I’ll write an appreciation of David Letterman a little closer to the May 20 end date of his late night show.
However tonight would be a good time to set your DVR to record his show as it inches toward the finish line. I changed my DVR from saving just five episodes to keeping all of them.
He’s been featuring old bits and collections of clips nightly and a parade of long time guests have been appearing to wish him well. It’s been surprisingly touching.
The first column I ever wrote was about Letterman’s show.
And while I can’t find it on-line, I know there’s a copy of it somewhere in my basement.
––The CBS 90-minute Letterman retrospective at 8:30 p.m. Monday was the ninth most watched show that evening, earning a 5.6 rating for local affiliate WDJT-TV (Channel 58). It was second in the time slot, opposite the last half hour of “Dancing with the Stars” and “Castle.”
Although Letterman, whose late night show premiered on NBC in 1982, has arguably as much influence on modern comedy as “Saturday Night Live,” which premiered in 1975, the “SNL” 40th anniversary retrospective in February performed more than three times better, earning an 18.5 local rating.
—The radio industry website All Access reports that Stephen Kallao, of WMYS-FM (88.9) is joining the Slacker Radio streaming services as it “new Imaging Director.”
He joined WYMS in 2011 where he was also “imaging director” and on air host.
If you Google the definition of “imaging director” the responses tend to be in the hospital radiology fields. My guess the job description here has more to do with marketing and promotion.
Kallao was previously assistant program director at WLUM-FM (102.1) and worked at the then Journal Broadcast Group station in Boise. He studied criminal science in college and on his under background he wrote: “I fix things.”
In a statement in the industry newsletter RAMP, Slacker programming director Kevin Stapleford said the hiring of a Kallao was “a huge coup. We also plan to put his award-winning hosting skills to good use. And the fact that he is dark and brooding is a big bonus.” Kallao has twice won radio show of the year, from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, although not this year. (See below).
Kallao and Stapleford perviously worked together at 91X in San Diego.
—Ever since I lost a 4th of July bike decorating contest at McGovern Park to kids whose parents decorated their bikes, I have been skeptical about awards in general. And while the just announced Wisconsin Broadcasters Association awards measure all stations and judge one or the other superior, there are so many categories that inevitably every station that enters inevitably wins something.
Go here for a complete list of all winners.
The highlights include; WISN-TV (Channel 12) won twelve awards including TV station of the year and news operation of the year; WTMJ-AM (620) won radio news operation and station of the year.
WISN-TV morning show co-anchor Melinda Davenport was named best “personality.”
And the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year continues for WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) which won just one major award. Recently, its 10 p.m. newscast was fourth ranked in the market, veteran anchor Mike Jacobs retired and it joined the E.W. Scripps broadcast group chain.
What’s next? The rest of the major market winners are listed below:
Wisconsin Public Radio Best news website, news writing, promotional announcement;
WYMS Best non news website, special report;
WUWM-FM (89.7) Best niche website, best use of user generated content, hard news/investigative, editorial commentary;
WTMJ-AM Best spot news, live on scene, continuing coverage, best interview, sportscast, play by play, community impact, public service announcement;
WSSP-AM (1250) Best morning show (Chuck & Wickett), best commercial, client commercial
WOKY-AM (920) Best radio show (Mike Heller);
WISN-AM (1130) Best feature, newscast, use of audio, specialty programing, election coverage;
WISN-TV Best personality, live coverage (Dontre Hamilton decision), morning newscast, series or documentary, on scene reporting, continuing coverage, news video, sportscast (Sutton), community impact, promotional announcement, public service announcement, commercial;
WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) Best topical promotion, hard news/investigative;
WITI-TV (Channel 6) Best spot news, evening newscast (5 p.m.), news writing, sports reporting, sports video, weathercast, editorial, election night coverage.
WDJT-TV Best feature;
WMVS-TV (Channel 10) Specialty programing;
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