Former KFWB, now The Beast, unveils new sports lineup*

The Los Angeles AM radio station formerly known as KFWB has been making do with national sports pickups for the past couple of weeks. On Monday, the station fully converts to its new future and launches its own all-sports programming as The Beast 980. As rumored the station will air Jim Rome from 9 a.m. to noon, but before that is a morning drive-time show hosted by Marques Johnson and Jeanne Zelasko. The Clippers broadcaster Ralph Lawler also gets in on the action. The early afternoon belongs to Fred Roggin, the longtime NBC4 sports anchor. There's a website and a Twitter handle: @TheBeast980; here's the release.

TheBeast980, Los Angeles’ new all-sports radio station, will debut this Monday, September 22, with a mix of original programming focusing on the L.A. sports scene, highlighted by the only local sports program during the morning rush-hour commute.

Offering local sports fans an alternative to nationally syndicated morning shows, former L.A. Clippers and UCLA star Marques Johnson will team up with the popular and accomplished broadcast personality, Jeanne Zelasko, to co-host a live sports talk program originating from Los Angeles. Airing weekdays from 5:30am – 9:00am, the show will feature the longtime Voice of the Clippers, Ralph Lawler, and other notable insiders.

The Beast 980’s weekday lineup will continue with The Jim Rome Show airing live from Orange County from 9:00am – Noon; the Dean of L.A. Sports, Fred Roggin, from 12noon – 3:00pm; the new provocative tandem of ex-NFL player George Wrighster and veteran radio/TV host and journalist, Brett Winterble from 3:00pm – 7:00pm; “L.A. Sports Today,” looking at the day’s hottest local stories from 7:00pm – 9:00pm; and Doug Gottlieb from 9:00pm – 11:00pm. (Complete lineup listed below.)

The Beast 980 is the flagship station of the Los Angeles Clippers, airing every game and comprehensive behind-the-scenes coverage throughout the year. The Beast 980 will also carry a full slate of NFL action including exclusive primetime Sunday, Monday and Thursday evening games, NCAA football and basketball play-by-play, “Trojans Live”, a weekly look at USC athletics, and frequent sports updates from Ted Sobel, Sam Farmer and Amy Bender.

The Beast 980 Weekday Schedule

5:30am – 9:00am Marques Johnson / Jeanne Zelasko
9:00am – 12:00pm The Jim Rome Show
12:00pm – 3:00pm Fred Roggin
3:00pm – 7:00pm George Wrighster / Brett Winterble
7:00pm – 9:00pm “L.A. Sports Today”
9:00pm – 11:00pm Doug Gottlieb
11:00pm – 3:00am The DA Show (Damon Amendolara)
3:00am – 5:30am Tiki Barber / Brandon Tierney / Dana Jacobson

Not sure if this is related, but seeing Sam Farmer's name there made me wonder. (Farmer covers the NFL for the Los Angeles Times.) Yesterday the acting sports editor of the LA Times, John Cherwa, sent out a memo asking sports reporters and editors to fill him in on any ongoing TV and radio gigs. Columnist Bill Plaschke, for instance, is a regular on ESPN. Former Times columnist T.J. Simers also did a lot of radio, at times a sore point with the bosses if you recall. From what I hear the Times and Simers are still talking about some kind of settlement over his split from the paper and subsequent lawsuit.

[* Update: It appears that The Beast got its own press release wrong and meant Sam Farber rather than Sam Farmer. Sheesh.]

Here's the Cherwa memo on outside gigs.

From: Cherwa, John
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2014 5:35 PM
Subject: radio and tv appearances

Folks,

I’m trying to put together a list of what you would consider “regular” radio and TV appearances. By regular, I mean once a day, once a week, once a month. I’m figuring many of these are seasonal.

Here’s what I need:

--the frequency of your appearances

--how long you’ve been doing it

--the station or network you’re on

--how long is the segment

--are you paid (don’t need to know how much)

--and if it was approved (and by who) or if you’ve just been doing it

As we try and develop our media strategy I’m trying to preserve as many of these as makes sense and not have us caught in some that don’t make sense.

Thanks,

John