[ratnobMember]

Yes, this very much has the feel of a corporate decision – a resung package used on other Clear Channel stations is much cheaper than a custom. For me, the pity is that a very distinctive station sound now sounds like all the others …

[mjb1124Member]

I don't mind RW on CHR and Hot AC stations, but I've always thought their AC jingles sounded loud, obnoxious, and out of place next to the music, even with the format moving in a “younger” direction in recent years. I know jingles are supposed to stand out, but there has to be a certain degree of flow. And they sound REALLY out of place alongside the old JAM jingles, especially considering that they use a different logo.

But what do I know, I'm neither a radio programmer nor a member of the target demographic…

[nostalgie]

Perhaps Mike, but you are a human being with emotions and good ears.

What is about changing all AC stations for something close from CHR these days? I'm only 37 and
I still like Paul Davis, Dan Fogelberg, Al Jarreau, George Benson or England Dan… as much as I still belong to the era of KOST jingles from JAM. Am I too old now to be in the target groups?

I also love the “oldies sound” in music, like many of my friends. Strangely, here in Toronto, there is not even a single “FM” radio station offering this kind of music (that I wish would be similar to CBS-FM
in NYC.) Though, we have many FM stations downtown suggesting the same CHR or Rock format,
or very close from it. The situation is ridiculous. No wonder why in commercial places, we hear more
and more XM Radio (!).

In addition to that, since when radio stations change their image in the middle of summer? We usually see this kind of move early September, in January or early Spring; this seems strange to me.

I was looking forward to listen KOST in October, when I'll be back for a week in Los Angeles, but I must say now that I won't have the same excitement on the dial…

It's a very sad day. Although I know that ReelWorld has its defenders, I found important to communciate my opinion on this matter since I still belong to a young generation and that I really loved the sound of KOST by JAM. It was refreshing!

[JingleMadMemberAuthor]

I'm actually a listener to KOST, and I like what RW is going to do for KOST in the future.

The WLIT logo they use isn't that great, but hey, it's what Stella the KOST PD wants, and we'll just have to except the logo she wants to use.

Off-Topic on KOST here, but our station in Grand Rapids WOOD FM has also dropped Jam after 15 years. They now use WLIT 07 and RW One together. Recently though, they are starting to air more RW One cuts and got rid of the WLIT 07 package permanently.

[nostalgie]

I think it's a little more complicate than what Stella really wants in fact.

[LenGroat]

I said I would not comment further, but checking on Google I found:

http://airchexx.com/markets/los-angeles/mark-kim-on-kost-1035-los-angeles

Basically, Kim Amidon who was on breakfast at KOST for 22 years (with Mark W) was 'let go' in 2008, and this site has a spate of negative comments about the station since then.

Many times I’d push my preset button for KOST in hopes I would hear the team of Mark and Kim in the morning, but the minute I hear Mark, but not Kim…it’s just not the same…I truly enjoyed the chemistry between them…it made mornings quite enjoyable…I do not get the same feeling…no warm fuzzies or entertainment…it’s ashame…

AND

I too was disappointed when Kim just suddenly went missing one morning. I wake up to KOST, and hey, just suddenly one day she’s gone. Like switching Darren’s on Bewitched, no mention of it at all, just “hope they don’t notice” (!!!). Now there’s that new gal with the cigarette-smoker’s voice, what’s her name? Kristen?

If you put this together with the fact that the new idents are syndicated not custom, I'd guess BOTH events are to SAVE $$$s !

Or in other words, JAM did not 'lose' KOST, the station could not afford a JAM custom, so went to Reelworld and got bog standard, off-the-shelf jingles.

So in a few months KOST lost its 'signature sound', and one of its 2 star presenters of 22 years standing.

That does not sound like 'Progess' to me!

PS: Kim Amidon must be doing something right, she is now on KRTH with Charlie Tuna and Jhani Kaye!!

AT last a Happy Ending . . .

[ratnobMember]

Okay, last aircheck from me (as I can't stomach listening any more!). Here's what news/travel etc sounds like:

[MarcMannetje]

I have been programming radio since 1997 and are really suprised by this decision. Especially because:
– cumulating listeners is very hard, once they like your sound they tend to come back, so any change is a big risk;
– more and more AC-stations are using RW, so to stand out JAM would be a better choice;
– 'KOST plays other artists than 20 years ago'. I know stations who play todays music with todays jingles from JAM and are (of course) marketleader, what's your point?
– the musical production quality of JAM is, to be the least, different from RW (in my opinion better, but that's partly a question of taste), because of arrangements, placement and instrumentation;
– evolving a sound is not always changing it, Coca Cola did not change their taste did they…;
– Clearchannel always puts money above fun-to-use, sound, quality, heritage and love-for-the-product.

Isn't it time for change at ClearChannel-management?
– Choose people who love their work instead of who love the money;
– respect heritage;
– long term fidelity is worth a lot.
It's time for high fidelity! Yes We Can!

[dogman849]

Weather jingle for KOST…..sounds like JAM?

http://jinglemad.com/e107_files/public/1248373523_1463_FT73346_kost_103_weather_jingle.mp3 filename:kost_103_weather_jingle.mp3

[mbMember]

I like Reelworld a lot more than other posters but this is clearly a double-U logo package sung for a K call letter station and it sounds awful. Especially with the W blogo at the top of each cut. It just sounds wrong.
But what Clear channel know about radio can be written on the back of a very small postage stamp.

[mjb1124Member]

dogman849 wrote:
Weather jingle for KOST…..sounds like JAM?

http://jinglemad.com/e107_files/public/1248373523_1463_FT73346_kost_103_weather_jingle.mp3 filename:kost_103_weather_jingle.mp3

Yes, the TOH and weather jingle are still JAM for now, and that makes the RW jingles sound all the more out of place.

[bland75Member]

To add my 2p worth, the production quality of those RW jingles is terrible. It is an exact carbon copy of the WLIT 02 package/logo theme.

Yes I love JAM and I do like some RW stuff but these KOST jingles I've heard from ratnob's airchecks are geniuniely poor, second rate, sound weak and unfortunately, blend very nicely into the homgoneous sound of 21st century AC radio

[RjM]

I was really disappointed to hear this news. To my ears any station dropping JAM is a bad thing (That's not to say Reelworld are all bad, and of course they have their place). But in this instance to replace the highly crafted, JAM customs for an off the peg package with a inappropriate logo is ridiculous! Geoff's airchecks (thanks!) with both Reelworld and JAM only highlight this.

JAM jingles were what made KOST, KOST. If they wanted to update to a more upbeat sound, why not challenge JAM to provide that, rather than following the crowd? I actually think that the JAM KOST sound had evolved over the years, especially the last few packages, while still retaining their signature sound.

[calguy]

Right now they are integrating the new Reel World jingles in several positions during the hour, but are still using the JAM jingles at the top of the hour and on the weather forecast. But that probably won't last long. It would seem that Program Director Stella Prado doesn't want to over load the audience with these all at once so she's blending them in gradually. I've heard that she had little control over the decision and that there's someone else in the building who wanted the change. I've listened to the WLIT package on the Reel World site and this seems to be the package they're using. Reel World hasn't really done a very good job with these, they sound better on the Reel World site when sung for WLIT. KOST always had their jingles custom made from the ground up by JAM and for anyone who knows what the JAM KOST jingles sounded like it's obvious that the vocals are better than RW, as is the mix, the instrumentation, everything. Jam is just smoother, classier. The Reel World stuff on the other hand sounds rushed, loud and sort of obnoxious like something from 1982. Gone are the KOST melodies, replaced by someone else’s. Money wasn't the real concern for the switch as they were still getting stuff from JAM as recently as this year. I can only imagine how Reel World will ruin the night show Lovesongs on the Coast which always had lush, beautiful, romantic jingles.

[IainJohnstonMember]

To me, it does sound OK on air (and I don't particularly like RW's “identikit” sound), but I had noted what Len has and that is that the “logo” instrumentally up-front is a “Wxxx” structure that doesn't “fit” KOST103point5, so even if this is a “custom” its clearly written for syndication first rather than JAM's KOST cuts clearly being for the commissioning client as a priority.

And that “last note high” into a slower tempo song – yes, as I've said before, a high last note in a logo does “carry better” into a piece of music (I want to say “record”!) but traditional jingle producers always did cuts in a package that would use a “down” or slower last note version cut(s) either e.g. directly or in the chord structure of the vocals – countless examples of that abound.

Apart from that, radio & jingles, like everything else “moves on” – whether its for better or worse…

As for ClearChannel – as mentioned elsewhere, corporately they might not last as long as the KOST PD! – they have already sold off about 25% of their 1800-station accumulated portfolio, including many loss-making or “not-enough-profit” ones and their recent Bond issue to try and refund their massive debt load flopped miserably.

[martinlesterMember]

Neal wrote:

There stuff is not that good.
It almost sounds like under cutting everybody with their prices.

Not really. We have Reelworld One AC in Dubai and it ain't cheap. RW1 AC is a strong product and works VERY well on air.

As a fan yes I do like the JAM stuff for KOST (in fact REALLY like) but they have been with them since 1984. There's nothing wrong with a radio station wanting to change their sound after all this time.

Well for everyone with short memories WNIC Detroit. Moved from JAM to reelword a few years back, a move that was not that successful which is why they then when back to JAM

Time will tell if they have learned from the mistakes they had made in the past,

I also can't see how an Off -The Shelf package can be MORE EXPENSIVE than a custom made package

[LenGroat]

The intense interest and heavy rate of replies to this topic must also be viewed as a Tribute to the achievement of:

Jon Wolfert & Jhani Kaye

Having worked with Jon, and bought cuts from various KOST packges, I know what a perfectionist he is and he loved these jingles. Clearly there was a creative synergy between Jon and Jhani Kaye that kept a wonderful balance over the sound and evolution of the KOST jingles for YEARS.

Sadly, that is radio history now, and what a shame the new PD is not being allowed creative freedom.

I believe that no one, particularly ReelWorld, will be able to follow this legendary style and sound.

Dust to dust…

[JingleMadMemberAuthor]

RjM wrote:

JAM jingles were what made KOST, KOST. If they wanted to update to a more upbeat sound, why not challenge JAM to provide that, rather than following the crowd? I actually think that the JAM KOST sound had evolved over the years, especially the last few packages, while still retaining their signature sound.

Agree with you Rob. Jam could have done an upbeat package for KOST, But that's all water under the bridg now.

If I was programming KOST, I would have done what Stella has done, but the Jam signature sound would be incorperated into the new RW One package and it's updates.

To bad that didn't happen. That would be kool if they did though.

I think we're done with this thread now. Jam jingles will be all gone on Monday, and the new RW cuts will be on aire afterwords.

KOST may not be KOST anymore, but we'll see how the ratings go

[Admin]

Martin Lester wrote:
I also can't see how an Off -The Shelf package can be MORE EXPENSIVE than a custom made package

I never said it was.

To quote Beaver “It almost sounds like under cutting everybody with their prices”.

That is not the case at all. KOST have simply gone for a different supplier while saving some cash along the way. Reelworld haven't under cut anybody.

[ratnobMember]

Cody

I suspect you're right that there's nothing else to say on this topic.

As a farewell to the KOST sound we've known for the past 25 years, Paul Bland has agreed that we can resurrect his brilliant montage of JAM cuts for KOST.

Reach for the tissues, shed a tear, and enjoy.

http://web.me.com/geoffbarton/Blog/Jingle_Podcast/Entries/2009/7/24_KOST_Memories.html

[tyty21]

that's right! jam had KOST covered from the ground up, and they dropped those guys? come on! that's just offul, and i live in L.a. and we've lost another jam station! might it be from this poor recession right now? that's probably why jam and RW is going at it right now!

[LenGroat]

Ref: Neal's comment…

'That is not the case at all. KOST have simply gone for a different supplier while saving some cash along the way. Reelworld haven't under cut anybody'

That's a very strange statement!? This radio station achieved what it did for decades by not 'saving some cash', and not going to a company who churn out 'chewing gum jingles' that have no durability.

To me it seems that whereas for decades Jhani Kaye personally 'went to JAM' and created RADIO MAGIC, now some unknown (management) person (not the PD) has decided to 'save money' and buy a cheaper, non-custom package. And they have bought it from a company who clearly 'did what they were told' and produced a package that loses the HERITAGE of the station in one blow!

I suspect the station melody logo is copyright to JAM, hence the change to 'W' station logo, and screeechy girl solos which are the only thing that fit it.

I'm typing this as I hear the INCREDIBLE compilation (thank you) ~ the namechecks, sensitive vocals and JAM harmonies, great sax, strings and VIBRANCE of ths soft but firm sound will NEVER be surpassed or even equalled.

This change in style amounts to closing down KOST, they may as well re-name it KLOS!

[calguy]

Neal wrote:

I also can't see how an Off -The Shelf package can be MORE EXPENSIVE than a custom made package

I never said it was.

To quote Beaver “It almost sounds like under cutting everybody with their prices”.

That is not the case at all. KOST have simply gone for a different supplier while saving some cash along the way. Reelworld haven't under cut anybody.

I've been speaking to one of my contacts at CC LA and from what I've heard KOST got these new jingles practically for free. It's being bartered. Their PD had almost no control over the decision. It was made from above by another PD who has some control over KOST and hated JAM, hated the JAM jingles. Don't know who that is, but the phrase I kept hearing from my friend was, why do they try to fix something that isn't broken.
KOST's ratings have been relatively solid with number one numbers in their key demos as well as solid 6+ ratings as well. It's just someone exerting his or her own preferences and will over another. Hopefully these will be a failure and they'll be back with JAM in a year or so. Until then they'll just suffer with sub-standard jingles and hope that it doesn't hurt them as much as all the firings did. It took them a while to come back from the last batch of bad corporate decisions.

[ratnobMember]

We'll see. I'm hearing that there's no big corporate conspiracy behind this after all, just a station that wanted to update its sound in what they thought was a more contemporary way. Let's wait and see what the listeners think. After all, it's only jingles.

[nostalgie]

I do not agree, Geoff. It's not “only jingles”… it's the heritage carried by these jingles.
It's the “soul” of KOST.

Changing jingles shouldn't ever be seen as simple as changing a haircut.

[Author]

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