L.A. Ad Town: Buick Does Downtown's Coffee Bar

A spot for the Buick Verano Turbo, taking place at downtown's Coffee Bar on Spring Street.







At the end of the ad, racing down Spring Street, past the old Stock Exchange.

Retro Friday: "If They Knew Then What We Know Now" Edition

Perhaps there's a reason the May Co. and Pioneer Chicken are out of business: Bad marketing karma. Above, can you imagine this ad running now? From 1984, a May Company commercial touting a big fur coat sale. (BTW, isn't it odd that the May Co. logo was similar to the current Macy's logo, given that Macy's replaced Robinsons-May in SoCal?)

Meanwhile, below: Can you imagine this ad running now? From 1984, O.J. Simpson touts the joys of another abandoned chain, Pioneer Chicken.

There's Snow In Thar Mountains!

Winter's back! The view from Glendale of the snow-covered San Gabriel mountains yesterday.

"Downton Abbey" Performs Splendidly for PBS SoCal

Over at LA Observed, Mark Lacter noted that there still seems to be little buzz surrounding Southern California's PBS outlet KOCE ("PBS SoCal"), which took over as the market's primary PBS member station when KCET severed ties with PBS at the start of 2011.

Indeed, it remains to be seen whether KOCE can capitalize on the massive success of "Downton Abbey" to solidify its ratings the rest of the year. But this much is apparent: People have found KOCE, and at least when it offers up PBS fare that they want to watch, the audience will show up.

On Sunday night, a strong 361,000 viewers in the Los Angeles market tuned in to the season three finale of "Downton Abbey" on KOCE -- that's up from 166,000 last year. What's more, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday night, KOCE was the second-most watched English-language TV station in the market. (I don't have KMEX data, but the Univision station frequently trumps everyone out here.) Only KCBS (which attracted 415,000 for "The Good Wife" and "The Mentalist") did better. (A "Downton Abbey" repeat of the previous week's episode at 7 p.m. was competitive with KTLA, KCAL and KCOP.)

In the adults 25-54 demo, KOCE actually won the 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.time slot -- averaging 162,000 viewers to KCBS' 138,000.

Those ratings mirror "Downton's" big growth story nationally (8.2 million viewers, up 52% from the Season 2 finale). Not bad for a station that was an also-ran Orange County PBS station until 2011 -- and was nearly sold off to a religious broadcaster.

Here's what I wrote last year after the season 2 "Downton Abbey" finale. Much of it still applies:

"It came along at the right time," says KOCE president and general manager Mel Rogers. "L.A. is notoriously difficult for public TV and non-commercial broadcasters, but we feel really good about this."

Most regular PBS viewers in Southern California have already made the switch to KOCE, Rogers said. "The core viewer figured it out," he said. "The problem is once we get into other dayparts. There's still brand confusion, either people don't know where PBS is or don't understand what happened. People will call us 'KCET.'"

But for casual viewers who might not have been aware of the L.A. change, "Downton" was invaluable. "'Downton Abbey' enabled us to reach audiences that are not just the typical PBS audience, including younger people, and gave us a chance to establish ourselves as the area's PBS station," Rogers said.

Previously a secondary PBS station that focused on its Orange County audience, KOCE saw its ratings spike last year when it took over the region's primary PBS affiliation. "The day I really felt lucky was the day KCET decided to give up the most trusted media brand and walk away from it," Rogers said.

That all being said, KOCE has a long way to go before it becomes a Los Angeles institution the way KCET was. PBS stations tend to be bureaucracies with a lot of competing interests, which make these stations tough to move nimbly. But as that year-to-year "Downton Abbey" growth shows, at least the station seems to be heading in the right direction.

January Arbitron Ratings: Kevin & Bean, KIIS Dominate

With the holidays over and radio listening returning to normal habits, the big winner of the January 2013 Los Angeles market Arbitron ratings was KROQ's "Kevin & Bean." The morning drive duo celebrated their 23rd anniversary -- 23 years, people! -- on KROQ by landing at No. 1 in the three key measurements: Persons 12+ (5.5 share), Persons 18-34 (8.7 share) and Persons 25-54 (8.2 share). KFI's Bill Handel/Rush Limbaugh are second place with listeners 12+, while KIIS-FM's Ryan Seacrest is No. 2 in the demos.

In total-day listening, KIIS reclaimed the No. 1 spot that had been held by KOST's all-Christmas format during the holidays. KIIS led in listeners 12+ (5.5 share) and 18-34 (8.9 share) and was No. 2 with listeners 25-54 (5.8 share, while KBIG was No. 1 with 6.1).

KOST still enjoyed a post-Christmas bump, tying for second with sister KBIG (5.3 share). In fourth was talk KFI-AM (4.2), then oldies KRTH (4.1), urban contemporary KHHT "Hot 92.3" (3.8), hip-hop KPWR "Power 106" (3.7), KROQ (3.4), Spanish stations KRCD and KLVE (3.3 each) and top 40 KAMP "Amp Radio" (also 3.3).

Weekend Snapshots: Eagle Rock

The Islander Motel Drive-In



Juice Mural



The only other outpost of Chicago's Permanent Records, right here in Eagle Rock.



Formerly Larkin's, the brown bungalow on Colorado Blvd. is now being remade into "Food Beer & Wine." Oops, I thought that sign looked familiar -- it actually is left over from Larkin's. According to a commenter and Grub Street, the eatery Little Beast is taking over the spot.

Rate-A-Restaurant #292: Masacasa

Restaurant: Masacasa



Location: 1757 Colorado Blvd. (Eagle Rock)

Type of restaurant: Japanese



We stipulated: For Saturday night dinner with the two blogger tykes in tow, we wanted a place close by, reasonably priced and new to us. I had spotted Masacasa during an earlier bike ride down Colorado Blvd., and it seemed like the perfect place to check out.


They stipulated: "Masacasa is a cozy place where you will enjoy authentic home-style Japanese food served by a warm friendly staff in an ever changing venue featuring works from local artists and a variety of music to awaken all your senses. Using fresh ingredients from a local farm, in-house prepared sauces and care for details, our dishes aim to impress you with the flavors and comfort found in the kitchens of Japanese homes. To continue our goal of providing healthy meals we use sunflower oil to cook our dishes. We are proud to provide a marketplace for local independent artists to showcase their work. A portion of all the proceeds from sales of these works will go to the Children of Fukushima Japan Charity."



What we ordered:Mike: Chicken curry ("Seasoned Chicken meat mixed in our Veggie Curry") $7.50; Maria: Oyakodon ("Chicken, onion eggs, simmered in with shōyu-dare over a bowl of rice, served with a side of miso soup") $6.75; The kids: Soba ("served with blanched green veggie, wakame, tanuki (tempura flakes), green onion with vegan broth") $6.95; chicken teriyaki ("Crunch skin with juicy tender chicken meat served with in house teriyaki sauce with a dash of sesame seeds and topped with green onions") $4. Starter: Edamame ($3.50)



High point: The prices are decent, especially given the portions. Maria's Oyakodon was the tastiest out of the bunch, although I enjoyed my chicken curry (even if it needed a bit more chicken) and all the sides that came with it.

Low point: It's a cozy, small restaurant -- but we left smelling like the restaurant. Even the next day. Perhaps better ventilation is needed.



Overall impression: Another nice addition to the row of restaurants up and down Colorado Blvd. in Eagle Rock. I love that it brings a niche to the neighborhood that wasn't there before.



Chance we'll go back: If we're in the mood for cheap, decent Japanese comfort food. And wearing clothes that needed to be laundered anyway.

Retro Friday: Los Angeles' Mid-Century Googie Coffee Shops

Via LA Observed, which writes:

A six-minute clip from Harry Pallenberg looks at the rise of Googie coffee shop architecture around Los Angeles. Included are old clips of Astro Burger, the Disneyland monorail, the old Carnation building on Wilshire Boulevard, a Van de Kamps drive-in, Pioneer Takeout, Ship's, Norm's, Pann's and interview's with Bob Wian of Bob's Big Boy, Googie architect Eldon Davis and author Alan Hess. They explain what construction advance allowed the exterior walls of coffee shops to be glass.

Did The Oscar Campaigns Get a Boost Last Night From Dorner Coverage?

Were the film studios the luckiest beneficiaries of yesterday's crazy Christopher Dorner manhunt coverage? On Tuesday, KABC, KCBS, KNBC and KTLA had all pre-sold half-hour spots to the studios for Oscar campaign informercials.

Why? It's simple. Viewing was expected to be tiny last night, as very little regular network programming was airing in primetime. Because of the time zone difference, the State of the Union Address took up most of primetime in the Eastern, Central and Mountain time zones last night. But out here, the address aired from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. After that, the local stations were free to air whatever they wanted.

Now, the State of the Union address isn't exactly hot fare for regular TV viewers, and isn't much of a lead-in for anything that should grab an audience. Perfect night to sell off some time to advertisers and make a few extra bucks. Hence, KTLA scheduled a "Silver Linings Playbook" infomercial at 7:30 p.m.; KCBS slated "Lincoln: An American Journey" at 8:30 p.m.; and KNBC and KABC were competing with rival informercials at 9:30 p.m.: KNBC had "Argo: Declassified" and KABC had "Lincoln: An American Journey."

All of these infomercials should have received tiny, tiny audiences. But along came all that wall-to-wall Dorner coverage. Suddenly, those 30-minute Oscar ads were given HUGE lead-ins, as viewers were glued to what was happening in Big Bear.

As a result, the feature studios should be thrilled. Here's how the infomercials fared:

"Silver Linings Playbook" (KTLA, 7:30) 254,000 viewers

"Lincoln: An American Journey" (KCBS, 8:30) 219,000 viewers

"Argo: Declassified" (KNBC, 9:30) 158,000 viewers

"Lincoln: An American Journey" (KABC, 9:30) 148,000

I can only imagine how annoyed the local stations' news divisions were, having to stick with airing those infomercials last night!

L.A. Times Eliminates TV Listings in Print Edition

It's another sign of the shrinking Times. In a note to readers in today's Calendar section, the Los Angeles Times announced that the last remnants of the Calendar section's TV listings grid will soon be history. Starting next Tuesday, Feb. 26, the grids will be no more -- only available online. (Only a TV highlights column will remain).

Writes the paper: "A searchable and printable TV listings grid, which is updated daily, may be accessed at latimes.com/tvtimes and provides readers with TV listings sorted by home ZIP code. TV highlights will continue to appear in Calendar's print editions. LATimes.com members may sign up for TV Weekly, which is delivered in the Sunday Times."

Well, there's a bit of a catch to that: According to the LA Times representative I just spoke to, the "TV Weekly" insert will be offered free to subscribers for six months -- but after that, there will be a fee for it to continue. No thanks -- I trust TV Guide Magazine much more.

I assume this means an even smaller Calendar section moving forward. Over time, the L.A. Times' TV listings have shrunk to focus just on primetime, just as the comics pages have declined. (It wasn't too long ago that the paper also still ran radio listings.)

FRANKLIN AVENUE CONTEST: Two Tix to See Photek

Superstar DJ and remixer Photek is coming to Los Angeles this Friday before heading to Europe for a quick tour, and we've got free tix for you to see him.

Want two tickets to see Photek on Friday, Feb. 15 at the King King? Send an email to contests@theconfluencegroup.com by 5 p.m. on Feb. 14th with "Franklin and Photek" in the subject line. The winner will be chosen that night.

Photek is coming off his second Grammy nom in two years and just released his first full-length album in a decade, KU:PALM. Photek has also been busy remixing; check out his take on Lana Del Rey's "Ride" below:



Here's Photek's new track "Pyramid" via Soundcloud:



And download Photek's new Essential Mix from BBC Radio 1 by clicking on the "Photek" icon below:

Mike on Radio: Is There Too Much on TV?

I returned to KCRW on Tuesday morning to chat during "Morning Edition" about my recent TV Guide Magazine article "As More Networks Develop Series, Is There Too Much TV?" Listen below!

KCBS Airs Prank Call During Dorner Coverage (VIDEO)

It's always dangerous to air unverified phone calls live on TV, and indeed, the KCBS/KCAL duopoly just got pranked. The station put on a guy claiming to be "Mike Taugher" from the U.S. Fish and Game Commission -- but clearly it wasn't. Luckily for the station, the worst thing the caller said was "dumbass," which is not one of the FCC seven dirty words. Nonetheless, it's a reminder to stations to fully vet callers before putting them on live. The caller was referencing Ronnie the Limo Driver, Howard Stern's head of security.

(If for some reason this video doesn't work, watch it on YouTube here.)

Mike on Radio: Bantering About Pilot Season And More on KCRW's "The Business"

I'm back on KCRW's The Business this week, bantering with the Los Angeles Times' John Horn on topics including the shakeup at NBCUniversal cable; the mysteries of pilot season; and the massive layoffs coming to DreamWorks Animation. Listen below!

Rate-A-Restaurant #291: Bon Vivant

Restaurant: Bon Vivant



Location: 3155 Glendale Blvd. (Atwater Village)

Type of restaurant: American, Cafe



We stipulated: Maria and I wanted to grab lunch nearby, but not hit one of our usual spots. It was time to try out Bon Vivant, which just opened last summer.



They stipulated: Bon Vivant serves both made-to-order entrees and various items in the deli case, which can be sold by individual servings for dining in.



What we ordered: Maria -- Grilled portabella mushroom burger with manchego cheese, duck egg and french fries ($13); Mike -- Jamaican spiced BBQ beef with sliced mangoes, papaya, orange wedges, fresh cilantro and a Spicy Greek Yogurt Aioli (half $8); kale salad $6



High point: Sauces for the fries include a Sriracha aioli sauce. Also like the deli case selection, and the homemade desserts look delicious.

Low point: The dishes themselves fell short. My Jamaican BBQ beef was way too fatty, and I wound up having to eat everything but it. Maria's mushroom burger strangely lacked flavor.



Overall impression: Bon Vivant has faced some growing pains, including a delay in getting its liquor license (some alcohol is now served). But it's a lively, big space and has great ambitions, so we'll be rooting for them to continue to iron out the kinks. We've since visited for breakfast, and had a much better experience.



Chance we'll go back: We may eventually try it again. But I'm afraid Bon Vivant hasn't yet made it to our regular Atwater Village rotation.

Retro Friday: Trolleys in Los Angeles

As a follow up to last week's Retro Friday about the final days of the famed Red Cars, here's an interesting find from the Metro librarian's collection. It's a silent film clip that doubles as archival footage of early horse-drawn and electric streetcars or trolleys in Los Angeles.

My First-Ever Magazine Article, 20 Years Ago

Back in the summer of 1992 I landed my first ever professional journalism job: A fully-paid internship at Hawaii Business magazine. I was an 18-year-old coming back home after my freshman year at Northwestern, and the Hawaii Business job (set up via Hawaii's Society of Professional Journalists organization) not only allowed me to save money for school, but it gave me my first taste of magazine journalism.

Even more importantly, I got to write my first-ever media business story at Hawaii Business: A detailed account of what happened to Hawaii's only all-news radio station, KHVH, which had fallen under tough times. The station, which was even knocked off the air for a time, was attempting a comeback under veteran island newsman Tim Tindall. (This pre-dates radio consolidation; KHVH is now owned by Clear Channel and runs syndicated right-wing talk.) Spoiler alert: It didn't pan out. Tindall went back to anchor KGMB TV news for a time. Here's the story, published in October 1992, more than 20 years ago.

The L.A. River's Pimp Kitty

Some of the drain covers along the river look suspiciously like cat heads -- and over the years, taggers and artists have taken advantage of that similarity. Spotted on the LA River this weekend: Pimp Kitty!

Here's Where Your Brick Phone, Gameboy and Walkman Go To Die

Wow, remember these things? It seems so long, long ago. (In the case of that typewriter, it was indeed long, long ago.) Someone at Sunday's Atwater Village Farmers Market was collecting E-Waste, and some of the finds ought to be museum pieces.

Atwater Village Makes Its Super Bowl Pick

Another perfect morning for a bike ride. While pedaling through our favorite 'hood, Atwater Village, I couldn't help but notice the predominant pro-San Francisco 49ers sentiment. (Above, outside the "Thanks For Coming" pop-up restaurant space, and below, at the Atwater Village Farmers Market.)

Retro Friday: The Last of Los Angeles' Red Cars

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Los Angeles' Metro Red Line (which first opened in 1993), here's a color film chronicling the end of the run of L.A.'s original transit system -- which was completely scrubbed by 1961.

Rate-A-Restaurant #290: Ba

Restaurant: Ba

Location: 5100 York Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90042 (Highland Park)

Type of restaurant: French

We stipulated: A nice place that offered fine wine and good food to catch up with a friend.

They stipulated: Open for dinner Tuesday to Sunday, plus Sunday brunch.

 

What we ordered: Potato Leek Soup and Ahi Tartar for the appetizers, Coq Au Vin and Steak Frites for the entrees, and a slice of wedding cake for dessert. And a bottle of Bordeaux wine.

 

High point: The Coq Au Vin. To be honest, we weren't expecting much because this dish never lives up to expectations at other restaurants. But at Ba, this tender, off-the-bone chicken was flavorful and delicious. The mashed parsnips were really soft and creamy too. For dessert, the slice of wedding cake was exactly what you'd want if you were at an actual wedding. It had a hint of lemon and the buttercream was divine.

Also, the service was nice. Our server hovered just enough so that my friend Andrea and I could catch up from the last time we had seen each other.

Low point: The Ahi Tartar was just okay.

Overall impression: This ten-table restaurant is a nice find. I'm not sure how busy it gets on the weekend but it was perfect for a quiet week-night get together with friends. Being open late at night is a plus too and there were a few people that were welcomed as they came in well after 10 pm.

Chance we'll go back: Yes.