L.A. may get even more traffic

Traffic reports every six minutes on KNX-AM (1070), or “on the ones” at KFWB-AM (980), aren’t frequent enough -- or comprehensive enough -- for a pair of L.A. city councilmen.

Tom LaBonge and Dennis Zine have proposed that the city create its own AM station to broadcast all traffic, all the time, much like the station at Los Angeles International Airport (at 530 AM) that gives traffic and parking information, but with a signal that would cover the city.

“While KFWB and KNX have traffic reports, those reports are centered on the freeway system,” Zine said, and don’t give enough details about surface-street problems. He proposes a service that would augment the reports currently on the airwaves, informing motorists about the tie-ups that will block them once they exit the freeway.

“If you know that,” he suggested, “instead of Olympic, you’ll take Wilshire.”

The proposal first came up at last week’s meeting of the council’s Transportation Committee, at which LaBonge and Zine asked the city’s Department of Transportation and Information Technology Agency to look into the feasibility of the proposal.

“I’m always driving with the traffic stations on,” said Zine, a former police department motor officer for 33 years who now commutes daily to City Hall from the San Fernando Valley. But without more information about surface streets, “currently, there’s a major gap.”

Though the initial proposal suggested the endeavor would be paid for through “minimal advertising,” Zine said the city would more likely seek a corporate underwriter to defray the cost. “It’s not a commercial enterprise. That still has to be worked out,” he said.

But knowing the staffing, infrastructure and budget required in monitoring traffic in the Southland, KFWB General Manager Roger Nadel questions whether it’s something the city really wants to get involved in. He also questions the need for something to augment the frequent reports on the all-news outlets as well as the traffic updates on other stations in between the classical, jazz, rock or talk.

“We have staked our claim on traffic reports,” Nadel said. “I guess if there was a concern it wasn’t being done, there would be an argument. But I think we do an outstanding job.

“For better or worse, there are people who will call us before they call 911” when they see a traffic crash, he said, though he stressed “I don’t recommend it.”

According to the proposal, the new station would get information from the city’s Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control, or ATSAC, computer system, which continually monitors roadway conditions and controls traffic flow, as well as using other software and hardware the city already has. The Transportation Department and the Information Technology Agency are due to report back to the Transportation Committee, which meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

“We’re in the formative stages,” Zine said. “We just want to alleviate traffic for everyone involved.”

FCC rules fallout

Before last week, the corporate parent of KFWB looked as if it would have to boot the station from the family. But now that the Federal Communications Commission has changed its ownership rules, the all-news outlet could pick up a sister station.

Viacom’s purchase of KCAL-TV Channel 9 a year ago gave the broadcasting giant two television stations and seven radio stations in the Los Angeles market -- one more than current FCC rules allowed. The agency gave the company until the end of the year to divest one of its properties.

Viacom, which also owns KNX, tried to relinquish day-to-day operations of KFWB and place it in the hands of a trustee, at least until the FCC finished revising its ownership regulations this year. But the FCC wouldn’t approve the arrangement, leaving the station in limbo until last week. “Certainly, waiting for a resolution is never the ideal situation,” Nadel said.

Then the FCC announced its long-awaited rules changes, loosening restrictions so that now Viacom’s local television stations didn’t count against its limit of eight radio stations, with a maximum of five in either the AM or FM band. Viacom’s radio division, Infinity Broadcasting Corp., which also owns KROQ-FM (106.7), KTWV-FM (94.7), KRTH-FM (101.1), KLSX-FM (97.1) and KCBS-FM (93.3), is now one AM station under the maximum for this market.

Critics predicted that the FCC rules changes would bring a flurry of station sales. But spokesman Dana McClintock said Infinity isn’t about to snap up another station simply because it can.

“This company, with regard to local assets, hasn’t made it a secret they’d like to grow in major markets,” McClintock said, “but only when we think it’s a wise investment.”

Meanwhile, Nadel said he’s relieved that uncertainty no longer hangs over his station.

“We’re glad the company is in compliance now. People here are glad to be able to go about their work,” Nadel said. “Day in, day out, I don’t think it’s affected the way we go about our business. As far as we’re concerned, assuming things stay the way they are, it’s full speed ahead.”