New York's KISS FM 98.7 is Quietly looking for Morning Drive Host

-
Since firing well known comedian DL Hughley late last month, New York's Adult Oriented Radio station 98.7 KISS FM, which is owned by Emmis Communications, has been quietly looking for a new morning drive host. Hughley was considered too offensive, irreverent and never really connected with the audience in spite of his brilliance as a comedian. His banter with co-host Jackie Reid sometimes made listeners wince in shame. One long time listener said, "it bordered on sexual harassment." Radio is a totally different world than stand-up comedy. Steve Harvey, who is marginally talented as a comedian and as an air on personality, has managed to successfully navigate that chasm on his nationally syndicated show, which is aired locally on Inner City Broadcasting’s flagship station WBLS 107.5. The best morning drive host KISS FM had was Ken "Spider" Webb followed by Comedian George Wallace and Jeff Fox. Their on air interaction was infectious, comical, and memorable. It was universally assumed by radio industry pros that DL Hughley was going to be a bad fit for KISS FM. He is a West Coast fixture with little understanding of the New York market who loves to “play the dozens.” So, he was doomed to failure. His former co-host Jackie Reid who has temporarily been pressed into service as host is skilled, attractive, and eminently easy to listen to. She has tons of experience, used to host BET News, co-host Tom Joyner, Al Sharpton, and Steve Harvey's shows like a journeyman giving both a crash course in broadcasting before PDs felt comfortable enough to allow them to go solo. Reid has appeared on or done numerous other shows. But she is not an on air personality. The heavy dose of music KISS FM now offers listeners with little or no kick-you-in-the-ass, and wake-me-up dialogue is not a sustainable format for a major market morning drive show. KISS FM is going to have to bite the bullet, and quickly hire a seasoned morning drive host, or go to another syndicated show. I would love to see Wendy William's old sidekick, Charlemagne Tha God, tapped to do the morning drive at KISS FM. He was unceremoniously canned by Philadelphia radio station 100.3 The Beat back in November after the station reported it wanted “change its format” although his numbers were through the roof. His firing came just days after he gave an exclusive interview with Rapper Beanie Sigel airing out his grievances with Rapper Jay-Z. Many people believe his termination was orchestrated by Jay-Z's camp. He is now on South Carolina's 92.5 The Box hosting a weirdly timed evening drive show. Although he is from the Palmetto State, a little young for KISS FM's demographic, he is very sharp, witty, knows the New York market, and listeners will love him in that spot if he can deftly switch gears from Hip Hop culture to Adult Oriented Radio. KISS are you listening? Stay tuned.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NeoSoul: mesmerizing, genre bending, soul drenched, grooved filled music

-
What defines NeoSoul? The question has not been clearly answered. But Neosoul is what the name implies: Neo meaning "new" plus soul music. If we start from that simple proposition instead of what some fans and aficionados and even industry insiders post, we have to define soul music, before we can even get to NeoSoul.  According to Wikipedia, "Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African-American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues." Now that we have that out of the way, we can begin to talk about the evolution of NeoSoul, or "new" soul music that started being produced and recorded in the mid-to-late sixties. Who were the top five major Black musical talents or influences in the mid-sixties: Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and  Marvin Gaye. All of these artists had careers that spanned decades and, mor
Read more

Bucks County Cesspool: A Parting Shit

-
 The $2,100 ransom that the defendant has been coerced to pay under threat (aggravated by a bumbling, stumbling, and mumbling bedraggled, slovenly, indolent, disheveled lying court-appointed lawyer wearing shoes so worn out and, as such, rolled over, he must have had to lay down to put 'em on, unable or unwilling to provide effective assistance of counsel) of incarceration has been paid in full.  Do not contact or threaten this alleged defendant anymore, period. This jurisdiction has no further official business cognizable by common, state or federal law with the defendant. He is not seeking any further post-conviction relief. Leave him alone.  The defendant is resigned to take the "L" - the loss like a boss. He has paid the terms (dearly) for being held hostage in full  - imperiled by unprofessional threats to his life and his liberty, both. He will not tolerate any further officious, presumptuous, or unethical subordinate court clerical personnel or anyone else in this
Read more

Crisfield, MD

-
   Last year, an utterly impotent Crisfield City Council by simple majority could have voted to compel the city to continue providing water -- after I complained that the city treasurer attempted to levy an outrageous, unaffordable lump sum $5,500 connection fee upon me. But the council over run as it is with bumbling, stumbling and compromised Negroes craving adoration, affection, and affirmation from whitey, too busy slopping greedily at the trough of supremacy, could barely summon the energy to lift their nappy heads; thick, greasy lips; and, stained clerical collars, dripping with Massa’s scraps, long enough to address the inequity.    Fat, sleek, and well fed at the expense of conscious black folk, who are much leaner through deprivation. The naïve souls who elected these ineffectual apparatchiks to the council with the hope that they would represent our interests in a hostile Republican stronghold had finally had enough. In my case, these pet Negroes permitted (hat-in-hand, ski
Read more