JOHN & KEN RISE TO THE OCCASION; EARLY WAKE-UP BRINGS FRESHER TOPICS TO DUO WITH MOVE FROM KFI TO KABC.Byline: - Fred Shuster For a couple of guys who have to get up for work long before even the crack of dawn, John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou seem pretty upbeat. Known to legions of listeners simply as John and Ken, the talk team debut today at a new station in a new time slot Continuously repeating interval of time or a time period in which two devices are able to interconnect. . Kobylt and Chiampou helm the new 5-to-9 a.m. morning show at venerable talk outlet KABC-AM (790) after five years in afternoons at crosstown rival KFI-AM (640). ``We did mornings in New Jersey for a couple years,'' Chiampou said. ``That's how we started. Mornings is a better time for us, because we can hop all over the place in terms of topics, little stories to world stuff. Morning listeners are ready for a grab bag grab bag n. 1. A container filled with articles, such as party gifts, to be drawn unseen. 2. Slang A miscellaneous collection: The meeting evolved into a grab bag of petty complaints. of subjects.'' Coincidentally, the KABC KABC Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children morning slot had been occupied for almost 25 years by another Ken - Ken Minyard Ken Minyard (born in 1940) is a radio personality, best remembered to be a partner on the radio with Robert Arthur. In 1988, he made a guest appearance on the television show Married with Children. On October 15 2006, after thirty-five years of being on the radio, retired. . Minyard - and his co-host Peter Tilden Peter Tilden is an American radio personality and the host of America's Earliest Morning Show, an overnight program heard on KABC in Los Angeles. Prior to September 2007, Tilden's program aired nationwide on the ABC News & Talk satellite channel, heard on both XM - were let go last year when KABC's new management didn't see ratings improvement. ``I knew that was a great opening,'' Kobylt offered. ``It was the first time since 1973 that the KABC morning show was open. When I first heard last year they were interested in us, I thought mornings would be a great move.'' The pair have signed a four-year contract with KABC, with bonuses for increasing the station's 35-to-54 demographic. Chiampou said the early time slot wouldn't mean any drastic changes to a current events-oriented talk formula that gave KFI KFI Key from Image KFI Key Facts Illustration (UK financial services) KFI Kraft Foods International KFI Korea Fire Equipment Inspection Corporation KFI Key Frame Interval KFI Kernel Function Instrumentation sturdy ratings and a substantial revenue stream for years. ``Our real competition is (KFI morning host and former colleague) Bill Handel William Wolf Handel (born 25 August 1951 in Brazil) is a lawyer and radio personality. He hosts a morning program on KFI in Los Angeles, California during weekdays in which he comments on current events. The program is the top rated morning program in the Los Angeles market. now,'' Chiampou said from his South Bay home. ``Taking away some of the audience we left at KFI is the big goal for our first year at KABC.'' For his part, Kobylt is looking forward to ``going up against the big guys,'' meaning Howard Stern, Don Imus John Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. (born July 23, 1940[1]) is an American humorist, philanthropist, writer, radio and television talk show host in the mould of a shock jock. , Mark & Brian, Rick Dees and the rest. ``I came to a point in my life where I wanted to do mornings in Los Angeles,'' said Kobylt, 38, a father of two. ``We had a good long run at KFI, and you want to do different things at different times in your life.'' Getting up might take some getting used to. Kobylt says he must rise for the new gig at 3 a.m., at least an hour before his partner. ``I'm a nasty horrible person in the morning,'' he admits. ``I need an hour in the house, otherwise I'm going to be an unpleasant person to work with. That extra hour at home is for everybody else.'' As for show topics, Kobylt said the 5-to-9 a.m. shift gives the team a chance to get on a story before it has the appearance of being ``pretty chewed over'' by afternoon drive-time. ``I like the idea of being first on something in the morning,'' he said. ``I'd rather be first in line to take our crack at something than wait until 4 p.m.'' THE FACTS What: ``John & Ken.'' Station: KABC-AM (790). When: 5 to 9 a.m. weekdays. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Former KFI-AM afternoon team John Kobylt, left, and Ken Chiampou move to the coveted cov·et v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets v.tr. 1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy. 2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire. morning slot at talk rival KABC-AM. |
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