Secrets of the City

YES! Kool 108, if you are reading this, we loved you as you were!

Music from the 60s and 70s?! Please. What about when they used to only do music from the 50s and 60s? Those were the golden days of 108.

Time for XM, grampa.

740am ( I think…?) still has the oldies soul/60s/70s format It can be a bit fuzzy at times, but iw better than 108 ever was.

Time for XM, grampa.

Confounded kids with your internet grammaphones in your autocars and fancy Snoopy Dog Dog music! Get off my lawn.

Holy crap! I was waiting for them to finish up with that endless Christmas music so I could enjoy their normal format….and now this?? Damn!

Their DJ just said, “The New KOOL 108 with Super Hits that Move.” But the website hasn’t been changed, it still says, “Super Hits of the 60s & 70s.”

Sweet. You can listen live here, if you’re so inclined.

(links are good)

The radio stations were crappier better when Matt was here.

yeah, i stopped listening to them a few years back when they changed their format from 50s and 60s to 60s and 70s. 70s music is okay and all, but reminds me of that rochester station that played mostly 70s and 80s hair band music.

Mp3s.

They’ve been playing that music for 30+ years. Dig out your LPs, ya boomer, and let some young people listen to their music for a change.

Of course, I think most modern radio music is crap, and rely on my DJ iPod.

I’m not a boomer or old geezer (yet) and I love the ’50s and ’60s music… I have since I was very young. I love modern music and old music alike – there’s room for both. If someone wants KOOL 108 to go back to what they were doing best, why the kneejerk reaction that he should dig up his old LP’s or go with XM or whatever? He’s got just as much a right to his oldies as you do to the crap you listen to on the Current.

Maybe it’s the youngsters who should go digging up the old Chuck Berry LP’s, they seem to be the ignorant ones here.

I know this isn’t something you want to hear but the prime demographic target of KOOL remains 35-44. Because of that the station, like every other station in town, has to readjust their playlist every few years to meet the music expectations of its prime target and to stay within the sale-able demos that ad agencies buy. The change in KOOL’s programming is just acknowledgement that the music of the 80’s is now the new “oldies” format.

Think of it this way: the music of 1985 is now 22 years old. In 1980, when WWTC (”The Golden Rock”) was in its prime, a song that was 22-years old would have been released in 1958. If you don’t think Def Leppard or Loverboy qualify as “oldies” now, then Elvis or Sedaka or the Shirelles weren’t “oldies,” either, in 1980 from a strictly age-dated criteria. You just don’t think of Def as an oldies band now because, hey, you danced to them in high school or bought their records in college.

Sorry, but demos for whom ’50s and ’60s music is most appealing have now, for the most part, aged beyond the 25-54 target most advertisers set their sites on.

That’s not to say someone won’t start up a “Golden Oldies” (Elvis, Holly, Ronnettes, etc.) format that appeals to the 55+ listener in much the same way Al Ham had great success in the 1980’s with his syndicated “Music of Your Life” format (Sinatra, Bennett, Clooney, etc.) that scored with 55+ listeners back then.

True dat, noodleman.

So basically what you’re saying noodleman is that we’re gonna have to put up with Norah Jones, Coldplay and U2 for many more years then?

What’re they playing on HD? They were playing 80’s music on HD2. Is that still true? Are they using their HD3 signal?

Most people my age (55+) do not have IPOD’s. I grew up on Perry Como and Nat King Cole. Besides listening to KOOL 108 (when it was oldies), I used to listen to KLBB when it was at 1470 AM. Now it has moved to a different location, with a much weaker signal. We, middle aged and seniors, still enjoy listening to the oldies when we’re in the garden, fishing or at the pool. By the way, do you remember the old WCCO am with its “Good Morning’ song at the crack of dawn, farm reports and its unusual repertoire of Christmas music? Please Twin Cities, give us back our music.

KOOL 108 is doing nothing more than aiming for the money demographic. Unfortunately, advertisers don’t care much about anyone over the age of 54 and that would put the earliest age of the music KOOL would want to (numerically, anyhow) play at the mid 1960s. They are simply evolving, be thankful that KOOL hasn’t vanished entirely as ‘oldies’ formats have across the country. It could always be worse.

Aleshire –

I remember the glory days of WCCO, and of it being on constantly in our house when I was growing up. You don’t even have to mention what it programmed, just mention the names: Boone & Erickson, Viken, LaMont, Diehl, Hobbs, Lilligren, Christensen, McFarland, et al… CBS shares in the blame for fucking up that station since they purchased it in ‘92, but it began to slide back in the late 80’s when out of town GM’s came in and began to shove the hosts into early retirements. I’m happy that I can listen to the Twins on KSTP come spring! The “new” KLBB format is great, if not better than the old, but you’re right that the signal is hard to pull in, even in Minneapolis.

If you want a real treat, go to Youtube.com, type in and search names like Perry Como, etc… and you’ll pull up great clips of them from their variety shows and those types of shows from the 50’s to the 70’s and you’ll be amazed at the great stuff that’s been forgotten in favor of the crap that’s out there today! The majority of the stuff I’ve watched was before my time, but it’s incredible to go back and see those performers at their peaks.

I don’t want to come across as a radio stooge but I’ve been in the business 30+ years. I’ve seen formats come and go; I’ve been fired because of format changes; I’ve been hired because of them; I’ve had to fire and hire because of change.

The second thing you learn in the business (after first learning that “job security” is an oxymoron) is that change is inevitable so you might as well get used to it and make the best of it while you can.

This same thing happend to the Beautiful/Easy-Listening format in ’80s. The demo with the greatest appetite for that type of music began aging beyond what advertisers wanted to reach. As with any business, you gotta have customers … and if my radio station can’t reach the customers an advertiser wants to reach, I have to make changes that will get those customers listening to MY station; not yours.

Why do you hear so much Elton John, Rod Stewart, Eagles and Fleetwood Mac music on the radio? Because many potential buyers of cars, refrigerators, microwaves, Olive Garden dinners, and regular oil changes have expressed their “like” (or intense “like”) for that kind of music. If you were in high school anytime between 1970-1982, the music of those years will constitute a great majority of the music you hear on commercial radio because you are in the prime 25-54 demo that your average advertisier wants to reach. Sorry, but if you like the Beatles, they’ve gone the way of Elvis and Johnny Cash on the radio.

The sad fact of terrestrial radio is that its listenership is starting to fall off — for the first time in 60 years. Blame it on the iPod, satellite radio, piracy or whatever, radio is reaching fewer people now than it did 5 years ago. It’s no longer a growth industry. Cash-rich, yes; growth, no. Look to see even more changes on the horizon as radio has to learn to deal with this new reality.

Another sad fact (actually two) is that the average listener nowadays has no loyalty to any one particular station nor do they look upon radio anymore as their “friend” (as we can see by all the Good Neighbor memories that abound). Radio has become a commodity; a disposable commodity at that. The greatest fall-off in listenership is among the under-25 crowd. They turn to radio half as much (if that) as a 40+ year-old listener.

Potential solutions will be easier to find for radio than will be a solution to the slack off in readership for newspapers. However, companies like Clear Channel have already done some irreparable damage to radio’s historic business model that had the industry on a continual growth path since “dying” in the ’50s because of television.

“If you were in high school anytime between 1970-1982, the music of those years will constitute a great majority of the music you hear on commercial radio “

Ain’t that the truth. I go back to my home town and see my friends from high school, they’re still listening to the same music. They’re in a time warp, musically.

My theory is: Once you get married you listen to the music you listen to when you were dating your wife. After that, you stop taking chances. And seeking out different music becomes something frivolous. Some of that music deserves to die with dignity.

I’ve tried listening to the new KOOL 108 and the format doesn’t seem to make sense to me. None of the songs compelled me to “move” if that’s what they are aiming for.
(Although it was entertaining to hear “Build Me Up Buttercup” this afternoon)

If Twin CXities radio stations are going to persist in playing the same 20 freaking songs it IS time for an Ipod.

I don’t think Kool 108 is telling people to move. The music moves.

“If Twin CXities radio stations are going to persist in playing the same 20 freaking songs it IS time for an Ipod.”

It’s PAST time for an iPod.

My wife used to listen to Kool 108 all the time. When she was in high school, her car radio always reset to 87.7 or whatever the first frequency is. One click down, and it was 107.9. Viola! Kool 108.

I am 23 years old and listened to KOOL108 ALL the time!!!! I don’t care too much for the new format myself. It wasn’t just appealing to the baby-boomer era, many of my friends my age listened too.

Try 1220 and 740.

I like that KOOL 108 is playing old Casey Kasem shows now at any rate. Ryan Seacrest took over for Casey, thus destroying American Top 40.

Beyond the snotty cracks. . . some of us cannot use IPods with an earpiece because of hearing problems, such as ringing in the ears. I’ve tried an IPod and ended up with headaches because whatever I’ve listened to echoes for the next few days.
I’d love to use an IPod but cannot. If anyone has a constructive suggestion for how to get around that I’d love to hear it.
I also cannot afford XM Radio.
My frustration with changing radio formats is that there just isn’t that much to listen to in the Twin Cities and we hear the same few songs over and over. The programmers assume we’re all a bunch of 30-something soccer mommies.
And by the way, there was a promo on KOOL 108 the other night that implied that the music would make you want to dance and party.
About a decade ago, when I worked in a St. Paul community center that shared a building with a school and a city rec center, the junior high kids would have dances and pick their own music. It was cute then but I now know they all grew up to program KOOL 108!

You can get external speakers for an iPod. There are some fine headphones as well that aren’t that expensive. The earbuds don’t fit me well, but I mainly use it when I’m traveling.

I noticed a subtle change in the kqrs palylist over the last few months. Less seger, steely dan & eagles, more 80s alt rock. Rem is pretty regular and I even heard alex chilton(replacements) once.

That’s when I knew we were all going to hell…

Get an iTrip and use the iPod with ANY radio. I use my iTrip 99% of the time I use my iPod, in the car, at home, out camping, at parties, work………anywhere.

Hey, I miss 950 Solid Gold Soul. Freddie Bell in the morning and Miss Alma. HEYYY!

Avoid the iTrip. It’s the least effective of all the transmitters sold. Stick with a Kensington or a Monster brand transmitter, and shell out the extra cash for one that plugs into the 12-volt outlet in your car. It has a stronger signal and charges your iPod while you use it.

Ok, I tried listening to KOOL 108 over the last 2 nights…..AND IT SUCKS!! It looks like Cities 97 and KS95 will have to do for me. Yeah, I also noticed KQ had made changes to their song playlist.

Also avoid the Belkin Tunecast or whatever they call it.

Piece. Of. Crap.

http://www.accuradio.com/

you can find your nat king cole, rosemary clooney and snoop dog all here.

90.3 FM

also archive.org if you know what you are looking for or just want to do some digging. A great resource.

Thanks for the many useful tips. I may be dusting off the IPod the kids gave me after all.
(And I miss Solid Gold Soul too)

Not to turn this into an iPod discussion board: but has anyone had any luck with any of the products that integrate your iPod into your factory car radio?

The Belkin tape adapter works quite well for us.

How can I dash-mount my 8-track player so that it won’t bounce around…my new Kiss Alive tape keeps skipping between tracks.

Wow, that was SO ironic and witty, “grote.” So fucking funny I forgot to laugh.

Grew up on the 60s and 70s, would rather hear them than some of the stuff on the “new” KOOL 108. Hopefully they’ll change it back with enough negative feedback

Guess I’ll just have to play oldies on cd’s at work all day – this stuff’s a little too wild! 50’s & 60’s Rock!

I just about ripped the radio out of my car this morning when I heard 108 had a NEW format. Go back to the real oldies. Classic rock is what KQ is for…although it would appear they’ve started selling their soul also.

And to set the record straight, I’m not a grandpa, grandma, boomer, geezer, whatever you want to call me. I’m 29 years old. I don’t want an mp3 player nor all of the gadgets to go with it. I have two small kids…I have enough crap to deal with.

grrr.

please……if i wanted a “new format”, i would change to kq. I am glad to see i am not alone

Cruel 108

Noodleman, it’s not about “formats,” no matter how much your industry wants to push canned products. It’s not about labels. It’s about music; not about decades or styles.

KOOL 108 is a radio station, not a jukebox. It is supposed to be alive with personality, not a cash register.

I moved to the Twin Cities in 1992. It was immediately apparent that the small market selection of radio stations allowed for limited “formats.” The few stations I’ve enjoyed have routinely disappeared: KJ104, KLBB, and the original KQQL.

All the changes were about money. Customers are considered conduits for cash, not people to be served. That’s why there is so much anger at the lack of variety in the Twin Cities radio landscape, and that’s why so many of us have iPods and satellite radio.

I can’t even get angry anymore when a station changes. It’s just another in a long line of disappointments, made worse by the fact that the changes are not surprising.

As someone who listens to “popular” music from the 1920’s to current day and to most formats other than country and headbanging music, you can count me out of your demographic.

And “job security” is not an oxymoron. Look it up.

–jbazan

Not only are they playing rock music, but it’s 80’s at that. To remedy this, I went to eBay, bought the 10-cd set of TimeLife’s Malt Shop Memories and don’t bother listening to the radio any more. And for 80’s music? Jack FM, baby. Goodbye, Kool108. It was nice while it lasted.

Jeff Olson has been removed from the Personalities list on the Kool 108 web site. And the link to his morning show has been removed. Anyone know the details of what happened? Anyone know who will be next to go?

Shit, I still don’t know why Thorn was shit-canned from The Current. Why can’t any of these hipster insiders provide us with the dope?

Please PLEASE Kool, move it back, this new format is just not working. The 70’s were so much about the Southern California style soft rock, such as Player, Firefall, Steely Dan, Ambrosia, Chicago, Seals and Crofts, etc. You had the 80’s at 8pm leave them there, we need the old format back, that was the appeal of your station, sadly it has lost that appeal now. Please give us back our old format, we waited so long through the nonstop Christmas music, only to come back to this?

Come on Kool, move it back, please!!!

I agree with the majority of the bloggers. KOOL 108 is copying the other stations in the Cities. Horrible to say the least. I’ll be listening to CDs more in the car, my iPod on the bus/train, or nation-wide stations on the computer at work. Too bad that the mighty dollar runs the programming in this neighborhood.

What on earth did you do to my radio? I can’t stand it. I resorted to tuning into 740 AM.

I am SO disappointed in the new format….loved the music from the 70’s and 80’s …when music was music and you could understand what the words were…yes, sometime change is inevitable but sometimes as in this situation leave it alone…IF IT AINT BROKE DONT FIX IT !!!

PLEASEEEEE go back to the original.

Does anyone know where Jeff Olson has gone? I, too, don’t care for the new format and have switched stations but would love to follow Jeff to his next gig!

I just have to say that I am kind of disappointed in the way KOOL 108 took Jeff Olson off the air w/o an explaintion. I called yesturday and all they said was that he wasn’t going his show anymore. I was thinking of calling back today and asking where we can find him.
I think we should all call and let them know what we think. Until they say why Jeff is not there anymore.
The phone # is Office: 952-417-3000 they open from 9-5. Lets give them hell for what they did.

I absolutely HATE the new format! And REALLY miss the morning show. I’m going to call and complain; let’s boycot ’til we can find Jeff!

I w/BJ. BOYCOTT!!!!!!!
I should have complained yesturday but, i didnt. i am going to call back today and give them what for.!!!!!
who is w/me?

WE WANT JEFF OLSON AND THE MORNING SHOW BACK!!!!!!

I am 49 years old and have been listening to Kool for approx 30 yrs throughout it’s various incarnations. I listen to everything from Big Band to Eminem-and enjoyed Kool–until now–the new format is pitiful-and listening to the new morning show this am was painful-2 men- no brains -ea fighting over the mike trying to get their share of air-time. No more KOOL for me-I can hear what they are now playing anywhere. And by the way nobody wants to “move” 24/7 I know that money talks-but this girl’s walkin

And get this! Last week I sent them a email and told them they need to change it back {pretty much what I said here} it went to programming, and they did not even have the courtesy to respond to me at all, not even a “thanks for the comment”. There is a insider there, and they have said that the feedback has not been good on the format change and the Jeff Olson situation.

1 kool listener, do you know what the situation is? i have wondered?
if the feed back is bad, dont you think that they would change it back and ask jeff olson back?
i thought the morning show was great and that everyone had a great chemistary.

Hey tmarkl, not sure what is going on over there, this is all I know, I know someone who knows { I know a friend of a friend, but this is for real} someone who was a part of the Jeff Olson Morning show, and she went in one day and they said they were all {morning show} gone, they asked her after the holdiay break what the “movin” promo’s were all about and she had said that they tweaked the format and the response has been negative. But the one’s that they are airing are people saying how they like the new format, so who know’s, I just wish they would switch it back, we will see when the winter/spring ratings come out.

Whose hair brain idea was it to change a perfectly good radio format. Did someone think all the original rock and rollers were going to drop dead Christmas Day. The morning show with Jeff was the best. This new format is AWFUL. It’s nothing new or innovative. It’s just a copy of KQ and quite annoying. I am no longer a listener.

Rosy red, you said it best!!! HERE HERE!!!!

Has anyone called to complain? I am encouraging everyone to call and just bug the hell out of them. Maybe they will see that we are loyal to Jeff and The Morning Show. There is no other station that plays that kind of music.
I am having a hard time trying to find a good radio station. Any suggestions?
HELP!! I LOVE MY OLDIES.

I have a great online radio station you can listen to at work. It is LIVE365.COM. They have all kinds of music to listen to. I think you people will like it. Try it and let me know.

The stations I like are as follows:
pop goes the 70s
====70====
That 70’s channel

just to name a few.

tmarkl-thanks for the online suggestion, will give it a try today, too bad I can’t get it in the car! I emailed Kool and told them what I thought, but they did not respond. Maybe will have to call them!

Thanks again!

I also sent an e-mail a couple of weeks ago with no response.

So glad we are not alone on these feelings. I have switched to XM and told the radio station I was leaving because of their “new line up”. You talk about marketing to the 30-54 age group -as those are the ones who are purchasing these days – However – have they forgotten – this generation of those who went to school in the 50’s and 60’s have incredible purchasing power in the market today. We are not exactly sitting in nursing homes -We are the bulk of the population.
I too miss Jeff Olson and his funny stories. Dan Donavan – is he still there on Sunday mornings from 10-12 with the GOOD music??? Or is he gone too?
I hope the station is looking at these comments as they do represent thousands of listeners.
Other cities can seem to get it right – they have “oldies” stations. What’s the problem here?
Where are you Jeff????? You have a following of great listeners.
BAD MISTAKE FOR THIS RADIO STATION!!!!!!!!!

Since I moved to the Twin Cities this kind of thing seems to happen frequently.
Tune in on a Monday morning and all of your morning drive family is just gone. No comments, nothing on their web sites, just changed formats and disgruntled listeners.
It took me a while to find 107.9 after the fiasco with THE JACK thing happened, and I was hoping that I would not have to do it again soon…

thank you sully. i am glad that we have the chance to express our feelings. i dont think the radio station cares. i wish there was someone out there from the radio station to read all of our comments.

to bad we could get the message out there to jeff that people care that he is gone. i feel bad for him.

Has anyone thought about printing and faxing these comments to the station?
Do their marketing people watch this blog?
I know Jeff’s wife works as reporter for Channel 11 – how about sending her something?
Just a thought.
I’m also positive the radio station doesn’t really care – I will not be listening anymore unless they change their format back!!!
At least XM radio has a 50’s and 60’s channel. So nice!!! They even have old radio shows -

I understand the need to be competitive in the marketplace-but the thought process behind this move seems to be faulty–what makes sense about alienating loyal listeners? Why put yourself in direct competition with numerous other stations with the same format-who do it better-it would seem to me that having a secure hold on a powerful “niche” in the marketplace makes more sense. Of course the powers that be over at Kool are not going to listen to us–we are not the ones paying the bills-the advertiser is. Those of us that are dissatified would make a far stronger statement by informing the companies that are currently advertising on K108 that we will not purchase their products and perhaps even organize boycotts of their products if they continue to advertise w Kool perhaps if they start to lose advertisers they will listen

Blame it on Madison Avenue. They are the ones that have decided what age group is most important. ($$$-wise) The media (in this case radio) blindly follows their directive in lemming-like fashion. Radio is a business and unfortunately, they are being given a business directive from Wall Street. Advertisers follow Madison Avenue’s lead. They are looking for radio stations that deliver the age group (25-54) THEY are supposed to crave, (as told to them by Wall Street). Why do supposed there are no “commercial” radio stations playing big band or Frank Sinatra/ Vic Damone music anymore?

Why don’t you see “I Love Lucy” or the ‘Honeymooners” re-runs in time slots before or after your local 5 O’Clock news? Instead, you get to gulp down all the Seinfeld you can take. Why? 25-54 obsession by Madison avenue. The genesis for what ails ya in commercial entertainment lies right there. Radio and TV station are just following what has been brought down from Mount Wall Street.

I too miss jeff and will not listen to this format. If anyone finds out where he ends up will you post it here?

I too miss jeff and will not listen to this format. If anyone finds out where he ends up will you post it here?

I have not been listening at all today, I usually listen all day, 10 hours at work, thanks to tmarkl I have on live 365.com. I just checked the kool website and they have the last few songs played, and one of them was a WHAM song! Im sure, a WHAM song on at KOOL, they sure dropped the ball this time, it isnt working dont they know that? I wont even mention the new “morning Zoo” Jeff is you read this, we sure miss you, not to mention all the good songs, “summer breeze” anyone? Guess maybe I should change my screen name.

What a rip!! Just when you think you’ve found a GREAT radio station and personality to go with it, they do this. This new format STINKS to high heaven. When their rating go south, maybe they’ll get the hint.

Hope Jeff hasn’t left the state. He has to many Minnesota fans!!

I also sent a message to the station with no response – I am no longer a member of the Kool Club and am currently searching for a new station as Travis and the Wild Man are definitely not the morning crew I am used to and enjoy.

FM radio is so 20th century.

Hey everyone.

I did find a new station on the radio. its not great but it does play some of the stuff “we 70s fans” would like. it is 105.9. I think its called kwin or kwyn?
thats just incase you are forced to listen the radio in the car.

1 kool listener, i am glad you tried live365. i like it alot. you can listen to it anywhere you have a computer.

i tried to find jeff’s wifes name on kare11 but couldnt find it. is her name Julia? pls let me know.

try to have a great day anyway.

I am 27 years old and I am a huge fan of the 50s and 60s music. (I love the Beatles!) I loved listening to Kool 108 when that was the format. Now it is even further from that. Personal I am not a fan of the 80s at all or the end half of the 70s. I grew up in that era and I think that there wasn’t a whole lot of good quality music made, it a rather disappointing era overall. There are other stations that music from the 70s can be heard, why can’t they let us have our oldies?!

I have read your e-mails and I agree with most of them…There is no more rock n roll, the rock nroll was in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. So, why are you playing 80’s. Once in a great while is fine, but I can guarantee you, if it keeps up, people in 40 to 70 year olds including me aren’t going to listen to your station anymore, and I have already quit for most of the time. You KIDS have your rap and crap that isn’t even considered music on just about every station on the radio, we only have one station for oldies and now that’s going to —-. even my kids love the oldies! I belong to the MSRA, so if you guys come there this time, you better have 50’s and 60’s music or don’t even come.

As said above someone should print this page/blog and fax it over to Kool 108, I cant at work, if I could I would, and I do not have a fax at home. I think they should see these, that is if they look, they have not answered any of my email’s to the station. They need to know this, and not just hear and play the good comments from the so called “listener” line.

I have just printed it up and will be faxing it to them today.

Thank you TKiihn!!

thank you tkiihn!!!.
may be they will get the hint or maybe not.

Here’s what I wrote:

I think youve temporarily shot the station in the foot with the change in format and the absence of the Jeff Olsen Morning Show. The good news is that the station has many loyal listeners! Feedback like this is valuable. I hope you will take the time to read comments from the listeners. Many report no response to their emails and voicemails. The messages on these 14 pages reflect the hearts of those listeners. Those listeners happen to have pocketbooks, too. We respectfully ask you to please consider our comments!

I also mailed the comments, but I did get a fax confirmation. I’ll let everyone know if I get a reply. I signed with my name and address, so that they’d know I wasn’t just some weirdo (as if that’s proof).

I can’t believe that Jeff Olson is gone from the Kool 108 Morning Show. The two bozo’s they have on there now stink. Bring Jeff Back!!!! The new format stinks too. Who says the The Station that Moves is moving in the wrong direction. The 50’s, 60’s and 70’s are the only songs that can be considered Classic. Take a look at all the movies out there that go back to the era of true Rock N Roll, when Rock N Roll was really Rock N Roll – Songs from the 50’s 60’s and 70’s. The kids today have their KS95 and 101. Give us back our Kool 108 and the good format. And get rid of those bozo’s they have on there now. At least Dan and Lois are still there.

tkiihn,

i hope they at least send you an email stating that they got it and have read it. but i guess that is asking for to much.
we will see. i hope they prove me wrong.
thank you for faxing all these blogs. i would think that one of the higher ups would read them and consider that they made a griveous error.

thanks again. have a great day.

Yet another example of when the “Music died”.Three in Clear Lake,IA in”59″ Jim Croce,Joplin,Rick Nelson and many others. Dump the new format bring back the old format!

Did you see this on the Minnesota Orchestra Website? How ironic. How do you think the brass at Kool108 is going to handle this one?
ABBA Karaoke Kick-Off
Fri Mar 24 & Sat Mar 25 6:30pm

Join KOOL 108 DJ Jeff Olson in the Orchestra Hall lobby starting at 6:30pm for a Karaoke Kick-Off event! Pre-registered radio listeners will sing their favorite ABBA hit for a chance to win fantastic prizes! Tune into KOOL 108 for more details and to register.

I also sent an e-mail to KOOL after Christmas asking where Jeff Olson went and they didn’t have the courtesy to respond. I don’t listen any more.

You do realize that music from the 80’s is anywhere from 18 years to over a quarter of a century ago. To call this music stuff for those young whipper snappers doesn’t follow any real age logic.

Also, I haven’t heard any regular 50’s music in years on Kool 108. I’m sure a radio business wouldn’t run away from a format unless it was not performing. There just not enough of us anymore to help Kool 108 save their ratings. If they want to try and expand their listening audience, They should. Commercial radio is a business, not a right we have.

Would you run a business like that if a minority of people had an issue with changing a failing product?

Riflish,

You raise good points, of course. Yes, a minority can influence a business if that minority has the most concentration of dollars to spend.

I think that most people realize that radio is a business dependent on ratings and dollars. What we’ve done is made sure that KOOL 108 received our opinions, in a respectful way.

I think that music from the 70’s is very relevant to young people today. My kids listen to pop music and rap and I am continually amazed at how many of today’s pop artists cover tunes from the 70’s in their songs. Also, songs from the 70’s are featured prominently in television advertising today. It’s not the 30 year olds that have money to spend; it’s the 40 -60 year olds. Our kids are teens or out of the house, we’re still working and we’re demanding better music than what the current generation can offer.

Why is it that an older generation has to always get into “generation warfare” over who’s music is better?

You baby boomers crack me up. You laughed at your parents for doing the same thing when you were shindigging to the Mersey beat back in the day. Face it, the 80’s are “today’s” oldies. A person who graduated in 1980 is 45 years old now and that’s getting near the upper end of the desired audience demographics advertisers want to attract.

Don’t be old fuddyduddies about it. Heck, I don’t like 80’s music myself, but I hear lots of 60’s music on Kool 108. I even heard “Johnny B. Good” and “At the Hop” the other day. Kool 108 hadn’t been playing that 50’s stuff in years.

hey tkiihn,
have you heard anything from kool108 about the blogs you sent yet?
i bet they dont even bother w/emailing you. that would be a shame.
i forget to let everyone know that TRAVIS MOON that is on in the morning now, is from a COUNTRY STATION (102.1) in MN.
so my question is, “what does he know about the oldies?”.

Hey tmarkl, Travis Moon has been the program director for Kool for some years, just a FYI, he also has been the fill in DJ over there at K102, not sure why this is, maybe because they are both owned by clear channel and the offices/studios are right across the hall from each other. And I dont care what people say about the 80’s being “oldies” they do not belong on Kool 108!! 108 was a original, now it just seems to be a copy of the other FM’s, no variety in this town what so ever, I dont listen to country, but even Country only has 1 station.

Thanks again for live 365.com, love it!

1 kool listener,

I am glad you enjoy it. I listen to it all the time @ work. Thanks for the info on Travis, I didnt know that.
It still doesn’t make me feel better.

…and your right, the 80’s DON’T BELONG ON KOOL 108.
They may be oldies to those of us who grow up in the 80’s, but wasn’t that ENOUGH?. Dont get me wrong, I like the 80’s on JACK FM NOT ON KOOL 108.!!

Have a great day.

Ok Kool 108, c’mon now, fun time is over, you need to get back to business, and by this we mean, 1-bring back the Jeff Olsen morning show, you had a great thing here, Jeff and his crew were great and you really had something, to allow that to go is a big mistake. 2-you need to revert the format back to 60 and 70’s, the 80’s are all over the FM dial, there is no shortage of 80’s music and to replace artists like, Seals and Crofts, Bread, and Jefferson Airplane.. etc, with the like’s of Prince, Wham and the Gogo’s, is just plain silly, not to mention insulting to your loyal long term listeners. If this keeps up, the only thing I am going to want to “move” is the FM radio dial.

I think the new morning show is kind of hilarious. They had me laughing particularly this morning about buying a cloud for a gift. I miss Jeff, but these new morning people do make me laugh. I’m gonna give them a little longer before I decide though.

Hey tmarkl and Tkiihn….I got a response to my email, it came from Travis Moon, and here it is, looks like we are stuck…..

Hi,

Thank you for listening to the new sound of Kool 108.
Unfortunately, Jeff is no longer with Kool 108.
We hope you can give our new morning show, (Travis & The Wild Man) a
listen. (5am-10am) We plan on having a good deal of fun in the Morning
in addition to the news, weather & traffic that listeners expect every
weekday morning. Since advertisers expect us to bring in more 25-54
year old listeners, we needed to expand our listenership and added some
select 80’s songs to our mix. We also returned some universally loved
late 50’s and early 60’s music to the mix as well. Our goal is to give
even more listeners a radio station that plays music that is fun, makes
them feel good, and is upbeat.

Thank you for your feedback,

Trav

__________________________________
travis moon
clear channel minneapolis
program director – kool 108
assistant pd & md – k102
952.417.3190 – office

Sorry folks, but that’s the way business operates.

As much as I think KQQL is probably going into an oversaturated market and this isn’t a wise decision, they feel as though it’s the best thing for their station.

Radio stations make idiotic market choices all the time and they alienate listeners constantly. That’s the business.

A long time ago, my favorite radio station went off the air (Rev105). Actually, it’s been 10 years this year since it’s been off the air.

People protested like all hell to get the station back. 10 years later, there is still no Rev 105. All the consumers that probably would want Rev back have probably developed loyalties to other radio stations or simply feed their eclectic tastes by going to sites like soundclick.com and discovering new genres and artists.

However, Disney (The owners of the former Rev 105) noticed there was a huge niche market in the Twin Cities that wasn’t being met and they’ve tried twice to capture the alternative rock market, with little success.

Everybody else moved on to other radio stations and they weren’t going to accept a watered down replacement station like Zone 105 or Drive 105. Their ratings were/are lower than Rev’s. Nobody listens to them, and probably to save that station from outright irrelevancy, they might have to bring the “Rev” brand name and format likeness back in order to gain back listeners.

Disney didn’t listen to the protesters, but they did listen to their advertising dollars flying away to other stations.

Lesson to be learned: Show your dismay with your radio dial. Simply don’t listen to the new product. Don’t walk by their booth at the State Fair.

Listen to competitors and also, don’t forget to answer radio station surveys.

Radio stations don’t listen to individual consumers about product change because individual consumers will always find some sort of emotional attachment to a certain product.

There are still websites dedicated to the return of Crystal Pepsi, the Arch Deluxe, and Prodigy internet.

Won’t happen though.

Just another STUPID move. You were the only station that we could listen to good music. all the others have these bozo’s that think it is Kool to swear and talk down about everyone, like they are GOD.
Jeff was the one that drew us.
Take a look at your numbers pal. You Suck. I am not listening anymore. Sounds like a lot of us are not. Just surfing from song to song and not dedicating to any station.
These two new guys are weird. What was so wrong with what you had?
I suppose now you are going to be even stupider (word) and not listen to anyone and leave it the same. Show just what you are made of. Dumb move Dumber people.
Just like Elvis said “You’ve Lost that Lovin Listener, now he’s gone, gone gone woow woow woow… See ya!!!

Dear Travis,

Thanks for responding. It is appreciated. I think you have missed something in all these good comments. We have ALREADY given the show a try. We have ALREADY given the new music a try. We don’t like it. Why is a 25 year old’s buying power more desirable than a 40 to 54 year old’s buying power? That is a mystery to me. I need to see who your advertisers are that are demanding that age range of 25 year olds. That makes no sense to me. I haven’t listened to the station in two weeks. I don’t even think of it anymore. I’ve just switched to my iPod. Is that what your advertisers want? Really? Please reconsider.

We have permanently switched our clock radio to a different station. We had it on Kool 108 for years, but the new format just doesn’t cut it for us when we get up in the morning. Sorry guys. I don’t think we’ll be back. If the goal was to expand listenership, I think the result will prove to be the opposite.

I LOVE the new sound of Kool 108. I can actually listen to it longer. The one thing I didn’t like about Kool 108 was the slow sappy stuff they’d play like Please Come To Boston or Morning Has Broken right after a really good fun song. ish!!!

The station sounds so fun now and while I do miss Jeff, I think the new guys in the morning are funny. They make a good pair and they aren’t predictable like everyone else. For those who don’t think they play anymore 60’s music, I heard lots of great fun ones all day today. I even heard a 50’s song. The 80’s music doesn’t bother me that much. I just like the bright sound better. It makes me less uptight at work.

I love my boss for letting us have a radio at work. The whole office is boppin’ away. We hardly ever would listen to Kool 108 at work before. Anyway, that’s my thought about it.

You know, I LIKE “Morning has broken” and Please come to Boston”!! I miss those type of songs on 108, no where to hear those “slow sappy songs” now! It is not the same and not nearly as good now!!! The ratings will soon tell, when they are in the bottom of the list, with about a 1 share!

Slow sappy music isn’t oldies radio. Go listen to WLTE if you want to be put to sleep. They’ll play that boring stuff til you are in a hypnotic stupor.
Kool 108 sounds better than ever! Finally a station that is fun in this community.

Can the eighties music and go back and play the music that made you a station worth listening to. Yes, the music from the late fifties to early seventies. Most of your listeners that have been with you a while are on the backside of fifty rather than twenty or thirty something. You stopped caring about your older listeners when you started this new format. Bring back the lost quality of what we knew as KQQL from five or more years ago. Thankyou

Bring back the music that was fun to listen to. I’m talking about the music you played when your station was the first one I’d pick to listen to. It no longer is worth my effort to try to listen, it’s awefull what you are playing now. We used to listen to it all day at work, not anymore though. No one here likes the music you are playing now. The music just isn’t the same. Bring back the music from the sixties, lots of it. You could throw in a little fifties and some seventies too, but no eighties. We now listen to some low power AM staion that plays mostly sixties rock all day long. Their reception is a little fuzzy at times, but the music is good. Hope you see the light and change for the better this time.

Our grand parents didn’t like the big band music that our father listened to back in the 40’s. They said it was noise. They didn’t like our uncle’s zoot suit either. They thought grandma and grandpa were old fuddy duddies. Our parent’s hated our music. Called it “that wild banging noise”. You guys all sound like your parents. What happened to you hippies? You are cracking me up with the oldies but goodies are the bestest music ever stuff.

The 80’s are today’s oldies. You will have to just deal with it.
A song that came out in 1980 is 27 years old. Yep, over a quarter of a CENTURY old. Sounds to me that they are just trying to keep up with the times. I doubt they would have done this if their ratings were good with the 50’s and 60’s music. Obviously they stunk and you must not have listened enough to help their ratings.

Wake up, stop going to the casinos and all you can eat buffets, and maybe your music would be relavent again.

I also hate the new format, I am not listening to “Kool 108″ anymore..I have sent numerous emails and never get a response. You really goofed up this time 108.

“No one here likes the music you are playing now. The music just isn’t the same. Bring back the music from the sixties, lots of it.“

– —

Ah, yes, the days of monolithic radio, when, all across the country – nay, all across the radio-enabled world – on any given day, the same forty songs comprised the Top Forty.

Myrtle’s right. Socrates decried the dissipation and lawlessness of youth in his day. Nothing’s ever as good as it was in our own personal “good old days.” But today is someone else’s future “good old days”, and they’ll probably be yearning for today’s music as they listen to their kids’ new random-generated white noise music.

Thank gawd my zoot suit remains fashionable, to viewers of taste. We all need our anchors.

.

You people who are so quick to judge those who are complaining about the format seem to be making age assumptions. I’m curious how old, in general, people are in this thread.

I’m 45, work full-time, married suburban mom, have school-age kids, never listened to 60’s music as a teenager and have never set foot in a casino. Every evening, I note that many commercials feature the music of my generation – ELO, Styx…the list is endless. Who exactly are you trying to bash?

KOOL108 can make whatever changes they want; we here are simply voicing our displeasure in an open forum. Go make your own forum about how much you love the new format.

I love Kool 108 even more now! The one thing I didn’t like before was how sappy and draggy to station got with the cheesy slow songs. Now, I can listen much longer and tap my toes to a longer stretch of real fun songs.

This city already has a cheesy slow rock station in W-Light. It’s about time there’s a station with good clean fun now. I Love It!

Go back to your roots and play the good old stuff from the sixties. Mix in a little fifties and a little seventies to round it all out. Omit the eighties and newer compleatley. Us folks past fifty need a station that plays our music as well. The younger folks have many to chose from we don’t. We may have arthritus and other problems and may be over the hill to some, but rememeber the music we grew up with well. I’m 55 and can’t dance all night like I once did either when I was young since the doc cut off both my legs last year, but I still love to here my sixties music while I sit in my wheelchair at work all day. Please play it like it was.

I have a new favorite radio station! Goodbye Jack, HELLO KOOL 108!
You guys Rock! I love the new morning show too. It’s so fun.

Station sounds great. Not sure why people are crying about it.
Sounds like 75 year olds swingin’ on the rocker on the front porch, cryin’ ’bout the “good ‘ol days”. Time moves on people.

I’m 57 years old and love it! I did not care for the sappy music they were playing more and more of. Now I have a radio station that’s more peppy and more fun and interesting to listen to. I got MY Kool on.

Enjoy Dan Donovan and Lois but not too fond of the new morning guys. Miss Jeff Olson on that time. Love Dan’s oldie show on Sunday morning. Please keep it.

The more I listen the more I really like the format of Kool 108. It has really grown on me. I heard At The Hop!!!! Loved the Wham song this morning too. I was against change at first, but they are doing a great job.
I’ll be the first to admit, we were wrong about slamming Kool 108 for this.
They really do sound fun. It makes me smile all day.

I have XM in my car, but preferred to listen to 108 in the morning while getting ready for work and the drive in. Jeff, Roy, Marshall, and all were fun to listen to, and so were the tunes.

Travis and the Wildman are not good listening, and the music has gone downhill. I have not listened to this show for about a week, too offensive to me and the world of good taste.

If people are looking for oldies, try 95.5 or 100.9, if you can get reception. They’re both south of town where they must not understand the word “demographics”.

You must be listening to XM too much. the new morning show is very good and lots of fun. I really like them a lot.

Old people sure get bitter with age don’t they. I’m gonna turn 50 in March and I hope I don’t get as sour as some of the folks posting here about Kool 108.

Like our teeth, nothing lasts forever. Kool 108 had it’s time for us musically. I’m sure they do some studies that showed that we we not listening to 50’s music years ago and updated their music to play 70’s.

The snobby music comments that nothing is better than 50’s & 60’s music make some of you look foolish and silly. The poster above was correct to point out that YOUR parents thought the same about YOUR music.

I’m sure 108 didn’t go about this music update without having some study to show it was needed. It is arrogant of us to think they did it just to piss us off.

From listening to Kool 108, it is apparent that many new listeners like the sound a lot. What’s wrong with them trying to expand their listenership? Oh yeah, it’s only about you.

Old people sure get bitter with age don’t they. I’m gonna turn 50 in March and I hope I don’t get as sour as some of the folks posting here about Kool 108.

Like our teeth, nothing lasts forever. Kool 108 had it’s time for us musically. I’m sure they do some studies that showed that we we not listening to 50’s music years ago and updated their music to play 70’s.

The snobby music comments that nothing is better than 50’s & 60’s music make some of you look foolish and silly. The poster above was correct to point out that YOUR parents thought the same about YOUR music.

I’m sure 108 didn’t go about this music update without having some study to show it was needed. It is arrogant of us to think they did it just to piss us off.

From listening to Kool 108, it is apparent that many new listeners like the sound a lot. What’s wrong with them trying to expand their listenership? Oh yeah, it’s only about you.

OK RANDY,
ITS NOT LIKE WE ARE SAYING THAT THE MUSIC KOOL 108 WAS PLAYING IS BETTER. WHAT WE ARE SAYING IT YOU CAN GET THE MUSIC THEY ARE PLAYING NOW ANYWHERE.
KOOL 108 WAS THE ONLY STATION TO PLAY THE 50′S, 60′S, 70′S ALL THE TIME.
IF YOU WANT THE 80′S LISTEN TO JACK FM OR ANY OTHER STATION!!!!!!!!
IF WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY SOUNDS SILLY TO YOU, THEN DONT READ IT!!!!!!!

THAT GOES FOR ANYONE ONE ELSE WHO FEELS THAT WAY.

KOOL108 LISTEN UNITE!!!!!!!! (old format listeners).

THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT DAY!

From the Kare 11 web page. Jeff Olsen’s wife’s (Julianna) email is:
jolsen@kare11.com, someone said they wanted to email her and ask about Jeff.

For all of those who care,
I have emailed Mrs. Olson and told her of this blog. I hope she will recieve it and respone.

Thank You carrie22 for the information.

Don’t let these people get you down Kool 108.
We love you at Allina!!!! You’ve NEVER sounded better!
We love Lois Mae! The new mix of music is PERFECT! Love the 80’s!

Hal T.,

What a gross misrepresentation of the conversation that has taken place. Let’s hope Allina listens better than you do.

Same for you, Randy D.

The old format was much better. Kool-108 is now not much different than Jack FM… it’s lame. I don’t care what stupid market research crap study they did, and I get the feeling Randy Densen works for 108 judging by his comments (or has close relatives/friends who do).

There is great music from ALL decades, but the point people are making is that 108 was the only station in town playing ’50s music and a lot of people loved that. Let’s go ahead and see if they fare much better in the next few Arbitron ratings and then we’ll see how the format change really affects listenership. They definitely lost me, I can tell you that much.

Funny, how people attack others for posting their own opinion about Kool 108. Afraid of having your pity party ruined? How dare you attack Allina for making a choice to like and listen to Kool 108. Ya know, some people don’t agree with the over the top, drama queen bashing of a radio station they like. One poster is even shouting, in capital letters, at others he disagrees with.

I personally don’t hear any difference in the sound of Kool 108. So they play some 80’s music during the day. Big deal. I’ve also heard 50’s music too. I don’t remember them playing any 50’s music before Christmas. I heard them play “Tequila” and “The Wanderer” also today. Does Jack play “Tequila” or “The Wanderer”? Nope. You guys are getting your depends bunched up over what I think is nothing.

There seems to be some positive comments on this thread. Kool rocks my world. I’m a married 44 year old mom of 3 and it is perfect for me.
Don’t hate me for it. I work at a cleaning company in the office and it’s on ALL DAY! I’m Kool!

WE LOVE KOOL 108!!!
It’s all we listen to at Snyder’s now!!!! It is the best radio station in town now!

new format is for the birds, i listen in the morning mostly on my drive to work 6-7am, travis and the wildman sound like a couple of bad actors who are reading from a worst script. some of the “lists” or “what would happen if” are not funny and in some cases downright wrong, an example would be Anna Nicole Smith meeting St. Peter, now I was never a big Anna Nicole Smith fan, but making fun of someone who is dead is just wrong. shame on you kool 108. what if that was your mother,daughter,wife or sister that had died? would it be funny then? get rid of those two dipsticks go back to good music and I will start listening again.

Whatever happened to ‘Five-Foot-Two’, ‘Oh, Johnny!’ and ‘Sentimental Journey’? I really miss listening to WCCO in the ’60’s. Now I have to depend on my 8-track tapes… they are getting old and brittle. How about this: ‘Oh Shenandoah… I long to hear you… Away, you rollin’ river…’

Our family listened to 108 for over 20 years.

I too am done with Kool 108. There are too many radio stations allready playing the format they have gravitated to. I’m a 32 year old male, and have listened to Kool 108 since I was a kid. Who made this rule that you have to change what an oldie is every few years? To me the music of the 50’s and 60’s is timeless. I was even disapointed when some years back they abandoned the 50’s altogether. Lots of people my age or younger have discovered, or are still disovering this music. Yes I grew up on the music of the 80’s….but guess what that music hasnt disappeared, it is still being played on every other radio station in town. This target audience? Have you asked them what they want before switching it? Do you think there is less buying power with people over 54 or under 25. Actually the baby boomers, from when the oldies were new have the most buying power, but they are largely being ignored by radio. The reason people listened to kool 108 was the wide appeal of the music for all ages. It really is ashame that their is no commercial outlet for what people really want. I’m tired of radio companies, record executives telling us what we like, and what we want to hear. At least one good thing has come from American Idol. finalists….good music sung by talented people…although there are still glitches in the system, but for the most part people have the say of who they like. So many of today’s artists are card board cut outs record executives try to sell to us. How long did it take before people realized, people like Britney Spears really couldnt sing, and were just marketed based on looks. I too like many other listeners will be relying on the internet and my cd’s for the music I like. And they wonder why radio is stagnating?

Jon Coon Rapids

you guys need to play go your own way

I’m exhausted with trying to “move” to the new Kool 108. . .as far as “fun” in the morning, I find the morning dj’s obnoxious and sophmoric. . .that isn’t fun, it’s ridiculous. . . bring back Jeff! As far as the format is concerned, there is no format, at least as I can tell. Kool 108 forgets that the Baby Boomers have lots of cash to spend and since it’s the almight dollar that drives the industry, Kool 108 and it’s advertisers will be losing lots of cold hard cash.
I miss Jeff, I miss the civics question of the day, I miss the wonderful music. . .sometimes progress is not progress. . .it’s just noise and chaos.

I tried out a free Sirius subscription for 6 months & the oldies stations were wonderful. But the cost of continuing the subscription with retirement looming in a few years is not an option. I was shocked when I tuned back in to 108 and heard unfamiliar music that was not even close to my taste.

since the change in format right after christmas, i find myself listening less & less to kool 108. if it were for the ‘geezer’ i would probably not listen as much as i do. i do luv the ‘geeze’.

i cannot stand stand the drive time dj’s in the morning. they are awful, nothing entertaing or funny about them.

a return to the previous format & ‘good old days’ would be most appreciated by me & apparently many others.

You guys are really old. OMG! The whining and yearning for the good ol days is laughable. Travis & The Wildman are great. I haven’t laughed so hard in the morning in a long time. The old morning show was MPR boring!
Thumbs up Kool 108 from Savage! I was a KQ listener for years. I now FINALLY have a new station to call home. Kool 108

for those of you who might have had to change your listening habits because of kool 108’s new format, yuk!!!! and maybe went to live365.com to get your music fix, I did a new posting about the new royalities issue. please read. Internet radio maybe a thing of the passed.
thank you

I do miss Jeff and wish that they would have told us about that. That wasn’t FAIR. It does piss me off that the Beatles Brunch was taken off. I like listening to 80’s music because I grew with it. There’s something different and one minute a song from the 80’s is played and the next minute a song from the 70’s so it is something for everyone. I do hope that Jeff finds something and that it isn’t too long. I’ve met him two times at Orchestra Hall and we’ve e-mailed each other and it was if we were friends. He deserves something good. He’s a good guy.
Travis and the Wild Man are okay. Times change. I suppose sometimes
we live in the past; we just have to move on and I hope Jeff has moved
on.

If you are looking for oldies there is a new station today that plays 60s-80s love songs/soft rock. It sounds very similar to Kool 108 before Christmas. Al Green, Sonny & Cher, Buckinghams, Simon & Garfunkel, Beach Boys, Classics IV, The Turtles, The Cowsills, Bread, Herman’s Hermits, John Denver, The Searchers, etc. I’ve replaced Kool 108 with 105 on my buttons.

105.1 (south)
105.3 (north)
105.7 (west)

Way to go 105! I too have replaced my 108 button with 105!!!
Jeff Olsen, a perfect new station for your much loved and much missed morning show!!!!

Yeah! Love 105 is great. I’ve also switched my presets now.

Hello 105. Goodby 108.

I do like the song choices on 105, but I wish they didn’t limit it to “love” songs. Anyway, does anyone have any real proof that Jeff Olsen is coming to the station?

I dont mind the music change. But travis and the wildman have to go. They are too boring and act like high school boys. And whats with them making fun of things and never letting it go like that dumb wham song. So they dont like it just say it once dont keep making fun of it. And they have to get rid of brian summers character its stupid!!! Like i said i love the music they play but hate the dj. I hope 108 re considers hiring someone else.

God Bless Dan Donavan. Not just the music but his insites are great. I,m 65 and I still buy things including new things. I did not stop when I hit 54.

Spring ratings are in, and just as predicted Kool dropped from 10 to 12, from 3.5 to 3.0
Per radio-Info.com

I gotta say that the Kool 108 Morning Show is pretty good now.
Travis & The Wildman are really growing on me. They make me laugh a lot.

LOVE 105 IS WHERE ITS AT NOW. KOOL 108 CAN ROT IN HELL I’LL

NEVER LISTEN TO THEM AGAIN. LOVE 105 PLAYS A LOT OF THE MUSIC

THAT KOOL 108 ONCE PLAYED. THEY DON’T PLAY ALL THE OLD ROCK

STUFF, BUT WHAT THEY DO PLAY IS PRETTY DARN GOOD AND MUCH,

MUCH BETTER THA WHAT KOOL 108 HAS BECOME.

I have to agree with the comment on all the Christmas music coming up shortly,it’s the most annoying thing there is. We hear plenty of these tunes other places and surely don’t need it non-stop for 2 months on KOOL 108 !

This thread just keeps coming back from the dead, and I love it.

Anybody who calls himself the ‘Wildman’ is a tool.

What happened to Travis and the Wildeman? I have not heard them lately and they are no longer on the stations website. Anyone know?

This news must have been missed in the aftermath of the bridge collapse (rightfully so)…

From RakeMag (Brian Lambert writing on 08/08/07): “The cratering of ratings for KOOL108, which re-transformed itself with more ’80s and less ’50s and ’60s music, is one reason why the station’s Program Director, Travis Moon, recently departed for a new gig in Cincinnati. Internally at Clear Channel, fear and rumor-mongering says changes may soon be afoot at both KOOL 108 and KTLK in the wake of continued low audience levels and the recent whacking of long-time boss, Mick Anselmo.”

I’m sincerely trying not to smirk and smile. Time does reveal the truth, it seems. I still miss my formerly favorite station!

thanks TK! took me this long to miss them, oh well, maybe because I havent been listening! Thanks for the info, I too miss my old fav station, but I knew it! It would tank with the new format!

I think unsightly ratings has woken up a sleeping beast over at Clear Channel – especially on KOOL 108. They’re pulling all the dead guys out of their coffins … I heard Elvis Presley this morning. It actually sounds more like the station I remember from a few years back (unfortunately, they still play Elton John)

– As for KTLK, I think the brain wizards should flip the format to an all Death Metal/Speed Metal format … it would at least be half as tolerable to listen to than Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Jason Lewis.

Good riddance Travis Moon, too bad for Cincinnati.

I stopped listening to kool 108 shortly after December 26th, 2006.
Last week I discovered the format had changed and I’m slowly returning to 108.

Jeff Olsen is now with KARE11 OnLIVE: Jeff joined KARE in May of 2007 as a reporter for KARE OnLIVE. Jeff grew up in Royalton, Minnesota. He attended St. Cloud State University, where he majored in Mass Communications. Jeff’s anchored TV newscasts in Alexandria and Rochester, Minnesota. While in Rochester, he married his co-anchor (KARE’s Julianna Olsen.) During his career, Jeff’s also hosted morning radio shows on BOB 100 FM, WLOL (with KARE’s Lee Valsvik) and KOOL 108. Jeff was named Twin Cities Radio Personality of the Year in 2005. He’s been honored for his work in the community by the Minnesota Broadcasters Association, The United Way, Habitat for Humanity, The Salvation Army and The MS Society.

Thanks for posting that! I saw Jeff on the OnLive program one day last week and wondering if he’d been hired permanently. Great for KARE! Also, Kool108 has definitely been changing their format back toward its formerly successful format. That is also good news. Too bad the dreaded 10 weeks of Christmas music is just around the corner…

This probably belongs on the front page, but good news…

KOOL108 has posted a poll on when its listeners would like to have them start playing the dreaded Christmas music. This is such good news to me! I enjoy hearing the Christmas music, but not the two months (my memory’s estimate) of the past couple of years. Vote for your choice now! Just go to http://www.kool108.com and vote.

Flip to Americana…try something different. If it doesn’t work in 18 months, switch it back.

Static, I’m not sure if there’s much life left in Americana now that Steve Earle has gone all soft-rock on us and Neko Case has decided that being a Pasty Cline wannabe wasn’t nearly as fulfilling as being an indie-rock icon. The breakup of the Meat Purveyors and the unfortunate end of Split Lip Rayfield has left speedgrass in a freefall and Bloodshot hasn’t done much more than trot out the same 4 or 5 alt.country artists they have been since the turn of the decade.

Having said that, It was great to see Porter Waggoner have one last run (and what a run that was!) and Loretta Lynn get some recognition. Boot Liquor is still my favorite streaming radio on the interwebz and I still look to see if Jack Sparks has updated his CityPages blog in the last year or two and now and then I get emails from bands I reviewed for Freight Train Boogie but it sure isn’t like the old days.

I clearly need to get myself down to Lee’s for some PBR and twang.

kool 108 blows! I can’t even listen due to the lame ass djs, and awful audio set up. The live audio when the dj speaks is so tinny it sounds shrill and phased. How many djs do you think there are named “the wild man”?

Now that Kool108 has returned to its formerly successful format, I suppose we can wrap up this thread. I find it ironic that even their commercials mention things like, “We’re back.” I don’t understand why they ever changed, though it seems a few lost their jobs in the experiment (that is always sad to hear). Now, all we have to do is wait through the month of Christmas music. I don’t have HD radio so I can’t listen to that alternate station that has their regular music.

Thanks, Kool108 for finally listening to us!

so, when is 107.9 going alt-country (or putting their traditional country HD channel to 107.9)?

going alt-country

Isn’t that a oxymoron?

Can you please play the song Barracuda by Heart! Please!… Thank you! You are the best station EVER!

Isn’t that a oxymoron?

Isn’t that an oxymoron?

Could you please play ‘Out Of The Rain’ by The Duhks?

i am 22 and i agree with you! it sucks that 108 is changing but if you like the oldies listen to 105.1 the love their the new oldies station

I listened to KOOL 108 when I was in high school. I loved the old stuff, the Beatles, the Stones, Simon And Garfunkle. I’m 40’s old now and I detest hearing the 80’s crap they play on KOOL 108 now! Let alone the 3 months of forced Holiday music they play right after Halloween!

I personally boycott KOOL 108 for these three months of non-stop Christmas music.

If only there was a radio station with the GUTS to play what people really want and not play for the people who buy fancy cars!

KOOL 108 was never a great station, but , for a number of years, it was the port in the storm for golden nuggets of the 50’s and 60’s. Frankly, my listening of it went down years before their switch to 70’s and 80’s stuff, thanks in large part to the arrival of The Current and, even better, the continuing expansion of KFAI as a source of music of all genres and nationalities that you will not hear anywhere else. As long as the FM dial is still operating – which won’t be for too many more years due to the increasing accessibility of online radio – KFAI and The Current are the places to go. Now, what are we going to do about Love 105?

Jazz 88 (88.5 KBEM), Radio K (770 KUOM), KFAI (90.3), The Current (89.3 KCMP), KMOJ (89.9)…and some others are the only stations worth listening to.