Los Angeles' last country radio station abruptly changed formats on Thursday. The news was not only shocking to listeners, who heard country in the morning and Hip Hop by lunch, but to the staff who found out before their shift began.
The host of the midmorning show, Shawn Parr, said he was told just after he started his shift that the station would be changing styles. He queued up Keith Urban's "Tonight I Wanna Cry" at 10:18 a.m., which segued into the Black Eyed Peas' "Let's Get It Started" six minutes later. Then he left the air.
"It's a bitter pill to swallow. The thing I have a hard time with is the listeners. They deserve more than that," said Parr, who has long been the voice of television's Academy of Country Music Awards.
The radio station made the decision to switch, in order to gain a better marketspot. KZLA was ranked 20th out of 80 stations, but that apparently wasn't high enough for them.
That leaves Los Angeles and New York without country music radio stations, despite the huge popularity of the format.
I'm not a country fan, but I find this hypocritical and racist. The basic reason for the change is that they feel that a station devoted a genre of music with a mostly caucasian fan base has no place is a place as diverse as LA. And yet LA has dozens of Spanish-language channels whose audience is 99.9% Latino. Pretty hypocritical if you ask me.
I can not begin to say how very disappointed I am with the format change of KZLA. It is now become just the same as so many other radio stations in the Los Angeles area. Having a country/rock channel as a choice was refreshing and I had enjoyed the music and format for a number of years.
The way the station transitioned was shocking and inappropriate. I will no longer be tuning in.
my mom was a listener and although i didnt listen much, the whole way this was handled was incredibly un professional. Now 93.9 has turned into all the crap we already have on the radio station. and now its streamlining over the internet. wtf, what are u supposed to listen to in the car?!
I returned home from a vacation, and when I started my car, Madonna's voice greeted me, instead of Shania, or Faith! I was so confused, as the radio was still set to 93.9, but the music was all wrong!! Pop music has its place, and I like it as well, but I need my country! My kids agree, and we just can't believe it! Sounds easy to switch formats - so switch it back - PLEASE! Now I'll have to listen to XM Country instead, and PAY for it. I already have my favorite pop stations, so I will not be listening to the "new" 93.9 - out of spite.
I recently moved to LA and out of everything different it was nice to have a little something to remind me of home. Not only am I sad about the format change but the way it was handled. So much for being loyal to your fan base that has been loyal to you. I guess I'll have to pay for satalite radio too.
It is wrong to not give any warning of the change! That is a kick in the face to us and their employees. We do deserve better much better. I do like the music they are now playing, but it is sounds the same as all the other stations here in LA. If you want to listen to Top 40 listen to KIIS FM. Maybe if enough of us make a stink about it we can get another country station!!!!! COME LA LET'S BE HEARD!! I won't buy satillite radio..why should I pay for something that is supposed to be free!!
Someone said that there all a bunch of spanish stations..I agree why can't we have one of them??? I am half mexican(my dad is from mexico/mom is from Boston, MA)I would rather listen to country music so let's get our station back!!!
I like it!!! my radio just jumped to 93.9 as I was searching for a sttion...I saw 93.9 and thought Oh no country! and Madonna was on? I said what the heck? I've been listening ever since.....by the way it's, it's pop music not rap or hip hop for you country folk!!!!!
It was an insult to loyal listeners who actually considered the advertiser's products. Now they will lose out. I for one will not listen to another me-to station. This opinion has been one heard from many sources. Too bad they throw away a good audience for a fickle one.
Don't mind me, I'm just a guest.
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