and I heard a "certified" weather forcast from the KIMN tower as well...

If this is a stunt, its cruel to the listeners that remember the old "Tiger"... if it is not... Kudos to LFM for showing a little nut for a change... won't draw big ratings, but it will give a bit of a glimpse into the old "Boss" days!!

It might do pretty well with 45-64, insideoutsider! Especially if it's live, local and full-service.

Even if the station was on the bird with a little bit of live and local would be great IMO. I bet if 950 does revert back to the KIMN format of days gone by, it probably would do well in the ratings, probably wouldn't take much to get better numbers then Mix 100 or the Wolf, even though 950 is an AM station.

One of the jingles you hear is a promo for DJ Jack Merker. He's sort of an interesting story. He started as a newscaster at KIMN and became a DJ, then went on to become a very popular radio personality in San Diego.

Jack was murdered at age 63 while being robbed in Palm Springs on Dec. 5, 2001.

How does this work with Arbitrarytron, though? With the KIMN-FM calls on 100.3 ... and owned by a different company... wouldn't it be huge confusion if someone just wrote down that they listened to K-I-M-N?

Unless... since CBS doesn't use the calls anyway except at the top of the hour, they'd sell 'em to LF?

Orrr... unless... CBS is bailing on the format at 100.3 and is going to change the calls anyway and Lincoln Financial is privy to this...

I do think this is the right and most logical move for 950, btw... although I think they should've done it two months ago because the frequency has lost a goodly amount of momentum since being sports but it's still the best use of the dial position.

If the KIMN imaging continues much longer on 950, I would conclude that some sort of arrangement has indeed been made between the two clusters, very likely signaling the "beginning of the end" for Mix as we know it. A longshot speculation might have 100.3 flipping to all-XMAS at the first metro snowflakes, nipping Entercom in the bud. This would buy time for CBS to plan out a whole new formatt to launch in '09.
Personally I think that smooth jazz might work better for 100.3, than the stagnating "Mix". I noticed in the latest Arbs that 101.9 KHIH is back on the list with a .6 share. I could imagine that at least quadrupling with the signal coverage 100.3 has.

I've been speculating since last night that their is some sort of deal between LFM and CBS. I first thought, maybe news will drop soon that CBS bought the LFM cluster in Denver, but quickly shrugged this off and unlikely. I then think that what happened is CBS approached LFM with a deal to use KIMN as they are intending to blow up Mix. I guess time will tell, and perhaps we are all wrong....

There's always the possibility of a LMA in the works...After all, KOOL is adding more eighties. If 105.1 dropped the first half of the sixties (which has already happened most of the time), and 950 focused on the first ten years of rock and roll, they could appeal to separate demos, with Kennedy kids like me stuck in a sort of limbo. It could also signal 92.5 going to something like all classic country, ala KICKS, and as I mentioned above, smooth jazz to 100.3. Of course one of the CBS FM's could also pick up ESPN this way.

fcc lists calls as changing to KRWZ

The thing Iam wondering about now is if they are continuing on to trick us?

Hey, Jimmy, could you put up a link to where you found that?

... Hey! They just did imaging! "Cruisin' Oldies 950!"

You might remember the mid-'80s and 1150's incarnation as "Cruisin' " with a real-oldies format. Da Boogieman held court at night there, playing HIS record collection HIS way.

Welcome to Crusin' 950 50's and 60's

I just heard them say they are playing 9500 songs in a row. Since 60's songs average 3 minutes in length, that's about 20 songs an hour for 20 days. So, I guess if on September 22nd they are still playing the same format, it's probably for real.

And by then, jelling007, I hope it's more than a jukebox. I hope they invest in local jocks and local promotions. I hope they add local news, at least in drive times, and using KYGO's existing partnerships with TV. As Mark Udall says in his campaign ads, they've "got to get this right" -- and if they do, they can have a huge share of a very lucrative demographic.

I would guarantee that if anything ever happens to Mix and they can snag them, the calls will change to KIMN.

ROFL!!! They just ran a drop with a voice dripping with sarcasm and intoning, "Is THIS what your oldies station calls oldies?" followed by snippets of "Stayin' Alive," "I Will Survive" and "Afternoon Delight." Then the voice comes back and says "Not here!"

They also seem to have purchased some heritage PAMS jingles. So if they're actually throwing money at this, it's a good sign this is not another diversion.

According to a RadioLocator search, the old 1150 calls of KRZN should be available for an AM operation (only a Montana FM using them). I'm surprised LF dident' try to get them as I know a lot of locals still remember Kruzin' 1150...
Also I wonder exactly where 950's music parameters will stop. Are they going to go all the way back to '55 as any AM oldies station should, and where will they cut off? The British Invasion? The advent of Disco? How far deep will they dig into the charts (Top 40's versus 100's)?
I'm hoping they won't end up a cookie cutter that just rotates well worn "home runs" over and over like "The Lion Sleeps Tonite" and "No Particular Place to Go".

Agreed, Chris. In fact, I'd love to pitch an idea for a Saturday night "Forgotten Oldies" show!

I'm hoping the range would be from '55 to '72, corresponding with the heyday of AM Top 40 before format fragmentation became so pervasive.

I heard them mention new calls. I believe it was KWZN (unless I pulled a Dusty Saunders). It would seem that this is the real deal. As I mentioned previously, my inside source advised that Chuck St. John is back. As I recall, he was once a PD at one of the earlier Cruisin' stations. It all seems to make pretty good sense.

They are urging listeners to comment at 303.270.9787. When you call it, though, you'll discover it's Lincoln's main radio switchboard, and the menu provides no link for anything about 950. Not very intuitive. The solution is to dial 0 for the operator.

So I did, and the receptionist says she's gotten quite a few calls in the hour since the phone number was first read. This IS the format: '50s and '60s oldies. She says she doesn't know who the PD or MD will be yet, but that there WILL be local DJs along with news and traffic. She also said she didn't know when the hard launch would be.

Call the number, dial 0 and let her know what you think.

OMG! We're "indispensable!"

(Click here for Westword blog item)

Oldies radio set to make comeback in Denver with KRWZ

Tue Sep 02, 2008 at 11:57:16 AM

By Michael Roberts
Westword

Forward...into the past.

Ever since The Fan, a local sports-talk station, abandoned its longtime dial spot, 950 AM, in favor of 104.3 FM back in March, there's been mucho speculation about what format would eventually beam from its previous home. Now, however, it looks as if the outlet's owner, Lincoln Financial Group, has finally settled on a style: rock oldies, likely to be dispensed under the call letters KRWZ and the slogan Cruisin' Oldies 950.

The decision has been a long time coming, with Boondocker, one of the guiding hands behind the indispensable DenverRadio.net website, tracking the story's twists and turns. According to him, 950 AM briefly simulcast sister signals such as hip-hop/R&B-oriented KS-107.5 FM and country-flavored KYGO-FM before sampling ESPN Radio 1600 this past Friday. That was followed by 24 hours of classic country fare like the stuff once aired at the 1600 AM space under the KYGO-AM moniker and two days' worth of oldies from the '50s and '60s interspersed with airchecks and imaging from KIMN-AM, which occupied the 950 AM position for more than thirty years before fading away in the late '80s. (Newcomers can learn more about the glory days of KIMN at the 95 Fabulous KIMN tribute site -- and radio buffs can track the speculation about the possible return of a KIMN-like operation on this DenverRadio.net thread.) Today, however, the oldies are accompanied by sounders touting the Cruisin' Oldies -- a brand that recalls KRZN, a defunct outlet that once used the "Cruisin'" handle. And a Google search on "KRWZ," "950" and "Denver" brings up the old AM 950/The Fan web address.

The move to oldies makes good business sense. KOOL/105.1 FM has shifted its playlist away from the '50s and '60s tunes on which its reputation was founded in an attempt to reach a younger demographic -- a subject explored in a March 6 Message column, "Shakeup in Denver Radio." The older listeners this shift abandoned may not be the first choice of many advertisers, but they remain a viable audience -- and they're more loyal to AM radio than practically any other group. Witness KDZA/1350 AM in Pueblo, which has been steadily building word of mouth since installing oldies-radio programming a few months ago.

If Lincoln energetically promotes KRWZ, the same scenario could be repeated in Denver, where a sizable number of oldies radio lovers have been grumbling about KOOL ever since the station starting playing more Huey Lewis and the News than Elvis Presley. Call it going back to the future. -- Michael Roberts

http://kimn95.tripod.com/

BOON!BOON!BOON!

Nothing fancy but... http://www.cruisinoldies950.com/

As much as I've blasted Lincoln in the past few years, this has to be the best business decision they've made since acquiring the cluster from Jeff Pilot.
I do wonder though how Cat Collins feels about working for a cluster that operates a >gulp<...OLDIES station...?
BTW, Boon, we're very close on our ideas of thresholds for 950. I would programme this or any other AM oldies outlet to cover the years 1955 thru the end of 1970 (while had it been FM, I would have chosen the beginning of 1960 thru the end of the year 1980).
Also, Boon, if you can talk Lincoln into letting you do the "Forgotton oldies" show, my extensive 60's music library would be at your disposal (though I have very little 50's, as I'm a "stereo track" collector).

I like the value they programmed into the station, beginning with what sounds like Pams classic jingles.

They need to hire Richard Kaufman AKA "Ricky the K" late of KOMA.

LOL, if the format ends up "Down in the Boondock(er)s" you all know who to blame...

And that "KICKS" retro-country format consisted of exactly FIVE songs played over 15 minutes:

"Your Cheating Heart" - Hank Williams Sr.
"Midnight In Montgomery" - Alan Jackson
"Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" - Waylon Jennings
"Hey, Good Lopkin' " - Hank Williams Sr.
"Family Tradition" - Hank Williams Jr.

--------

I had a feeling 950 was going to flip and stayed awake all night and most of the morning and fell asleep minutes before it changed... Son of a bltch!!! But at least I did get a full hour's worth of sleep...

Is "Lopkin" a town in Texas?
As for Nigel's wish, I would be happy if they just hired Randy J. and also gave Boon his Saturday nite "Forgottens" show.
A little late for J.J, though. I think he's sold on Wyoming. However, I bet Da Boogieman could be coaxed into jumping ship...

I believe that Texas town is LUFKIN. It's just south of Nacogdoches -- pronounced Knock-a-DOE-shiz. Try writing a song about THAT!

Hey, Glad, Billy Joe Royal's "Down in the Boondocks" is how I got my handle! Just before I started high school in 1965, we moved from south St. Louis out to VERY rural St. Charles County -- the agricultural flood plain between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers -- and I felt like I was at the end of the world. I saved up and bought a Lafayette CB radio and a Turner desk mike, put up a "Super Mag" antenna at the end of the house, talked to people who lived in "civilization," and -- while searching for a CB handle -- first heard the Billy Joe Royal song, probably on KXOK. My handle on my QSL card was "The Voice of the Boondocks," accompanied by a drawing of a bent antenna sticking out of a cornfield. My CB friends quickly shortened my handle to "Boondocker."

Yup. Sold on WYO, but what about Coach?

He needs to apply -- quickly!

Hopefully Rick and NOT the KLZ/KCKK "Coach"...!

They have put a new voice prompt on the "comment" line -- 303.270.9787 -- but there's something curious about it. The voice touts the station as playing the "best and most oldies from the '60s and '70s." Huh??? The Seventies? This at the same time the on-air imaging is heralding the best oldies from the '50s and '60s?

I hope this is just a slip by a youngish promotions guy, and not a foretaste of the KXKL-like abandonment to come.

Might be worth some calls to that comment line to make sure they stay the course.

950 is playing some early seventies.

Got a phone call from a colleague who noticed the same thing. She called the Lincoln receptionist, who was very close to the vest with information. The receptionist told her there were no plans to drop the '50s but that the '70s would be included, and that no PD or music director had been named. The only job opening listed for Denver on Lincoln's website is an account executive for KQKS.

Surely if you're launching a format like this, you'd have a PD or MD in place by now -- for hiring, for development, for promotions, for support to your account execs. ... But then again, Lincoln let this frequency sit unprofitably for three months, so common radio business practices haven't applied so far.

So I turned on the station and, sure enough, the first thing I heard was the Righteous Brothers' "Rock and Roll Heaven" from 1974. I then called the comment line long enough to hear the voice -- isn't that Duane Taylor? -- refer to the '60s and '70s.

He's also the contact on the news release Lincoln sent out -- which, you'll note, says the station will focus on the '50s and '60s. And so does the top-of-hour ID heard on air.

Weird. Are they tweaking mid-stream before the first ad has been sold?

Anyway, here's the news release:

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 2, 2008

Contact: Dwayne Taylor- Director of Marketing, LFMC of Colorado

(303) 321-0950

Lincoln Financial Media Launches Cruisin' Oldies 950

The Greatest Hits of the 50's and 60's

DENVER, CO - Lincoln Financial Media Company of Colorado signed on Denver's newest radio station Cruisin' Oldies 950 (KRWZ) earlier today. Cruisin' Oldies 950, located on Denver's most historic radio frequency, will return to its roots by playing the greatest hits of the 1950's and 1960's.

The New Cruisin' Oldies 950 is introducing itself to Denver by playing 9500 Songs in A Row. Cruisin' Oldies 950 will offer nearly a month of the greatest music of all-time played back-to-back. The greatest music from the birth of Rock and Roll in the 50's, through the British Invasion, Motown, The Summer of Love, and Woodstock will be reintroduced to Denver (commercial free) on Cruisin Oldies 950.

After 9500 Songs in a Row, Cruisin' Oldies 950 will introduce Denver to great personalities, news, weather, traffic and more fun. Cruisin' Oldies 950 is a true Denver Radio station programmed in Denver for Denver for music fans who never forgot how to Rock and Roll and have fun. People who aren't afraid to listen to "Oldies".

"It's clear as we talked to AM radio listeners, there are plenty of talk stations- sports, liberal, conservative and everything between." said Robert B. Call, Sr. VP/General Manager of LFMC of Colorado. "What those listeners did tell us is that there's a whole body of music missing from the radio dial - music from an era that changed a generation. Since these great songs were heard for the first time on 950AM almost 40 years ago, it seems like the right time to bring them back to the place where you heard them first -Denver's most legendary spot on the dial. AM950"

Look for the stations website, http://www.cruisinoldies950.com to debut soon with music news and a list fun events happening in the Denver area.

Listen to AM 950 and let's go "Cruisin'" with the greatest hits of the 50's and 60's!

Lincoln Financial Media Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation, owns and operates radio stations in Atlanta (WQXI-AM, WSTR-FM), Denver, CO (KEPN-AM, KRWZ-AM, KKFN-FM, KQKS-FM, KYGO-FM), Miami, FL (WAXY-AM, WLYF-FM, WMXJ-FM) and San Diego, CA (KBZT-FM, KIFM-FM, KSON-AM/FM, KSOQ-FM).

LOL!!! I always love a station that sounds like it was ordered to quit "F"-ing around and pick a format... Then just flipped a coin between Country and Oldies... But "re-decided" to go Oldies a few days later after the LF honchos heard about
the KYGO audience being diluted even more and asked them if they were "F"-ing crazy and wanted to keep their "F"-ing jobs...

Some "Cruisin' Oldies" history:

----------
http://www.rockabilly.nl/general/cruisinoldies.htm

The Cruisin' Oldies format is defined by music from the mid-50's (Rock Around the Clock) up to the early 60's (It's My Party). This segment of American History that began with the end of the Korean conflict and ended with the Kennedy assassination, is one of the most revered times of our culture... and the music of the time reflects it! These "Happy Days" were a time of contentment, security (nobody locked their doors), and pride of country. The music from this era has spawned some of the greatest love songs of all time (Only You, In The Still of the Night, etc); great songs about having fun (Palisades Park, Fun Fun Fun, etc.); songs with unique names (Da Do Run Run, Shoop Shoop Song, etc) and many songs about dancing (The Twist, The Stroll, etc). It was a time like no other and people have a strong passion for the music and the memories associated with those days.

Cruisin' Oldies is defined by core Artists like Ricky Nelson, Dion, The Drifters, The Everly Brothers, The Platters, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Brenda Lee, The Chiffons, Jan & Dean, Sam Cooke, Del Shannon and of course Elvis Presley. At the heart of the format is the fabulous Doo Wop and Falsetto sounds that gives it a uniqueness. Not present is music from the "British Invasion", or bubble gum or protest songs. It is especially important to note is that there are no songs that are considered to be drug-related songs (White Rabbit or Strawberry Fields).

In short, a listener doesn't have to sit through Hang On Sloopy to hear Runaway, or Last Train To Clarksville before they can hear He's A Rebel. Listed below is a comparison of core Cruisin' Oldies Artists versus those of a typical 60's based Oldies station:

Cruisin' Oldies

Everly Brothers
Ricky Nelson
Buddy Holly
The Platters
Sam Cooke
Dion
Brenda Lee
The Drifters
The Chiffons
Jan & Dean
Chuck Berry
Elvis Presley

60's based Oldies

The Rolling Stones
The Rascals
The Association
Credence Clearwater Revival
Neil Diamond
The Doors
The Beatles
Lovin' Spoonful
Johnny Rivers
The Guess Who
Three Dog Night
Chicago

The Cruisin' Oldies Artists' music stays true to the sound of the era. The music from the other (60's) Artists has a different message and gives the station a different texture.

Right now KSFN 1140 AM is the only station carrying the format, the good news is that Cruisin' Oldies is about ready to syndicate the format and make it available in many markets throughout the USA. European radio stations as well could purchase the format, it will be a low cost music-intensive format. Anyone interested can contact New Generation Broadcasting

-------

Cruisin' Oldies KSFN went to "Hot Talk" in 2001...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KSFN

-------

Some modern history:

-------

Cruisin' Oldies (Internet) Radio

http://www.cruisinoldiesradio.com/

As A True Oldies Internet Radio Station You Can Rest Assured That You Will Always Hear The Original Songs Covering Three Generations Of Music That Literally Changed The World Of Music & Entertainment.

Playing Music From The 50's, 60’s And 70's, Cruisin Oldies Radio Is Keeping All Those Wonderful Memories Alive World Wide!

Cruisin Oldies Radio Is Streamed Over The Internet Via Live 365

The World’s Biggest Internet Streaming Entity.

We Broadcast In Digital Stereo 24 Hours A Day Non Stop......

--------

After a quick check, I don't think they have any radio stations broadcasting the "Cruisin Oldies" stream...

--------

Could KRWZ plan on using a Jones Radio (or simular) voice tracked format???

BTW for those of you who haven't noticed; I noticed today that 950 is also on KYGO HD2 channel.

Rumor (from a very reliable source) has it that they will eventually hire an air staff, but it will consist of part-timers, with no benefits. Cheap sons-a... Typical corporate radio.

That doesn't surprise me, Tim. Any idea whether they have a PD in place?

I've talked in the past about Toronto's CHUM-AM 1050 -- personality-driven full-service oldies radio. I just got a note today that there's actually a competitor there, CKOC-AM 1150, sticking much more closely to the "Cruisin' " type playlist. CKOC is in Hamilton, so it not only serves Toronto but also Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Here's the live stream:

http://www.oldies1150.com/player/player

I don't know about a PD but there's an old guy running around here at night who has a lot more info than I do.

It's going to be an uphill climb for real-oldies stations such as KRWZ and KDZA.

Today, Arbitron announced an expansion of its "sample quality improvement" programs for diary markets. One good idea it has is to add cell-phone-only households to the survey sample in an 125 diary markets beginning with the Fall 2009 survey. But more disturbing is Arbitron's plan to increase cash and other incentives for persons age 18-34 while reducing those incentives for age 55-plus-only households in all diary markets starting next spring.

Won't that further discourage stations -- and their young PDs and account execs -- from serving the 55-plus demographic, the group with the most disposable income, the most leisure time and the most loyalty to terrestrial radio?

You have to factor in the effect of the People Meter rollout, which is supposed to happen in Denver in 2009. Paper diaries are going away in a few months. How might that affect the 55+ demographic to switch from paper logs to carrying a 'pager' that logs what you're listening to?

I guess it'll come back to those incentives as well, Nigel. Will Arbitron offer more incentives to 18-34 and less to 55-plus regarding the PPM too?

I was just looking at the comments that have been posted beneath Michael Roberts' blog item in the past week. Good reviews so far! Does anyone have any idea when the jocks and ads will appear? Or who the PD is?

---

Sally says:
I think it is great that Denver has Oldies again! I remember the days when KRZN ruled with Da Boogieman, Bill Lyle, Austin Wiggins, Chuck St. John, etc...
I hope it's not too good to be true.

Posted at: September 3, 2008 1:08 PM

Ron says:
It would have been great (full circle) if AM 950 could have regained the KIMN call letters (now occupied by Mix 100 and previously by Fort Collin's KPAW).

Posted at: September 3, 2008 10:41 PM

Juan Mares says:
This is great! I too have longed for KIMN return but it would not be the same without Paxton and the Hawk, etc.
This is a great idea. I hope they keep it up for years. there is nothing like listening to oldies on AM radio the way t was first intended.
Thanks Lincoln!!

Loveland can hear 950 clear!!

Posted at: September 4, 2008 9:51 AM

Mark says:
Shake, Rattle & Roll! This is the best news I've heard in a long time. I've been waiting for a station like the old KRZN. I wonder if all those KRZN DJ's are still alive?

Posted at: September 4, 2008 1:01 PM

Robert Matthews says:
Can we get a exclusive couple of soul hours
I have an extensive collection of 60's 70's
R&B would volunteer for FREE just for the music. Program or DJ!

Posted at: September 12, 2008 12:27 PM

Mike Harris says:
There is nothing like listening to those great oldies and jingles on AM radio. Brings back many memories of songs that do not get played anymore.
Thanks Lincoln!!


Posted at: September 12, 2008 2:52 PM

Don Randall says:
The playlist is well thought out and the rotation works - for now. Will we soon discover that the playlist is not as deep as it may first appear and the same timeworn tunes are repeating too often? This is always a potential problem for stations that tend to generate a loyal audience.

There are a couple of things that must be considered:

This operation can't remain tunes only forever. Listeners will want and need more than their favorite old songs and the station ain't no charity.

Listeners on their way to or from work during morning and afternoon drive will be pushing the buttons on their radio looking for weather and traffic information if they can't get it on their favorite oldies station. C'mon - admit it - you know you will.

The station ain't a charity - it will have to sell time and that means there will be commercial announcements.

Personally, I always appreciate those sponsors who pay someone to play my favorite music for me all day every day. In fact, I think it's downright nice of 'em!

Posted at: September 13, 2008 1:16 AM

Leonard says:
Does anyone remember when KLZ was playing an oldies format back in 2001? It was a great station with very personable dj's. They would play requests and had anything you asked for. I would listen for days and almost never hear the same song twice. The dj's on the weekends had special theme shows. It was a really fun station. Then one day they changed formats to an "All Girl" format that only lasted a short time (Thankfully). I only hope this new station will allow their dj's to have fun and take requests!


Posted at: September 16, 2008 5:27 PM

Michael Fierro says:
I think that AM radio is perfect for oldies from the 50s and 60s. It'll make the audio quality more authentic, which'll help build nostalgia.

Posted at: September 17, 2008 7:33 AM

"Wild" Bill Cody says:
After 4 years of being the Program Director and Morning Personality at an Oldies station in Ft Collins and constantly going around and around with the Operations Manager about a playlist that contained 350 songs that by the way played up to 3 times in a 24 hour period 365 days a year from the years 1963 - 1989 (you're telling me there were only 350 good viable songs that were put out in 26 years?).
It is a breath of fresh air to hear the variety of great Oldies on KRWZ...I just hope they're accepting resumes!!!

Posted at: September 22, 2008 7:35 AM

crissie says:
i am 55 and have been listening to am radio since i was 8 years old...in new york city....thank you thank you for this fabulous playlist of my life.....my car, my radio in the house, are now set to 950 AM. You actually played "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying"..., you played "Tell Her No", you played old Four Seasons, oh I could go on and on...Congratulations on a great station.

Posted at: September 23, 2008 9:42 PM

Interesting comment by Cody regarding the short library (obviously at Oldies102.9). When Bob Rule first signed on KRRR in Cheyenne, he already had a playlist of over a thousand tracks before myself and later Proetti added anything to it. I would bet that KRZN 950's song count currantly exceeds 350.

I'd bet it's closer to 700, Chris. I've heard some pretty obscure things, such as the Caravelles' 1963 "You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry" and Tennessee Ernie Ford's 1955 "Sixteen Tons."

okay, so i tuned in for 20 minutes (or less) ... heard Good Morning Starshine (or whatever the name of the song is) ... funny that I grew up during that whole period, and now I can't listen to it. A couple of the songs did get me to chuckle however and I did think about where I was when I originally got the idea to go into radio --- basically WABC, WNBC, and WFIL (Phila) back in the sixties ... but it was Scott Munie and Allison Steele from WNEW FM who became the two biggest influences for me. Then when I came to Denver in the mid-seventies I dug Doctor Daddy-O at KDKO for a bit.


NP:
BB King - One Kind Favor
Taj Mahal - Maestro
Buddy Guy - Skin Deep

Chris K. I think you hit the nail on the head. It wasn't just the music that made this era of AM Top 40 so compelling; it was the personalities. Scott Muni. Allison Steele. Dan Ingram. "Cousin Brucie" Morrow. Ron Lundy. These folks connected the listeners like you and me to the music, the station and the community. THAT's the formula that made it work. I hope KRWZ remembers that when it goes live.

Randy Jay

We now have live DJs!

Bill Press -- no, not the "Crossfire" and Air America Bill Press -- is presiding over the lunch hour, but we'll be hearing some familiar names. KIMN alum Randy Jay, late of Kool-105, returns to 950 from 2 to 6 p.m. starting today, and Hal Moore, a Denver broadcasting legend perhaps best known from KHOW's music days, takes over mornings beginning next Tuesday.

Traffic reports also begin next week.

Program director is Joel Burke, who also serves as PD of KYGO.

Studio line is KKFN's old one: 303-893-2950. Let's welcome Randy and Hal back, and welcome Bill to town. He had been an oldies DJ at Lincoln's oldies station in Miami, WMXJ-FM ("Majic 102.7"), licensed to Pompano Beach. His wife's from the Denver area, so the move here was a comfortable one.

WOW .. Hal Moore?? From Hal & Charlie days?? I haven't heard that name in years!

That's him! Known as "Hotdog Harold" Moore when he did PM drive for KHOW from 1969 into the early '70s, after his own stint at KIMN in the '60s. Hal then teamed with Charley Martin for mornings starting in 1976. Hal and Charley became Denver's most popular radio team of that era, and a bit of their show on a car radio can be heard in the movie "The Shining."

I may be wrong, but I believe it was Hal who started the tradition of kicking off KHOW's "Wonderful Weekend in the West" by playing -- every Friday at 5 p.m. -- Up With People's "Colorado" song: "If I had a wagon I would ride to Colorado ... "

I'm so happy for Randy. Hopefully he can persuade KRZN to back some oldies concerts.

Make that KRWZ, Chris -- all of us who remember KRZN-AM 1150 will have to get used to that one!

Sorry, Boon, I gotta stop hitting Dusty's pocket flask when he's not looking...I have to wonder who picked those calls, though...According to RadioLocator, KRZN is not in use by any AM station, and the also available KWZN would have made more sense as well. Must be the same moron at Lincoln who came up with the "Kash Kow" promotion idea for a hip hop station.

heres more along that side of the story:

Oldies 950 Sets Its Air Staff
LINCOLN FINANCIAL MEDIA Oldies KRWZ (CRUISIN' OLDIES 950)/DENVER has set its on-air lineup of HAL MOORE, BILL PRESS, RANDY JAY and CHUCK ST. JOHN. After launching on SEPTEMBER 2nd by playing 9,500 songs in a row, began live programming today with BILL PRESS on middays and RANDY JAY in afternoons. HAL MOORE will handle mornings and CHUCK ST. JOHN will do nights, starting SEPTEMBER 30th.

"The timing couldn't have been more perfect!" PD JOEL BURKE said. "The early response to the station has been nothing but positive and to add superior talent like HAL, BILL, RANDY and CHUCK will only help improve a product we feel passionately about. These guys introduced this music to DENVER years ago, it seems like the right time to bring them back to the place where you heard the music first -- DENVER's most legendary spot on the dial ... AM950."

From ALLACCESS.com

OK, what do we know about Chuck St. John, other than that he was PD for KCKK during its classic-country experiment? Can anyone give us a good bio?

I had a nice chat with Randy Jay yesterday, and passed on congratulations from JJ McKay. Randy didn't know JJ was in Gillette and loving it, so I filled him in. I then asked Randy when the station would begin airing spots. He responded incredulously, "You WANT ads???" I joked, "Well, somebody's gotta pay your 6-figure salary!" He shot back, "Tell JJ HE'S responsible for paying me!"

... Anyway, Randy sounded great on the air, and even threw in a couple tweaks at "that station that USED to play oldies!" Apparently, shots at KXKL have been frequent on the comment line as well.

So Joel Burke is PD, won't be long and we'll be hearing Garth's oldies on 950.

Please Joel, no "Mudflap" sidekick for Hal Moore! Keep McGrew on FM...

I agree! The only country I want to hear on 950 are songs that crossed over to Top 40 in the '50s and '60s from the likes of Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Jeannie C. Riley, Joe South, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sandy Posey, Skeeter Davis, Dave Dudley ...

I was being sarcastic, Joel Burke's KYGO plays Garth every other song, so I was sayin knowing how much they love them their Garth at 7800 East Orchard Road, they will probably find a way to put Garth in constant rotation on 950.

Also if anyone over at LFM is reading this, please no Mudflap, or KELLY FORD; both Kelly and Mudflap will sound as bad on AM as they do on FM.

Actually I like the idea that they were able to find all the old djs from the past, and got them to work on 950 once again! I meanm who would have thought that Randy Jay would do AM oldies again? And Hall? I didn't think he was into radio anymore to say the least.
IT is nice to see that he is and nice to see all the old gang back on where they started along time ago, and actually this is a first for any Denver station if anyone has noticed this. What station could get the people from the past to come back to their radio station that they started at once before? Not many actaully not even on KKHI so this is truly a first for any radio station in this state!

I could picture Lincoln trying to lure Da Boogieman from CBS, especially if 950 shows some promising numbers in their next book. Boogie would definatly be a better fit for the AM station. As for Bill Cody, I've heard his show on KARS and I don't think he's high market material yet. I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that Boon will get his "Forgotton Favourites" gig on Saturday nites.
Now if 950 really wanted to WOW Denver, they could try to find Rosemary Barnwell and revive "Charley and Barney" from the KHOW days. I've heard airchecks of this morning show and it was HOT, IMO.

Well, given that Hal worked at KIMN in the '60s -- 40-plus years ago -- his age shouldn't surprise you -- and as it turns out, Hal is 69. But I think the only thing "crazy" about his return, Dude, is that he's crazy about radio, and about the glory days of AM Top 40 -- an affliction from which a lot of us never want a cure!

The thought of dying on the air brings back painful memories for fans of another legendary KIMN DJ, Jay Mack, who had a heart attack on the air at KXKL while working virtually alone one Sunday morning up there on the 11th floor.

If they actually could bring Da Boogieman over, one hopes he'd have a longer stint on 950 than he did the last time. It was this same Hal Moore who helped lure Da Boogieman's show from KWBZ to KHOW in the '80s. After several years there, he took over evenings at KIMN -- six months before the plug was pulled.

Regarding Charley Martin: The last we heard of him was two years ago, just after the death of his wife, KHOW's "Karla With a K" Wampler. Hw was living in Sun Lakes, Ariz., and teaching a radio course at nearby Scottsdale Community College. The details behind his departure from KHOW are still not widely known. He should be about 63 or so by now.

Last we heard of "Barney," she was living in England.

Hal had been doing some part-time jock work for a Jones Satellite oldies station. As of three years ago this month, he had filed an age-discrimination suit against Infinity and KXKL, which was scheduled to be heard in October 2005 in federal court. He'd been fired from Kool-105 in 2002, at age 63, just a year into a five-year contract. The suit was filed a year later. Does anybody remember how that was resolved?

New ratings approach presents challenge to Cruisin' Oldies

By Michael Roberts
Westword
Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 08:01:54 AM

Dear diary...

KRWZ/950 AM, known as Cruisin' Oldies, went live Wednesday, and the station is clearly investing in name Denver talent, including Randy Jay, who got the heave-ho last year amid KOOL's demo-shifting experiment, and longtimer Hal Moore. But even if the station attracts a sizable audience of boomers to its mix of '50s and '60s rock classics, it may not make much of a dent in the ratings due to changes just announced by Arbitron, the firm that measures the size of radio audiences. Starting in Spring 2009, the company will "increase cash and other incentives for persons age 18-34 while reducing incentives for age 55+ only households in all diary markets." The result means that stations like KRWZ and KEZW/1430 AM will likely earn ratings that underestimate their actual listenership to a considerable degree because fewer members of the loyal older listenership they target will be counted. Judging by Arbitron's policy shift, folks who are age 55 are older matter even less than before.

The press release:

Arbitron plans cell-phone-only sampling, increased incentives to listeners 18-34

(September 15, 2008) Arbitron Inc. has announced an expansion of its sample quality improvement programs for diary markets. The new efforts are designed to further enhance the participation of 18-34 year olds in the company's diary-based radio ratings services. Arbitron plans to:

- Add cell-phone-only households to the survey sample in an 125 diary markets beginning with the Fall 2009 survey;

- Increase cash and other incentives for persons age 18-34 while reducing incentives for age 55+ only households in all diary markets starting spring 2009;

- Accelerate the development and deployment of electronic and online alternatives to the paper and pencil diary for all markets.

"Continually enhancing the quality of our samples, surveys and reports is a priority for Arbitron. While our improvements in PPMTM markets have been getting the headlines in the past months, we have also been working to expand the scope of our efforts for diary markets," said Steve Morris, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Arbitron Inc. "We're grateful to the Arbitron Radio Advisory Council, the Small Market Owner Operator Caucus and many radio group owners for their participation, which has helped us set our priorities and shape the programs we are unveiling today."

Adding cell-phone-only sampling
Arbitron plans to implement cell-phone-only household sampling in an initial 125 diary markets starting with the Fall 2009 survey. (Specific market list not yet finalized.) The company's goal is to sample cell-phone-only households in all diary markets. The specific timing of further deployment of cell-phone-only sampling will be informed by the results of our 2009 implementation. NOTE: Portable People MeterTM markets already include cell-phone-only households in their panels.

"The number of households that have 'cut the cord' and can be reached only by cell phone has risen steadily," said Owen Charlebois, president, Technology, Research and Development, Arbitron Inc. "People who live in homes that can be reached only by cell phone are more likely to be between the ages of 18 and 34. By including cell-phone-only homes in the sample frame we will be better able to improve young adult proportionality in diary markets."

Redirect cash incentives from older to younger
Arbitron is planning to increase incentives paid to households with a person between the ages of 18 to 34 in residence, while at same time reducing the cash incentives it pays to households with persons ages 55 and older only.

Arbitron plans this redistribution of survey incentives from older respondents to younger respondents in all diary market starting in Spring 2009. The Spring 2009 rollout is contingent on the success of a "live test" which will be conducted during the Fall 2008 survey in selected markets. A portion of each test market's sample will receive the new treatment approach.

"Before we begin the rollout of cell-phone-only sampling, we plan to give all diary markets the benefit of increased financial incentives for 18-34 year olds," said Pierre Bouvard, president, Sales and Marketing, Arbitron Inc. "Along with other improvements introduced earlier this year, such as young-male promised incentives and second-chance diaries, our goal is to produce an immediate and measureable improvement in the proportionality of 18 to 34 year olds in diary markets."

Arbitron is accelerating its work to design Web-based data collection tools and test whether that could replace the paper diary as the primary means to collect data. Work has begun on designing this new approach. Methods and feasibility tests are being scheduled for 2009.

Arbitron intends to refine the concept with an approach that targets the Web-based tool as a "first choice," particularly for younger respondents, while maintaining the option for the telephone interview or a paper and pencil-based form for older respondents.

"Web-based data collection is a promising tool when it is used with accepted probability sampling techniques," says Bob Patchen, senior vice president and chief research officer, Arbitron Inc. "We are focusing on approaches that emphasize on-line participation, while giving less Web-savvy consumers the choice of more conventional alternatives."

Hopefully Da Boogieman will find a home there, after being ousted by KOOL 105 on Tuesday.

I'd love it if Mick could get some work at KRWZ, even if it's just a weekend gig whre he could dig deep into his collection.

Wow, I missed that. Thanks for posting the news, Tim.

Best of luck to Mick. I also hope they can find a place for him over at 950. That would obviously be a better fit for him than KOOL 105.

PS: I'm definitely enjoying Hal, Randy and Chuck at 950. I'm not so wild about the midday guy. If they have to move someone for Mick, I hope the midday guy is the one who goes. While I'm not suggesting that Mick do middays, maybe Chuck could move to middays and Mick could do a live show in the evenings. It would also be great to have Mick doing live weekend evening shows.

During Hal's show one morning last week, I caught some news updates from the very competent voice of KYGO news director Simone Seikaly. Great to hear that! And bit by bit, KRWZ is beginning to sound like a real radio station. Next come the ads, the traffic reports, and hopefully some more voices.

Let's do this right, Lincoln -- and so far, so good!

I think Lincoln should consider having DaBoogieman on there.

Be sure to mention Da Boogieman AND HIS LIBRARY.

Heard NBC Radio News at three minutes before the top of the 10 AM hour Monday...

It get's better and better...

I too think its great they have top of the hour news, I wish more FM's like KYGO would have more frequent news updates during the day, even if it would be a 30 second AP update. Its good to see and hear that Lincoln is making 950 into more of a full service AM music station.

Well... Because sane, OLDER ADULTS like to know what is going on in the world, and talk radio is disruptive in the workplace, and most likely banned if you have three or more people working together...

And it helps you monitor time... Break time, lunch time etc... And by having news on before the top of the hour, your people won't be late for the 10 PM meeting!!!

RadioDude, in the days of AM Top 40 radio -- days this format is trying to hearken back to -- those stations such as KIMN had very aggressive news teams, and often offered news at :55 and sometimes even at :25. The "full-service" element was a hallmark of AM Top 40. It wasn't just the music, it was the personalities, the contests, the imaging, the community events -- and yes, news, weather and traffic. You didn't have to tune anywhere else to get everything you needed. That's what KRWZ hopefully wants to do. If you just want a jukebox, listen to the Solid Gold Oldies channel on Comcast. AM Top 40 is much more than that.

Nice to hear the minute-long NBC updates again. They haven't been heard in this market since KNRC folded.

Other new additions on 950 this week include an all-request lunch hour during Bill Press' show, and some trivia contests. One today asked for the names of two Righteous Brothers Top 10 songs, and offered as a prize two tickets to a play at the DCPA.

As Gladiator pointed out, news is at 3 (or so) minutes to the top of the hour. They're probably doing that so that the station will play news during automated periods. They set the news to record and it plays as a scheduled element in automation. I hope that their recorder works well. I have worked at stations with such systems and had the recording system go down. When that happens, the same stale "news" will run for hours or days on end.

That said, I have high hopes for this station. I hope Lincoln lets the pros they've hired create some kick-@ss radio!

Those NBC Radio news updates -- a Westwood One property -- are delivered live at :50. KRWZ today seemed to be running them around :53.

They're delivered Monday through Friday from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. our time.

Driving thru Kansas I stopped at Conoco in Goodland, Kansas late last week and was surprised cause they had 950 playing over the PA, so its obvious the folks in western Kansas have discovered KRWZ, or at least the Conoco has. I was actually surprised how clear 950's signal was in western Kansas.

Acutally it was more like 5 p.m. when I was passing thru. KHOW and KRWZ come in quite well in western Kansas most of the time. In cars it depends on what kind of hardware you have. In my old Chevy Avalanche I couldn't pick up AM for crap because of a noise capacitor issue that plagued the truck that Chevy could never seem to fix. In my current cars, 1 with factory radio, the other with an Alpine system, I can pull in KMOX out of St. Louis after dark with no problems, KRLD from Dallas, and if I get real lucky WLW from Cincinnati, KFI from LA, and only ONCE on a cold ass night I got the 5kw 550 KFYI from Phoenix sitting on my driveway at my old house in Littleton.My favorite DX was pulling in KOA on a very cold Ohio night in Columbus December 23, 2004; KOA was all over the Cleveland sports station that occupies 850.


At the mom and pop Conoco in Goodland, Kansas its a pretty good bet they have a better then average receiver. I can't say KHOW and KRWZ are without fade in Kansas, but they are very listenable most of the time. Of course I would bet at the Conoco the reception varies with the weather conditions.

Several of our AM signals -- 630, 670, 760, 850 and 950 -- spread out quite well in the daytime over the flat Kansas plains. At midday, I have picked up KHOW as far east as Abilene, nearly 450 miles away. And by the time I reach Oakley, Colby and Goodland, KOA is nearly city-grade strength -- in the daytime. So I'm not surprised KRWZ is heard well in Goodland during the day -- maybe even better than it comes in at night.

I just heard Hal Moore say that traffic reports start next Monday.

I checked RadioLocator and it looks as if 950 has practically a "free run" on the oldies audience in western Kansas, with another weaker AM in McCook, Nebraska as the only competition. Does anybody know if places like Goodland are surveyed by Arbitron?

I think the smallest market Arbitron surveys is, interestingly, Aspen!

Still no development of the website:

http://www.cruisinoldies950.com/

As of this morning it appears they have started running ads on 950.