Now all he needs is a sidekick.
Dave Logan has a new long- term contract with KOA 850-AM to continue co-hosting “The Zoo” and doing the Broncos’ play-by-play. But who will be his talk-show pal?
Long-time partner Scott Hastings bailed earlier this month to Altitude and the Nuggets. Newsie Gloria Neal has been keeping the seat warm but she’s leaving too, for KDJM 92.5-FM on Wednesday.
Kris Olinger, director of AM programming for KOA parent Clear Channel, launched a hunt for a Dave partner after re-signing Logan on Thursday. She says “The Zoo” (3-7 p.m. weekdays), which focused on sports, will become more wide-ranging. “We want to try some new things.”
Joe Williams, one-half the Irv and Joe duo at KKFN 950-AM (“The Fan”), rumored to be a possibility (“I haven’t talked to him,” says Olinger), but if the program’s new direction is non-sports, he’s not their man.
Stay tuned for auditions.
Invisible no more
The burgeoning Latino market in the United States is catching everyone’s eye. It’s about dollars, as in $750 billion of ’em. To quote the animated philosopher Bart Simpson, ” Caramba!”
According to U.S. Census figures, Latinos make up 14 percent of the population, and in Colorado it is 19 percent. That represents a potential U.S. retail market of three-quarters of a trillion dollars.
No wonder networks, cable systems and advertisers are scrambling. Joining the rush, Comcast last week launched CableLatino, a package of Spanish-language programming with eight new channels and 100 hours of Spanish-language video-on-demand.
“It’ll be spectacular!” the enthusiastic Mauro Panzera said at the launch party, a high-energy Las Vegas stage show/celebration of Latino culture and sales pitch at The Cable Center.
“The Hispanic community in the U.S. is growing every day,” Panzera, Comcast’s senior director of multicultural video, told the crowd. “It’s important for companies like Comcast to serve them.”
CableLatino, part of Comcast’s basic package, includes Canal Sur, featuring news, sports and variety shows from 20 Latin American countries; Gol TV, all futbol all the time; CNN en Espa ol and Sorpresa! for young viewers.
Around the dial
Michael Feldman and his NPR radio show “Whad’ Ya Know?” broadcast from Macky Auditorium in Boulder on Friday. He also will return an overdue (for 30 years) book to the Naropa Institute. Tickets at TicketsWest outlets … Boss: Bruce Springsteen, coming to town May 7, guests on “Today” (7 a.m., KUSA-Channel 9) this morning … Quotable: “Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.” – Plato.
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
