L-A Radio: Listeners Protest 92.3 FM Format Flip

Art Laboe

Last Sunday night passed without any 'oldies but goodies' spun on LA's KHHT 92.3 FM. No love zone dedications could be heard. Art Laboe's familiar, iconic Hall of Fame voice didn't soothe through speakers to his faithful, multi-generational audience.

The reason, according to Orange County Weekly, was a sudden format flip.  Hip-Hop Real 92.3 took over the frequency leaving Laboe and Old School music without a home.

And listeners are really pissed. The OC Weekly reports some are calling for a boycott of the new station. Others are signing an online petition demanding the return of Hot 92.3FM radio personalities and its playlist.

The change came early Friday morning. Real 92.3 FM kicked off its debut of mainstream hip-hop and R&B playing "10,000 joints in a row" commercial-free. iHeartMedia's Doc Wynter is the new program director and promises big things.

Listener Cindy Garcia has started a Change.org petition.  "There are several stations in Los Angeles that dominate the crowd The Real 92.3 aims to target," the petition reads. "Let's show iHeart Radio and Doc Wynter that Los Angeles wants their old school music back on the air. Our days with Jimmy Reyes, Josefa, Rene, Art Laboe, and the rest of the crew, were robbed from Angelenos."

The petition is steady at more than 3 thousand signatures since beginning on Friday.

Laboe is still syndicated six nights a week in other markets, but Los Angeles is where the legend cemented his lore. And the Weekly got excited that his Hot 92.3 presented Chicano Soul Legends concert finally made its way to the Honda Center this year with other Old School shows seeming primed to set up shop there.

The 89-year-old host wants to keep going and is exploring options with iHeartMedia and other radio stations to return to LA airwaves.