11/01/2024
The End of an era (or at least the "brick and mortar" end).....
As many of you know I have been very involved with the rebirth of the Long Beach lower power FM station 99.1 KLBP-FM. Since Danny Lemos took the reins as General Manager the progress has been amazing. KLBP will be the voice of Long Beach and through our Internet presence a beacon to the rest of the world for why the city is one of the great west coast destinations. So please stay tuned for that.
We're building personnel and we're building the physical facility with growth plans in both areas. It was my hope that we would be able to retrieve the actual LA Radio Studio which has been tied up in bureaucracy for many years.
Danny and I had breakfast yesterday morning and after that, he would be going over to AltaSea in San Pedro, where the LA Radio Studio was rebuilt several years ago.
At this point, it would probably be good to bring everyone up to date with what has gone on with the studio over the last few years. We've been vague about things because of the uncertainties and the bureaucracy we've faced. Through that whole time the most asked question of me has been, "What's up with the studio?"
The original LA Radio Studio was closed due to the redevelopment of Ports 'O Call Village, but very few know the full story of what followed. Since it's been several years, I think it's important that it be told.
Immediately after the studio shutdown I went to my partner in the operation, the man that originally funded it and asked if he would want to continue the journey we started with the studio or just throw in the towel. He said he wanted to continue. So, before the wrecking ball came to the studio the original engineer and builder that built the facility disassemble it piece by piece. My partner had arranged with the people at AltaSea to store and begin to rebuild a "moveable" version of the original, which our engineer and the original builder began to reassemble.
At this point, it was my understanding that we would rebuild the studio within Alta Sea's facility, we would continue to be able to operate it, doing all the shows we had been doing up until then and assist them in producing audio product that would move their project further. What I didn't know at the time was that in order to have this agreement, the studio would have to be given to Alta Sea. I found out well after this deal had been cut and - although not happy - as long as we had access to the studio, I was ok with the agreement. They also agreed to supply us with the infrastructure (internet, phones, power, etc) to be able to operate. We made several proposals to Alta Sea for podcasts and other audio projects that would enhance their fundraising ability and move the project forward.
The studio was nearly completed, operational as a studio, but lacked air conditioning and a few other amenities. We were never provided with anything but power - no internet or phones, which are essential to run a studio.
Then covid hit. I had visited the studio many times during the construction, but once covid hit that was the last time I was able to see it.
After covid, the upper management at Alta Sea had changed.
So, Danny made the trek over to San Pedro after our breakfast to Alta Sea. When he arrived, he inquired about the radio studio and was immediately told that it had been "given away to a podcast production company and taken somewhere out in the desert". Hmmm.
It would seem to me that a courtesy call to my partner might have been in order before just giving away a studio with a legendary heritage dating back to the ABC Radio Network of the 80s and 90s. But that isn't how it worked.
So, we revel in the ten plus years that left a legacy that we proudly display on our YouTube Channel, on various podcast platforms, on our 24/7 stream on TuneIn (link below) and in the amazing memories of all the broadcasters, podcasters and musicians that filled that studio with their art. The LA Radio Studio community loves you all and we'll be calling on many of you to join us on the air at KLBP.
.....and we remain "open" to producing radio, podcasts or other audio projects that are "good ideas". We may not have a physical studio, but we'll figure it out. That's how we do things!!
Much love,
Mike Stark
LA Radio Studio - Live and recorded programming originating from the LA Radio Studio, overlooking the LA Harbor in the historic Ports 'O Call Village in San Pedro, California.
