Movin' out the door

Los Angeles' KMVN-FM is moving out the door and so is the station's morning man, Rick Dees.

As of tomorrow, the legendary Radio Hall of Fame personality is moving his act to his own website. Titled All Number One Hits (allnumber1hits.com) the new site features contemporary hit music, live hosts (including games), videos, games, and an iPhone application, along with social networking capibilites (Facebook and Twitter, of course.) The site is being run by Dees Entertainment, is also being offered on his other website, Rick.com.

Not bad from a former Memphis DJ, who hit number one in 1976 with his novelty single "Disco Duck".

As you recall, Dees was bounced from KIIS-FM's morning drive spot in early 2004 after 22 years and replaced by Ryan Seacrest (in an ironic twist, Seacrest also replaced Casey Kasem as host of American Top 40 around the same time. Dees hosts a rival countdown show, The Weekly Top 40.)

The move comes as more and more radio-like projects are launching on the web. Recently, Mike North launched a new Chicago sports radio station on the web titled Chicago Sports Webio (chicagosportswebio.com), with live hosts part of the day.

Dees and the rest of the staff of low-rated KMVN-FM, or Movin 93.9 in Los Angeles, were bounced after owner Emmis Communications made a deal with Mexican-based Grupo Radio Centro to lease airtime and provide Spanish-language programming on the station on a full-time basis. Movin', which featured a rhythmic adult contemporary format targeted to women 25-44, was also bounced from a St. Louis outlet last October after the owner (Bonneville Communications) decided to launch an all-new sports-talk station (memo to Alan Burns and Associates: the only place Movin' is Movin' is right into the trash can.)

KMVN initially played rhythmic currents and recurrents dating back a decade, but later shifted to a more gold-based 1970's and 1980's rhythmic product.

With terrestrial radio abandoning high-priced talent in an economy continuing to go south, these former radio stars are taking matters in their own hands. More power to them.