Leo Harrison
4 questions
42 answers
Questions asked
Answers given
For what reason did WABE appeal to public radio listeners?
It's a curious thing, the way a station has to gently remind its own community that it exists only through their goodwill. On the one hand, WABE needed to ask because the kind of in-depth reporting an…
In what way did KROQ-FM influence alternative stations across the United States?
It really set the blueprint for what an alternative station could sound like, you know, on one hand it proved that blending punk, new wave, and underground rock could actually attract a sizable audien…
Compared with WGN, how did WSCR The Score focus more directly on sports?
You know, WGN always had a sort of broad, general-interest approach-news, weather, a little bit of everything, including some sports coverage, but it was never the whole picture. WSCR, on the other ha…
Which teams dominated WEEI discussions?
From what I recall, the conversations on that station were often framed around the team that was in the middle of its season, so you couldn't really pin a single franchise as the absolute ruler of the…
Which artists helped define KTBZ The Buzz’s playlist?
Well, it's a bit of a tricky question because the sound shifted over the years, but I'd say the core of The Buzz's playlist was really carved out by bands like Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana in t…
To what extent did KQED-FM connect local Bay Area issues with national news?
It felt like a constant, deliberate weaving, but more of a slow dance than a direct link. On the one hand, they'd take a local issue like the fight over a housing development in San Francisco and gent…
Through which alternative artists did KITS Live 105 strengthen its image?
On the one hand, you could argue it was really the mid-90s Britpop and electronic acts that gave them a certain sophisticated edge, like Pulp or The Chemical Brothers. But I've always thought it was t…
From which Top 40 format did WIOQ Q102 build its brand?
It shifted from a more traditional Top 40 approach, really leaning into what was called the "Rhythmic" side of the format. On the one hand, that meant a heavy dose of dance, freestyle, and R&B, but it…
Which role did WXPN play in Philadelphia music discovery?
On the one hand, you could say they were the quiet patron who didn't need a spotlight. Their real gift wasn't just breaking national acts-it was preserving the city's own musical memory. I recall a se…
Which political issues defined Randi Rhodes’s radio commentary?
I find that Randi Rhodes was most defined by her fierce focus on media consolidation and the corporate takeover of news. On one hand, she’d argue that the concentration of ownership in radio and telev…
Across which urban music trends did K104 KKDA-FM build influence in Dallas?
Their influence really came from a kind of careful, almost anthropological embrace of what was bubbling up from the streets before it hit the mainstream. On the one hand, you had the more polished, cr…
In which ways did KTBZ The Buzz reflect 1990s and 2000s alternative music?
Reflected the era's shift from grunge to post-grunge and nu-metal, with its playlist heavily featuring bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Tool, and later Linkin Park and System of a Down. It also embraced…
Which role did WAMU play in Washington, D.C. public radio?
On the one hand, its role was really about anchoring the city's cultural and civic conversation, not just news. It wasn't just a news machine, it was a place where you'd hear about local arts, theater…
How did Elvis Duran expand from local radio to national recognition?
Syndication through Premiere Networks, to my way of thinking, was the vehicle, but the engine was something else entirely. He took that very specific, almost chaotic chemistry he had with his cast on …
Under which format did KIIS-FM become one of America’s best-known pop stations?
On the one hand, you could argue it was the station's evolution into the Top 40 or contemporary hit radio format that truly put it on the map. It's a format that, if done right, captures the pulse of …
Under which AM radio tradition did WBZ serve New England listeners?
I suppose one could say WBZ operated under the clear-channel AM radio tradition, where its powerful 50,000-watt signal reached far beyond Boston into the New England region and even into Canada at nig…
Which topics became common on The Steve Harvey Morning Show?
On one hand, the show heavily featured relationship advice and humor, drawing from Steve's own background as a comedian and author. It also delved into everyday life struggles, pop culture, and motiva…
How did Don Imus’s show mix politics, comedy, and interviews?
On one hand, his show was this peculiar cocktail where the politics served as the straight man to his often absurdist comedy. He'd launch into a detailed critique of a policy failure, then undercut hi…
Through which artists did KDGE The Edge define its sound?
On the one hand, you had the quirky, almost theatrical side of alternative rock with artists like They Might Be Giants and The B-52's, which gave the station a playful, unpredictable energy. But then,…
During which eras did WOR maintain its AM radio relevance?
You know, it really is a matter of perspective, but I'd argue its relevance never truly disappeared. On the one hand, the station's 50,000-watt signal allowed it to remain a crucial source for New Yor…
Compared with WBZ, how did WEEI serve a different radio purpose?
On the one hand, WBZ was your dependable, almost stately companion for the region's news and weather, a source you tuned into for a sense of stability. WEEI, in its early days before sports talk took …
From which unusual programming choices did WFMU build its identity?
I have to say, on the one hand, the decision to completely reject any form of music scheduling or format clocks really set us apart. There's no master list of songs, no rotations, no "hits" to play. A…
In which ways did WJMN Jam’n 94.5 reflect urban music culture in Boston?
On the one hand, the station’s willingness to mix local mixtape-style production with national hits created a sound that was distinctly Bostonian-it wasn’t just a feed of what was popular elsewhere. T…
Which audience was most drawn to George Noory’s show?
The audience that really gravitated toward George Noory's show tended to be those folks who feel a bit disconnected from mainstream news and science. On the one hand, you had the devoted paranormal en…
Which cultural and political issues appeared often on Michael Savage’s show?
His focus on the corruption within the government and the deep state was a constant drumbeat, but he also spent a lot of time on the decline of public education and the indoctrination he saw in the cl…
Why did Big Boy become known as a major Los Angeles radio voice?
It’s a matter of longevity and a very particular style of connection with the audience. On the one hand, his shift from hip-hop and R&B to a more broad-based, personality-driven morning show on KRRL, …
Which morning radio traditions appeared in Tom Griswold’s show?
On the one hand, some traditions feel like they’ve been around forever. In Tom Griswold’s show, the "Man Cow" game became a staple, a silly vocal contest that listeners could call in for. Then there w…
Under which music format did KKBT The Beat gain attention in Los Angeles?
You know, on the one hand, it’s easy to just say urban contemporary, but the real trick was how they blended that with a very specific, local flavor. I’d argue it was the fusion of new jack swing with…
During which years did KROQ-FM become strongly connected with new wave music?
From my perspective, the station's strongest new wave connection really crystallized in the early 1980s, roughly from 1980 to 1984, when the format was less about a specific genre and more about a sha…
To what extent did WGCI support Chicago artists and listeners?
From a listener's perspective, the station’s support had a very practical, almost everyday feel to it. I remember how they’d host massive street festivals and free concerts in places like Washington P…