Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2007 > November > 26
Monday, November 26, 2007
11/27: Hot 107.9’s Dirty Awards & Peachtree TV’s Drumroll
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I wrote an advance piece on Dallas Austin’s new reality show on Peachtree TV “Drumroll: SWD”, which documents the life and times of the Southwest DeKalb High School Marching Panthers, considered one of the best marching bands in the country. The show is Peachtree TV’s first original series.
The series is only being aired over four one-hour episodes, a relatively modest bet. It’s an offshoot of Austin’s successful 2002 film “Drumline,” except this time it’s a reality show and focused on a high school instead of a fictional college. The most interesting aspect about the show is that DeKalb schools had final edit on the show, meaning anything that might hurt the image of the school was cut out.
Austin himself said he wanted a positive portrayal of the kids, most whom are under age, so he was sensitive to that self censoring himself, cutting out bad language, references to sex or drugs or anything along those lines. The focus is on the band, the intense rehearsals, the dedication the students have to uphold a long tradition. Does this mean a less-than-scintillating show? I’ve only seen the first hour so I can’t say that would be the case for all four hours but that first hour features a lot of background and a relative lack of enticing story lines or character development.
And since our hip-hop specialist Sonia Murray is on vacation this week, I stopped by the third annual Dirty Awards organized by Hot 107.9. It’s a great concept, a wonderful way for Hot to brand itself as the mecca for Dirty South hip hop. The ballroom, which fits at least 2,000 people, was packed and the production values high. Among the stars there included Big Boi, Soulja Boy, Young Joc, DJ Unk, Chamillionaire and Young Jeezy. Hip hop has had troubles with sales of late and Hot’s ratings have been weaker than normal but the station is still a solid No. 2 among 18 to 34 year olds behind V-103.
The winners included T.I. as Dirty Boy of the Year, who obviously could not be in attendance because of his arrest on weapons possession.
Dirty single of the year: T-Pain’s “Buy U a Drank.”
Best dance song: “Crank Dat.” by Soulja Boy
Best R&B male: T-Pain ’ Dirty Chick of the Year: Ciara (not in attendance, unfortunately)
Best rap group: UGK
Best DJ: DJ Khaled
I did like the fact the station acknowledged bootlegging by citing best bootlegged CD of the year: Young Jeezy’s “CTE.”
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11/27: Zakk Tyler a Dave FM morning host candidate
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Could Zakk Tyler be the new morning host at Dave FM? On his blog, he’s hinting about a “major announcement” before the end of the holiday season. Tyler, last heard on rock station the Loop in Chicago, has plenty of sample clips of his show here.. From the looks of it, he’s clearly a personality-based DJ who has done lots of song parodies and radio stunts.
For instance, he parodies Bud Lights “Real Men of Genius” ads by mocking Rosie O’Donnell, Mark Foley and Kevin Federline.
Zakk didn’t respond to an email and Dave FM Program Director Mike Wheeler, who is very good at keeping things close to his vest, said he’s not ready to divulge anything related to the search.
Tyler’s contract was not renewed by the Loop in Chicago in June so he’s definitely available.
Here’s his some background about Zakk.. He’s worked in Louisville, Ky., Greenville, S.C. and San Jose, Calif. before going to Chicago for two years.
Said Robert Feder, a reporter at the Chicago Sun Times, who covers radio there: “I would describe Zakk as a very competent, reliable music jock. The guy definitely knows his stuff. The only reason the Loop dropped him was because they wanted to go with a more high-profile personality in afteroons. (As of today, incidentally, they still have not replaced him!)” The Loop wanted to replace Tyler with “The Partridge Family” alum Danny Bonaduce but Bonaduce turned it down.
Dave FM has gone without a full-fledged morning show since Steve Barnes quietly left in September 2006, using his former co-host Holly Firfer and Orf to mostly riff about the news and pop culture between songs.
Among others who have tried out for the morning show during the wee hours on Dave FM in recent weeks include former GST mid-day host Denny Schaffer, former 99Xer Jimmy Baron, San Franciso talker Chris Daniel and Glenn Beck sidekick Brian Sack.
11/26: 99x’s Leslie Fram wins lifetime achievement AIR award
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Leslie Fram, the veteran program director and morning co-host at 99X, is going to receive a lifetime achievement award Thursday at the Achievement in Radio Awards on behalf of the March of Dimes, an annual event since 1996. Jimmy Baron, who left 99X last year and is now executive producing a couple of possible TV shows, will introducing her on the podium.
Fram is the first woman to receive the award. Past recipients include Braves announcer Skip Caray, voice of the Dawgs Larry Munson, Steve Goss (formerly of Peach, now at WABE-FM) and morning host Rhubarb Jones of Eagle 106.7.
The annual AIR Awards, held this year at the Intercontinental Hotel in Buckhead Thursday Nov. 29, is a great place to rub shoulders with radio personalities. V-103’s Ryan Cameron typically oversees the silent auction and folks like Dave FM’s Mara Davis, 790/The Zone’s Steak Shapiro and Grown Folks’ Si-Man regularly show up. Tickets are $125 apiece and can be purchased here..
Employees at each radio station votes for that station’s favorite personality, a practice begun last year. The March of Dimes used to have an impartial judge’s panel outside of Atlanta listen to tapes and vote for best personalities but that didn’t always work out so well. Some stations with good shows didn’t bother submitting tapes and a five-minute tape doesn’t necessarily portray a show’s true essence. In fact, Peach’s Gene & Julie (remember them?) once won for best morning show and that show lasted all of two years. In its early years, the event would feature some jocks trash talking up on the dais, but the March of Dimes clamped down on that in recent years.
The cocktail hour (or actually 90 minutes) runs from 5:30 p.m. to 7. Then it’s dinner at 7, followed by an 8:30 p.m. after party. Usually, the event has a celebrity emcee such as Jeff Foxworthy, Brett Butler, Mo Rocca or Greg Gumbel but as of Monday, the group is still trying to finalize a big name. I’ll update this entry when or if they get that person.
Meanwhile, B98.5’s Kelly & Alpha are holding a “Can-nah Montana” giveaway. If you go to the the Publix by 6 p.m. at 9925 Haynes Bridge Road in Alpharetta and donate some canned goods (benefiting the Feed the Hungry Foundation), you’ll have a chance to win four tickets to the sold-out Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus concert Wednesday at Gwinnett Arena. Scalpers are having a field day with that concert and some seats are selling for $400-plus per ticket on eBay. (Will Gara at B98.5 purchased the tickets at cost from a friend.)
