What Goes On at This Place Is Shocking

Figuring out exactly what Sports Radio AM 1150 is has been difficult.

Is it an adults-only, X-rated station or is it an all-sports station that caters to family entertainment such as Dodger baseball and UCLA sports?

Another problem is the call letters. Since its start in March, it has gone from KIIS-AM 1150 to XTRA 1150 to KXTA 1150 to the name it now prefers, Sports Radio AM 1150.

No wonder it never shows up in the ratings book. People designated by Arbitron to keep track of what they listen to don’t know what to call the station.

Whatever it is called, the Dodger and UCLA’s new flagship station has been leaning toward shock, i.e. raunchy.

That may be changing.

“We needed shock to get noticed,” said Roy Laughlin, the general manager of AM 1150 and sister station KIIS-FM. “Now it’s time to go in a different direction. You’re going to see a change over the next 30 to 60 days. You’re going to see more mature programming, more sports-news oriented programming.”

This week AM 1150 dumped Joey Haim, the often obscene and obnoxious co-host of the nighttime “Sports Gods” show. Haim’s slightly more conservative partner, Dave Smith, was retained.

Regarding Haim’s demise, program director Beau Bennett said, “It wasn’t retaliatory in any way. It was just a programming decision. We’re trying reach a more mature audience.”

Said Haim, “Beau told Dave and I to come in Tuesday to sign a new deal. But before I get to the station, Dave pages me and says it’s urgent. I call him back and say, ‘OK, who’s been fired, you or me?’ ”

Haim was kidding. Smith wasn’t.

“It’s you,” he said.

“Dave sold me down the river,” Haim said. “I know if it had been the other way around, I would have said, either we both stay or we both go.”

Said Smith, “It was a sad day for me. Joey is like my best friend.”

Said Haim, “I went to the station Christmas party on Friday. Then I get fired on Tuesday, a week before my birthday and right before Christmas.”

Haim said he will make a game-show pilot in Las Vegas next month, but that is only a two-day project. He said he’d like to do a solo show at a different station and has an interview at KLSX-FM next week.

That might be a better fit for Haim. KLSX, which carries Howard Stern, is strictly shock radio, which is what Haim is all about.

MORE SHOCK AND SCHLOCK

If AM 1150 really is seeking a cleaner image, maybe there won’t be any more bikini contests. A recent one on the station caused one of the three contestants to claim foul.

Cherise Bangs showed up at the station one day last week and there was only one other contestant, a man named Chris. So, according to Bangs, a station employee called a friend named Christina, a professional stripper, who showed up later and won a free trip for two to Hawaii. Bangs claimed Christina won the contest because she was willing to strip and promised lap dances to the judges.

Talk about schlock radio. And how embarrassing to have only two contestants show up.

Laughlin, busy with KIIS-FM promotions, said he knew nothing about the contest, but, as a show of goodwill, he also will give Bangs a free trip.

MEANWHILE IN SAN DIEGO

XTRA 690, another sister station of AM 1150, says goodbye to the Chargers on Sunday and will play highlights of previous broadcasts during the Chargers’ season finale against Denver.

Play-by-play announcer Lee Hamilton said the team turned down a five-year, $15-million offer from XTRA to sign a one-year deal with a San Diego FM music station, Star 100.

“I guess they didn’t like some of our hosts criticizing them,” Hamilton said. “What, do they think we’re going to stop criticizing them?”

Concerning his status, Hamilton said, “I become a free agent after Sunday’s game. Do you know anyone who is looking for a good play-by-play announcer?”

ROME’S EXPANDING EMPIRE

The new half-hour cable television show Jim Rome will do with New York Post sports columnist Wally Matthews for the Fox Sports Net beginning Jan. 5 will be shown nightly, Monday through Friday, on Fox Sports West at midnight and repeated at 6 p.m. the next day when possible.

Arthur Smith, Fox Sports Net executive vice president, said there have been discussions with Rome for nearly a year. “We knew we wanted to use him in some capacity,” Smith said.

Earlier, there was talk of simply showing Rome’s radio show on Fox Sports Net, but that fell through.

Rome will do the new TV show from Los Angeles, while Matthews will be in New York. There will be guests on some segments, while other segments will be strictly commentary.

“Wally is someone I have a lot of respect for, and I think the chemistry will work,” Rome said.

Also beginning Jan. 5, Rome no longer will be doing his afternoon talk show on AM 1150. As reported earlier, the station will begin carrying Rome’s national show from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dump the Fabulous Sports Babe’s syndicated show.

The move is part of the revamping at AM 1150. Dave Smith, currently working solo at night, will be paired with Big Ben Maller beginning Jan. 5. Vic “the Brick” Jacobs will be on from 1-3 p.m. and Big Joe McDonnell from 3-7 p.m.

IN CLOSING

The big story of the week was the firing of John Robinson by USC and the hiring of Paul Hackett, and Fox Sports News had it exclusively Tuesday.

“What was particularly gratifying is to be so far out in front of everyone else on it and then to pick up the Los Angeles Times the next morning and to see we had it nailed,” executive producer John Terenzio said.

Terenzio credited several behind-the-scenes people for breaking the story.

It is one of a number of stories Fox Sports News has broken recently, and it shows the Fox people are serious about making Fox Sports News a first-class program.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

What Los Angeles Is Watching

A sampling of L.A. Nielsen ratings for Dec. 13-15:

SATURDAY

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Event Ch. Rating Share Pro football: Pittsburgh at New England 4 12.0 31 Pro football: Washington at New York Giants 11 7.2 21 Golf: Skills Challenge 4 3.3 7 Figure skating: World Team Championship 2 2.0 6 Hockey: Washington at Kings 9 1.9 4 Golf: Diners Club matches 7 1.3 3 College basketball: Coppin State at Arizona 2 0.7 2 College basketball: Duke at Michigan 2 0.6 2

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SUNDAY

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Event Ch. Rating Share Pro football: Dallas at Cincinnati 4 13.0 34 Pro football: Green Bay at Carolina 11 9.7 23 Pro football: Kansas City at San Diego 4 7.8 18 Figure skating: Pro Championships 2 4.0 9 Golf: Skills Challenge 4 2.9 8 Skiing: Mammoth King of the Mountain 2 1.6 4 Golf: Diners Club matches 7 0.8 2

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MONDAY

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Event Ch. Rating Share Pro football: Denver at San Francisco 7 23.4 36

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Note: Each rating point represents 50,092 L.A. households.