STAFF DUMPED OVER KLIF

When radio station KLII decided to change format for the second time this year and go country/western, statior manager T.J. Donnelly reassured DJs in a November meeting that there would be no “busload of new faces in here the first of the year.” KLIF slumped to a 1.6 per cent share after switching last January from top 40 programming to easy listening.

Three weeks later, however, the entire air staff-Harry Nelson, Cuzzin Len-nie, Mike Selden, John Carter, and Jack Monroe – was invited to hit the road. When, reminded that Nelson and Lennie held contracts, KLIF management offered Lennie a position running the control boards for a midnight sports show, which he declined. “That’s humiliating,” says Lennie, a veteran of the glory days of rock at KLIF. “I have a contract that says I’m an air personality, not a board operator.” Nelson was offered a spot on sister station KPLX at a $9000 pay cut and with no contract. After he refused, the job was offered to Mike Selden, who accepted.

KLIF’s new air staff is headed by Don Harris, a 15-year veteran of ratings giant WBAP. “They asked me to make an offer, so I did. After they got up off the floor, they accepted,” says Harris. Station management hopes to lure some of the audience from Harris’ top-rated WBAP country show.

Meanwhile, to cut expenses, KLIF’s traffic helicopter has been grounded for the last four months. While Dick Segal reports traffic information from other stations and police radios, listeners hear the Moog-synthe-sized sound of a helicopter in flight.