Austin Music Source

By mike rieman

July 3, 2009 11:45 AM | Link to this

Do you hear the giant sucking sound? It’s the soul being ripped out of Austin public radio by KUT’s corporate suits. The KGSR-ization continues. Not to mention those annoying 15 second ads.KUT is no longer a non-commercial station. Paul Ray has (had) the best jazz show around. Instead of yanking Paul Ray and Larry Monroe, KUT really needs to concentrate its efforts on improving signal quality, which has become abysmally distorted. “Broader listener base”? Sounds like thinly-veiled corporate double-talk for more revenues. I won’t be subscribing anymore.

By Waltzing with rabid bears

July 3, 2009 11:58 AM | Link to this

Oh puhleeze. Matt Riley? So KUT is going to suck more by making it sound like the old KGSR. Y’all know that laid-off (former) music director of KGSR, Susan Castle, is probably looking for a job. At least she knows something about local and Texas music.

Why in the heck are they using ANY syndicated music content. That is a complete slap in the face to the listening base and to all the very competent potential hosts that live in Austin. If there is any program that sounds like a very boring KGSR it has to be Undercurrents. I kept waiting for KUT to get rid of it in favor of local talent.

Also…What’s up with an hour of UK music on a Sunday evening. Ed Miller is a great talent and really belongs back on Folkways. Kevin is a nice guy but his version of folkways is just another KGSRization of the KUT sound and a great reason to find out what is in my CD collection.

By Barry

July 3, 2009 12:11 PM | Link to this

I think it’s time for not only a ‘shake-up’ at KUT, but a make-over, particularly, in the Jazz area. The jazz programing on KUT is a dated, meandering out of touch waste of air-time. Has anyone ever listened to the syndicated Jazz Trax program. It was moved from a 9 to 11 slot to 6 to 9am to where few listen. Jazz Trax pis the best provider of the contemporary scene. We have no other program on radio which compares to what’s heard on Jazz Trax. Perhaps, this program can be moved to KUT from KGSR or DJ’s could be found with a greater level of sophistication than is currently offered on KUT.It would not upset me to see Jay,Larry,and Paul get the boot. Their programming has become dull and stale, in my opinion, and a fresh change may be a good thing.Could we get some Jazz Trax sounding music on KUT, at the very least?

By Greg

July 3, 2009 12:43 PM | Link to this

boo! Phil Music is why I listen to KUT. Not anymore.

By elizs

July 3, 2009 1:19 PM | Link to this

This is disappointing news, for sure.

By lippy

July 3, 2009 1:52 PM | Link to this

That explanation makes no sense: In order to “serve a broader listener base,” We are going to play the same stuff at night that we play during the day. That doesn’t sound very broadening (especially to those of us who can’t stand John Aeilli).

By Frenchie

July 3, 2009 2:01 PM | Link to this

Way to go, KUT! Corporate radio at its WORSE. No more KUT membership for me. I urge everyone else to do the same. Vote with your $$$.

By right on, lippy

July 3, 2009 2:04 PM | Link to this

“(especially to those of us who can’t stand John Aeilli)”

Amen. My highest hopes upon seeing this link were that they’d finally put John out to pasture.

I can always tell when Jeff McCord is subbing for John within thirty seconds of tuning in mid-song. Give Eklektikos to Jeff, KUT.

By mer

July 3, 2009 2:14 PM | Link to this

Great. Now instead of listening to jazz and blues we’ll get to listen to Cheryl Crow a gazillion times a day just like on KGSR. Or Vampire Weekend. Or whatever. Send a message- don’t give KUT any more money. Support KOOP instead!

By Gumby2

July 3, 2009 2:29 PM | Link to this

So. Instead of serving it’s higher mission to educate and inform, KUT chooses the path of least resistance and panders to a market that’s already one of the worst in the nation for jazz fans. The Austin art and music scene will never mature without increased exposure to mature art and music.

By Chuck Mac

July 3, 2009 3:03 PM | Link to this

My ears, and my dollars, go to KOOP radio. Hack Mendenhall needs to leave, quickly.

By wacoreporter

July 3, 2009 4:19 PM | Link to this

Phil Music and Paul Ray’s Jazz were two of the last remnants of old Austin that I looked forward to whenever I visit, or listen to KUT online. I can get syndicated crap anywhere, but Austin is Austin, or it used to be. And to the person saying Jazz Trax is Jazz, Please! That fluff barely passes for easy listening. You must be a Kenny G fan. By all means lets kill what little free-form quality programming Austin has left. Turn off KUT. Go to KOOP, the Web or satellite to find the good stuff.

By Blake

July 3, 2009 4:56 PM | Link to this

Yet another reason terrestrial radio is going down the tubes. Viva satellite.

By Thomas

July 3, 2009 5:43 PM | Link to this

Why can’t we have a NPR all-talk radio station like they do in Dallas, San Francisco, Houston… this is the State capitol and we’re forced to crazy music that should be obtained from KGSR or XM.

By Say What?

July 3, 2009 6:44 PM | Link to this

Larry Monroe and Paul Ray were the two reasons I listened to KUT. Those cats have been around forever and a day and no one knows more about music than those two.

Mike Rieman—you got that right…..the sucking sound we are now hearing is KUT going corporate.

Yeah—let’s keep up the march towards the complete ruin of what Austin used to be. Maybe then all the people who have ruined the old Austin ambience will stop coming here in droves.

By Brian

July 3, 2009 6:48 PM | Link to this

Probably a change for the worse. Remember when Folkways was moved from Saturday morning and now its Click and Clack and some humorous quiz show that I never listen to - too bad, because Saturday morning is the time to slowly begin the weekend and enjoy the music, not Saturday afternoon when you’re busy with things that take you away from radio - but hey, they never ask me even though I’ve been a steady contributor. Hmmm.

By norm

July 3, 2009 7:56 PM | Link to this

Here’s something worth reading from a guy who worked in radio in New Orleans for many years. http://www.walkerpub.com/radio_consultants.html#anchor5187099

By DonGregorio

July 3, 2009 8:10 PM | Link to this

Real Jazz on XM70. Bruce Lundvall, the guy who runs Blue Note Records has an interesting show there. I’d rather pay XM than KUT, there’s just no comparison.

By Patrick Hurley

July 3, 2009 8:28 PM | Link to this

A most basic requirement of public radio in Texas is to promote things Texan - including its music, the best in the land. Who better to do this than the person who has done it most successfully for 28 years on KUT - Larry Monroe. The programs remained fresh, with a healthy mix of classic Texas music and the best of new and upcoming Texas artists.

KUT seems to want to regulate Texas music to the trash can and replace it with some mix of “American” music. They say the changes were made to better blend daytime and evening programs. There is no radio station that has increased its audience by blending daytime and evening music programs. Daytime programming is for a general audience while evening radio audiences are more discerning and eclectic. Larry Monroe understands this basic principle.

It is a very sad day indeed when KUT loses the plot completely.

By Chuck Mac

July 3, 2009 8:40 PM | Link to this

Matt Reilly is subbing for Jeff McCord tonight. Unacceptable. Matt Reilly & Hack Mendehall equal mayonaisse music.

By John in Austin

July 3, 2009 9:38 PM | Link to this

I join with those in saying that I am not pleased with this decision. The show that should have been clipped (severely) is Eklektikos. Jeff should get a shot at that. Larry and Paul are top-notch. sigh…it should make the next pledge drive interesting.

By Andrea

July 3, 2009 11:01 PM | Link to this

Wow - you might want to give old Matt Reilly a try before you decide to dog him. I am listening to him tonight and enjoying it. He has a nice energy. I understand missing Paul and Larry - but no need to be so unfriendly to a new guy. (He was on KGSR years ago and then XPN - a great station.) I mean this is liberal friendly Austin right?

By will

July 3, 2009 11:02 PM | Link to this

This is a marketing strategy plain and simple, an attempt to get them more $$$ for the “compensated endorsements” the rest of us call adsvertisements. I quit listening in 2001 when Kut’s news department began cutting into the Morning Edition. Year by year the station has been rebranded to a demographic that leaves us “legacy listeners” with very little. The next pledge drive should be interesting indeed.

By Jane

July 3, 2009 11:14 PM | Link to this

Wow - we could give Matt a chance before deciding he sucks. I mean it is fine to miss Larry and Paul - and this is a big change -but did you think the station would never change? I wonder if Larry and Paul got tired of being on so late. They are not spring chickens - Anyways -We are nice liberal and friendly Austin right? Listening to Matt tonight I like his energy. Maybe we should not sound like old bitter people just yet.

By CJ

July 3, 2009 11:19 PM | Link to this

Why should a station whose No. 1-rated show (All Things Considered) refuses to use the word “torture” to describe Bush atrocities be concerned with respecting anything resembling good music from the likes of Ray and Monroe? The people such as Thomas (above at 5:43 PM) will probably prevail, though I hope not. These are the folks whose only daily music consumption is listening to the insipid Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun theme music that washes down the Managed Newsfare of ATC. It’s not like these types really care about local art, music, food or what have you. Neither do the imported labor that manages this once-proud station.

By Jackson

July 4, 2009 12:21 AM | Link to this

Going with hours and hours each week of syndicated programming such as “Undercurrents” is a sad state of affairs.

I looked at its website, and the host is described thusly: “Undercurrents is mixed by Greg McVicar , former host of EarthSongs, and longtime California radio DJ and producer. Among his loves are cycling, swimming, hiking, camping, and attending music festivals.” The bio goes on to tout his Peabody Award and academic credentials.

A California DJ will now control three hours of Austin, Texas public radio each week night, from midnight to 3:00 AM. This is not good.

I understand that payroll costs locally are a bigger hit than paying for a syndicated show, and that Paul Ray and Larry Monroe are a bit long in the tooth. John Aielli is positively comatose weekday mornings on “Eklektikos,” which isn’t eclectic in the least, and his constantly hyped show “John Aielli Unleashed” is the most misnamed thing ever. My girlfriend’s running joke used to be that whenever the late summer on-air fundraiser ended, Aielli took off for his three week paid vacation. Our running joke became that the fundraiser was for Aielli’s annual summer vacation!

The new folks are no better. The Statesman story quotes KUT’s director of broadcast and content, a guy named Buzzard something —- I’m sorry, a guy named Hawk something —- as saying that Paul Ray and Larry Monroe have a loyal fan base and signature programs. That’s true, but lowering their payroll hit in these tough economic times is not an illogical thing to do. But Aielli should not be off limits. He’s been sleepwalking for many years, frankly.

And that Buzzard guy —- sorry again, that Hawk guy —- is part of the problem, too. Ever heard him? He sounds like Casey Kasem after a few drinks.

The whole downward path KUT has been on for several years is sad. New on-air blood was needed before now, but the management people making the changes are nothing to write home about, either.

RIP, KUT.

By gus

July 4, 2009 1:24 AM | Link to this

bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad… this is really stupid and will cost kut. my god, don’t they know what makes kut wonderful and different? so stupid!

By Ydnar

July 4, 2009 8:17 AM | Link to this

I agree with most on here that this is a bad move. It’s obvious that the people in charge don’t know what makes KUT special. If I want to hear a California dj I’ll listen to KCRW online. It would be really nice if they gave John Aielli the boot. His voice makes my skin crawl and he seems to love the sound of it. If he’d just shut up and play music it would be one thing. I listen to the radio every morning; KOOP until noon unless Aielli is on vacation. Let Paul and Larry have his show! Please!!!

By simone

July 4, 2009 8:24 AM | Link to this

This is so sad. I always listen after midnight on my way home from work and these 2 are the heart and soul of that station. I never noticed a problem with blending daytime and nighttime programing. The bland “undercurrents” they are replacing them with is a far cry from the unique music selections these two have provided for years. I am dissapointed.

By burly

July 4, 2009 8:58 AM | Link to this

Paul Ray and Larry Monroe rock and reflect our local music values and our depth and inquisitiveness. Jazz Trax on our radio is like a mall in America - you cannot tell where you are. Am I in Burbank or Peoria? I do not listen to KGSR because every time I tune in I hear something I heard a thousand times already. Like reading the same book over and over and over and over again. At least John AiellI is unique. Maybe have Paul and Larry co host with John. Also Saturday morning sucks with the autos/humor and humor baloney. Folkways was a Saturday Morning staple. Now they do not get my ear. I would always donate at a time that Paul or Larry or one of the other small shows was on to show my support for true local programing. I think I will take a year or so off and see if they feel the pinch. New bumpersticker ” I heart my ears- say no to KUT” If the sentiment we are expressing here is large they will feel it. When they send you your renewal notice send it back empty with a little note. Thats what I am gonna do.I got your backs Paul and Larry.

By Mike Atha

July 4, 2009 9:21 AM | Link to this

John Aeily is the one that needs his hours cut. Is anyone else tired of listening to him ramble?

By Richard

July 4, 2009 9:22 AM | Link to this

Just what KUT needs, another music show. Austin certainly doesn’t have enough music on the airwaves. KUT over the years has become so unbalanced in its ratio of music to news/commentary/information that I long ago quit listening to it, and now listen to stations on the web, where the content is more balanced. Go to WUIS.org (Springfield, Illinois) or KWMU.org (St. Louis, MO) and you’ll see (hear) what I mean. I sadly quit pledging to KUT and have been sending donations to stations that are more in keeping with my idea of what NPR should be. Other stations have completely split off the music content from the information content (University of Michigan, Florida State) and created a separate channel for music(which KUT could do, now that KUT-2 is available).

By Bonny Holder

July 4, 2009 9:49 AM | Link to this

I kinda like John Aielli.

By Terry Moore

July 4, 2009 9:51 AM | Link to this

The homogenization of Austin continues with the destruction of one of it’s most important institutions. I made a pledge, as always of $10 a month so I could hear Paul Ray especially. I want my money back. Shame on you KUT.

By SRay

July 4, 2009 10:13 AM | Link to this

As usual, I am sure it all comes down to money. Although I am sure that they are underpaid (you can tell they do it out of love for the music), as long time employees, Monroe and Ray are probably at the top of KUT’s non-management pay scale. By cutting their wages and benefits and bringing in a sponsored, underwritten national program I’m sure KUT saves a bundle. So now Austin gets yet another California transplant in “Undercurrents” The Undercurrents online playlist for the next week lists the Doors “Light My Fire”, the Stones’ “Wild Horses” (good songs, but do we really EVER need to hear them on the radio again) and Lord help us the new single by “Weird Al” Yankovic. As a result of the “programming updates”, my family will choose not to renew our membership during the next pledge drive. I’m sure there are many other longtime, loyal listeners who feel the same.

By gnome

July 4, 2009 10:25 AM | Link to this

I call KUT radio - “CUT” radio - becuase that’s what they are doing - cutting the local music little by little. They would rather pay for a program from across the country than have local dj’s talking about local music and local events. I think its time to CUT our pledges to KUT.

By SArafat

July 4, 2009 10:26 AM | Link to this

This seems to me to be another ham-fisted attempt at cost-cutting that is taking another decent media outlet down the path of least resistance. And more money. KUT is one of the things I love most about Austin and like many others, the changes are completely unacceptable to me. To cut Monroe & Ray down to essentially one on-air shift a week is to cut the heart out of what makes this station so well-loved. This is a short-sighted and selfish move by KUT (especially Hoak Mendenhall) that will cost dearly in the long run in ordinariness and reduced membership.

I mean, do we really need another California transplant?

If you really want for KUT to hear your voices, contact KUT as well. It’s important that management know that these changes will not only hurt these two amazing DJ’s, but all of Austin as well.

By Kit

July 4, 2009 11:10 AM | Link to this

Someone please tell John Aielli to learn mic techniques.. I mean his mic work is TERRIBLE.. and he acts like a beginning DJ… come on!

By Bill Rodgers

July 4, 2009 11:11 AM | Link to this

Leave John Aielli alone, people. Some of us depend on his endless droning at 9:05 am each day to help things “move” a little better in the bathroom. Just sayin.

By Austx03

July 4, 2009 1:52 PM | Link to this

Get rid of John Aielli..Please!!! He is the reason I don’t donate money anymore and why I don’t turn on KUT before 1:00 - unless he is on vacation. Then I listen

By TxWonk

July 4, 2009 2:25 PM | Link to this

My first thought was - “Don’t post a comment here, go to kut.org and tell them directly.” Well, I couldn’t find anything about these changes on their front page, which makes me think they don’t want comments, only pledges, pledges, and more pledges…

Sp, they’re doing this to get “more continuity between our daytime and evening music programming we hope to serve a broader listener base.” But doesn’t more continuity mean they’re just targeting the same listener base with more hours of vapid programming?

But remember, this is the management team that started their crappy local news bureau and flooded us with all the short, oh-so-hip commercials. And don’t forget those charming little essays (“I moved to Austin 10 months ago and the first time I had a taco…”). Austinites are already overly narcissistic, we don’t need to listen to more how-cool-and-of-course-weird-we-are on the radio.

I haven’t been listening to KOOP, so thanks for the tips!

By edgar davis

July 4, 2009 4:22 PM | Link to this

this is a no-brainer. I manage a modest trust that makes annual donations totalling $30k to KUT and KLRU. Based on this news, starting on July 6, I will be looking for new causes to whom to give this money. I am not impressed with the new management nor their vision. I want more than anything to Keep Austin Austin.

If KUT needs to cut fat from the budget, they need look no further than the biggest blowhard waste of energy on air: John Aielli, who in my opinion has caused more Austinites to hate weekday mornings on KUT. He is truly an idiot…

That said, Austin is not San Jose. Austin is not NYC. Austin is not Seattle nor Denver nor Santa Monica. Austin is KUT and KUT is Larry Monroe, and Paul Ray and Jay Trachtenberg. and for whatever it is worth, John Aeilli.

Austin is not national syndicated NPR shows…that would be Dallas. Austin-tatiously yours, edgar davis

By Will Ravenel

July 4, 2009 10:42 PM | Link to this

Larry Monroe has impeccable taste; removing him from his current time periods is a huge mistake. If the idea behind this idiotic purge is to get more people to listen to KUT, they’ll lose their built-in, loyal listeners first. Rid the airwaves of John Aielli, if you want to do something drastic that at least makes sense.

By Jackson

July 5, 2009 1:30 AM | Link to this

A correction for the above commenter “Richard”: He writes sarcastically, “Just what KUT needs, another music show….KUT has become so unbalanced in its ratio of music to news/commentary/information that I long ago quit listening….Other stations have completely split off the music content and created a separate channel for music (which KUT could do, now that KUT-2 is available).

He writes that the “ratio” is somehow “unbalanced.” Let’s examine that. There are 24 hours in a day, agreed? During the week, KUT runs BBC from 3:00 to 5:00 AM, then NPR from 5:00 to 9:00 AM (pre-dawn thru morning drive time), then music (with hourly NPR news breaks) from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, then news again from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM (thru after-work drive time and beyond), then music again from 8:00 PM to 3:00 AM, when the BBC starts the weekday process all over.

Let’s add that up, shall we? News vs. music, in a 24 hour weekday cycle: 11 hours news/commentary (including ALL of the key periods of the radio day plus hourly news updates), 13 hours music.

Mind you, this in a town that is culturally steeped in music in every facet of our lives.

To claim, as commenter “Richard” does, that the “ratio” is unbalanced, when that balance is barely skewed — barely — in favor of music, in a town where music has been the cultural rhythm for literally decades, is to not know what one is really talking about.

Beyond all of that, public radio stations historically had great music content, and only began moving more toward cable TV news, with nothing but nonstop talk, in the mid to late 1980’s. This trend accelerated in the 1990’s. It was a bad trend in any event, turning many public radio stations into an FM version of AM talk radio.

Commenter “Richard” clearly likes this trend, even though his view seems to completely ignore the town’s heritage and culture. Perhaps he’s new….in which case he’s certainly not alone, eh?

I like a mix of music and news/commentary. And I think something near 50/50, but leaning toward music, fits our town. Radio, unlike TV, is inherently local and must appeal to a local sensibility. Those who think radio should be like national TV are misunderstanding the differences between the two mediums.

By Lissa Hattersley

July 5, 2009 10:47 AM | Link to this

The presence of Paul Ray, Larry Monroe, Jay Trachtenberg, and, yes, John Aielli has helped make KUTfm the unique and wonderful voice of the Austin community for all the decades that I have been a listener and supporter. (In defense of Aielli, I must say that he is the one DJ I’ve found to understand the meaning of “eclectic,” i.e., he is comfortable playing all forms of music: classical, jazz, country, pop, and the singer-songwriter stuff you hear on all the programs…). To replace them with someone new to Austin, however talented Reilly may be, makes absolutely no sense to me! If I were running things, I might look at replacing management, instead of replacing the DJs that already have fan bases in place. (KUT should be looking to syndicate THEIR shows. Much of the rest of the country looks to Austin to learn about what’s “hip.”)

By B Moon

July 5, 2009 5:12 PM | Link to this

This is outrageous! These two guys have worked for years for low pay (I’m betting) to build a huge listener base. They are both brilliant and know their listeners as well as the broad range of music they bring to us. I first heard and learned about hundreds of musicians listening to them. A huge number of Austin musicians got started and got to be known through their programming. The Phil Music Program is the best i’ve ever heard (except when Larry could do it exactly like he wanted - might i add before the current management arrived). Why could you think anyone will still support the station when it will sound like any other place in the country, now. With their work KUT has been known nationally as a fabulous station. Not anymore. i’ve just read all the other posts and some questions arise: If they’re selling to soul of KUT and doing this to save $$, why these two? How much does KUT “save” by getting rid of these on-air hours? How much extra are they paying Matt Reilly to pick up 12 hours? How much more does Hawk (or Hack or Buzzard, thanks to earlier posters) Mendenhall make than these guys who actually create these programs? In addition to Mendenhall, how much do Stewart Vanderwilt and Jody Evans make? Where did they come from and why are THEY running our AUSTIN TREASURE? How much money can we “save” by getting rid of them? Has KUT ever considered syndicating these amazing programs Blue Monday, Phil Music and Twine Time), and how much could they make by doing that? A lot has changed since new management arrived. How much money will the station lose from donors who listen exclusively to the programmers who made the station in the first place? i say, GIVE THEM HELL for this. CHANGE IT BACK!! And, KUT….. have the guts to at least announce it yourself. i also checked KUT.org and not a word about it. Call them. Keep the phones going. Complain. 512 471 1631

By Katy

July 5, 2009 6:40 PM | Link to this

I see a community non-profit trying to make the right decisions to stay afloat in a terrible economy. Matt Reilly is a local guy hosting evenings. Midnight, who listens to the radio at midnight??? I think it makes sense to save a little money from Midnight to 3am, don’t you. What I see here is a management team trying to focus on the bottom line and still keep KUT a station the reflects the community.

I just can’t believe y’all would jump to such horrible conclusions - I didn’t think Austinites could be so FICKLE. Give it a chance, give Matt a chance. Stop complaining, at least Larry and Paul still have jobs. Look at KGSR - they’re laying everyone off.

By ann Clark

July 5, 2009 7:24 PM | Link to this

Suprised not to hear Larry on Thursday night and no mention of him, I called the subbing DJ to say “where’s Larry?” The reply: “Oh, he’s just off for the night.” What a lie. I later heard that Larry had been replaced on that show and that Paul Ray’s hours had been drastically reduced as well. I am sickened by the dissolution of what was once a station whose talented, passionate DJ’s and their fantastic play lists could be counted on night after nght, year after year. More than enough to keep the fan base of KUT growing and growing. If Hack Mendenhall thinks Austin will enthusiastically suport the creeping format pap that he’s promoting he’ll have another think coming when fund-raising comes around. To lose all the fans and their funding support in this weak economic climate is just plain stupid. Who hired Hawk, anyway? Whoever you are, take your blinders off, before Hawk hacks what made KUT distinctive to oblivion. Fans, vote with your dollars.

By Ann Clark

July 5, 2009 7:51 PM | Link to this

I called the unfamiliar voice on Phil Music last Thursday to ask where Larry was, “oh, he’s just off for the night.” O.K. Then I found out the truth: Larry Monroe and Paul Ray had had their hours drastically reduced. What’s up with KUT? If KUT management thinks that KUT fans passionate about quality programming are going to fund the format pap that is creeping in, and program changes that make absolutley no sense to the fan base, they may have another think coming. Managment does not create a fan base. It is DJ’s with loyal fan bases that THEY HAVE DEVELOPED OVER DECADES that make significant contributions to KUT coffers. KUT, get a grip on reality!

By Kooper

July 6, 2009 5:39 AM | Link to this

If you are interested in local programming, don’t forget about KOOP - 91.7 FM.

By PJackson

July 6, 2009 11:21 AM | Link to this

Like they say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. What a sad day for all of us who look forward to Monroe and Ray’s shows. I think it is a BIG mistake. Austin just ain’t what it used to be.

By norm

July 6, 2009 1:20 PM | Link to this

I quit listening to KGSR for the same reasons burly mentioned. I hope KUT reconsiders and at least keeps Phil Music instead of turning the station into KGSR-2 (which is what “Undercurrents” seems like)

By KUT subscriber

July 6, 2009 2:08 PM | Link to this

How strangely apropos that they make this announcement on a Monday, so that Larry can spin some blues records to soothe our souls in the wake of this awful news. Phil Music was a joke in that it wasn’t really fill music — it was awesome music.

With today’s myriad choices for listening to radio, internet and otherwise, the local DJ flavor is what locks people into KUT or any other local NPR station. We can get the NPR free off the internet anytime we wish. We can listen to just about anything in terms of music that we wish anytime, anywhere. We continue to listen to KUT hoping to hear our favorite Austin band, or hear Paul’s taste in jazz, or for a myriad of other reasons that evidently are not valued by current KUT management. But these are the reasons why people subscribe!

Local DJ time being dumped in favor of a national show is contributing to a growing, widespread belief that KUT is being mismanaged. How will that affect subscriptions?

When they dropped the Folkways DJs down to one ex-KGSR DJ, and also when they cut Aeilli’s hours, those were hints that someone at KUT was making the wrong choices.

Picket line at 25th & Guadalupe, anyone?

By Sam Hurt

July 6, 2009 4:07 PM | Link to this

For me, KUT has always been an integral part of Austin’s unique personality, precisely because it didn’t sound like any other radio station. That seems to have been slowly eroding the last few years, and now this is a devastating blow. Phil Music was a big favorite of mine, because the songs were tied together not by genre or artist, but by ideas. This is not just an abomination -it really sucks.

By Carolyn Phillips

July 6, 2009 5:52 PM | Link to this

Easter Sunday afternoon 1991 - Austin, Texas I’m coming home from the airport and the taxi driver is listening to KUT. Larry’s voice comes on, “Tonight, The Red-Headed Stranger.” That’s all he said and that’s all he had to say. It could only mean that Willie Nelson would be on Live Set that night. Three hours of Texas Cowboy Gospel music with the entire Willie Nelson family and Jon Blondell on Trombone, Ray Benson forgetting the words to “Peace in the Valley”, Willie calling out “Take it away Sister Bobbie!” and showing why he is a great band leader. They were in their Austin living room, the KUT studio with their friend, Larry Monroe. It was the best Easter show ever. You can’t get that kind of show out of a can.

By Sue

July 6, 2009 6:51 PM | Link to this

KUT sold out long ago; hasn’t been a “community” or even a “public” station in many years. The answer is Satellite Radio. Who needs KUT?

By John Jordan

July 6, 2009 8:47 PM | Link to this

The last we need is a move towards the safe and mediocre. This is a flagship station in a city that likes to fancy itself cutting edge. KUT should be developing these amazingly knowledgeable DJs and EXPORTING programming, not chopping them off at the knees and AORing itself into pointlessness.

This station has an obligation to challenge listeners and elevate the level of discourse, artistic and otherwise. With the resources our community possesses, KUT could be the best radio station on earth.

Be bold, people.

By Everett Christopher

July 6, 2009 9:04 PM | Link to this

I invite Paul Ray to start a podcast on my website Austinjazz.net. My site will never be regulated or brought down by any corporate entity.

By Chris G

July 6, 2009 9:14 PM | Link to this

This is an incredibly stupid business move that I believe is going to cost KUT a lot of money. It’s also sadly typical…. the low-paid, modest-living, creative people who made Austin the place every one wanted to move to are being forced/priced out by those who moved here. They say they “love” Austin, but their “love” is destroying our city! I say: Save KUT-Sack Hack!

By Nina Lauderdale

July 6, 2009 10:20 PM | Link to this

There have been some excellent points made here, including the idea of syndicating KUT programs. I also wonder how much money is wasted on management salaries. I hope KUT’s board, or whoever has the power to set KUT’s management straight (sack Hack!), is reading these comments. (In fact, we should all copy-n-paste them into an email to KUT.)

I, for one, would rather hear reruns (e.g. Fresh Air) or have dead air than to have that cheesy Undercurrents run on KUT. It’s an insult to our city.

By Irwin Fletcher

July 7, 2009 1:11 AM | Link to this

Larry Monroe and Paul Ray are treasures. To hack their air time so drastically is like dumping precious jewels into the ocean. Only a program director who is out of touch with quality could decide to replace those two with the likes of Matt Reilly (ordinary, at best) and Undercurrents (ordinary, at best; syndicated shows, BTW, are usually MORE expensive to air than paying local deejays).

And on a more personal screed: only a program director without any sense of style, taste, or moral standards would allow a “deejay” as truly horrendous as Audrey Morton on the air late nights on Friday. Her musical range seems to careen from stale top 40 relics to various songs from mix tapes lying around in her car, with the very occasional hipster tune-of-the-week thrown in to keep things “honest”. What’s worse: she seems actually PROUD of her lack of musical knowledge. Her on-air demeanor is not just casual, it’s boastfully careless. Check out her bio: her background is in news, not in music. How did this travesty manage to slip through the cracks and onto the airwaves? Do I smell a BJ? She is offensive in the classic sense of the word.

By Cal

July 7, 2009 6:14 AM | Link to this

I just received a fundraising letter from KUT. It’s another ‘desperate plea’ for funding which I feel quite certain, based on this latest disasterous decision (and many before it), will be going directly into the pockets of management or misguided programming initiatives.

The letter states - “Great programs do not grow from the ashes of deficits”.

The real deficit here is the complete disregard for what KUT has historically meant for the community of Austin and central Texans. The elimination of some of KUT’s most beloved and respected icons is something akin to the recent attempts to chop down the beautiful trees at Barton Springs that cannot be easily replaced and have everything to do with making that beautiful area what it is.

This community must protect what is of true value to its core sense of place first and foremost, but dismantling KUT to the point where it becomes an empty shell of its former self by cutting out its heart, is NOT the answer. I suspect that as it becomes less and less recognizable to itself or to the community it will wither on the vine. If it no longer serves as the heart center and pulse of this community supporters will inevitably have to ask themselves “what are we saving?”.

The true deficit here is one of value, an unquantifiable value which can’t be counted in dollars and cents or drawn out on some corporate graph.

To the poster above (‘katy’) - - I don’t know what their normal salaries are, but having one’s hours reduced to 8 hours a week is simply a halfway measure to pushing Monroe and Ray out the door. I think by any measure one could not expect those hours to constitute a ‘job’ (and surely there are no benefits).

By kathy

July 7, 2009 7:49 AM | Link to this

this is so much to read through. And the passion shows how important public radio is to Austin. I hope both Paul and Larry were offered the same opportunity as Matt to change up their show. I think John Aielli became better with the changes. What I really don’t like is NO FEMALE DJs. Susan Castle would have been a better choice- at least give her or some other woman some air time. Jeez- it’s 2009 and not only is KUT male dominated… it’s all male.

By Elena

July 7, 2009 8:09 AM | Link to this

Welcome to the wash out of local radio. We listen to KUT online here in Chicago because the local public radio is so bland. They talk all day and repeat the same stories, so it’s a mindless drone. Now KUT will sound the same. Luckily there are good on line radio stations and that’s where people will be…

By ducknutz

July 7, 2009 8:55 AM | Link to this

Complete, utter crap. This is one more reason to withold my funding for KUT. We don’t need another Clear Channel or some young buck playing a “mix” of music. Austin has plenty of shows like that already. The jazz shows were the mainstay of my Tuesday & Wednesday nights. Time to change the slogan to “Keep Austin Wack”

By Bob Blair

July 7, 2009 9:25 AM | Link to this

I’m sorry to hear Phil Music is gone. I’ve been listening since City Council days, and I plan my Thursday commute so I can listen. Or rather, I did until this week.

I haven’t heard any reaction from Larry and Paul. Did Larry mention it on Monday night?

By sara Hickman

July 7, 2009 9:30 AM | Link to this

John Aielli is not only a genius, a DJ who still reads liner notes ON AIR and cares about the back story of the song/music/musicians, but he has been the guiding light and voice of KUT for as long as I have been a listener, supporter, and, yes, an occassional guest musician………..FIrst they got rid of FEMME FM with Teresa Ferguson, which was absolutely astounding and helped new, undiscovered and old-time favorite female musicians have a place in the world of radio…and that was completely LUDICROUS…Paul Ray, Larry Monroe, Jay Trachtenberg….these guys are the family and make KUT over the top. I can NOT believe KUT continues to ignore the gems it has mined over the years to create one of a kind radio——the last of a dying breed—-to sell out and start making blah-blah radio that no one is going to listen to. Keep Austin weird and keep it the “live music capitol of the world?” THEN KEEP KUT ECCLECTIC and functioning at a high level of thought, creativity and let the DJS rule. They know what they are doing and changing any more of it will kill the soul of the very essence of KUT.

By Ben

July 7, 2009 10:35 AM | Link to this

Matt Reilly is local you dumb dumb people -he worked at KGSR and AMN (ever watch AMN?) then went to awesome WXPN and is back. He might just be one of the low-paid, modest living creative people you speak of and now he gets a chance to be on the air - Larry and Paul have been on for like 4 decades - Honestly -Radio stations like the rest of the world -change - I like Larry and Paul but would I want to listen to twine time and blue monday every night of the week? Sounds to me like they are giving another guy a chance - maybe you should too - and the midnight to 3am thing? Who cares - I try to sleep then

By Frederika

July 7, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this

KUT sounds like AM radio most of the time now. I turn it on, then turn it right back off. Nothing happening. John Aielli has been forced to play garbage, which is a travesty. He was part of the soul of KUT (still is, thank gawd, but diminished). Afro-Pop, gone. And so many others. The ascendance of the MBAs, the decline of culture in America. R.I.P. KUT.

By Tamara Sbelgio

July 7, 2009 11:03 AM | Link to this

Just another way in which Austin has lost so much of its unique soulfulness that made it such a remarkable place for so long. After 38 years, I had to move on to a place with a modest and genuine joyfulness - like the Austin I remember…There are many quixhotic and noble spirits who still inspire and are inspired by the beauty of Austin, and they have my respect. Paul Ray and Larry Monroe are two of them. And this is the thanks they get! When Austin became about money is when its soufulness began to feel canned. My old friend Doug Sahm saw this coming decades ago and used to rant about it…alas!

By Unhappy w/ KUT changes

July 7, 2009 11:55 AM | Link to this

These changes at KUT are horrible. On the timing of the announcement: Actually, it seems that KUT used the old Washington, DC / Federal Government trick of releasing an unpopular announcement late on a Friday afternoon, heading into a holiday weekend, in an attempt to bury the story as much as possible. KUT, a dog with it’s tail between its legs! KUT should reverse these changes if they want to retain its unique Austin charachter and listenership.

By Reed Oliver

July 7, 2009 12:13 PM | Link to this

I’m against anything that changes nightly variety featuring local DJs I’ve grown to love with a nationally syndicated show that makes KUT just like any other station with a nationally syndicated show after midnight.

This just means I’ll stop listening to KUT late night any more. Please stop cutting great shows that are unique to Austin! Let other stations become the generic “alternative” to commercial radio.

By Mark

July 7, 2009 2:26 PM | Link to this

God this is depressing. Not only is KUT canning two of the most talented, knowledgeable and entertaining personalities on the Austin airwaves, but they’re also effectively ending a decades-long commitment to jazz. And for what? A “Texas Music” show that sounds just like KGSR (i.e. singer-songwriter tunes by and for aging white boomers), and a syndicated show from California that sounds just like KGSR. Way to “serve a broader listening base,” guys! My radio was glued to KUT on weeknights, but I might have to “broaden my listening base” now to include satellite and internet radio. Perhaps Mr. Mendenhall should go work for K-Geezer, and quit f**king with a precious Austin institution. Paul and Larry, if you’re reading this, thanks for the memories. You’ll be sorely missed.

By JKApodaca

July 7, 2009 2:43 PM | Link to this

Where is Phil Music? Lost in Austin? Looking for Austin?

By Mark

July 7, 2009 2:58 PM | Link to this

God this is depressing. Not only is KUT canning two of the most talented, knowledgeable and entertaining personalities on the Austin airwaves, but they’re also effectively ending a decades-long commitment to jazz. And for what? A “Texas Music” show that sounds just like KGSR (i.e. singer-songwriter tunes by and for aging white boomers), and a syndicated show from California that sounds just like KGSR. Way to “serve a broader listening base,” guys! My radio was glued to KUT on weeknights, but I might have to “broaden my listening base” now to include satellite and internet radio. Perhaps Mr. Mendenhall should go work for K-Geezer, and quit f**king with a precious Austin institution. Paul and Larry, if you’re reading this, thanks for the memories. You’ll be sorely missed.

By Ernie Durawa

July 7, 2009 3:39 PM | Link to this

RE: Larry Monroe & Paul Ray

This is a sad day in Austin radio to cut these two guys short when both of them have had the best jazz and texas music radio shows for years…It will never be the same…a piece of Austin’s music heart is gone if this continues….I always looked forward to these guys. Sad Sad!

Ernie D

By Bardt

July 7, 2009 6:37 PM | Link to this

Phil Music was brutal. Twine Time is one of the great shows ever and I hope it’s around forever.

By Starr

July 7, 2009 7:01 PM | Link to this

Both Larry and Paul are great music aficionados. But I keep reading here that ‘we need to keep Austin Austin.’ Austin has been a place of change, and this is just another in the ever changing landscape of a new century.
One must assume that ratings are down for the blues/jazz shows and not for Ailey’s show, or the new management would have cut it instead. Personally, I would have preferred cutting Ailey. But it’s not my job to make sure the station brings in new listeners. I am taking a chance at causing a great deal of anger here, but the city has changed; I’ve come to realize that it’s no longer the 60s and the 70s and that younger people and people who are moving here are not the same people who love what I love. I, and other long time Austinites, are a minority now. Give the new shows a chance. If you like the jazz/blues, call in and request the music that Paul and Larry play during the replacement show. If the new shows don’t get ratings, they’ll fall by the wayside and Larry and Paul will be back. Down at KUT, give ‘em hell,but give ‘em a chance too.

By Elias Haslanger

July 7, 2009 7:54 PM | Link to this

This is the worst programming decision yet by KUT. Paul Ray’s Jazz is a show I grew up on and one of the reasons I play jazz today. So long KUT… it was nice knowing you.

By Chip Tait

July 7, 2009 8:15 PM | Link to this

I was just getting over the fact that they eliminated Larry Monroe’s Texas Music program from Sunday nights, and that Femme FM went away.

Unless Undercurrents is paying them for airtime, I can’t see why they don’t fill that space with local “interns” spinning local music. Hell, I’m 44, broke and have a family to feed, but I’d jump at the chance to spin Scott Byram records on KUT from midnight to 3am for no pay whatsoever.

By McDonald

July 7, 2009 8:27 PM | Link to this

Sad news, indeed. Larry and Paul are why I first became a KUT member and why I’ve kept tuning in all these years. Truly a loss for KUT and Austin.

By Howard Slobodin

July 7, 2009 9:12 PM | Link to this

I wonder how much the accountants and the visionaries at NPR will save with locally originated programming disappearing. Of course the funds will migrate upstream to the racketeers and fundraising experts at the “head office” in Washington, the outfit that produces the cookie cutter format that is heard all over the US on “public radio”. The truth is Newt Gingrich forever changed NPR into a commercial entity with car donation specialists, professional underwriters, estate planning donors, and compliant local suckers that submit to the endless moneygrubbing. Someone should tell the truth about the salaries of the management of KUT, and the cost of the imported programs

By Wella

July 7, 2009 9:42 PM | Link to this

I’ll miss both shows. I will keep listening to KUT, though more of my membership dollars will be going to KOOP next time around.

By Unhappy w/ KUT changes

July 8, 2009 12:48 AM | Link to this

Ok, …. I listened tonight, some, and at one point Matt Reilly played a song that sounded just like Mariah Carey. That’s not the type of music I want to hear, and not what I expect to hear on KUT. Larry and Paul are great, no need to replace them. Matt Reilly really “sounds like KGSR”!! …and it SUCKS! no joke!

By julie rhodes

July 8, 2009 1:45 AM | Link to this

well, i already sent e-mails to the AAS & KUT. i was shocked to read in the paper about no more phil music or paul ray’s jazz. they each took the time to make interesting playlists,not boring same ol same ol. could always count on larry to play music that fit the day or event. i remember when laura nyro died….i KNEW i would hear her on phil music or segway city….remember sat. nights? Grrrr….i am upset and think ol’ hawk should fly away to a generic city. e-mail KUT, AAS, and also CALL KUT, i did that. thanks for all the posts!!!

By KUT Volunteer

July 8, 2009 8:19 AM | Link to this

Not all change is for the better. I have been a long time volunteer at KUT and I agree with Sara’s comments:

“I can NOT believe KUT continues to ignore the gems it has mined over the years to create one of a kind radio——the last of a dying breed—-to sell out and start making blah-blah radio that no one is going to listen to. Keep Austin weird and keep it the “live music capitol of the world?” THEN KEEP KUT ECCLECTIC and functioning at a high level of thought, creativity and let the DJS rule. They know what they are doing and changing any more of it will kill the soul of the very essence of KUT”

Other posters are correct regarding withholding future donations. Maybe Hawk ,Stuart or Sylvia will take heed and read these posts. I too went to KUT.org to try and read something about the changes. Zilch, nada, nothing. A cryin’ shame this is.

By JP

July 8, 2009 9:56 AM | Link to this

I, too, want to ask the question the people of Austin have been asking for over 20 years: Where is Phil Music?

By Lissa Hattersley

July 8, 2009 10:40 AM | Link to this

Daytime radio has a distinct advantage in listener numbers in that there is more of a “captive” audience, i.e., people are listening while at work. I don’t think KUT should be looking at mirroring the daytime programming. Night has a different dynamic, after all, and the soundtrack that goes with it should also be different.

Paul and Larry have always been “tapped in” to the general Austin vibe. They know their audience. And there are many of us who appreciate that fact!

By Lee Cooke

July 8, 2009 11:23 AM | Link to this

When I took over the dias of the Austin City Council in 1988, I sought to be as efficient as possible in the citizens business. Thus, when we completed the city agenda early, the benefit went to the citizens who were able to hear more of Larry Monroe and Paul Ray!!! What is really going on with KUT management? We need real leadership to focus on Austin music.

By mary sanger

July 8, 2009 1:10 PM | Link to this

Leave us with Paul and Larry, and take the mike from John; his egocentric, moronic ramblings waste valuable air time. Enough is enough.

Mary

By mike rieman

July 8, 2009 3:12 PM | Link to this

Come on Hawk, let’s hear from you! Tell us this isn’t just about money. And please work on KUT’s signal, which has become noticeably distorted. This isn’t just me. I’ve heard the same comment from other listeners, including the owner of an Austin audiophile stereo repair shop with a degree in electrical engineering.

By Ken Martin

July 8, 2009 3:21 PM | Link to this

Yesterday I heard about KUT axing Paul Ray and Larry Monroe’s hours. Last night I tuned in when Paul should’ve been laying good jazz on us and instead got a crappy new show that could be radio anywhere USA but absolutely no soulful connection to Austin, Texas. For the first time ever, I turned the radio off. I will never again turn it on in Tuesday thru Thursday prime time evening hours.

I have unfailingly contributed my 40 bucks to KUT in every single pledge drive for years and years … and this is the thanks I get—no more jazz, no more Phil Music and Larry’s simply fabulous playlists. And every day we hear on KUT that inane promotional spot about how the station plans its programming and figures out how much money it needs to ask for in pledge drives. Well lots of luck, KUT, because you’ll never get another dime from me.

By Mark

July 8, 2009 3:40 PM | Link to this

Nice to see a former mayor speaking up. Maybe the suits at KUT will listen to him. Has anyone actually gotten a response to emails or phone calls? I find it curious that KUT doesn’t say a word about this on their website. Jeez… Paul Ray has been spinning jazz on weeknights for as long as I can remember. The guy is an Austin institution. And this is how they thank him?

By Jane

July 8, 2009 9:34 PM | Link to this

Why?

By norm

July 9, 2009 10:29 AM | Link to this

It would be nice to see some reporting on KUT instead of mere blogging - why they made the changes and why managment wants to make KUT more like other stations. Also the money involved.

By Lang Smith

July 9, 2009 11:06 AM | Link to this

Here’s what’s even more disgusting…KUT (90.5) is trying to confuse the listener. They hope listeners will think they are KGSR (107.1)! KUT would love to take credit for all of KGSR’s community involvement while they sit behind a microphone and ask for your donation. Don’t believe me? Check out both of the station’s websites or flip your dial back and forth - you can tell who’s really in touch with Austin. While online, peruse the KUT website and check out the 2007 annual report highlighting a 4 million dollar budget! Yet, “KUT corporate support representatives” (aka sales executives) are still being hired to ensure more underwriting. How is KUT serving Austin? They certainly aren’t fundraising for on-air talent pay raises. Better yet, they’re cutting their shifts by 75%! And, have you noticed the live music performances seem to be a bit scant as of late? That was the failsafe argument for the station’s existence – their ONLY charitable act was promoting starving musicians. And no Jazz? Listeners turn to NPR in any market specifically for that art form as we all know it’s non existent anywhere else. Heck, playing obscure jazz in order to preserve it IS considered non-profit work…but not at KUT. And as far as upholding their mission (“the most trusted radio source for news and music”), I have to say I’m not so sure I trust ‘em. So far KUT has: 1. Hired high dollar management from OUTSIDE our community (new Program Director Jody Evans) 2. Hired celebrity NPR program hosts (David Brown, former NPR marketplace host. Does he have any business hosting a music program? “Texas Music Matters” is a compilation of recycled KUT studio performances, Austin City Limits archives and interviews made possible by local musicians and KUT’s music department.) And don’t forget the Austin Music Minute! Wow, KUT dedicates one minute a day to highlight local music venues/shows from the supposed Live Music Capital of the World. 3. Is Hiring more “corporate support representatives” 4. Scratched local DJ shows (Larry and Paul) and replaced them with a guy named Matt. 5. Curtailed live in-studio performances 6.Watched donations and underwriting increase while failing to support its own community (Phone solicitations are even outsourced from an area code in Oregon). Pew, this stinks. So, change if you must KUT but I can’t stand to listen. Besides I can listen to NPR.org, KLBJ 590 News, and KAZI or KGSR to stay in touch with my community.

By laura

July 9, 2009 2:26 PM | Link to this

Cherrywood neighbor hood is buzzing about the changes. We need targeted warfare. The people we need to voice complaints or target publicly is the board. here’s a recent post from our neighborhoodWell, “one man’s trash”, I suppose. Personally (and obviously many Austinites agree, from the response I’ve seen), I see KUT as more than “a tribute to extreme eclecticism”, or existing just for the sake of “keeping Austin weird”. For those of us who don’t have/can’t afford satellite radio, KUT was the only option to discover new (or rare old) music that isn’t available through mainstream radio (and I include KGSR in that definition… it stopped being anything but that years ago). Or, as a musician, it was the only option in this so-called music capital to get local music on the air.

The point of being against these changes isn’t about keeping Austin “weird”, just for the sake of it. It’s about keeping Austin “Austin”. And since DJ’s like Paul Ray and Larry Monroe are staples of our collective musical consciousness as Austinites, and with KUT moving (like the rest of modern Austin) into what you call “achieving a wider base”, you would think local vehicles for that Austin uniqueness would try to preserve what gave them their popularity in the first place. Of course, change is inevitable, but does it make sense to totally destroy what makes an entity unique, just for the sake of change being inevitable?

And, by the way, who listens to KUT “ALL” the time? Not many. That’s not the point of a station lke KUT. You turn it on for certain programming, at certain times of day, to listen to what you like. Myself? Twine Time, Blue Monday, some jazz shows, the occasional Folkways, and that’s it. But that doesn’t mean I think all the rest of it should be some whitewashed “for the masses” programming, with nationally syndicated crap that has nothing to do with Austin.

Personally, the blues and jazz (and occasional but-mostly-KUT-forgotten real country music) programs you call “unlistenable” and that apparently “NOBODY likes” save for a few old-timers, are the only things on the station I find listenable. Sorry, I was on John Aelli’s show once, and he is a great guy and was very kind to have me on, but I can’t listen to his show. Same with NPR - 99% unbearable to listen to personally. And I would personally be just fine if I never had to hear “the scream-singing didgeridoo-men of Tazmania” just for the sake of being “weird”. But that doesn’t mean I think all those things should be done away with, just for the sake of “expanding a listener base.” Call it politburo eggheading if you want, but if you have any interest in keeping Austin the unique place it once was (and the reason so many people moved here in the first place), you would support this kind of “eggheaded niche programming.” I have three words for any NoCal-ians if they want don’t like Austin the way it is — DON’T MOVE HERE. Do the rest of us a favor. Trying to make Austin “Cali East” or “just like Portland” is what is destroying this town, bit by bit. They are demolishing live music — the one thing that made this town unique in the firast place — one city ordinance at a time, ugly condos and McMansions are destroying the sceneray and ambience… why not dumb down our radio to placate the Cali carpetbaggers?

What you call a more “‘equitable’ listener-supported funding model”, I call “killing my town”. It’s crap, and I encourage anyone reading this to move your listenership and financial support to KOOP, the only remaining real Austin radio.

By Pia

July 9, 2009 2:29 PM | Link to this

This is nuts. Jazz is timeless. I will no longer no longer subscribe to KUT.

By B Moon

July 9, 2009 4:50 PM | Link to this

note to Cal (and Katy). Katy says “at least they have a job”. Cal mentions that 8 hours is not a job. THE TRUTH IS THAT BOTH RAY AND MONROE HAVE THREE (3) HOURS A WEEK NOW. NO BENEFITS! And, KUT still hasn’t had the guts to mention any of this on their website. Program director, Jody Evans - jevans@kut.org ***’t GM, Hawk Mendenhall hmendenhall@kut.org GM, Stewart VanderWilt svanderwilt@kut.org i love what Sam Hurt says. And, Cal’s comparison of these two to the trees at Barton Springs. Such treasures. Thrown out. i like the picket line idea above. As well as withholding $$. And, make them listen to us complain every day.

By DGBarr

July 9, 2009 6:06 PM | Link to this

I wonder how many in the “Dump Aielli” camp sport those stupid “Keep Austin Weird” bumper stickers.

By Dale

July 9, 2009 8:41 PM | Link to this

Just what we need - KUT to sound just like every other public radio station in the country. As each year goes by I have fewer and fewer reason to tune in - and even fewer to make a pledge. Every pledge I have made in the past 18 years to KUT has been during Larry’s shows either on Texas Radio (long ago canceled) or on Phil Music. I am deeply saddened by this change.

By bunchalove

July 9, 2009 9:27 PM | Link to this

This is such hogwash. There were two nights of jazz with Paul Ray. If you’re going to make a change at least keep ONE of the jazz nights. Don’t cut both!

KUT totally jumped the shark with this ridiculous decision.

By Cal

July 10, 2009 1:42 AM | Link to this

Thanks B. Moon,

My math may be a bit fuzzy on the reduced hours but the result is the same…one big unceremonious, ungrateful, disrespectful kick toward the door for two of Austin’s most beloved and respected members of this community.

I wonder if, among their unspoken goals for KUT, Vanderwilt finds that cultivating trust within their community (not to mention their own staff) is a low priority? Actually that question is rhetorical, as this recent stealth ‘change’ which has not only gone unreported by the station but was done essentially in the dark of night just prior to a holiday weekend attests.

Vanderwilt has apparently failed to involve, consider, or engage this community in his secretive plans for our beloved KUT which has only eroded trust and created an environment of suspicion and rumor.

The new management has not been on the level with this community and continues to string along contributors with half truths or misleading statements about their intentions. It is a serous breach and abuse of our trust and is resulting in undermining the reputation,public good will and devotion to KUT.

If KUT is willing to so ***** and callously spend its considerable wealth of community trust, loyalty, love and support in the misguided assumption that it will continue to be there for them, then I think they really have a lot to learn about Austin. Austin is a very hands-on community capable of enviable loyalty, who will go to the ends of the earth for what they determine to be of value to the community. But these sorts of stealth actions in the process of carrying out KUT’s master plan, only demonstrates that the current management does not return that trust and loyalty or value what they’ve got.

And as a result Vanderwilt et al, should not be surprised if/when these precious and undervalued reserves dry up and become a drought that lasts longer and becomes deeper than necessary because of this antagonistic non-inclusive stance (which I feel sure they’ll attempt to rationalize as a purely economic issue or some other lame excuse).

So tell us Mr. Vanderwilt, in the name of transparency and mutual respect, what IS the ultimate plan for KUT/NPR and might you open that up to this community for discussion and ideas for alternative plans that might be a better fit for this unique arts/music oriented community?

Or do you insist on a more elitist point of view that the future of KUT and public radio should be decided behind closed doors rather than in a public arena, in the misguided assumption that you, who have only recently come to this central Texas community, and a handful of others, knows what’s best for us?

By JEB

July 10, 2009 1:13 PM | Link to this

Obviously time to fire Matt Reilly, among others! Paul Ray and Larry Monroe are what make Austin great. You will have to search far and wide to find their match throughout the whole country. Maybe it’s time for a Pacifica Radio station to put KUT out of business.

By Slim

July 10, 2009 1:35 PM | Link to this

How ‘bout a community meeting, where Stewart Vanderwilt and Hawk Mendenhal (sp?) can explain to those of us that have supported the station, at whatever level (we’ve always been told any dollar amount is important), exactly why these changes are necessary and how they view the future of public radio in Austin. And then give the community a chance to respond face-to-face!

By Tom

July 10, 2009 6:23 PM | Link to this

Wow. Larry Monroe was THE best thing about KUT. If anything, Blue Monday is his show I relied on the least. Phil Music and his Tues/Weds late night shows were where he really let loose. Nobody sounded more like Austin than LM. The loss of this local cultural staple is a huge blow to this town. Syndicated national shows on Austin public radio - a damn shame.

We need to spread the word and not let the big-wigs sweep this news under the rug! Get a petition of Austin residents pledging to NOT support KUT financially unless Paul and Larry each get at least one more prime time night per week.

Keep one night of jazz and bring back Phil Music. I have no ill will towards Matt Rielly, but he should not get Tuesday through Thursday primetime.

Petition: any takers?

By Christine Albert

July 10, 2009 8:00 PM | Link to this

This felt like a kick in the gut. KUT seems to be evolving further and further away from the Austincentric, eclectic, community enhancing forum that it used to be. Losing these iconic shows is a blow that has me questioning the direction of our fine city and this fine station. Man, how many hours have I marveled at Larry Monroe’s magic and been soothed by Paul’s show and even just his voice alone. I actually feel true grief over this.

By Rick

July 10, 2009 8:37 PM | Link to this

I think there should be 1 night of Jazz. Don’t care if Paul or whoever is the host, but we need at least 1 night of Jazz. Jay Tractenberg is also very knowledgable about classic jazz and current jazz and doesn’t play the same old tired tunes.

I have issues with Voicetracking using an out of state DJ (Gregg McVicar’s undercurrents). I’m not against syndicated shows, American Routes is a great example of music & culture journalism. But Undercurrents is not a “show” like the other syndicated programs. It’s just a DJ playing records and pretending to be local. The pay that went to Paul and Larry left the Austin economy and has been transferred to California and Gregg McVicar. Your pledge dollars to KUT now go mostly out of state.

By Chuck Mac

July 11, 2009 12:34 PM | Link to this

KUT July 10th, 8pm, No McCord!? AGAIN?? It’s 8:30p, Friday, July 10. Flipped on KUT. Can this be real? Matt Reilly is ” subbing” for Jeff McCord again?

Jeff missing two weeks in a row? I am starting to worry about these vanishing djs. Is KUT is “renditioning” and re-locating dj’s to secret undisclosed locations.

Matt Reilly has dominated KUT four nights in a row, 8pm to Midnight. Can’t KUT management give poor Matt a night off? Has KUT’s deep bench mysteriously been depleted overnight?

KUT has major work ahead rebuilding the trust it trashed in a matter of days. And we will not settle for promises of “transparency” and typical corporate minimizing and waffling. We want real facts, now. Nothing of importance omitted, and no minimizing or spinning.

Most of us can only speculate what’s happening at KUT behind the scenes. But this is clear. This isn’t a case mistakes by a few career radio geeks who got a little arrogant and overreached. This is intentional.

Now its time for the Chronicle and Statesman to report. What is the real plan. Who really are the folks driving this. And for what purpose.

Who. What. Why. I’d wager that many in Austin’s media and business circles already know most of story. Time for the rest of us — the many thousands who donate like clockwork t KUT — to get all the facts.

By Unhappy w/ KUT changes

July 11, 2009 2:37 PM | Link to this

I have been listening to the new programming at KUT, not liking what I’m hearing, and find myself tuning away, to other stations or pre-recorded material. Looks like I’ll be listening to Coast-to-Coast AM …. UFO material, etc. Today, Sat. 7/11, I tuned into FOLKWAYS, Kevin Conner playing uninteresting ROCK ‘N ROLL. THIS REALLY SUCKS!!

By Phydeaux

July 11, 2009 3:04 PM | Link to this

Looks like KUT will have to go commercial, ‘cause they won’t be seeing my subscription renewed. Sorry, Hawk, you need to dance with the one who brung ya… or you’ll be sleeping alone.

I hope you’re smart enough to listen to the outcry and admit that you’ve mad a bad call.

By JP

July 11, 2009 3:44 PM | Link to this

I just saw a “Where is Phil Music?” bumper sticker. Where can I get one?

By gary etie

July 11, 2009 5:25 PM | Link to this

I count both Larry and Paul as personal friends, and wonder, Michael, do you plan to do a follow up to this blog post? The people who care about this deserve more than a blog post quoting a news release.

By gary etie

July 11, 2009 6:20 PM | Link to this

Wow, you this blog sure knows how to kill a discussion. People are concerned, seeking a forum, and posting comments, and it’s been hours since the dad-gum Comments were updated. Everyone gone to the Moon?

By Chuck Mac

July 11, 2009 8:22 PM | Link to this

Now it is Saturday, July 11, about 8:20pm Twine Time is on. But Mr. Paul Ray isn’t. So it isn’t really Twine Time,

No Paul Ray. Where Paul Ray?

Rick “Daddy” McNulty is subbing, and just said that “Paul Ray will be back next week.” We hope so. But I dont know. It’s getting kinda spooky for my taste. First Jeff McCord, missing, “but he’ll be back next week.” Now Paul Ray, missing, “but he’ll be back next week.”

Dare we tune in Blue Monday on the 13th? I feel tense about it already. If only Scooby Doo were here to investigate the cartoonish management of KUT,

By Chuck Mac

July 12, 2009 8:38 AM | Link to this

Now it is Saturday, July 11, about 8:20pm Twine Time is on. But Mr. Paul Ray isn’t. So it isn’t really Twine Time, No Paul Ray. Where Paul Ray?

Rick “Daddy” McNulty is subbing, and just said that “Paul Ray will be back next week.” We hope so. But I dont know. It’s getting kinda spooky for my taste. First Jeff McCord, missing, “but he’ll be back next week.” Now Paul Ray, missing, “but he’ll be back next week.”

Dare we tune in Blue Monday on the 13th? I feel tense about it already. If only Scooby Doo were here to investigate the cartoonish management of KUT… .

By Slim

July 13, 2009 11:23 AM | Link to this

Okay, so I just heard that Matt Reilly is subbing this afternoon…and will sub for John Aielli when he goes on vacation. Why not just call the station MattReillyFM?

Seriously, he is no Larry Monroe. He is no Paul Ray!

By Gregg McVicar

July 13, 2009 12:29 PM | Link to this

Hi Folks — Gregg McVicar here. I’ve been following this thread from the beginning and thought now would be a good time to join in the conversation. I’m happy to answer your questions about UnderCurrents and look forward to a respectful dialog with each of you.

Gregg McVicar Host/Producer UnderCurrents www.undercurrentsradio.net

By Craig Hattersley

July 13, 2009 12:39 PM | Link to this

Paul Ray, Larry Monroe, and, yes, John Aielli have been the heart and soul of KUT for decades. There’s already a K-Geezer in Austin, but there’ll never be another KUT. RIP indeed. So Matt Reilly’s not Bobo the Clown, but he’ll forever be associated with the Night of the Long Knives that ripped the heart from listeners who’ve made Paul and Larry part of our family. Do they get a gold watch? I hear Casey Kasem has some extra time now. Would he fit the budget? Maybe he can select the “hand-picked music that reflects the Central Texas experience.” He could read about it in Wikipedia, after all. What more could it take? Bartender, make mine a double… Keep Austin wired!

By norm

July 13, 2009 1:05 PM | Link to this

No Paul Ray on Saturday … no Jay Trachtenberg today. I hope these guys are calling in sick to protest the sheer stupidity of all this.

By Katy

July 13, 2009 1:23 PM | Link to this

Clearly you folks don’t listen to KUT otherwise you would realize that Paul, Jeff and Jay are on vacation. Yes vacation. They’ve said it a million times on the air. At least they get vacation - at any other radio station they wouldn’t get vacation at all.

As listeners we get a chance to vote on the programming every time we turn the radio on or off. If no one is listening than I can see why they would change the programming.

Paul and Larry may be legends, but if no one is listening… who cares?

By Slim

July 13, 2009 2:53 PM | Link to this

Can we trust that they are truly on vacation? Last week, a listener was told Larry was off on Thursday but would be “back next week.” It’s kind of strange that Matt Reilly is doing all the subbing. What happened to Kory Cook? Did he get the ax too?

And did they tell Paul he was cut off at the knees before he left on vacation? Have a great time, Mr. Ray, and when you come back, don’t?

By chase

July 13, 2009 3:06 PM | Link to this

has anyone else heard of the list of musicians who will be participating in the boycott? i heard it was dale, charlie, sarah & alejandro. anyone kno

By laura

July 13, 2009 3:12 PM | Link to this

This is an NPR issue as much as anything. it’s not just that Hawk and his minions have rolled into town and hijacked the only NPR outlet out of the hands of one group of listeners and handed it over to another. It’s more that the plan is to reduce costs that go to the local outlet, so that more cash can get funneled up to NPR national. That’s almost worse that just some jackass coming into town and turning our once most unique radio station in the country into canned schlockfest for the suburban class.

All that’s been achieved is that i’ve lost my faith in NPR. Now that’s a bummer.

By Community Radio Fan

July 13, 2009 9:59 PM | Link to this

For those of you unfamiliar with Voicetracking, it is an old practice of using one DJ centrally located to take the place of hundreds of DJs in different station. The one DJ makes a pre-recorded tape of himself talking between songs and that pre-recorded tape is later played on the air to give the impression of a “live DJ”. Corporate radio ****** like Clear Channel love this practice as they can pay 1 DJ instead of 50 DJs. Gregg McVicar’s Undercurrents is simply voicetracking for NPR. Yes, there are pre-recorded shows all over NPR, but they all (except Undercurrents) contain interviews or news. Undercurrents simply plays cds with no extra benefits to our community.

Mr. McVicar, you asked for questions. Keeping in mind that KUT is a community service via Radio, my first question is what do you plan for Undercurrents to bring our community?

My second question is how do you feel about taking work from these legendary radio DJs?

You’ve seen how we feel about it, so I just wanted to get your thoughts.

By Akton Lerax

July 14, 2009 6:21 PM | Link to this

KOOP is not an option for me, too far from the signal. On the other hand, I get to pick between Austin & San Antonio’s NPR stations and both city’s classical stations. I am fortunate in that regard. Having lived all over the country, I know what a treasure we have enjoyed, but what a shame to be using the past tense. Wanting to avoid a long ramble here, let me focus on the John Aielli situation. How satisfying that so many agree with me. John has had a wonderful run and has given us much good music over the years. He has also squandered countless hours with dead air. We paid for that studio and transmitter John, a loose board is not a style; it’s just careless and sloppy. I can tell within a couple of seconds if John is on the air, there is either silence, or him talking. About that talking, Aielli fancies himself quite the vocal coach, too bad he has that weird lip smacking alternating with nose sniffing going on all the time. We’ve paid him all these years to spin music for us, what has he learned? He claims to love Harry Nilsson, yet doesn’t know how to pronounce his name. Marcia Ball sang “Louisiana 1927” on his show and he asked her, “Did you write that?” No John, one the very best singer songwriters from your and my generation wrote that and put it on his best album, “Good Old Boys”. Your ignorance of that is inexcusable in your position. Want more of John; go to “Aielli Unleashed”. Why John, does it pay royalties? Again, is there anyone who doesn’t know that John is a vocal coach, lucky he doesn’t have to pay ad rates every time he mentions it. Yes, I quit listening to his shift years ago, and since donating to KUT would be paying him, I quit doing that too.

BTW, I enjoy David Brown’s program, and every Friday when John Aielli rambles past Noon, I seethe.

By Gregg McVicar

July 14, 2009 7:50 PM | Link to this

Thank you CRF for this opportunity to share a bit about myself and my approach to making radio. I’ll do my best to respond to your remarks one point at a time:

Voice tracking. Back in the days when I started out, most stations signed-off at midnight. At the big commercial stations some guy who would sit around chain-smoking Camels and talking to lonely girls on the hotline while spinning LPs. These days in radio we take advantage of all the digital tools you do in your work, and for a show like mine that airs for 35 hours/week, it just wouldn’t make practical sense for me to be sitting “live” behind the mic all that time. I hand-pick all of the music, fine-tune the segues and know the songs well enough that I can talk about them as extemporaneously as if I’d just been listening along with you. I’ve been a live DJ for 37 years and still do live fill-ins at the original listener sponsored station, KPFA in Berkeley. So, after a while, one learns how to connect with listeners no matter what restraints the medium my present. I don’t claim to be “live” but do make a big effort to be present as a radio companion.

Clear Channel. This is the San Antonio, TX based media enterprise that has pretty much sucked the life out of most commercial radio, right? But that’s not us. UnderCurrents exists because dozens of small Native-owned community stations banded together to support a sustainable daily music service that would reflect the values and musical tastes of the unique tribal communities they serve. Along the way, larger music-oriented outlets such as Oregon Public Radio, Iowa Public Radio and KUT have discovered that UnderCurrents offers something special that listeners enjoy and fits in well with their existing station format. Rarely if ever does our programming replace station staff. Instead we help stations extend their reach and appeal into the community in a way that can be highly customized to match local needs. For example, some stations air us all Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning, some run us daily in the lunch hour and many air UnderCurrents late at night as an alternative to BBC news or reruns.

NPR. Just to clarify, I don’t work for NPR. We rent space on the NPR satellite to deliver the programs, but I have a tiny home-based production company with a studio in the spare bedroom. Really! I use the same technology that has been such a boon to so many independent recording artists. But yes, the show is prerecorded as are virtually all other national music programs (Echoes, World Cafe, American Routes, Grateful Dead Hour, Hearts of Space, etc.). You know, (and I hate to burst anyone’s bubble) even “Car Talk” is prerecorded — those aren’t live incoming calls. Terry Gross isn’t sitting in the room with her guests, even though it sounds like she is. That’s why they call it “the magic of radio.” Does it really matter exactly how we do our work as long as it has integrity and forms a deep connection with the listener?

Community Service. I’m glad you asked about this, because it’s one of my lifelong core values. My BA degree was a special major in “Programming Community Radio” and I have worked at several grassroots stations over the years, including my current volunteer work at Pacifica’s KPFA. Like many of you reading this, I too have traveled a great deal, both inside and outside the USA and throughout my radio career have lived and worked in many different towns and cities. And now, like everyone else, I’m communicating daily via the Internet with friends and colleagues around the globe. And you know, people are people! I travel around in my Airstream to see about 70 bands a year and quite a few of them are from your neighborhood, but from other fascinating places as well. So I guess my sense of “community” is more virtual and less geographical. My goal is not to celebrate differences and boundaries between places, cultures and traditions, but to find areas of common appreciation. Our biggest fans are xenophiles who appreciate being introduced to sounds from other cultures, regions or age demographics. They can tell that we select songs which hold cultural values of a generally positive nature with a strong respect for women, youth and nature.

UnderCurrents is a bright opportunity for independent artists to be heard on 47 stations all at once. So to answer your question, what can I bring to Austin and surrounding communities? Two things: 1) an introduction to a diversity of great and emerging artists, many of them indigenous and/or independent, that are not yet on Austin’s radar, and 2) if you will introduce me to more of the best that Austin has to offer, I will readily share it with the rest of our national listenership. This is the “Austin syndication” other posters have suggested, without any of the budget headaches or hard work.

(I’m sorry it’s taking so long to answer your first question, but it had a lot of twists and turns — now on to your second question).

Taking Work from Legendary DJs: I really am not the one to comment on local KUT management decisions. The invitation for me to perform in Austin came several years ago with the addition of “Earthsongs” to the schedule, then again 18 months ago adding UnderCurrents to the nightly HD3 schedule. I can say that as an independent radio producer I’ve received nothing but gracious, enthusiastic support from KUT and its listeners. And I think that’s a positive reflection on the Austin music scene that decision makers know how to encourage and foster creativity and all the effort that goes into it.

With just 24 hours in the schedule, radio can be a brutal zero-sum game when it comes to who gets on the air — for one host to gain an hour, another loses an hour. And throughout my career I’ve been on both sides of that awful equation. Usually it all works out for the best, but whether I’m the one coming or going, it’s always a good sign that listeners are passionate about radio.

In closing, let me just say that it is a great, great honor to be able to take the stage here in Austin, “The Live Music Capital of the World.” I hope my PO Box will be filled with Austin’s best records, I hope to come and hang out as much as possible and I hope you’ll have many opportunities to enjoy all that UnderCurrents has to offer from around the Americas and the world…”American Music With a Passport.”

In the meantime, you can count on me to enjoy some of your best exports: Whole Foods, Apple Computers and Lance!

Yours in Radio, Gregg McVicar
 www.undercurrentsradio.net

Musicians & Labels: RadioCamp, PO Box 187, Walnut Creek, CA 94597

By Lissa Hattersley

July 15, 2009 9:04 AM | Link to this

I am already missing jazz on the station. Paul Ray has turned me on to so many great artists and recordings in the past! And Larry Monroe, king of the segue, has been known for hauling in his own HUGE CD collection for shows, and putting some real thought and humor into his selection of material, that has always included Austin artists, even some of the most wonderful and obscure. Where else ya gonna hear Tex Thomas and the Danglin’ Wranglers? THIS has been what’s made the sound of KUT singularly Austin. Matt Reilly plays some good stuff, but so far, hasn’t distinguished himself as an AUSTIN DJ. Doesn’t mean he won’t, but Ray and Monroe already know how to do it! Where is the loyalty?? The credit and due respect?

By Chip Taylor

July 15, 2009 11:59 AM | Link to this

A KUT STORY- from Chip Taylor July 13, 2009

We Just did a terrific radio show with host Matt Reilly. But, before I talk a bit about this show I�d like to talk a bit about what this station means to me. Here goes:

KUT has a special place in my heart.. here�s why. I had given up music from 1982 to 1996.. replacing it with a gambling �jones� � horse race handicapping & black-jack card counting was my thing .. I worked hard to be good at that stuff.. but that�s not the story here� you can read about that elsewhere.

The point is, I came back to making music full time in 1996, releasing an acoustic album of new songs on a minor label. I was on the road hoping to promote it to some stations here & there.

Just before midnight on a Thursday in 1997, the here & there placed me 60 or so miles outside of Austin� I�m not sure where.. & I was LOVING listening to this one station.. the DJ was playing Townes, Lucinda Williams, Guy Clark, Willie� all the most inspired stuff on the planet. At first the signal was faint.. but the show was so good so I didn�t dare change the dial� then the signal got a bit clearer.. & I finally heard the call letters�. KUT .. from AUSTIN TEXAS.

I dialed up information on the phone.. & got the number for the station. I called expecting to get a switchboard �message�. Instead a voice answered� it sounded like=2 0the DJ that was playing all the cool stuff�. It was� his name was LARRY MONROE�

I told him I was a listener from parts unknown.. & that his show was awesome.. & helping me through the night. Larry asked my name.. I said �It�s Chip� Chip Taylor..� He said, �The singer/songwriter Chip Taylor??�� I said, �Oh my God� you know me??!!�

Larry said, � I�ve got your new album right here!! I love it!!! Could you find your way to Austin & stop by the station??� I said I�d get there as soon as possible.

By 1:00 AM I was there at KUT, on air with Larry!!

THIS WAS THE CROWNING MOMENT OF MY RETURN TO MUSIC!! This great, awesome station.. Larry Monroe, John Aielli & the rest has always had its honest, great mix of great DJ�s & inspired music of all different shapes � what a blessing to be associated with that sort of thing

Here�s another treasured KUT memory for me � involving John Aielli - John�s GREAT SHOW, �Eklektikos� landed Carrie Rodriguez & me our first recording contract. It happened like this. A secretary from a local record company advised her bosses that there was some �magic� duet sound coming through her radio speaker � her bosses acted quickly & one, Heinz Geissler, was waiting for us at the station at shows end � a contract was signed weeks later. And so, without John Aielli & KUT, there would be no CHIP TAYLOR & CARRIE RODRIGUEZ duets.. no �Sweet Tequila Blues�, no ��Don�t Speak In English�, no �Red Dog Tracks� & all the rest of those chilling (to my ears) C&C things � it�s as simple as that.

Anyway.. this all leads to one thing. There is no radio station on the planet closer to my heart than this one. What a great place for me to call a sort of home, and from time to time.. to stop by and say hello!

NOW BACK TO TODAY�S SHOW

JULY 13

KUT � on air with host MATT REILLY

Since friend Jay Trachtenberg was on vacation� PD, Jeff McCord assigned assistant PD, Matt, to host this show. This is the first time I�ve met &/or done a show with Matt. Let me be clear. He is the real deal. A spontaneous interviewer who cut his teeth on Philadelphia�s KUT�s brother-in-spirit cutting edge station WXPN (home of World Caf�).

Kendel & I loved this. We played 5 songs & had some great back & forth with our new friend. Again, I learned some more about Kendel just listening � so well done Matt! Hope to see you soon.

Big thanks to Walter Morgan for the great sound.. great to see you again & again.. & special thanks to friend John Aielli for stopping by at shows end to say hi. Happy vacation John.. see you soon.

By Janie

July 15, 2009 3:33 PM | Link to this

I think KUT could have done a better PR job dealing with this big news - more explaining as to why they made this change and a better introduction of Matt Reilly to Austin - seems they kind of snuck it in. That said - I am pretty sure the management was in no way trying to piss off its listeners. Reading all this I can’t believe how mad everybody is. Nobody is trying to run KUT (or Austin) into the ground and nobody is trying to secretly “fire” all the djs - people are starting to sound paranoid….Calm down. If you all are such KUT fans, maybe you should give this a try before deciding everything is going to hell in a hand basket.
I imagine the Tues-Thurs time slot was not doing so well or they would not have changed it. No manager would take well-listened to shows off the air. Clearly, they were not getting the audience that KUT thought they should be or could get. Also, since all of the KUT DJs have been on forever – maybe management was being quite smart in adding a younger DJ to their line-up. No well-functioning organization does well long term without a succession plan.
I have enjoyed listening to Matt on the night shows. Do you not agree that he has a nice energy? I never heard a Mariah Carey song on air (not sure what you are talking about) – I heard good music – what I often hear on KUT plus new songs I had not heard before. I too love Paul Ray – and will miss him and wish him well. I thought Larry needed a bit more snap but certainly wish him well too. Either way though things change people!!!!! Every radio station occasionally changes its lineup. The world is not ending. Congrats Matt and good luck to you!

By Irwin Fletcher

July 16, 2009 12:15 AM | Link to this

Well, it’s been almost two weeks and still no mention on the KUT website about the overhaul. Larry and Paul have served Austin and KUT with distinction for decades. To put them out to pasture, and in such a sneaky fashion, is just disrespectful. No explanation. No ‘thank you’ for years of incredible service. Really cowardly. Really classless.

And as for “Undercurrents”, it’s not my kind of show. At all. But no need to pile on Gregg McVicar. Still, he might want to check his facts. Apple Computers are not an indigenous Austin product. I think Mr. McVicar meant to cite DELL in his eye-rollingly blatant attempt to kiss up to Austin.

By MLS

July 16, 2009 1:10 AM | Link to this

Give me a break Janie…

By Larry Monroe

July 16, 2009 4:44 AM | Link to this

Hello Folks, Larry Monroe here.

First off, thank you for all the support you have given my radio programs during my 28 years at KUT. This job has been the most interesting and rewarding of my career, which began when I was a 13 year old kid in Hartford City, Indiana. Floyd Huffman built a ten watt radio station up in the rafters of our high school gymnasium so he could broadcast basketball games to moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas who couldn’t go to them. And he taught about eight or ten of us how to be sportscasters and disc jockeys. I was one of his students, and I got my third class broadcasting license when I was 13. I have been playing records on the radio ever since. Incidentally, WHCI-FM was one of the very few high school radio stations in the 1950s. Thank you, Floyd, for starting me on my life-long career path.

After that I studied Radio, TV, English and Literature at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Dr. William Tomlinson and Dr. Robert Guinn, and later Dr. Darrell Wible, were my professors, and I value very highly the broadcasting education they provided me. David Letterman and I shared several Radio & TV classes. Dave and I studied television on the old Yankee Stadium black & white TV equipment. When Yankee Stadium converted to color TV Dr. Tomlinson bought their old master control switcher and two of their cameras and started the Ball State TV department with them. I had music programs on the student radio station, WBST-FM, and I also worked at my home town radio station, WWHC-FM. On that station I did play-by-play for basketball and football games and did weekend music programs. I also found a summer and weekend job at WTRE-FM in Greensburg, Indiana when I was a junior. After I graduated in 1967 David Letterman got that job. When I spoke with Dave several years later he told me that the WTRE-FM job had gotten passed on to other Ball State broadcasting students in the years to follow. I was on the radio in Ann Arbor and Detroit from 1969 until 1977, and I moved to Austin in 1977. One of my main goals was to put Austin music on the radio.

Since March of 1981 I have been on KUT. In those 28 years I have had the opportunity to present to the KUT listening audience many artists that I have admired for many years as well as younger artists that I came across in my research in the barrooms, night clubs and venues in Austin. The first “live concert” show I hosted on KUT was on October 8, 1981 and the guest was Lucinda Williams accompanied by Walter Hyatt and Champ Hood. About ten years later I hosted an Easter Sunday Liveset featuring Willie Nelson and his whole band, including his sister Bobbie on the Studio 1-A Steinway Grand Piano, the legendary Johnny Gimble on fiddle and Kimmie Rhodes and Ray Benson on vocals. Willie and the band played gospel songs live on the radio on Easter. The show started at 8 PM and at about 20 after 9 Willie asked me, “How long is this show?” I said, “It usually ends at 9, but you can play as long as you want to.” (I was the host of the program that followed Liveset, Texas Radio, so we weren’t encroaching on anybody else’s time…and…it was Willie Nelson.) So, he played another 20 minutes or so before wrapping it up. Carolyn Phillips referred to this program in an earlier post on this page.

Which brings me to the posts on this page. Thank you for the kind words you have posted about my programs. Those comments mean the world to me. I have always tried to do my best work for you. Back in college I learned that radio is the most intimate medium, a very personal medium. You may have many, many listeners, but they are not all in the same big room. Often it is just you and me. Or you and your sweetheart and me. At most, a small group. In my early days at KUT I would imagine that Barbara Jordan was listening and I would try to make the programs as good as I could in case she were actually listening. (Personal note: Go see the Barbara Jordan Statue on the UT campus at 24th and Whitis. It is magnificent.)

Chip Taylor’s post caught my eye, and I would like to share my memory of the day that I met the guy who wrote “Wild Thing.” First off, the time frame Chip remembers is a little off. In those days Phil Music ran from 8 PM until midnight. My recollection is that Chip called me at the station at around 9 PM or so.

“KUT.” “Hi, this is Chip Taylor.” “The Chip Taylor who wrote ‘Wild Thing?’” “Yes. My guitar player, John Platania, and I are driving into Austin from Louisiana. We’ve been listening to your program since we picked up the signal a half hour or so ago, and you are playing great music. Can we come be on your show?” “Sure, come on in.”

I had just gotten Chip’s new album and I knew the backstory. Chip had left music for many years and had been a high stakes gambler. When his mother had gotten ill he would visit her and play his guitar and sing to her. That led him back into music and songwriting and now he had a new album and was on the road with Van Morrison’s long-time great guitar player, John Platania. A half hour or so later Chip and John showed up at the station and we did an impromptu radio show together. That is my recollection of the day I met Chip Taylor. I suppose if you average our two stories together the truth lies somewhere in between.

Again, thank you for the support and the kind words.

Larry Monroe 7/16/9

By Kirk

July 16, 2009 9:05 AM | Link to this

Amen, Janie. Congrats to Matt. Don’t let the haters and professional grumps get you down (they’ll kick you no matter what, they don’t care). We actually listen, and your selection of music is great. Viva KUT!

By Janie

July 16, 2009 1:16 PM | Link to this

What do you mean MLS?

By Gregg McVicar

July 16, 2009 1:59 PM | Link to this

Apple Computers are not an indigenous Austin product. I think Mr. McVicar meant to cite DELL in his eye-rollingly blatant attempt to kiss up to Austin.

Heh, let’s talk about “indigenous.” No, I didn’t mean Dell….sorry, but I have a serious allergy to Windows. Aren’t many of the great Apple support staff in Austin? I guess what I’m trying to say is, the glass is half-full, we’re all connected.

By Lissa Hattersley

July 16, 2009 2:54 PM | Link to this

You are welcome, Larry; I know I speak for many!

Another sign of the class (and voice) of Larry Monroe— the simple fact that he would respond here. As far as the management goes: the way I see it, they still have some ‘splaining to do.

Cheers, Lissa Hattersley

By Community Radio Fan

July 16, 2009 3:53 PM | Link to this

Mr. McVicar – I am glad you got to tell your side of the story. You have done nothing wrong, I can’t blame a guy for taking a job that was offered to him. The problem is between the Austin community and KUT management, not you. The following is intended for KUT management:

UnderCurrents should be commended for providing a valuable service to small towns and tribal areas without the resources to produce quality music programming. However, I stand by my view that UnderCurrents is not a good fit in this time slot for our community. There is a difference between taped DJs and taped shows. Taped shows are great: Garrison Keillor tells stories, Click and Clack do a comedy car show, American Routes teaches us the history behind the music, Ira Glass goes for in-depth journalism. Taped DJs like UnderCurrents simply play songs with nothing extra. Moving to a taped DJ is just lazy by KUT. KUT has the money, the listeners, and the local talent to produce their own DJ programming. KUT has a staff of music directors and assistant directors that already select and play songs diverse or more diverse than UnderCurrents. If KUT moves to taped DJ it should be done in house. UnderCurrents does not cover any territory not already covered by KUT (look at the playlists from John Aeilli, Jay Trachtenberg, Jeff McCord, Rick McNulty, and World Music with Hayes McCauley). UnderCurrents is a good fit after 2 or 3 am to fill some gaps. UnderCurrents taking the place of live DJs in five daily 3 hour spots is too much.

By Community Radio Fan

July 16, 2009 4:12 PM | Link to this

Janine (and others discussing ratings) – The shows did not have ratings issues. KUT continually ranks #1 and #2 in the 25 & up demo, beating out the 20 other commercial stations in town! Nationally, KUT is among the most successful both ratings wise and donations wise. For example KUT can spend $8 million a year, while San Antonio (a much larger city than Austin) operates with just $2 million a year. The changes were made because management wants night time to “sound” just like the day time programming.

By whatever

July 17, 2009 1:03 AM | Link to this

Each time slot gets ratings - management said “Paul Ray and Larry Monroe will still be hosting their highly rated shows Blue Monday and Twine Time” - maybe the other time slots were not so highly rated - that is what I got from management’s explanation. Either way - I like Matt Reilly’s show -

By mel tormato

July 17, 2009 8:15 AM | Link to this

I left Travis Heights and Austin for good when they started calling S. Congress SoCo. But I rarely missed a night of Phil Music via the Web, and I even maintained my KUT membership, although I live in another time zone now. No more of my do re mi for KUT. You ripped the heart out of the station. I hope that decision bites you in the pocketbook, if not the ***.

By Patrick Hurley

July 18, 2009 8:56 PM | Link to this

I live in Ireland and listen to KUT a lot (and am a subscriber). Why? Simple – I like Texas music, I like Austin music. So, I listen to a station from Austin, Texas that plays the music I enjoy. This puts me, I suggest, in the same category as most of KUT’s listeners. My favorite program of all was Phil Music – right on the button every week with Texas music. But now no more…

It is incomprehensible that KUT should shun Texas music, somehow in the belief that it will gain a wider audience!

If any readers here doubt that KUT is shunning Texas music, here is the Matt Reilly three-hour playlist for Thursday, July 16 for the program that replaced Phil Music…

Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women/Dave Dudley/J.J. Cale /James Yuill/Kat Edmonson/The Police/Tori Amos/Wilco/The Beatles/Quincy Jones and Bill Cosby/Santogold/Levon Helm/Asylum Street Spankers/Booker T/The Rolling Stones/Camera Obscura/James Brown/ The Flatlanders/Don Gibson/Charlie Robison/Pink Floyd /Secret Machines/Desmond Dekker/K’naan W/ Mos Def and Chali 2na/Lila Downs/Bruce Springsteen /Bon Iver/Built to Spill/Frank Sinatra/The Budos Band/Rhett Miller/Delaney and Bonnie/Eels/Freddie King/Joe Cocker/Grizzly Bear/Ralph Stanley/Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band/Jessica Lea Mayfield/Experimental Aircraft

Give me a break! Aside from a few (and only a few), what a bland, thoughtless, wallpaper playlist that surely cannot encourage any listeners toward KUT. This playlist could be from anywhere. Enough said. KUT should swallow its pride, bring back Larry Monroe – a true professional who knows Texas music.

By Chuck Mac

July 19, 2009 1:28 PM | Link to this

Now that a little time has passed, I wonder if Larry Monroe and Paul Ray feel they’ve been treated with respect. And if are they reasonably reconciled with the changes - not just their own shows but KUT as a whole. If Paul and Larry are solid, OK. If they are still on the air for now but not cool with it, … well then. A lot of IF’s.

No need to repeat so many comments on how badly KUT dropped the ball communicating with us - stakeholders. KUT still hasn’t explained either the recent shake up or its vision for the 2 - 3 years ahead. Not hard for them to rectify this with open and honest leadership 101. To loosely paraphrase Red Green: KUT Management can change (its stakeholder communications), . . if they really want to/have to, … they guess …

By norm

July 19, 2009 8:33 PM | Link to this

A good public radio station should cater to a variety of interests and tastes. That is not what we have now at KUT, thanks to Mendenhall. He has killed jazz programming and there is no DJ that focuses on Texas music. Sack Hack before it gets worse and he turns KUT into KNPR.

By Chuck Mac

July 20, 2009 3:18 AM | Link to this

KUT like any organization must bring in fresh blood, see who works out and who doesn’t. The best way is while top talent is still in place, still enthused, putting out their best work. Everyone understands this.

KUT management faces some tough, squishy challenges. One is how to satisfy the “quality” that listens have come to expect over say the last twenty years. Quality is near impossible to measure; here is a crude attempt. Ask a sample of say 250 regular KUT listeners to reflect back to just before they became regulars. I’d bet most would admit that because of KUT, they now receive more enjoyment listening to music than before. Enjoyment from being exposed to new things - sure. But also getting more out of the familiar. Consider “the standards” of blues and jazz for example, stunning pieces the first time, that become stale through overplay and commercial use in ads etc. Is it possible to not just tolerate but get pumped again listening to “My Favorite Things” or “Mannish Boy” for the trillionth time? Yes, and we’ve experienced this on a regular basis through KUT, when those standards are played in just the right context by skilled hands.

From a management point of view, how do you choose to deal with issues like quality and expectations? The easy road is to punt, to lower quality, to bring in tried and true and mediocre cookbook radio ideas – but hope like hell the listeners don’t notice. Or do you do what’s hard. Raise the bar a little higher. Keep things fresh, develop a deeper and proven bench of talent, live within a tight budget, and meet or even exceed stakeholders’ expectations.

No need to repeat the comments on how badly KUT dropped the ball communicating with the stakeholders - us. KUT still hasn’t explained the recent shake up, or its vision for the next two years. Yes, KUT issued a mass emailing a week ago. But it was too late and certainly too little – generic, glossy stuff. KUT management has two paths. Start genuine stakeholder communications now - action not words. Or, KUT can chose to do nothing, hope this little thing blows over. That’s called digging the hole deeper.

By John Jordan

July 20, 2009 10:52 AM | Link to this

I’m boycotting.

By Lucius

July 24, 2009 5:27 PM | Link to this

I guess that makes KOOP,KMFA and KAZI(?) the only non-corporate stations in Austin now? Too bad we are taking one more step towards WalMartization in this town. Vote with your $$$ on how you feel about this on the next pledge drive.

By Eric

July 28, 2009 9:22 PM | Link to this

There is a new facebook group to discuss the changes at KUT, please join!

Go to facebook, search “Groups”, for “Support Larry Monroe and Paul Ray at KUT” —— You can also try this link http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112566211435&ref=mf

By Elsiferd

July 28, 2009 11:41 PM | Link to this

Pretty stupid idea. Likely focus groups were involved. Like I said, pretty stupid idea.

By Katy

July 30, 2009 2:33 PM | Link to this

Have y’all listened? Nothing has changed except the old geezers are gone. Seriously… if all the people commenting here actually listened I’m sure KUT would have NEVER gotten rid of Paul and Larry.

The world needs to evolve and so does KUT in the changing media landscape.

Grow up.

By Chet

July 30, 2009 5:32 PM | Link to this

Chuck Mac said KUT must “bring in fresh blood”. This is true Chuck. But after midnight, there is no blood, old or new. Just a bloodless tape playing songs. As KUT grows in budget, the number of DJs oddly shrinks. // Katy “Nothing has changed” - the tues jazz show and weds jazz show and thurs texas show is missing, and replaced by an indie/KGSR format. After midnight, there is no Austin DJ, just a tape playing a non Austin mix of classic rock and Vans Warped Tour songs. And please stop spreading rumours about low listener base for Paul & Larry. KUT is on record as the #1 station. There is not a “even more #1” rating.

By Chalo

July 31, 2009 4:29 AM | Link to this

Katy, KUT has been gradually turning up its suck knob for more than ten years now, which may be news to you, but is well known by a lot of us here who have been listeners for all that time and much more. If it doesn’t sound much different now with Paul’s and Larry’s programs cut, that’s because it had already grown so dire.

I moved from Austin to Seattle in early 2001. I came back in late 2006. During this span of time, the radio station I couldn’t say enough good things about to my Seattle friends had transformed into a playlisted, banal, sad wreck of its former self. I couldn’t believe the sorry hipster ordure that John Aielli was being forced to play in rotation, when his time slot had already been so badly curtailed.

We probably can’t bring back Lou Harrison or Teresa Ferguson and the great programs they used to provide, but by golly we can get Paul and Larry back on the job, and let John Aielli back off his “leash” while we’re at it.

No town with as vibrant a musical heritage as Austin needs to run syndicated programming from anywhere else. No public radio station from a musical fountainhead like Austin should waste its time broadcasting mass-market musical “product” that can be heard lots of other places across the dial and around the country.

By Dave

August 3, 2009 10:00 PM | Link to this

Send your ears and money to KOOP. The same corporate greed that has ruined UT, Austin and almost everything has now infected KUT. Korporate Useless Tripe

By Bob

August 4, 2009 5:48 PM | Link to this

My gosh some of you old geezers can whine. I know I’ve only been in Austin since ‘93, and thus am in your eyes a carpet bagger arriviste or whatever, but times change. Austin is growing, getting bigger, better, cooler. KUT is changing with it. Monroe and Ray aren’t even being fired, they’re just not going to play all night. “Keep Austin Weird” doesn’t mean cling to every single thing exactly as it was when you were a child. The petulent threat to withohold pledge money if you don’t get every little thing you want is unseemly. Also, John Aielli is cool.

By Jane

August 4, 2009 6:50 PM | Link to this

Here here Bob and Katy - what a bunch of whiners indeed - and threatening to withhold your money -talk about fair weather fans. THINGS CHANGE - and I like Matt! Maybe the station thought about this and made this decision based on research they have since they work in radio and that is what radio stations do. You think they just work up one day and decided to do this? You think Hawk and the family are just out to get ya? get over yourself

And as far as KUT being corporate or like KGSR or whatever - really? Are you listening? It is by far the loosest most varied play list I have heard in Austin. And other than say KEXP or KCRW - KUT plays all sorts of new stuff. And abandoning Texas music?? - they have an entire show called Texas Music Matters and they play local musicians all the time!!!

Maybe you miss Larry and Paul - understandable - but the sky is not falling - things just change.

By Wyatt

August 5, 2009 11:28 AM | Link to this

Texas Music Matters is a great show Jane. But it is only 2 hours out of 168 hours of broadcasting a week.

Witholding pledge money is reasonable and rational if you don’t see a value in the programming or community service. I think KUT takes pledges for granted, assuming KUT is automatically deserving of pledges no matter what. KUT’s attitude has been “the public is too simple to understand Big Radio Decisions so just let KUT management tell you what to like in radio.” Typed as I listen to KOOP!

By ellen

August 5, 2009 1:18 PM | Link to this

I am a long time listener of National Public Radio in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Saint Louis, Houston and now Austin. (here in austin since ‘95) I find this not so subtle change a “beginning of the end” of KUT providing a WELL Rounded multi dimensional approach to music and culture. Yes, these shows do not have the largest fan bases and may not have the fan bases with the deepest pockets but to remove a show highlighting a truly american music genre like Jazz shows the limited vision the musical director and trustees have. Have they ever thought that the people who support and donate during All Things Consider are not going to donate again 3 hours later? If they are finding support for these shows lacking I wonder how come they have been breaking their fundraising goals at each of the bi-annual drives over the past few years. I firmly believe they are falling prey to listening to marketing firms recommendations to target the 25-40 year old who supposedly have the most discretionary spending. It is sad and it may come back to bite them in their back pockets (aka wallet) next fund drive. Who knows maybe I will send my money directly to NPR, to Koop or to KMFA. maybe I should just send a check to Paul Ray or Larry Monroe. hey, That’s not such a bad idea.

By Chad

August 5, 2009 1:52 PM | Link to this

Well, I guess I am guilty of not listening much in the evenings. I tend to have KUT on in the car mostly. However, every so often I would run an errand at night and notice some fantastic jazz on the radio. It would then occur to me, “Oh yeah, it’s Wednesday”. Paul Ray’s show has kept me sitting in the driveway or parking lot several times and has also sent me to the music store. There is a lot of bad Jazz out there, few are good at wading through it all and finding the gems. I’ll miss this resource.

By Wyatt

August 6, 2009 12:17 AM | Link to this

By the way, is this the longest active thread ever on 360? It’s 1 month 3 days and counting! And the voices in the community are just getting warmed up!

By Ed

August 6, 2009 6:12 PM | Link to this

personally I gave money to KFMA instead. No more to KUT. The amount of commericials on KUT, the ones asking for money, rivals ClearChannel or Ennis and to ask for money while to change formats, curtail local shows, and ruin KUT’s legacy is galling. No more money to KUT. Spend it elsewhere. KFMA. Or to another public radio station in another town. One that hasn’t lost its soul or screws over longtime employees.

By No longer KUT supporter

August 7, 2009 11:26 AM | Link to this

I find it interesting that KUT uses the “lack of funds” explanation every time they make a cut that they know loyal listeners will not support. These statements are made despite successful fund drives and increased sponsorship over the last few years (funny, as a supporter I get newsletters talking about how successful KUT is at raising funds and starting new projects, but continually get solicitations saying they need more money to support the basic services).

If KUT is looking for ways to save money, maybe they should look at taking KUT 2 or KUT 3 off-line or perhaps canceling some of the syndicated shows on either of these two stations. I would bet that the listenership for any show on these two stations is significantly less than the listenership for Larry Monroe or Paul Ray (especially since these stations can only be accessed by HD or web).

Also, is this really a cost issue? Are you telling me that it costs more to produce local shows than to, say, purchase the syndicated shows that are on KUT2 and KUT3? Or syndicated NPR shows that are currently broadcast on KUT1? Frankly I don’t listen to these shows on KUT anyway. I go to NPR or the show’s site and listen from there. Seems KUT could save some costs by cutting out shows that are duplicated somewhere else.

All I know is that KUT, little by little, is no longer reflecting my interests or supporting the uniqueness of the community. It is becoming more and more homogenized.

By Jane

August 7, 2009 6:21 PM | Link to this

FYI - There are no npr-affilate public radio stations in the country that do not use underwriting (commercials, whatever you want to call em)-all of them do it - otherwise they could not stay afloat - this is a national trend that KUT is a part of - it is not a KUT only phenomenon

By norm

August 8, 2009 8:16 PM | Link to this

As of 8pm on 8/8 the “Support Larry Monroe and Paul Ray at KUT” group on Facebook has 776 members and still growing.

By Craig Hattersley

August 11, 2009 12:19 PM | Link to this

It’s 12:20 pm on Aug. 11, and there are now 901 members.

By Richard

August 11, 2009 2:24 PM | Link to this

Jane - does that “national trend” mean it’s ok to do in Austin? Austin makes choices different than the rest of the nation. Austin choosing to do things it’s way has let Austin fare much better than the rest of the nation in this economic crisis. Why would we start copying the national trend of failing cities?

KUT could stay afloat without it. They would have to cut the unneccesary middle management and stop spending donation money on outside firms for sales, telemarketing, and PR work. But KUT would definitely float. And be much better.

By Niles Fuller

August 11, 2009 6:25 PM | Link to this

Come pledge-time….the People will let KUT-FM know where it stands.

By Jane

August 11, 2009 11:34 PM | Link to this

Guys - really? You think KUT should just break all molds - and operate on like 10 bucks and not have any ‘middle’ management(impossible to run a station without it) Oh and never ever make any changes - even if the shows have low listernship so the 1000 people out of 200,000 listerners can enjoy their favorite show (real democratic) and maybe solve world hunger while they are at it - Have you ever run a radio station? How do you know they could stay afloat without the underwriting? Have you researched this? Do you run businesses with million dollar budgets? (I do not) Could you all complain anymore? I mean there are problems like healthcare and war to worry about…I clearly must stop reading this blog…I must stay away and go back to my life I think instead I will turn on my radio I like Matt’s show - I really like it - and if I miss jazz I will buy an HD radio for 100 bucks and listen to it on KUT3 and my life will go on……..

By norm

August 19, 2009 12:13 PM | Link to this

The Facebook group “Support Larry Monroe and Paul Ray at KUT” now has over 1.200 members

By Lee Cooke

August 25, 2009 12:28 AM | Link to this

As students start classes, hopefully we will see icons like Ed Miller, Larry Monroe and Paul Ray along with notables like Jay Trachtenberg and John Aielli BACK soon with restored hours on air. Let’s hope KUT’s current management will begin to lead— showcasing the uniqueness of Austin vs. following the Triple A programming concepts so many radio stations are adopting in a herd approach. Let’s can the music committee and the Triple A philosophy of maintaining tight control on the “jocks”. This is the Live Music Capital of the World, so start leading the radio world where tech folks and the rest of us want an Austin approach, not one that appears to be the safe, secure strategy of radio programming per Triple AAA……….created by someone else in some other part of the country. Please let us know you are creative KUT management not afraid to take risks and unwilling to move more and more to a cookie cutter approach with rating and outside fund raising contractors leading the direction of the station with corporate underwriting being the carrot. Let’s hope the next Roky Erickson or Stevie Ray Vaughn are not rejected by the KUT music committee and therefore never get in the station library. If this all stands, can Hayes McCauley (who they cut in 2001 and restored in 2002) and Michael Cockett be cut next!! KUT is so important to the nearly $1B music economy and these DJ’s ‘brung us’ as Coach Royal says.

By Jim

August 31, 2009 10:55 PM | Link to this

Jane - KUT ran fine in the 90’s without unneccessary middle management and with a million dollar budget. A budget much less than what they got now. Enjoy spending $100 on an HD radio. KUT3 is just a bunch of generic programming you can stream for free on several other websites. KUT3 is another waste of money from current management. Money that could keep them from cutting DJs.

By SaveKUTAustin

September 26, 2009 8:40 PM | Link to this

Facebook Support Group at 1,600+ … Website: SaveKUTAustin dot com

By SaveKUTAustin

September 26, 2009 8:45 PM | Link to this

Jane = Andrea = Elizabeth Christian = Your money, down the rat hole