Farewell, Haley Jones, MD

So, I doubt anyone knows who she is, but she is the music director (MD) of the best radio station out here in the west coast, KFOG radio.  I've got a lot of strong negative attitudes towards radio and the business side of radio of late (heck i wrote a huge paper on it linked to your right -->), but KFOG has been that one exception that has continuously introduced new music that caters towards my everchanging interests (i mean who else plays both Glen Phillips & Nickel Creek and also features private concerts with both of them?) and Haley is a huge reason.  She's produced all of the recent popular "live from the archives" annual benefit cds, introduced new music every thursday morning, etc. etc...  So it was a complete shock when she announced her resignation.  She wrote more on her page on kfog's website,.  Anyway, though I've never met her, I decided to send out this personal thank you..

Hi Haley,

I've been a kfog listener for most of my life now and was popping through the airstaff websites just the other day when I found out that you're leaving kfog!  I'm not quite honestly sure how much input you had on what is played (i'm guessing a lot) but I did always enjoy the thursday mornings of new music you presented.  Over the years, I've become increasingly anti-radio because of the realities of how business is done, but kfog has always been that exception that has turned me onto so many musicians and has taken the risk to be what radio should be.  To that, I know that you've been a huge reason why and it's why I just wanted to give thanks for all the work and music you've helped spread out here in the Bay Area. 

And from reading what you've written on the kfog site, I think it's great that you're taking the opportunity to travel and just doing what it is you want for yourself.  What you mentioned about how we're so distracted about because of society is entirely true, and though it's easy to say one thing, it is another thing to recognize it and actually do something about it, so I think that's great with what you're doing.  Travel the road not taken, as cliche as that sounds.  It's one reason that I'm studying to teach, so that I'll still have that time during vacations to travel and see the world. 

Anyway, thanks for all you've done with kfog and for putting on such great diverse and wonderful music that I thought needed to be exposed!  Seeya at Kaboom! 

Johnny

She responded promptly with a really nice note, of which I'll snippit this little part about what she thought about radio - 

kfog is one of the only commercial stations in the country that's not over researched and under programmed and that comes from the top down.  i'm hopeful that the future holds bigger and better things for terrestrial radio.  i think with all of the attention to clear channel and tight playlists (not to mention  the new competition like ipods and satellite) that the big companies and programmers will have get back to making good radio.  and come the fall, i know just the programmer that can help...:):)

I really hope it's true.  If you're interested in knowing more, you can check out the paper I wrote under the link "music for the masses" on the right.  It's not terribly well articulated (i recall being in a rush to write it... ahh undergrad days...) and might be a bit biased, but it should at least demonstrate the problem with radio today. 

But back to the subject, which is to publically thank Haley Jones for her work on one of the finer radio stations out in the nation.  I'm sure there are countless once-were or still are indie artists who share the same sentiments.