Annual best-and-worst lists always generate lots of reader/radio station responses. And this column is no exception.
Here's a sampling of some of the rebuttals to the Radio Dial best-and-worst selections that were published Dec. 26, 2003, and Jan. 2, 2004:
Really disagree with your best talk show choice of Doug Wright. Tom Barberi's show might have less listeners, but in my humble opinion is much more interesting overall than Doug Wright, whose show is boring many times. — Terry Hanna of North Salt Lake
Doug Wright was named the best local talk show host.
How about Keith Abrams of KOSY, who brought the station's soft adult contemporary format into existence, as the market's best program director? Or, how about Rod Arquette, who has kept KSL on top since the late 1980s? — Dan Jessop of KBZN
Dain Craig of KSFI and Sue Kelley of KRSP were named best program directors.
KCFM (Sanpete, Sevier and Juab counties) started playing all-holiday music on Halloween last fall. The station's New Year's resolution for 2004 is not to start playing all-holiday tunes until at least November this year. However, it is worth noting that KCFM's more than two-month-long string of holiday songs might very well have been the longest-running Christmas music on the radio for the entire nation. Also, KCFM's holiday music was commercial-free, a gift to the communities it serves. — Bob Morey of KCFM
The worst trend for 2003 local radio was playing earlier-than-ever holiday tunes, with KCFM being the first to do so.
CORRECTION — In the Dec. 26 best-and-worst list, Millcreek Broadcasting's KUUU — not Clear Channel's KURR — should have been listed under the heading "biggest shortcoming" for its lack of a Web site.
TEN YEARS AGO IN SALT LAKE RADIO — Mark Waldi and Sue Kelley debut as morning hosts on KRSP . . . "McCormick and Scotty" of KUTQ fire themselves in a stunt that brings on some temporary replacements . . . KALL-FM changes call letters to KODJ . . . KSL drops ABC Radio and Paul Harvey broadcasts . . . KKAT fires "Cano and Simmons" . . . KSFI is No. 1 among adults in the Arbitron ratings . . . The Bible Broadcasting Network purchases Ogden's KKBE, which was in Chapter 7 bankruptcy . . . Martin Tanner and his religion show switches from KTKK to KSL.
RADIO HAPPENINGS — KZHT, now at FM-97.1, and is running a "Money for Your Motormouth" contest. Callers who repeat a "ZHT" phrase as many times as they can in 10 seconds win $25 for each time they say it correctly. "Danger Boy," one of the station's "Z-Morning Zoo" co-hosts, visited local gyms Monday to tempt fitness enthusiasts with junk food in an attempt to get them to break their New Year's resolution.
— The loop recordings on FM-94.9 saying KZHT has moved to FM-97.1 will end soon, and a new station and format will debut.
— "Scott and Erica," formerly of KISN, are now on KOSY (FM-106.5), weekday mornings from 5:30-10.
— A special lecture on KBYU (FM-89.1) will feature Jussi Bjrling, voted the "Greatest Singer of the Twentieth Century" on Thursday at 7 p.m. The lecture will originate from the Brigham Young University Museum of Art Auditorium.
E-MAIL: lynn@desnews.com