You know, we have it pretty good here, despite a lot of complaints. Yes, we have our generic syndicated stations, playing all the latest crap pouring out of Hollywood, prepackaged for mind-numbing hours of drool-inducing listening, interspersed with adds for the latest sugar infested treat or designer tampons and what-not. Star 102.1 and B97.5 spring to mind
We have our university station, carrying NPR and classical music, where all the DJ's sound like they're on tranqs and decaf, unable to get excited about anything.
We also have the "Classic Rock" stations who've kept the same play list for the last 30 years, although the DJ's have changed, the music hasn't.
Before I joined the Navy in 1984, I used to listen to WIMZ. They played the best mix of rock, carrying all the latest cuts. When I came back to Knoxville in 1995, they were still playing the exact same songs.
The word pathetic springs to mind.
Then there's 104.5 The Bone where you can practically hear the mullets growing.
So that's the downside of Knoxville radio. But there is an upside.
We'll start with WDVX, a very small, independent station that plays just about any music under the sun, with a strong leaning towards roots music, Americana, blues, bluegrass, alternative country, and anything else that feels right. You can count on hearing something different there. They are publicly supported, and are setting up a fundraising music festival in my neck of the woods at the Dumplin Valley festival Grounds. A quick look at the acts they have lined up will give you a good idea of what this station is all about.
Next is a long time Knoxville radio station that's recently gone in a new direction. WOKI has become 100.3 The River, and abandoned the classic rock format to bring an eclectic mix of new and old, blues and rock, Americana and reggae to the Knoxville radio scene. Longtime Knoxville DJ Phil Williams returned to radio at the River with new partner Frank Murphy. It's nice to listen to a local morning show, rather than some syndicated zoo that has nothing to do with Knoxville. WOKI brings local programming together with some of the best syndicated programming available. Locally, they produce the Americana Cafe, a weekly tour of the bet and latest offerings in Americana music. Syndicated offereings include Acoustic Cafe, House of Blues Radio Hour, and E-town, all featuring music heard only on the River.
One of the things I like about the station is that they play new music from old artists. For example, Tom Petty's latest album, The Last DJ has gotten extensive airplay.
But the strength of the station is in new music from new artists. Jack Johnson, Norah Jones, Susan Tedeschi, Lucinda Williams, and John Mayer have all been introduced to Knoxville listeners by WOKI. Even better, The River has sponsored concerts by most, if not all of these artists, many of them free.
It doesn't get much better than that.
WDVX and WOKI both support local musicians, providing venues for acts that otherwise would have to rely on word of mouth to get their music out. Both stations have studios that they use for live performances, and sponsor events around town.
Glancing at the AM side of the dial, we have WNOX, Newstalk99. The format is tried and true; news, weather, and sports, with a heavy accent on the sports, please. What's different is that while many talk radio stations have cut down on original programming in favor of syndicated stuff, WNOX has moved in the other direction. Mornings are run by Hallerin Hilton Hill, followed by Frank Cagle for a 6 hour block of local programming. After three hours for Rush Limbaugh, local programming resumes with Sports Talk with John Wilkerson and Jimmy Hyams, then a variety of local shows until 9PM, when syndicated shows take over, including the bizarre but entertaining Coast to Coast AM. If you want to know what is going on in Knoxville, this is the station to turn to.
There may be some other good radio stations out there that I'm not listening to. If so, let me know and I'll give them a chance.
Anything to avoid Britney and Christina, n'sync, and all their clones...
Posted by Rich at April 30, 2003 2:12 PM | TrackBackI like Star 102.1 sometimes...and B97.5 I like there oldies songs...but i don't like all of the commercials!
Posted by: Erica on April 30, 2003 8:22 PMPretty good rundown. My only complaint is with the WNOX lineup. Hollerin', Cagle, and Rush are just a little much. I wish we had some left wingers on the radio, local or otherwise.
Those Sports Talk guys are pretty good, though, and I'm not even much of a sports fan. They do some of the best interviews, sports or otherwise, with excellent probing and sometimes tough questions.
Posted by: SK Bubba on May 1, 2003 2:48 PMleft wing radio just hasn't seemed to take off. I listened to talk radio everywhere I've lived, and only found one or two left wing shows. Of course, there's Jim Bohannon, but who wants to stay up that late?
Maybe Michael Moore should get a radio show....
Posted by: rich on May 1, 2003 8:48 PMJim Phillips in Orlando was excellent. He wasn't really left-wing per se, just a rational guy who came down on the liberal/civil rights side when chips were down. Ironically, he's on a Clear Channel station now, and is getting some syndication, despite being a mostly local oriented show when I was down there. I heard him in Macon recently. Wish we could get him here.
Posted by: SK Bubba on May 1, 2003 9:42 PMHere's some others I listen to:
WKVL-AM 850 and 1290 - Used to have Walker Johnson and Todd Howell in the mornings for local wackiness, but they disappeared and were replaced by a syndicated show. From 12-3 is Dewey "Swamp Rat" Warren and 3-6 is Tony Basilio, both sports talk shows. Poor Dewey's just addled and agrees with every single "good point" every caller makes, and Basilio and Jeff Brock host sports talk for the least common denominator sports fan out there. Occasionally they drift into right-wing political commentary, but they prove over and over that as pundits go, they're pretty good sportscasters. In the evenings there you'll occasionally find Dr. Joy Brown (who's 100 times better than Dr. Laura), Mike Gallagher, and other syndicated talk shows.
AM 1040 (don't remember the call letters) is Fox Sports Radio - the Tony Bruno/Andrew Siciliano morning show is the best national sports show I've ever heard. Jim Rome and other hosts during the day.
AM 1180 has another local sports show in the morning and afternoon, I believe, and ESPN Sports Radio the rest of the day.
AM 1240 simulcasts CNN Headline News.
FM 87.7 simulcasts WATE-TV 6.
Thanks Barry, I'll check them out.
One slight correction, though. If I remember right, the FM band is encompassed by the gap between TV channel 6 and 7, so FM 87.7 isn't really simulcasting channel 6, that's just where the audio portion of the signal is carried. Minor point, but I am a techie, and have to keep up appearances...*grin*
Posted by: rich on May 2, 2003 4:42 PMI stand corrected ;)
Posted by: Barry on May 4, 2003 10:16 PMhey everyone, give the new guys a chance! I am really enjoying the new format, and intend to keep
the same spot on the radio as always. Change i ususally for the better, expecially if people are determined to make it work, and I think it's going great, if people will just look forward, and appreciate what we've been given.
Dear Rich,
I read tour letter and wanted to ask for your help. Yesterday Aug. 6, I was fortunated to catch what seemed a new artist. I would like to retrieve a play list from that morning. If you could help please e-mail me back with information.
Thank You
Cynthia
XM Satellite Radio Baby!
Posted by: Russ on December 9, 2003 3:57 PMIve heard there is a lefty talk show on am 850, saturdays. About time! But help-- when is it?
We need something since the WUOT and WUTk down on campus has renegged on their chartered committments to air community programming that contains minority, unpopular or dissenting views. Mack in Fountain City
my biggest complaint is there are no jazz stations here in knoxville.i enjoy ez88 the beautiful music station ,but i certainly miss miles davis and john coltrane and others.ive partially filled my hunger by listening to the carolina jazz station on the internet.i really have no use for coporate radio.i did leave out wdvx which is excellent....
Posted by: joseph elias on February 11, 2004 2:08 PMKFAR 90.9 FM - Knoxville First Amendment Radio - is a community pirate radio station that's been going on for over two years now. A wide variety of music (with 50 deejays bringing their own stuff) and more progressive radio news and public affairs programming than you can think of.
Personally, I like the news weekday mornings (Democracy Now, Free Speech Radio News, CounterSpin, Making Contact, Progressive Radio, Between The Lines, Rockin' The Boat, This Way Out, and much more) and weekdays at noon (Democracy Now), as well as on Saturdays (Unwelcome Guests at 10am, Alternative Radio at noon).
They also have local bands playing for a full hour once a week, lots of local music of all varieties, some underground hip hop, some lounge, some jazz, some country...
AND you can listen online at http://www.kfar.org
Cricket
Posted by: Cricket on May 4, 2004 5:32 PMWatch out because Jill West is coming to Knoxville Radio. Ladies, watch your men. Married or not.
Posted by: air hawk on July 14, 2004 3:50 PM