA.
Meanwhile, the FCC decision says that KGA will lose approximately 136,000 potential listeners at night in its primary service area, as well as most of the listeners who currently can pick it up at night up and down the West Coast.
It may take up to a year before KGA’s nighttime power is actually reduced. Mapleton’s management did not return our call by press time, but Mike Roth, the Gonzaga University athletic director, said he has been told the reduction will not take effect until at least after the upcoming basketball season.
Gonzaga basketball is carried on KGA.
CenterStage fund drive
CenterStage’s capital fundraising campaign has garnered about $108,000 in donations and pledges, slightly less than half of the $225,000 goal announced in May.
“We’re pleased,” said board president John Langenheim. “… We’re getting nice support.”
The drive was originally scheduled to continue through November, but Langenheim said the board hopes to move that up to September.
In a written statement, he said the theater/restaurant complex is struggling with its responsibilities “to install additional health and safety features, meet marketing requirements, properly compensate staff and artists and handle necessary maintenance plus increasing energy and food costs.”
In addition, Langenheim said that CenterStage has an opportunity to institute a new youth theater program, with Oscar-winner Patty Duke as one of the instructors. But in order to do so, it mush first establish itself in a comfortable financial position with the current capital campaign.
CenterStage is the site of Ella’s Supper Club, the region’s premier jazz club and restaurant. If you are interested in helping out, call (509) 747-8243.
‘Hot August Night’
Here’s a chance to have a family picnic and listen to some live opera outdoors, courtesy of Spokane Opera.
It’s called “Hot August Night,” and it will take place on July 30, 7:30 p.m. at Mirabeau Meadows, 13500 E. Mirabeau Parkway; and Aug. 1, 7:30 p.m. at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, 2316 W. First Ave.
Yes, I know, July 30 is not an “August Night,” hot or otherwise. Call it operatic license.
The event will feature singers from the Spokane Opera and dancers from Ballet Spokane presenting selections from opera, light opera, musical theater and a little Disney music for the kids.
All you have to do is show up and enjoy the music.
Quest for Power
Here are a couple of shows coming up at the Northern Quest Casino in Airway Heights:
• Rita Moreno, July 26, 8:30 p.m., tickets $35 and $45. She won an Oscar for “West Side Story” and also has Tonys, Emmys and a Grammy on her shelf.
• Tower of Power, Aug. 2, 7:30 p.m., tickets $50 and $60. They helped define soul and funk in the ’70s and ’80s.
Tickets for both shows are available at the Northern Quest box office (509-481-6700) or TicketsWest outlets (509-325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).
Speaking of Tower of Power, the Tower of Power Horns will return to Spokane to back Electric Flag on Aug. 30, 8:15 p.m. in a free show at Riverfront Park as part of the Pig Out in the Park festivities.
A big Broadway boon
This will be the biggest season in years for Broadway touring shows in Spokane, with “Phantom of the Opera” visiting for three weeks and “Spamalot,” “The Color Purple,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” also on the way.
It should be worth a whopping $23 million to the local economy, according to a report delivered to the Spokane City Council by Jack Lucas, president of TicketsWest and WestCoast Entertainment.
That estimate is based on the Broadway League’s formula that predicts that, for every $1 spent on a theater ticket, $3 is spent in the local economy.
Lucas said that nearly half of the ticket buyers for the Spokane shows come from outside of a 100-mile radius – mostly from Idaho, Montana and Canada.