L.A.’s best-known radio business program has undergone a format and title change after management upheaval.
“The Business Hour” on CBS affiliate KNX-AM (1070) news radio has been retitled “The Money Hour” and given a wider focus to target consumers as a whole rather than mainly executives and investors.
Meanwhile, presenter Frank Mottek, who had hosted the show alone for eight years, has been given a co-host, a move that brings the business program in line with the two-host format of other shows on the station. Charles Feldman, a veteran KNX investigative reporter who was previously with CNN, is now fronting “Money Hour” with Mottek.
The show still airs at 1 p.m., right after the closing bell on Wall Street, but the topics of discussion are now more concerned with the local housing market, school fees and 401(k) accounts than with stock prices.
The changes, implemented Aug. 17, were instigated by new Program Director Ken Charles. He’s two months into his job at the 24-7 news channel, which has suffered small ratings declines over the summer months.
KNX ranks 15th in the L.A. radio market, with a 2.7 percent share of all audiences, according to ratings firm Arbitron. The station had a 3 percent share in May.
The changes in the show are unlikely to be radical enough to drive away established advertisers, according to listener Michael Terpin, founder of Santa Monica marketing company Social Radius, who said, “If it’s the same host and a mild change in format, the same audience can generally be maintained.”
Cinema in Sky
Outdoor screenings under the stars of classic movies are nothing new to Los Angeles, but a British company has moved in on Hollywood’s turf, aiming to beat the locals at their own game with screening series Rooftop Film Club, which started in London four years ago.
Instead of bringing their own chairs and picnics, guests are provided with folding deck chairs and complimentary blankets, and can buy snacks from a range of vendors, including gourmet local burger firm Hache LA.
The recently launched four-films-a-week series will continue through Sept. 19 on the rooftop of Hollywood’s Ricardo Montalban Theatre. Rooftop charges $15 for admission, sells sponsorships, and also takes a cut of revenue from food and drink vendors.
Rooftop was founded by Gerry Cottle Jr, the son of British circus impresario Gerry Cottle Sr.
“I ran away from the circus to launch this idea,” the younger Cottle said. “Having had success with it in Britain, the international expansion plan starts with this soft launch in L.A., where we aim to initially break even, and have customers and potential sponsors sample our comfortable service so we can come back to Hollywood bigger and better next summer.”
Movie History
Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock costume, Johnny Depp’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” sword and a “Star Wars” Stormtrooper helmet are all being auctioned in a giant sale organized by Chatsworth memorabilia specialist Prop Store.
The 450 lots, including items from the “Terminator,” “X-Men” and “Back to the Future” films, can be viewed on PropSstore.com. The live auction, which will be held in London on Sept. 23 and will accept bids in person and online, is expected to fetch more than $1.5 million.
Future Hits
Hit House, a Torrance company that makes music for film trailers, TV commercials and video-game marketing campaigns, has big expansion plans in this its 10th year.
Co-founders Sally House and Scott Miller are preparing their firm to launch its own record label, releasing albums by L.A.-area artists performing songs written by in-house composers.
Hit House, which has a staff of 12 and clients including Netflix, Google and Porsche, would not discuss specific financial information but claims five straight years of increased revenue.
DNA Directors
Seeing client Cameron Duddy win an MTV Video Music Award last week for directing the Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson video to “Uptown Funk” was another triumph for David Naylor & Associates, a Hollywood company that represents directors of commercials and music videos.
The firm’s fast-growing client list also includes major movie directors such as Francis Lawrence, who made the last three “Hunger Games” films, and Marc Webb, who helmed the two recent “Amazing Spider-Man” movies.
PR Hire
L.A. public relations firm the Lippin Group has hired David Gardner as senior vice president. As well as working in popular culture, Gardner is an unabashed fan of it and has a prized personal collection of 40,000 comic books.
Staff reporter Sandro Monetti can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-5225, ext 226.
