Bill Virgin's Radio Beat November 20, 2008

[radiofan]

On Radio: Do you hear what I hear? It's already Christmas on the air
By BILL VIRGIN
P-I REPORTER

Sandusky Radio's Marc Kaye says it was the calendar, not any grand strategic plan, that prompted the Nov. 14 switch of soft-hits KRWM-FM/106.9 to all Christmas music.

Thanksgiving is Nov. 27 this year, the latest date it's possible for the holiday to fall on. KRWM-FM has made its annual switch to Christmas before Thanksgiving in past years. With a short window between the two holidays this year, Kaye said the station switched early to give Christmas music a longer run.

Kaye said that every year there are a few listeners who protest that "before Thanksgiving is a little early for me." Generally, though, the calls run in favor of the move, even when it's before Thanksgiving, he added, and a few have said they can use the lift of holiday music given the trend of economic news this year.

For those who prefer their music Christmas-free, KRWM is accommodating them, at least online. From now through Christmas Day, www.warm1069.com is offering two streams -- the on-air holiday-music version, and a second featuring KRWM's regular soft adult-contemporary hits.

While KRWM's Christmas programming features a lot of familiar classics, it does get updated with new releases. Program director Laura Dane said artists with new Christmas releases this year include Harry Connick Jr., Tony Bennett and Jim Brickman; there's also a new release in which Elvis Presley holiday songs have been re-engineered to pair him in duets with current artists.

The other Seattle-market station that annually goes to all-Christmas music, contemporary-Christian KCMS-FM/105.3, is holding off until the day after Thanksgiving.

"All of our studies indicate that people want to celebrate Thanksgiving first," said KCMS program director and morning co-host Scott Valentine. "They don't like blending it all together. Playing Christmas music too early is over-commercializing Christmas and they don't like it."

While KCMS features both secular and contemporary-Christian songs and artists when it plays Christmas music, Valentine said one artist familiar to both audiences has a new holiday release that's likely to be featured on the station this year -- Amy Grant.

KAFE-FM/104.3 in Bellingham will go to all-Christmas music beginning Dec. 15.

In other radio notes:


KVI-AM/570 will be adding Dennis Miller's nationally syndicated talk show in early February in the 9 a.m.-noon slot, replacing Dr. Laura Schlessinger. Miller's show had been on KKOL-AM/1300 in this market until that station's recent flip to a business-news format.


Photographer Annie Leibovitz is the guest on "Weekday" at 9 a.m. Thursday on KUOW-FM/94.9. At 10 a.m. King County Executive Ron Sims takes listener calls.


The Taj Mahal Trio performs at noon Thursday at the Seattle studios of KPLU-FM/88.5.


Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM features a recent performance by saxophonist Jessica Lurie.


The Sunday edition of Jim French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM/880, features a production of the script that won the third annual writers contest: "The Genetic Lottery" by Bryan Johnston.

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

Bill Virgin's Radio Beat, Thursdays in the Seattle P-I