Now you can see 'Zoo' antics

DJs in Salt Lake City have occasionally delved into local television — "County Joe," Mark Van Wagoner, Danny Kramer and Doug Wright have all made their mark on TV.

The newest radio/TV hosts are the "Z Morning Zoo" on KZHT (FM-97.1). Team members Frankie, Dangerboy and Jessica will be appearing each weekday morning on KTVX-Ch. 4's new HDTV side channel "The Hive" — starting Monday.

However, you can only watch "The Zoo" if you have Comcast digital cable (Ch. 104). The radio show will air live weekdays from 5:30 a.m.-9 a.m., a simulcast of the DJs' regular radio show. So now you can see their antics, as well as hear them.

After sitting in on dozens of morning radio shows over the past 22 years, I can attest that there's no doubt that seeing what the DJs do can be intriguing. From what they wear to facial expressions to gestures, TV can definitely add a new dimension to a radio show.

Frankie, Dangerboy and Jessica are already among the most creative and entertaining of morning-radio teams in the Salt Lake market. However, will the visual dimension mean they will slant their show more toward that direction? Will the DJs dress any differently? Will radio-only listeners notice any difference in the show?

What will be shown on TV when KZHT plays music? Or will the radio show play less music because of the TV simulcast?

Stay tuned.

• WHAT IS "THE HIVE"? It's a Clear Channel HDTV product. Clear Channel also owns KTVX and KZHT. This will be a channel of community-supplied content and will rely heavily on programs from and about local high schools, colleges and community groups.

Some of Ch. 4's local news, "Good Things Utah" and "On the Record" programs will be shown in repeats on this channel.

For more information go online to www.abc4.com/thehive/.

• RADIO HAPPENINGS — "Johnson and Johnson" on KUBL held their annual "Green Jello Jump" last week. Go online to www.kbull93.com to see 13 pictures from this wild event.

— KUTR radio (AM-820) is for women, and the station also has a speaker's bureau to provide some of its hosts as speakers for local events and functions geared to women. Contact Rebecca at 575-7643 for the AM-820 Speaker's Bureau.

• INACCURATE TRAFFIC REPORTS — Reports of rush-hour traffic don't always tell it like it is for Davis County. For example, radio-traffic reporters frequently, but erroneously, tell listeners to "take alternate routes" when I-15 is backed up. However, the reality is that there is no alternate road of any substance in Davis County for north-south travel. That's what the Legacy Highway will eventually provide.