KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy

Subject: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: GUEST,SaveKBCS
Date: 10 Jul 09 - 02:17 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Major Programming Changes Slated for KBCS Community Radio

BELLEVUE, Wash., (July 8, 2009) -- Starting in August, the first phase
of planned changes at KBCS 91.3 FM will eliminate four hours of music
programming each weekday. Further changes are planned for weekend and
weeknight shows in coming months. The richness and diversity of
programming will be drastically cut if these plans are carried out.

You can help! By replying as soon as possible, your comments can help
preserve music diversity at KBCS.

Write to: [e-mail].

Phase 1 - Weekday Program Changes scheduled to take effect in August 2009:
* Drive Time Jazz (7 - 9 a.m.) will be replaced by public affairs.

* Morning jazz programs (9 a.m. - noon) will be replaced by a single
jazz program with a single paid host. Gone will be these shows:
- The Bud & Don Show
- Bebop Spoken Here
- 20th Century Jazz
- Vintage Jazz
- The Caravan

* Lunch With Folks (noon - 3 p.m.) will be replaced with a
homogenized, generic "Americana" program with a couple of paid hosts,
eliminating the diverse knowledge and expertise of the variety of
daily programmers.

* Daily Planet (3 - 5 p.m.) will be replaced by news.

This first phase of programming changes will result in the elimination
of over 20 volunteer hosts along with their formidable knowledge,
expertise, and passion for the music of their respective genres, to be
replaced by two to four paid DJs.

Voice your comments now! Tell us what you think about these proposed changes.
Write to: [e-mail]

* Would these changes make KBCS less valuable to you?
* Are you a member/supporter/volunteer?
* How would these changes affect your participation and support?

Please pass the word to anyone who likes jazz, folk, world, or other
eclectic music found on KBCS.
Visit www.savekbcs.org for current details. Thanks!

About SaveKBCS:
SaveKBCS is a group of long-time volunteers and financial supporters
of KBCS who want to save what we value most about our community radio
station.
SaveKBCS is not affiliated with KBCS 91.3 FM Radio.
SaveKBCS is not affiliated with Bellevue College.

Contact: [e-mail]
Website: www.savekbcs.org

Subject: RE: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 01:05 AM

Times are tough

Only the strong survive

If the 20 volunteers contributed 100 each a month...their entire year's donations could not equal one month of good, agressive, advertising income...

This is a fair weather pet that is ready for a merciful "good-night" and "good-bye."

No More Tax Dollars ! ! !

Subject: RE: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: GUEST,iancarterb
Date: 11 Jul 09 - 05:07 PM

What makes the college station unique is the folk music programming. I spent a work lifetime in commercial broadcasting, and commercial broadcasters can't do it. Seattle has five NPR and Community radio stations, and KBCS will sound MORE like the others when they've ripped out the programming from the individual unique programmers. It isn't for charity- it's for unhomgenized communication of art and politics.

Subject: RE: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: GUEST,John Birnel
Date: 12 Jul 09 - 08:49 PM

Most of the jazz on KBCS has not appealed to me.

I am perplexed as to why the Lunch for Folks is being replaced with a more generic program with paid DJ's, but I haven't seen the research. Lunch with Folks has been one of my favorites when I have sometimes tuned in during the day (not that often. The Caravan I have also enjoyed.

Subject: RE: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: Stewart
Date: 13 Jul 09 - 12:16 AM

KBCS was (or is until the end of July) real community radio - local volunteer DJs who know the local music scene, interview local and visiting performers, promote and play music of local musicians, and take requests. It is THE folk music station of Puget Sound. And I have given them my generous membership support.

I listen to Lunch With Folks just about every weekday from noon - 3pm. I don't know what I will do without it. Maybe stream a folk music program off the internet, but it won't have that local flavor and connection. And just what is this "Americana"? Then there are the Sat and Sun shows that I enjoy. As I listen, I get to know the local DJs - their eclectic choice of music and their knowledgeable commentary. This I will miss.

I don't understand this move. I've been getting dozens of emails from my friends (and on-air pleas from my favorite KBCS DJs) about this, urging me to register my reaction (which I have done). I can only see support for the station plummeting. So why are they doing this? It doesn't make much sense.

Oh well, I guess everything changes, and it's not always for the best. I guess I'll just have to get used to it. Goodbye KBCS!

S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: Stewart
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 08:54 PM

Eclectic KBCS-FM overhauls programming as listener interest wanes
Seattle Times, August 17, 2009. By Nicole Tsong, Seattle Times reporter

Bellevue community radio station KBCS has been losing listeners and loyalty for years. In response, the station is changing its morning programming in hopes of drawing new listeners.

In the two small buildings on the Bellevue College campus that house radio station KBCS-FM (91.3), music spanning from jazz to the Grateful Dead drifts through as volunteers come and go. Colorful posters for shows like the World Rhythm Festival and "An Evening with Robin and Linda Williams" hang on the walls.

But on Aug. 24, the community radio station once dubbed "Place to Catch the Craziest Music" by a local magazine will eliminate four morning music shows and use that time instead to air the same show every day. The station also is cutting a staple: two hours of early-morning jazz in lieu of public-affairs news.
more...

-----------------------
As we near Aug.24, when the first round of these dismal changes starts, I will sorely miss the popular "Lunch With Folks" show (noon-3pm) as it will be replaced with a generic "Americana" (whatever that means) with one or two paid DJs to replace the volunteer DJs (a different one each week day) who have a wealth of knowledge of various types of folk music and would play and interview our local and regional folk musicians.

S. in Seattle
where we once had great
local community folk radio

Subject: RE: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: Deckman
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 09:19 PM

You know Stew ... trying to get these people to listen to reason is like trying to "push a rope!" Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: GUEST,trog.luddite (Jeff Glick, Bayside, WI)
Date: 25 Aug 09 - 01:06 PM

[Just sent the following to ALL, including on-air DJ, at KBCS. FYI, "[e-mail]" is inoperative. Wonder why. (Actually, I wonder why ANY of the email addresses is working right now.) And, to the "GUEST" who said something about letting the old format die a peaceful death: Drop dead.]


*******************************************************************

I've been away a few months, and only now have -- at the appropriate time, adjusted for my current time zone -- gone online to hear my favorite show and favorite host, Mssr. Goldberg [name underlined].

WTF ? ? ? ? ? ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

This can't be about saving money. You replaced all your knowledgable, dedicated and invaluable volunteer hosts with several PAID hosts? (Worthy as John Gilbreath may be, this is just unbelievable bullshit.)

You do this to Bud [in large, bold italics], after all he's gone through, and all he's given you?

W. T. F. ? [in huge, bold, red, centered font]

-Jeff Glick


"No matter how cynical you are,
you can never keep up."
Lily Tomlin

Subject: RE: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: Don Firth
Date: 25 Aug 09 - 02:05 PM

The Puget Sound area (Seattle / Everett / Bellevue / Tacoma) is blessed with a plethora of very good public radio stations. Jazz buffs have hours of jazz programming on KPLU in Tacoma, and Seattle's KUOW has truly excellent news coverage and talk and discussion shows with good, knowledgeable interviewers and interesting, newsworthy guests, both local and national. That, and my local PBS television channel, are where I get what I consider to by the most reliable news coverage and information programs.

In fact, for most of the day, I listen either to KUOW or to KING-FM, a very good classical music station (irked a bit by frequent commercial interruptions, but at least they'll play a whole work before the pitch-man comes along).

I do listen regularly to "Lunch with Folks" on KBCS. In fact, "Lunch with Folks" is the only reason I have to listen to KBCS. If they remove that program from their schedule, then I may as well delete their frequency from the one-button scanner on my stereo tuner.

Of course, I can always stream folk music programs from other stations around the country through my computer, but that won't replace KBCS's information about folk music events going on in the area, nor will it necessarily replace the personal interest of the volunteer DJs.

So there it is:   without "Lunch with Folks," there is no reason for me to listen to KBCS.

Don Firth

P. S. As good as it still is, KUOW took a severe hit when it dropped Fiona Ritchie's "Thistle and Shamrock" from their Saturday afternoon programming some years ago.

Subject: RE: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 09 - 02:30 PM

Mr. Firth,

May I recommend http://thistleradio.com ???

It covers Fiona Ritchie's "Thistle and Shamrock" and has podcasts of the last three shows and multiple archive interviews

The best thing is ... you are not bound to weekend hours only (Lord knows there are much better things to do than listen on a weekend.)

Subject: RE: KBCS Radio Music Programs In Jeopardy
From: Art Thieme
Date: 23 Dec 09 - 11:57 AM

Simply Folk ia one program--hosted by old fiend Tom Martin-Erickson on Wisconsin Public Radio that is still here long after starting out in the 1970s.

Long may they wave. (But I'm not holding my breath...)

Art