Bye, bye BEE

[Amanuensis]

For over 20 years, KBEE was one of my car radio presets, usually on the "first string" -- the FM1 presets. But over the past few months they have been moving their playlist in a direction I have not liked, so a while back 98.7 got moved to the FM2 "bench".

Today, my car radio's "team" got shaken up and 98.7 did not make the cut -- it got removed completely from my presets. Also getting cut were bench players KJMY and 101.9 (which had been recently signed to a 14-day contract). Although technically I am a part of Gen-X, I am at the upper edge of that age range and my musical tastes fit far more with the Boomers.

Signed to a new 14-day contract was KMGR. It will be a reserve player along with returning-from-the-disabled-list role player KTCE.

The "Starting 6" on my FM1 presets are now KODJ, KBZN (the rookie that bumped KBEE from the starting lineup back when KBZN was signed to the team), KSFI, KJQN, KRSP, and KOSY.

[radiolovr]

Personally, I wish they would bring The True Oldies Channel back, and put it on the Bee. I really miss that station, and I still can't believe they put another talk station on the air in its place...
Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

[henry]

I was a HUGE bee fan in the late-90s. The "Awesome 80s at 8" permanently shifted my taste in music back in school.

I dumped the Bee when they put Marie Osmond on back in '04 with her awful, awful national show - basically telling all male listeners to get out. So I did.

Frankly, I never would've believed it 10 years ago ... but all my presets (except KSL) are Millcreek stations now. U92, Mix 107.9, the Point, and 97.5. Go 33rd!

[Deleted]

My presets are thus KUBL/KEGA, KSOP/KSL, KJMY/KBEE, KSFI/KOSY, KENZ,KZZQ This is in the family van, which I usually drive to/from work. Mostly, lately I've been streaming my radio station on my Android phone. I am currently looking for a spot for KYLZ... hmmm Usually I'll hit seek from the KSOP preset, that works for the moment.

[Amanuensis]

I started this thread by listing my FM1 presets. In case anyone is interested, I use my first two (of six) FM2 presets for stations that I really listen to as much, if not more, than some of the FM1 stations: KUER and KCPW. I usually start my morning commute (West Jordan to Provo) by listening to the two NPR stations and then switching to music once I have caught up on the news.

The other four FM2 presets are for my "second string" radio stations, which right now are KTCE, KMGR, KQMB, and KLGL. KLGL would be in the starting lineup (on FM1) if it could be received north of the Point of the Mountain.

On AM I really only have three stations that have "earned" a roster spot: KSL, KDYL, and KSRR. Truthfully, I am not completely certain what the other three AM presets are set to. I think one is set to KFNZ, but with the simulcast of Jazz games on FM, I never really tune in that station any more.

[JamesAnderson]

I have a portable HD tuner from Best Buy, it's the Insignia NS-HD01, and it has ten presets. This version of it does not have separate presets for HD2/3 channels, so I will have to go by actual presets. You have ten station slots, but I haven't filled them all.

1. KSL - HD2 only. Mormon Channel
2. KBYU - HD1 nad 2 both. HD2 is BYU Radio.
3. KSFI - HD2 only except Sundays. Soft Sunday Sounds
4. KUER - HD3 only - MPR's 'Classical 24'
5. KODJ - HD2 only. Broadcast Architecture's Smooth Jazz.

With KSL's main being mostly fluff now save for TOH news and breaking, that one makes some sense

KBYU is the only one that gets both equally, the HD2 went nearly all music the first of the year, and as an added bonus, the Tabernacle Choir is on every weekday at 5pm in PM drive.

KSFI has gotten a lot hotter of late as well, but the HD2 remains true to the soft format they were known for albeit it is the 'Soft Sunday Sounds' LDS/Christian format.

KUER I use for news also, but the HD3 is a legendary classical format out of Minneapolis/St. Paul, known as 'Classical 24'. KUER has used this since they first went 24/7 in the 80s back when Arthur Hoehn ran the night show from KSJN, and the format style is built around that original premise albeit he has retired and the format is now 24/7, a number of HD2/3's run by NCEs have this nationally.

KODJ's HD2 is the best engineered of the five. Even if you don't like smooth jazz, give it a listen, I think everyone could learn something engineering-wise on the sound on this one.

On the rest, be sure to check out KRSP-HD2 as this is what KYLZ started out as being when they ran the 'Cool Classic Rock' format. Except it does have live DJs,

For a real treat on AAA, check out KUER-HD2, this is 'Xponential Radio' from WHYY Philadelphia, with a couple other programs like 'World Cafe' airing at times. It's more like the old KUMT but more broadly based and covering several decades as well, less hard than KRSP, what makes this one fun is that you will often tune in and think they've flipped the format because it is so eclectic.

And I also like the KLGL style of programming too. However they are shifting a little bit. So I wonder what will be the outcome of that, it's been slow, but still steady otherwise on their take on the adult hits format. As I said before, this looks to have even predated the original Jack FM.

[Amanuensis]

I agree with you that KLGL seems to be tweaking their play list, and I am not sure whether I like the changes. I wish that they would tell us where they are headed.

Right now, my #1 station is Jack. This means that it is the station I will go to first when I am on some other station and that station either goes to a commercial or starts playing a song that I do not like. But if Jack is not then playing a song that I like, I will not hesitate to check out what each of the other stations is then playing.

[stitch]

Isn't Donny Osmond doing a show on the Bee now? I listened to Sirius Satellite when I got my new car a few years back and loved that! But I can't see paying for radio when I have a full iPod and my car is compatible to playing that in-line.

I listen to Jack alot too but I always seem to go back to my iPod because all of the stations around here play the same 12 songs over and over again.. No matter what genre the station is.. I'm getting tired of the rap scene too.. 12 years of that is enough... Get back to singing songs... KSOP is always my country leader---they are a great station.

I like the new Point, but they still fall into the problem of playing the same songs repeatedly. At least the Point WANTS to chat with their listeners and they treat the listener well for now.

[stitch]

What I truly miss is the old KBZN Smooth Jazz - The Breeze. Please let's bring that back... That is a standby that most everybody LOVED

[henry]

I think most stations are gonna die once they have cheap smartphones. I'm trying to find one so I can listen to KFI 640 out of L.A. in the car. After that it'll be KSL and KFI for me ... and that's it.

[stitch]

The smartphones are pretty cheap now if you already have a two-year plan. I just wish they would give a cheaper package with it. The smartphone pkg is at least 69.99 plus tax.. Technology is really killing us if you think about it. Remember when there was no internet or cell phones... We had more $$$ in our pockets and we all lived a fairly happy life.

But I am also looking forward to what the new smartphones will do in the coming year. Farmville anyone? You'll be able to play it hopefully by 2011 on a smartphone.