Bill Virgin's Radio Beat September 27, 2007

[radiofan]

On Radio: KIXI brings in a familiar voice for 'Music of Your Life' series
By BILL VIRGIN
P-I REPORTER

Good news for fans of the old version of KIXI-AM (880): One of the adult-standards station's local hosts is back on the air with the station.

No, don't get your hopes up. This doesn't portend a shift to more local programming or a return of other members of the former KIXI lineup.

Instead, Janet Wilson is joining the syndicated "Music of Your Life" service that KIXI added in June 2006. She's doing a show from Seattle 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday that is heard on the service's 200 stations.

KIXI's decision to switch from local to syndicated programming prompted considerable listener unhappiness at the time. Marc Kaye, general manager of Sandusky Radio's five Seattle-area stations, says that's not surprising. "We get more e-mails about (KIXI's) format than about the FM stations" Sandusky operates locally. KIXI listeners "take greater ownership" of the station.

But Kaye believes listeners are happier about "Music of Your Life" now than when it debuted on KIXI.

A major change is in the music itself, which Kaye says is closer to what KIXI was playing before the switch. For that he credits a new "Music of Your Life" music director who "had more of a vision of what we thought it would be like."

"Music of Your Life" continues to play the standards of adult standards, like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Dionne Warwick, but has added more contemporary artists including Harry Connick Jr., Michael Buble, Rod Stewart (who has launched on a standards songbook career of his own) and Diana Krall.

"It sounds more sophisticated, hipper," Kaye says. The new music director has "brought a little different energy," while broadening the service's broad and deep library that cuts across genres and eras.

The other big change is the announcers. When "Music of Your Life" made its local debut it emphasized the presence of big names as hosts, including Wink Martindale, Peter Marshall (from the original "Hollywood Squares") and Gary Owens (best known nationally for TV's "Laugh-In").

In May, radio-industry publications reported that Martindale and Chuck Southcott had left "Music of Your Life." Wilson's show replaces one hosted by Owens. Kaye says some of the hosts "sounded bored; they were going through the motions." Kaye says "Music of Your Life" is moving to hosts who, like Wilson, are enthusiasts for the music and artists they're playing.

In the overall l2-plus ratings from Arbitron, KIXI's audience share rating and ranking were slightly ahead in the spring 2007 book than in winter 2006, before the switch was made.

Kaye says KIXI is picking up listeners from another source: The station is carried on the second HD channel of sister station KRWM-FM (106.9).

In other radio notes:

Nationally syndicated talk host Phil Hendrie is back on the air in Seattle; KTTH-AM (770) has added his show 2-5 a.m. weekdays.

A follow-up to last week's item on the morning show at KMTT-FM (103.7) -- producer Lee Callahan, frequently heard on the air with host Marty Riemer, is no longer with the station.

Will National Geographic, known for its visual images in print and on television, work in an aural medium like radio? It's giving it a try, with "National Geographic Weekend," a two-hour program hosted by Boyd Matson and featuring stories about, and interviews with, explorers, naturalists, scientists, photographers and filmmakers. Locally, the show has been added by KKOL-AM (1300) at 6 p.m. Sundays.

King County Executive Ron Sims takes listener calls on "Weekday" at 10 a.m. Thursday on KUOW-FM (94.9).

Author Robert Fulghum is the guest on "Weekday" at 9 a.m. Friday on KUOW-FM.

Don Riggs' guests on "Introspect Northwest" at 6 a.m. Sunday on KMPS-FM (94.1) and 9 a.m. Sunday on KPTK-AM (1090) include White House Drug Czar John Walters.

Lizz Sommars' guests on "Conversations" at 6 a.m. Sunday on KISW-FM (99.9), KKWF-FM (100.7) and KMTT-FM and 7 a.m. Sunday on KNDD-FM (107.7) include Taylor Grant, health industry analyst and author of a book on helping consumers get the best care, "Health Matters."

The Sunday edition of Jim French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM, includes a new Sherlock Holmes adventure.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.

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