Jagger and Kristi

On the back of Mark Jagger’s laptop in the studio at MAGIC 92.5 is a sticky note that says “I love you.”  He doesn’t remember when he put it there, but it’s intended to be read by the woman at the microphone across from him.  That would be Kristi, his wife, friend and radio-partner on the station’s MAGIC Mornings with Jagger & Kristi show.  The duo is obviously good together because according to Arbitron PPM surveys, they are consistently rated one of the top morning shows in San Diego. But what’s even more important to the couple is the fact that they’re still very happy to spend almost every day of their career and private lives together after a fifteen year relationship and twelve years of marriage.

“We have an unspoken agreement,” says Kristi.  “Mark gets up at 3:00 in the morning and after he’s showered, he wakes me up.  Then we both do what we have to do to get out of the house by 4:30.  We drive here (to the Finest City Broadcasting studios near Mission Valley) walk into the station and at 5:00 go on the air.  We don’t speak until we get into the studio.  It’s how we’ve learned to cope with this schedule.”

But once they’re on the air, it’s a much different story. The two radio veterans glide through their four-hour show with enthusiasm, finesse and genuine warmth that has earned them the devotion of a growing radio audience. 

Jagger & Kristi at the Annual Four Corners Food and Coat Drive benfitting the San Diego Food Bank and Alpha Project

“I love it,” says Jagger, whose first radio job was in St. Louis, his native city.  “It’s definitely a connection that we have with our audience that makes this worthwhile.  If we weren’t doing this, I would miss that the most. And what I’ve learned after working in many markets throughout the country, if something happens in San Diego and you ask for help from listeners, they will always pull through.  It’s not like that everywhere.  Every year we do a fundraiser for Children’s Hospital and a food drive for the food bank and every year we’re blown away by the generosity we see.  San Diegans are so good about rallying around those who are in need.”

Jagger and Kristi are a team in every sense of the word, picking up on cues from one another, calming the other when one is frazzled, and treating each other with a respect that is palpable.  They first met while working for a San Francisco station in the early 1990s.  When their jobs there ended, they moved to San Diego.  After years of popularity in the afternoon drive slot, they made a strategic decision to go to mornings. They were thrilled to come to work for their friend and former employer, then-program director Rick Thomas. 
 
And they saw morning drive time as the most secure spot for talent on the air waves as the radio industry evolves in a fiercely competitive market.

One happy family at Furball 09, the San Diego Humane Society annual fundraiser

“I mourn the loss of opportunity for those who are just coming into the business,” says Kristi. “We’ve worked with so many talented people over the years who were working behind the scenes and got their first chance to go on air in the overnight spot. Now that isn’t available at most stations, and staffs are pared down to the minimum. There are no more pools of raw talent. It’s much more of a business than in the early days.”

Still, the radio couple keeps their show from sounding at all business-like. They’re spontaneous and relaxed and their positive state of mind comes across the air waves. For the most part, it’s family-oriented material. But one of the more popular elements of Magic Mornings is the segment called “War of the Roses” which Jagger and Kristi admit is controversial. That’s because at the request of a suspecting spouse or significant other, the show’s producer calls the person in question, pretending to be from a new flower shop that’s offering to send a free dozen roses to whomever he or she wishes. When the suspected cheater names someone other than the loved one who called in, he or she is busted on the air.

“People sometimes call us the goody two shoes couple for doing that, “ says Kristi. “But it’s really about entertaining radio. And I love doing the segment. You wouldn’t believe these people who are caught in the act and then try to shift the blame on their partner.”

Jagger says for him, it’s an uncomfortable thing to do. “But when they start yelling at one another, you can tell that some of these people just love the drama,” he explains.

Their baby horse Laci at one hour old

The couple says they’re grateful that with their increasing popularity, they have advertisers seeking them out, and a platform where they can address issues that are important to them.  Animals are high on their priority list.  They advocate for them on the air, featuring pets of the week brought in by the Humane Society.  And at home, their pets come in all shapes and sizes.  They spend a great deal of time with their horses, dogs and cats.

Jagger & Kristi with their horse Teddi

The environment is another passion of Jagger and Kristi’s. Their website touts carbon-shreading.  Just as Jagger finishes saying, “Kristi is SERIOUS about being eco-friendly” Kristi jumps in and proves what he says is true.

“We have no choice.  We have to be more conscious about our actions.  Now so much of what I buy is from recycled material. Once you start, it’s hard to stop.  I think of it like collecting one dollar from a thousand people.  It adds up!  So when individuals do their part, it makes a difference.  If just one person in a home could recycle for the whole family, we’d all be better off.  You would be amazed at how much money you can save with light bulbs, and watching how much gas and water you use, and on HG front loaders!”

The couple recently added solar power to their home and is proud to have the company that did the work, groSolar, advertise on their show.  They’re also excited about a campaign they’ve helped put together for Toyota of El Cajon which has built a state-of-the-art, “green” dealership.

Throwing out t-shirts with the Pad Squad

 As much as they love their work, whenever they can, they shut the door to the studio on a Friday morning after their show and don’t look back.  But quite often, there are those additional weekend duties that see them at station events throughout San Diego.  They say it’s always energizing to see their fans in person and are amazed at the intensity they show.

Kids News Day with the Padres' Adrian Gonzalez

“They greet us as if we’re old friends,” says Kristi.  “After all these years, I’m still astounded at the power of radio to create such a strong relationship between us and our audience. They want to give us a hug.  And it’s usually a really big hug that you would give a family member.”

“It’s kind of like being in a club,” Jagger explains.  “They all feel like they are our friends because we’re in the same club, playing the music that’s been the soundtrack to their lives for so long.  Our “Old School” format evokes many great memories for so many people.  It’s positive and it’s a ton of fun.”

From the looks of things, Jagger and Kristi find joy in every aspect of their lives – on and off the air.  And when they’re asked how they can manage to make it all work, day in and day out, Jagger quickly answers, “I’m always in control.”

Bodie learning to surf at Dog Beach; he placed 6 out of 14 in his heat at the annual Surf-Dog Surf-A-Thon

Kristi ignores the comment and says, “We don’t analyze it.  We just do it.  If we do have a disagreement about something, it’s usually work-related and we use it as fodder on the air.  At some point, we always realize that it was pretty stupid to begin with.”

Posted under Behind the Mic, Radio

Rick Jackson

Rick Jackson takes over as Senior Vice President/General Manager of Lincoln Financial Media’s (LFM) San Diego radio cluster this month, overseeing operations of San Diego’s KBZT-FM, KIFM-FM, KSON-FM, and its simulcast on KSOQ-FM.

Jackson’s radio career spans 35 years and includes programming and on-air positions.  He also served as the host of the nationally syndicated Rick Jackson’s Country Hall of Fame weekend radio show.  Jackson most recently worked as Senior Vice President/General Manager of Charlotte’s WBT-AM/FM and WLNK-FM, stations previously owned by LFM.

“It’s great to have Rick back in our company,” said Don Benson, LFM President and CEO.  “He’s a terrific leader who is deeply experienced with a strong background in both programming and sales.

Posted under Behind the Mic

Stephanie Estrada joins CBS Radio as Executive Assistant.

Michelle Riegel-Chester has come aboard as Account Executive for Z90.3 and 91X. She moved to San Diego from Santa Rosa.

 

Posted under Behind the Mic

AJ at 60 feet!

Star 94.1 morning show host AJ Machado showed his compassion, daring and showmanship once again this year, as he spent an entire week on a scissor lift crane on behalf of patients at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. His efforts and those of Radio station KMYI resulted in the collection of 101,620 toys for the kids.

At 8 am on October 16, 2009, Machado took up residence on an 8’ x 10’ platform, 60 feet above the Mission Valley IKEA parking lot, vowing to stay until the station collected more than 101-thousand new and unwrapped toys for the children. That happened on Saturday, October 23rd at 6:00 pm.

In an effort to encourage listener participation many celebrities joined the deejay at the site. The Plain White T’s, One Republic, Esmee Denters, the cast of the Lion King, Carlos Mencia, Frankie J, Luis Castillo, Kiptyn from the Bachelorette, the Park View Little League team and Josh Damigo all showed up over the seven day stint, lending their support.

The Park View Little League Team Pays a Visit to AJ

“Despite our difficult economy, San Diegans have always shown their generosity and we were confident this year would be no exception,” said Machado. “Something as simple as a toy can make the fear and pain of a child’s illness or injury easier to bare. The toys we collected will brighten the lives of thousands of children receiving treatment at Rady Children’s Hospital over the next 12 months.”

101,000+ Toys for Kids

This was the eighth year in a row AJ took up residence (eating, sleeping, etc.) on the crane. Contributions were accepted at the event site and at North County Credit Union locations.

Posted under Community Cuts

According to a Nielsen analysis of a media study conducted by the Council for Research Excellence, 77% of adults are reached by broadcast radio on a daily basis, second only to television at 95%. The study found that Web/Internet (excluding email) reached 64%, newspaper 35%, and magazines 27%.

Radio Best Audio Media

And, in a deeper analysis of audio media titled “How U.S. Adults Use Radio and Other Forms of Audio,”Nielsen found that:
 • 90% of consumers listen to some form of audio media per day
 • The 77% who listen to broadcast radio surpass the 37% who listen to CDs and tapes and the 12% who listen to portable audio devices.
 • Almost 80% of those aged 18 to 34 listening to broadcast radio in an average day.

While the recent emergence of portable audio devices like the iPod and other MP3 players was considered a threat to traditional forms of audio, this study’s evidence suggests that the new technology has had a positive effect on radio consumption. Radio was found to have a higher reach (82%) among those who listen to portable audio devices, compared to the average reach for all audio consumers.

Jeff Haley, President and CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), concludes that  ”… this… observational study of today’s consumer proves that the primary source of new music is the radio.”

Another key takeaway from the reports is that broadcast radio is the dominant form of audio media at home, work, and in the car. Exposure to audio listening falls into four tiers in terms of level of usage among listeners:
 • Broadcast & satellite radio (79.1% daily reach; 122 minutes daily use among users)
 • CDs and tapes (37.1% daily reach; 72 minutes)
 • Portable audio [ipods/MP3 players] ( 11.6% daily reach; 69minutes), digital audio stored on a computer such as music files downloaded or transferred to and played on a computer (10.4% daily reach; 65 minutes average use), and digital audio streamed on a computer (9.3% daily reach; 67 minutes)
 • Audio on mobile phones (<2% daily reach; 9 minutes)

Other findings highlighted in the report include:
 • Audio media exposure has the highest reach among those with higher levels of education and income
 • Approximately 12% of study participants listened to MP3s and iPods for an average of 69 minutes per day, yet eight-in-ten of these individuals also listened to broadcast radio for an average of 97 minutes per day
 • 90% of adults are exposed to some form of audio media on a daily basis, with broadcast radio having by far the largest share of listening time

Considering Portable Audio Devices:
 • MP3 and iPod players averaged only 8 minutes of listening per day among the entire observed sample, with just under 90% of the sample not listening at all .
 • Among listeners of portable audio devices (11.6%), the highest reach was among those aged 18 to 34 years (20.8%), singles (18.5%), and those who tend to be more technology-savvy (18.2%) 
 • Among those who also listened to portable audio devices such as MP3 players or iPods, broadcast radio    had a daily reach of 81.6% reach and 97 minutes of average listening time among those who listen to radio

Broadcast radio reaches those aged 18-34 at rates equivalent to the general adult population, with 79.2% of younger adults listening to broadcast radio for an average of 104 minutes a day among listeners. On average, individuals spend almost identical amounts of time during weekdays (454 minutes) as they do on weekends (458 minutes) using one of the five key media sources.  
And, among key “advertising-based” media platforms:
 • Live television had the highest reach and daily usage among users (95.3%, 331 minutes)
 • Broadcast radio (77.3% reach, 109 minutes)
 • Web/Internet [excluding use of email] (63.7%, 77 minutes) 
 • Newspapers (34.6%, 41 minutes)
 • Magazines (26.5%, 22 minutes)

Posted under Radio, Research

Hundreds gather to paddle for clean water

September was Clean Water Month, and Radio station 91X teamed up with the San Diego Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation for their annual “Paddle For Clean Water,” event in Ocean Beach on September 13.    

Ocean Beach

Thousands of ocean lovers descended on Ocean Beach to unite and raise awareness to the many issues that face our beaches, particularly the “No B.S.” border sewage campaign.  The paddle around the pier was postponed due to large surf conditions, but nothing stopped the crowd from enjoying the free music festival in OB parking lot. The line-up included performing artists Iration, Tribal Seeds, C-Money and the Players, Pullman Standard, and The Professors.       

Ocean lovers supporting the Surfrider Foundation

Posted under Community Cuts

Jazz88.3 and the San Diego Food Bank teamed up to help San Diegans in need this fall, and there couldn’t be a better time!  Thanks to the generosity of Miramar Furniture Market, every pledge made to KSDS also supported the Food Bank. More pledges translated to more food on the shelves to help neighbors in need.

Posted under Community Cuts

from Radio Business Report
November 11, 2009 

Think the iPod and mobile phones have killed radio listening in the young demos? Think again. Analysis of a landmark study for the Council for Research Excellence (CRE), funded by The Nielsen Company, finds that younger people are consuming audio from lots of sources, but radio still accounts for the biggest share of their listening.

As indicated by its name, the Video Consumer Mapping Study focused first on how consumers were watching television and other sources of video. CRE released the study in March, with the headline finding that live TV viewing was still #1 with younger demos, despite their comfort with the Internet and other video sources. But there was lots and lots of data to pour over for other media, including audio sources, which is exactly what Michael Link, Chief Methodologist at The Nielsen Company, has been doing.

The study methodology had observers follow 376 people in Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Dallas for two days – one in the Spring and one in the Fall of 2008 – to record their media usage. The professional observers recorded how much time people actually spent using each type of media, ranging from TV, radio and newspapers to the Internet, iPods and mobile phones. (An additional study of 100 people in Indianapolis studied how their media usage changed when they were given the opportunity to add additional devices at greatly reduced prices.) So, when the survey participants listened to radio, the exact amount of listening was noted.

“What you find is a much more complex view of what’s going on with audio than we have been led to believe. It really seems like the young group – they tend to be more audiophiles. They’re really into their audio. So, it’s not that they abandoned radio, per se, but they essentially augment with some of these portable media/digital media devices,” Link told RBR-TVBR.

Link said the study data showed that there are four tiers of audio usage. He particularly noted the magnitude of difference in daily listening to radio vs. iPod/MP3 players.

The four tiers of audio usage:
1) broadcast & satellite radio (79.1% daily reach; 122 minutes daily use among users);

2) CDs and tapes (37.1% daily reach; 72 minutes);

3) portable audio [ipods/MP3 players] ( 11.6% daily reach; 69minutes), digital audio stored on a computer such as music files downloaded or transferred to and played on a computer (10.4% daily reach; 65 minutes average use), and digital audio streamed on a computer (9.3% daily reach; 67 minutes);

4) audio on mobile phones (<2% daily reach; 9 minutes).

If you looked at the raw data back in March, you may have concluded that the Internet had surpassed radio as the #2 medium for young demos. However, Link’s latest analysis separated “media” usage of a computer from time spent with email and software programs. “Among key ‘advertising-based’ media platforms, live television had the highest reach and daily usage among users (95.3%, 331 minutes), followed by broadcast radio (77.3% reach, 109 minutes), Web/Internet [excluding use of email] (63.7%, 77 minutes), newspapers (34.6%, 41 minutes), and magazines (26.5%, 22 minutes),” his analysis concluded.

There’s still more to come. Link is still digging into the CRE data to produce detailed reports on online usage and on out-of-home video viewing.

RBR-TVBR observation: The bottom line is that heavy audio users haven’t quit listening to radio – they just listen to a lot of other places where they can get music and other audio content.

Many of the other audio sources don’t have advertising opportunities, so radio needs to make it clear to advertisers that the young demos can still be reached – and radio is the way to do it.

Posted under Radio, Research

More than 370 supporters attended the 36th Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards on October 20th at the San Diego Hall of Champions in Balboa Park.  They enjoyed tastings from 22 stellar restaurants, wines from Temecula Valley, beer from Karl Strauss and Tika Water.

They also saw an impressive group of winners receive their plaques and certificates, including staffers at SDRBA member stations:
 
RADIO – Breaking News
1st Cliff Albert, KOGO News Team – “F-18 Crash” KOGO Judge comment: Great blend of first person reports and professional reporting provided a comprehensive view of an unfolding story, beginning just seconds after impact

RADIO – Series
1st Phil Farrar  – “Black America: San Diego Style” KOGO Judge comment: High energy and entertaining. Especially appreciate the multilayered documentary style.
 
RADIO – Feature
1st Phil Farrar  – “Moody’s Mood for Music” KOGO Judge comment: Loved the engaging VO, nice documentary-style editing and writing in this story that showed the influence of Moody’s music through the years.

RADIO – Use of Sound
1st Kevin Finnerty  – “Paul Newman Remembered” KOGO Judge comment: Good use of clips from Newman’s movies and interviews support the narrative nicely, creating a nice package.

RADIO – Talk/Interview/Call-in Programs
2nd Jon Elliott, Norman Ellis-Flint, Mike Von der Kret  – “This is America with Jon Elliott:Epilepsy” San Diego 1700 AM Judge comment: Well done with good production values and pace. Lots of valuable information is packed into the show

RADIO – Reviews
1st Pat Launer – “Killer Joe/Threepenny Opera” KSDS 88.3 FM Judge comment: Launer’s engaging, high-energy voice, the well-paced script and excellently chosen sound clips made these reviews a pleasure to listen to.
3rd Pat Launer -  “Yank!” KSDS 88.3 FM Judge comment: See above. I want to see this show!

Posted under Behind the Mic

October 29, 2009

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Kohl’s is ramping up its radio, digital media and direct-mail marketing programs this year, as it looks to compete in what is expected to be another rough holiday for retailers.
 
The creative portion of the new Kohl’s campaign will be keenly focused on value, highlighting a plethora of sales and savings opportunities.  The retailer plans to increase spending in digital and social media by 25% to support an expected 30% increase in online sales. Direct e-mail will also be a key part of Kohl’s strategy, given that its database of shopper e-mails has grown by more than 50% in the last year. It plans to send out 17 e-mails in November and 30 in December, adding the ability for consumers to post sales offers to their Facebook pages.

In radio, the retailer simply said it would be “significantly” increasing its radio buys in top markets. A national radio spot targeting the Hispanic market is also planned for the first time. Two 30-second brand spots, a number of 15- and 30-second promotional spots, and in-store marketing will round out the retailer’s robust holiday marketing plans.

“Kohl’s has taken advantage of current media marketplace conditions and optimized mediums with a high return on investment to ensure an even stronger presence than last year,” the retailer said in a statement.

Kohl’s plans to increase radio and digital spend mirror trends seen a year ago, when retailers looked both to less expensive media, as well as media that could provide an immediate call to action. Last year, Kohl’s spent $138 million in the fourth quarter, down 12% from $158 million the year prior, according to TNS Media Intelligence.

The creative portion of the campaign will built on “The More You Know, the More You Kohl’s” messaging. It will be keenly focused on value, highlighting a plethora of sales and savings opportunities and reminding shoppers how much they’ve saved on each receipt. McCann Erickson is Kohl’s agency of record.

“Our campaign educates customers about how to make their money work harder for them by taking advantage of all of the great brands, savings tools and conveniences that Kohl’s offers,” Julie Gardner, exec VP-chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “Kohl’s customers don’t have to wait until late in the season to be able to get the best deals.”

Indeed, Kohl’s holiday marketing kicks off on Nov. 2, and its first holiday sale, a Power Hours pricing promotion, will be Nov. 6-7. The retailer’s aggressive holiday posturing, even before Black Friday, foreshadows another season of steep promotions, and is likely to mirror efforts at competitors like JCPenney and Macy’s. Nov. 11 to 21 will be a Christmas Kickoff Sale; Nov. 13-14 stores will hold a Mega Sale; and Nov. 20-21, Kohl’s will mark down everything in the store for the “It’s All on Sale” sale.

“We continue to listen to our customers and give them what they want, what we believe to be more opportunities to save than any other national department store on thoughtful, sought-after gifts,” Ms. Gardner said.

Online, the retailer will promote sales events throughout November and December with nine homepage takeovers of sites including AOL, MSN and Yahoo. Also, at more than 30 newspaper websites, consumers will be able to view select Kohl’s products through online ads, without leaving the newspaper’s site. TV spots will air against shows including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Office” and “CSI.”

Kohl’s has become a stiff competitor, grabbing market share in the recession. Sales at stores open at least a year rose 5.5% in September, following two months of positive same-store sales. Rivals Macy’s and JCPenney have continued to post sales declines over the last three months.
 
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Posted under Radio