Indie 103.1 Goes Off the Air to Keep Integrity – Damn the Man!
By Mali
***Update: Music Director Answers Your Questions and Clears Up SOME Rumors***
Wow! You know Indie 103.1 is probably the closest we’ll ever see to a real life Empire Records? Anyone who lives in LA, knows that this is probably one of the best radio stations to listen to. They are known for playing great music, from great musicians no matter what the artists status or income. I have always wondered how they avoided the corporate radio BS that all the other stations have given into. Apparently, they have had to deal with the same problems, only instead of giving in they have decided to keep their Indie integrity and go off the air.
As of NOW Indie 103.1 will cease broadcasting immediately and take their music to the Internet, where real music belongs!
Damn the man! Check out the message just posted on Indie’s website…
This is an important message for the Indie 103.1 Radio Audience -
Indie 103.1 will cease broadcasting over this frequency effective immediately. Because of changes in the radio industry and the way radio audiences are measured, stations in this market are being forced to play too much Britney, Puffy and alternative music that is neither new nor cutting edge. Due to these challenges, Indie 103.1 was recently faced with only one option — to play the corporate radio game.
We have decided not to play that game any longer. Rather than changing the sound, spirit, and soul of what has made Indie 103.1 great Indie 103.1 will bid farewell to the terrestrial airwaves and take an alternative course.
This could only be done on the Internet, a place where rules do not apply and where new music thrives; be it grunge, punk, or alternative – simply put, only the best music.
For those of you with a computer at home or at work, log on to www.indie1031.com and listen to the new Indie 103.1 – which is really the old Indie 103.1, not the version of Indie 103.1 we are removing from the broadcast airwaves.
We thank our listeners and advertisers for their support of the greatest radio station ever conceived, and look forward to continuing to deliver the famed Indie 103.1 music and spirit over the Internet to passionate music listeners around the world.
Support Indie 103.1 and listen to them live on their website 103.1.com!
Friday, January 16, 2009 9:43AM
If you like freeform radio you should also check out KDVS Davis, CA. kdvs.org
Friday, January 16, 2009 10:12AM
Respect *pours out some beer*
Friday, January 16, 2009 11:18AM
i don't quite understand. I could've sworn they were bought out/owned by clearchannel/extravision joint years ago, that's why they started playing so much mainstream after the first few months of airing. If they're already corporate owned, doesn't this seem more like a ploy? I'm not expert but correct me if I'm wrong.
Friday, January 16, 2009 4:26AM
Wow, pretty awesome dude!
http://www.anonymity.at.tc
Friday, January 16, 2009 1:28PM
I'm bum'd because that was one of the few I listen to. Barely legal was kickass programming also. Morning Becomes Eclectic and Jak FM will have to hold me over on the commute mornings.
I fully support Indie and will continue listening on the series of tubes.
Friday, January 16, 2009 3:30PM
Really? Integrity? I thought it might have had something to do with the abysmal ratings and subsequent inability to make any money.
Friday, January 16, 2009 3:41PM
Learn to spell "Integrity"
Friday, January 16, 2009 4:17PM
The only real radio station that does not play by the rules is in San Diego.
check out fm949sd.com to listen online. Great stuff!
Friday, January 16, 2009 4:31PM
I remember the story of Indie 103.1! I'm not sure how accurate my reasoning is, but this is how it went down as far as I could tell. Before it was indie it was "groove radio" which kicked ass. They played an interesting mix of music and was doing quite well. It was one of those stations that people were like "hey, this is pretty good!" and told each other to listen to it. Hell, I had like 3 different people tell me about groove radio.
As it's popularity grew, Clearchannel got worried, since it was a competitor to their stations, so they bought them out. Of course they couldn't keep the same stuff because it was interfering with their other station ratings so they changed it to "indie" music. Then they had the gall to have ads like "if you don't like us go listen to KIIS" (which was strangely enough the Clearchannel station that probably got hurt most by groove radio).
I liked the idea of an indie station, but it was hard for me to listen to cuz how it all went down. I have no idea if Clearchannel bought them out really because it was hurting ratings of their own channels, but I DO know that word of mouth wise, groove radio was doing awesome.
Friday, January 16, 2009 4:35PM
They are still a clear channel company. Not so "indie" in actuality.
Friday, January 16, 2009 5:26PM
clear channel = indie? hmmm…
Friday, January 16, 2009 5:42PM
This station was so boring! Maybe they can put up some good music to take its place.
Friday, January 16, 2009 6:30PM
I for one am sad about this. Whoever owned them in recent years, you could still tell the people actually working there gave a shit about playing good music. Joe Escalante is the first morning host I've been able to listen to without having to immediately change the station.
I hope the internet switch works out for them, and I'm interested to see what they play with Clear Channel off thier backs. I don't think Jonsey is making the switch, which is too bad because he played hilariously eclectic music. But then again I can only listen to him tell stories for so long before I want to fall asleep.
Friday, January 16, 2009 6:44PM
They should have stopped playing all the corporate bullshit and just stuck to royalty-free music. Maybe then they could have stayed on the air. Good riddance.
Friday, January 16, 2009 6:47PM
Please don't be fooled by the announcement that is being broadcasted on 103-1 FM. It does NOT reflect any staff members that we're fired. The current internet version of Indie 103-1 has nothing to do with anyone that has ever had any honest participation with the radio station.
Thank – You Los Angeles for your support!
Friday, January 16, 2009 6:56PM
My understanding was the staff were still from the original Indie 103.1 station after they were bought by Clearchannel, so I think this is a "the head office is telling us to play more crap, so we're giving them the finger and all walking" action, not a marketing ploy on Clearchannel's behalf. Though, on second thought, data bandwidth is cheaper than an FCC license for FM, they keep selling ad space on the stream and cut the number of people to nothing (ala Jack FM which is owned by Clearchannel btw)…hmmm…
It does seems the 103.1 freq has been cursed, first Pirate Radio, then groove (@$%# groove was so badass :/ ), then Indie 103.1. The only downside is that Clearchannel now owns the 103.1 freq, so I can only imagine what crap will next be put up to fill the space. I imagine that the frequency 103.1 won't be dead air for long.
As for good stations, in S. Orange County (Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, San Clemente) you can get SD 94.9 (which is still a great station http://www.fm949sd.com), as for everyone else you'll have to stream them online. :/
Friday, January 16, 2009 7:05PM
Clear Channel announced today that they are immediately making $400,000,000 in budget cuts. I have a feeling this has something to do with those cuts.
Friday, January 16, 2009 8:08PM
There's still one truly indie station in LA (no ads, completely listener-supported) – 88.9 KXLU. Reception can get a little sketchy out in the valley, but they also stream everything online.
Friday, January 16, 2009 8:21PM
At least orange county still has KUCI 88.9 FM
Friday, January 16, 2009 8:27PM
"This could only be done on the Internet…"
Um, or satellite.
Friday, January 16, 2009 12:41PM
[...] http://beatcrave.com/2009-01-15/indie-1031-goes-off-the-air-to-keep-intregrity-damn-the-man/ [...]
Friday, January 16, 2009 8:46PM
If you have ever run a small business, you may understand investing. Seeking investors, trying to stay afloat, etc… If you get an investor, they get returns for their share of the company. If they get a controlling interest, i.e. ownership, what they say goes.
Still, they will listen to the person who created a successful business. I must say, Clear channel DID NOT ruin this station. A business that is successful is not something to fuck with, even if you have a controlling interest. You don't burn it to the ground just because your an evil man in a tower tapping your fingertips together and saying, "mwahahahah!"
Making the programming a little more accessible than a basement channel for the "truly indie," doesn't make me hate the station. It grew to have a wider audience than a lot of back-packers and hipsters consider "indie."
What classifies as indie these days? Someone who doesn't seek to make money from music? Well, if that's the case then the FM dial isn't the place to find it!
As mentioned earlier, if you want eclectic and interesting music from around the world, check out and support NPR. Give your money to a radio station that doesn't sell advertising.
As for Indie 103.1. This station was the only tolerable FM radio station in the LA area, let alone existence. I LOVED the fact that corporate sponsors were actually using the type of music played on Indie 103.1… until now that is.
You live in a consumer culture people. I understand the frustration, but I hope this doesn't mean that every jingle or advertisement I hear from now on sounds like Nickleback. Oh, yes. That's the alternative. Toyota ads with "Creed" and "Superman that Ho!" in them. Fucking Christ!
Time for all the haters, to suck it up. This station was a good thing. I'm sorry that the type of music they played wasn't your friends band, but damn. The type of music the did play was jammin', and it will lose a large segment of the audience it once had. All the jackass's out there who don't see that people at large simply aren't going to tune into online radio yet, and that FM radio still sets a societal musical aesthetic, well, fuck you. Shut up.
Friday, January 16, 2009 8:56PM
103.1 Is like thee station on the radio, two of my friends bands played live on their morning eclectic program, this really is a bummer. I dont listen to the radio too often, but when I do, its only Indi 103.1
And 105.1 (classical), which i noticed was missing too, is it?
Up yours corporate America, go choke on a dick burrito.
Friday, January 16, 2009 9:27PM
live365.com is the one place I find real independent radio.
http://www.live365.com/index.live
and they have been bitching about keeping the netwaves free for a few years now.
check it out, there are a few good alternative stations I found that are pretty good, adn I believe you can make your own? I never got that far into it.
Friday, January 16, 2009 10:14PM
I used to work for Indie till a few months ago. I was the first promotions person that worked for Indie, so it was a shock to hear it go away not too long after i left.
The history behind the whole Clear Channel thing is – when the station first started back in the end of 2003, it was working thru a joint sales agreement. Meaning – Entravision owns the station, and runs the programming (it ALWAYS has). Clear Channel was selling their advertising and handling the promotions. After a little more than a year, the FCC put a stop to Clear Channel having any hand in Indie 103.1. Clear Channel had ended all ties back in the beginning of 2004. They had nothing to do with Indie closing down.
A lot of people are getting Indie's message about closing down mixed up. There was a new rating system that Arbitron came out with last year called a PPM. The ratings werent doing as well causing them to modify their music to a wider appeal and gain some ratings.
Now the reason why Dicky Barrett was replaced back in 2006, thats a whole different story for another time.
Oh, and Pirate radio a long time ago was actually 100.3. Not 103.1
Friday, January 16, 2009 2:32PM
[...] we found out that Los Angeles radio station Indie 103.1 would be going off the air due to press from the radio [...]
Friday, January 16, 2009 10:42PM
MAN I MISS GROOVE!
Friday, January 16, 2009 10:45PM
Jack FM is Infinity/CBS, not Clear Channel, but your point is taken.
Saturday, January 17, 2009 12:15AM
They should have ended with Wall of Voodoo's "Mexican Radio" rather than Sinatra's "My Way". Much more prophetic, IMO.
Friday, January 16, 2009 5:40PM
Anyone know what's happening to Jonsey's Jukebox? I doubt he'll make the move online.
Friday, January 16, 2009 8:00PM
[...] Indie 103.1 Goes Off the Air to Keep Integrity – Damn the Man! [...]
Saturday, January 17, 2009 4:31AM
this is wrong! music discrimination,
just because indie 103.1 wasnt that popular or doing well with the ratings doesnt mean another radio station (thats just like all the other ones) should take its place! why take away something so unique…
anyway i respect indie's decision to go worldwide via internet becauseid rather listen to music on the internet not controlled by its boss
indie is finally free, what it wanted all along
but the fans werent the only ones effected by this! so were the employees
i could talk about this forever…
Saturday, January 17, 2009 6:34AM
Thanks for the comment about ClearChannel. I remember reading up on that a couple of years ago when I thought Indie was owned by ClearChannel but found out what you put… that the advertising was done by them but they weren't running the station. I DEFINTELY noticed that the music sounded a LOT more like KROQ the last few months (you know, the Foos every other hour). But have no doubt that this was a different brand of rock that we didn't have on the air at all, that didn't skew teeny bopper and not classic rock at all. I loved the morning show (both incarnations) and Jonesy and constant attempts at innovation (including the cool No DJ thing for the first few weeks/months).
Saturday, January 17, 2009 7:12AM
Indie/Groove radio had an even more amazing predecessor– Anyone remember Mars 103.1 back in the early 90s? They were playing rave music way before anyone in the US knew what it was.
Saturday, January 17, 2009 8:02AM
Hello! My name is Joe Daark and I live in Tustin, CA. Yesterday, the news of the departure of my favorite radio station Indie 103.1 broke my heart (and my ears) entirely. I had been listening to Indie since its start and it hurts to know that when i walk into my car or near my home stereo that Indie won't be one of my options. You might be saying "Well, who cares? There's other options in the LA region right?" Well the truth is yes, there are other alternative rock stations in LA such as the almighty KROQ, 98-7 (KYSR) and the newly created 100.3 The Sound (KSWD) but what made Indie unique from its competitors was that it wasn't dedicated to playing recurrents all day. Indie was truly something unique and definately powered what these "World Famous" competitors played as well. KROQ would play the songs from Indie and KROQ powers the playlists of every other alternative rock radio station. Take Indie as the top of the food chain. Bands such as MGMT, Pendulum, Santogold, Bloc Party and The Submarines were discovered through plays on Indie 103.1. Not only that, but eventhough the cross-town competitor KROQ might claim that they're "World Famous", when really overseas everyone knows what Indie is. I have talked to people overseas and one of the reasons why they love Indie is because not only do they love listening to a far from normal playlist, but they feel as if they were in LA themselves with all the programming and DJ's. I understand about Entravision's arguement about advertising, ratings and audience. Yes, Indie did not have the greatest ratings or audience, but this was due to the station's weak signal. Although I loved Indie, there were times where I would have to switch to online listening because of the signal. The station would have way more listeners if the signal was boosted. In fact, Entravision's choice to switch the format to a Regional Mexican station might not be the wisest choice. With all the competition in the Mexican Radio in this market, what would a listener rather listen to, a station that is crystal clear on their radio or a blurry frequency on their radio? This is why the ratings for Indie were low, not the programming but the way the radio station came in. Bring back the radio station that revolutionized the radio industry. Bring back the radio station that made Indie Rock something notible. Bring back Indie 103.1. Truly, the world's greatest radio station.
Saturday, January 17, 2009 1:07AM
NEW CD – Music by James Limborg 2008 – IN STORES SOON
http://www.musicdownloadinstrumentalsongs.com/
Saturday, January 17, 2009 10:13AM
For Indie to close it's doors on the Air Waves is a sad disappointment, however, I'm listening online right now and It's like nothing happened its exactly the same great playlists and more. I'm curious to know a few things, of course because of the change, I've noticed there isn't really a DJ. I've been listening off and on all day and heard the usual girl say "You're listening to Indie 103.1" but briefly between songs and it probably was the recording. What programming is going to stay, be replaced, and disappear? Jonzy's jukebox was my favorite I remember listening to the very first episode when they played the first pizzicato string and lead guitar blues song and they used it every time then on as the jingle for the start of the show. Anwyway I'm going to try and listen as much as possible online and see what happens. Good luck Indie, I love you. Viva the one and only Indie 103.1
Saturday, January 17, 2009 4:28AM
[...] here to read the rest: Indie 103.1 Goes Off the Air to Keep Integrity – Damn the Man … Some Related Stuff… Director’s Cut Amadeus [Special Edition: the Director's Cut] WJZZ 107.5 FM [...]
Saturday, January 17, 2009 6:15AM
[...] original here: Indie 103.1 Goes Off the Air to Keep Integrity – Damn the Man … Some Related Stuff… Soldier of the Night New York City Ballet – The Complete Workout Vol.1 And [...]
Saturday, January 17, 2009 9:32PM
Too bad. I really enjoyed Indie 103.1. Are we supposed to believe that at bottom this has nothing to do with demographic changes? I notice the 103.1 frequency has been occupied by a Mexican station playing atrocious-sounding songs in Spanish. The more "multicultural" Southern California is, the more we lose our culture. WTF?!
Saturday, January 17, 2009 9:35PM
Just another radio disappointment. Way back in the 80s, KNAC 105.5 before it was heavy metal, now that was the best station playing indie stuff. Then later in the 80s, the Edge was great too. MARS was ok.I agree that Joe Escalante was the the best mornng host, no annoying talking & constant joking like Kevin & Bean, sports with Timothy Olyphant & David Lynch's weather. The Saturday & Sunday morning eclectic shows will be missed too. I supposed I'll have to suffer through KROQ & 98.7 now.
Sunday, January 18, 2009 2:11AM
I do remember it – broadcast out of Santa Monica and started by The Swedish Eagle who part-timed at KROQ
Sunday, January 18, 2009 6:01PM
[...] our news of Indie 1031. going off the air make your world a little more blue? Are you unsatisfied with the internet iPod-like broadcast? Do [...]
Monday, January 19, 2009 12:23AM
[...] big commercial radio story making the rounds this week is news of Los Angeles’ Indie 103.1 going off the air to being online only in order to “save”… While it’s romantic to believe the notion of a commercial radio station suffering for its art [...]
Monday, January 19, 2009 2:15AM
Um, or satellite.
Monday, January 19, 2009 12:01PM
[...] we support our friends at 103.1 in their decision to go digital, it’s no secret that we will miss all their eclectic, quirky, rocking radio programs that [...]
Monday, January 19, 2009 9:38PM
I posted the sign off audio here: http://tenwatts.blogspot.com/2009/01/kdle-is-dead…
Thursday, January 22, 2009 7:08AM
They paid a whole of commercial stuff before they went off the air. They shouldnt have walked the line between indie music and britney spears. You have to pick a side.
Sunday, January 25, 2009 6:10PM
CLEAR CHANNEL SUCKS! Yet ANOTHER crap-ass LATINO station taking over the rock airwaves. Freakin' losers. CLEAR CHANNEL SUCKS AND THEY ALWAYS WILL!!!
Saturday, January 31, 2009 8:24AM
[...] Indie 103.1 Goes Off the Air to Keep Integrity – Damn the Man! [...]
Sunday, February 1, 2009 9:09PM
I love KCRW's ad campaign that tries to make them come across as solely listener supported, corporate-free radio. They do still take it up the ass from Mercedes Benz, don't they?
Monday, February 9, 2009 6:31PM
The reality is new people need to be in radio. And it only starts while be trained at the radio station http://www.radioconnection.com has an apprentice type training in a career matchmaking service to get you a real radio job.
Saturday, February 21, 2009 7:18PM
Entravision,, a Spanish outlet owned Indie 103.1. I believe Entravision had always wanted Indie to be a Spanish station and we can’t blame the suits for pulling the plug on Indie, we can blame the masses for not appreciating good music. The ratings were low and a station camn’t thrive in this world without listeners. So….Kurt St. Thomas is running his own indie raio station
houndstooth radio
Friday, June 19, 2009 9:47PM
Congratulations to 103.1. Now if only other popular stations would stand up with them, escape the pay-for-pay act that major labels are trying to impose, there could be a major Indie Revolution.