Outstanding stations are those with an overall sound and attitude. These stations constantly express how they feel about what they are and what they are doing. They continuously demonstrate, an honest, relatable link with the people they are doing it for.

How do we do that at KIIS? What is the focus? What is the goal?

The ‘focus’ is simple. To consistently provide the answer to that unspoken question, “Why should I listen?”

Okay. Every personality, every reporter, every member of the creative team, everyone, should answer that question with everything they put on the air, every single time, every single day. The answer is, “You’re gonna like what you hear. You are going to find out something that’s really fun, or really interesting. Whatever it is, it’s something you’ll enjoy hearing.

The ‘goal’ is tougher. A station leaves it’s imprint on a person, more because of the way they feel about the station, than because of the quality, good or bad, of it’s broadcasts. The goal then, must be to communicate a feeling, a good feeling about what the station does, and the manner in which it is done.

The goal is to make them like us. We do that by giving them stuff they like. Everyone must ask him/herself the question every time: How does what I’m about to include in this program, earn it’s right to be there? If it doesn’t contribute to the goal ... throw it out.

Make them like us by giving them stuff they like.

Even the simplest things, like live station IDs. These should be included two or three times each hour. These will be provided by the creative department. Things like:

“There are two kinds of people in Southern California, those who are always listening to KIIS, and those others ... who you probably wouldn’t like.”

“You can’t buy happiness, but you can listen to KIIS ... and most people can’t tell the difference.”

There will also be, scheduled each hour, two of the pre-produced little smile and/or thought provokers:

Here are a couple of examples:

VOICE ONE: God is dead! Nietzsche.SOUND: Crack of thunder.
VOICE TWO: Nietzsche is dead! God!

To hear it in it’s produced form,  click here

Here’s another:

VOICE: Footprints left in the sands of time, cannot be made while sitting on your butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

To hear it in it’s produced form, click here

Also, two or three times each hour, we will present a little audio drama. MINI-DRAMAS, which are actually pre-produced introductions to records, surprising and delighting the audience ... every time.

A couple of examples:

BARRY WHITE: CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR LOVE, BABY. Click here to listen

This one’s a bit of a tear jerker. ME AND YOU AND A DOG NAMED BOO. Click here to listen

Well, when we put it all together, it was indeed, one helluva radio station. The first ratings book showed we had gone from “No measurable audience” to the low twenties, and that was with no advertising, other than a two page interview Claude Hall did with me for Billboard Magazine . The second book, six months into the new programming, still with no advertising except for word-of-mouth, KIIS was #6 in this market of 60 radio stations.

And that’s when it ended.

I was called into the owners office to be told, “The station is bankrupt. We’re going to close it down.”

“What?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What about the three hundred thousand dollars you said was available to do this?”

“I lied.” He admitted. “The truth is, we were three hundred thousand dollars in debt. I was hoping the programming would click, and we could be selling it immediately. But the fact is, sales follows programming. And, it just didn’t happen soon enough.”

That night I cried. My dream had died.

But, as they say in the cliche’, it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. And the name of that was ... Judy.

The fellow who’d been creative director at KIIS, his name was Mark, called me at home one night and said something like ... “I know you’re sitting around mourning the loss of your dream and what you need is something else to dream about. Her name is Judy, and she is just getting over a relationship. I think you guys need each other.” Mark put her on the phone and we talked for a minute and we both decided the timing was wrong and that was that.

Couple days later, Mark’s wife called and invited me to dinner. I accepted. A few nights later, when I arrived, I was told dinner had been canceled. Mark and his wife had been expecting a baby and the baby decided it was time to make an appearance. I was told all of this by a very attractive young lady named .... “Judy.” She said. “I was invited to dinner. I wasn’t aware there would be anyone else.”

“Me too.” I said.

“But as they were leaving for the hospital,” she said, “They asked me to wait here and explain what happened. So, now that I’ve explained, I’d like to leave for the hospital and wait for the baby.”

“Alright,” I said, “I’ll follow you there.”

I also followed her up the steps to the hospital entrance and I couldn’t help noticing she had a very attractive ... “I’d like you a lot better,” she said, “If you’d stop staring at my butt.”

“Oh. Oh. Sorry.” We hung out for about three hours until the baby came and during that time we came to the conclusion that maybe having dinner together was not a bad idea. So we did. We had dinner together the next night. And the next, at which point she said something which changed me forever.

I had been single for eleven years. During that time, whenever my partner Don, or I, decided it was time to meet some new ladies, we would write a commercial which featured a beautiful girl. We’d call talent agents and the next day, our office would be full of some of the most beautiful young ladies in Hollywood. I was not really aware of it, (Liar, liar.) but I had developed a ‘line’ which seemed to work with all of these gorgeous young ladies. On our second date, I was right in the middle of saying, “ I’m not the kind of a guy that gets into long term relationships, and I think it’s only fair that I say, (and Jude just reminded me that I actually said this) and I’ve broken the heart of every girl I’ve become involved with.” Jude looked at me and she said, “You know, you’d be a really nice guy if it wasn’t for all your bullshit.”

“What? Me? Bullshit?” I was busted, and I knew it. And at that very moment, I knew this was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with ... and about five years later, she finally agreed, that might not be a bad idea.