The Tech Guy

Infobox Radio Show
show_name = The Tech Guy


imagesize =
caption = The Tech Guy
other_names =
format = Talk
runtime = 2 hours (without commercials)
country = flagicon|United States United States
language = English
home_station = KFI AM 640
syndicates = List of Affiliates
television =
presenter = Leo Laporte
starring = Leo Laporte
announcer =
creator =
writer =
director =
producer =
executive_producer =
narrated =
record_location = Petaluma, California
first_aired = January 3, 2004
last_aired = Present
num_series =
num_episodes = 494
audio_format = Stereo
opentheme =
endtheme =
website = [http://www.twit.tv/KFI Audio Download Page]
[http://www.techguylabs.com Tech Guy Labs]
podcast = [http://leoville.tv/podcasts/kfi.xml RSS Feed]

The Tech Guy is a nationally syndicated radio show, hosted by Leo Laporte of TechTV and TWiT.tv fame. The show, which was first exclusively broadcast on KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles, California, was picked up for syndication by Premiere Radio Networks in January 2007. The show currently has over fifty terrestrial affiliates in cities including Los Angeles, California, San Francisco, California, Houston, Texas, and Washington, DC. The show also airs on America's Talk on XM Satellite Radio. Leo has recently began broadcasting in Live Video via Stickam and uStream at [http://twit.tv/live TWiT.tv Live] , but eventually ceased streaming the show's caller audio at the request of his affiliates (though Leo's own responses are still audible). Leo still answers questions from chat room members between breaks, and also unmutes the audio to continue answering calls after the show has ended.

The show is a mixture of interviews and call-ins, as well as Leo's own thoughts and opinions on current events in technology. Leo likes to bring on guests such as Dick DeBartolo, Steve Gibson, Mike Lazazzera, Paul Thurrott, Ron Rosberg, and Merlin Mann for interview segments. These interviews are often pre-recorded to accommodate the guest's schedule. The guests connect to the show using Skype.

History

Leo Laporte has been doing one version or another of his technology talk show since 1990, including a syndicated show originating from KGO. The current incarnation of the show began on KFI weekends in 2004, only months prior to the cancellation of Call for Help and The Screen Savers from the newly merged G4techTV in the United States. According to Leo, he had to find a way to keep talking about technology, and facetiously mentioned that if it wasn't for KFI green lighting the show, he would have ended up "having to talk to [his] wife about it." [ [http://www.twit.tv/ttg327] , "The Tech Guy #327"] The show ran weekends on KFI at 11 AM. Leo also appeared on Bill Handel's morning show on Fridays for The Laporte Report segment, and continues to do so. Leo also does a Laporte Report live segment for CFRB in Toronto, Ontario Saturday mornings.

In late 2006, Leo notified his audience on net@nite that his contract with KFI was going to expire soon, and it was hinted at that he would only continue with Clear Channel if The Tech Guy was syndicated. With the help of management at KFI, Premiere Radio Networks picked up the show for syndication, and it was announced on January 27, 2007 that it would roll out nationally [ [http://www.twit.tv/2007/01/26/kfi_radio_show_is_being_syndicated] , "KFI Radio Show is Being Syndicated"] . On February 17, 2007, the newly syndicated Tech Guy radio show launched nationally on eleven radio stations, including KFI. The show, still young in syndication, is adding many affiliates, and has grown sharply from the original twelve to over thirty.

The post-syndication KFI feed of The Tech Guy is customized so that it does not lose its local Los Angeles feel. The presentation is similar to that of Handel on the Law and Mike McConnell. Dr. Dean Edell's show is also customized with KFI identification within the show, even though the show originates from KGO and is on tape delay.

Live chat

There is a public internet relay chat that takes place when the show airs live on the irc.dslextreme.com server in the #techguy and #townsquare rooms. Leo participates in the chat during commercial breaks, under the name "Leo," and often refers to the chat to give him additional information to some of the caller's questions. The channel is moderated to keep the chat clean and about the show being broadcast. The moderators of the chat are Dan, Dustin, Illuminati, Mick, Mike_B, Shooby and Sascha. James DeRuvo is responsible for the show notes posted on [http://www.techguylabs.com Leo's site] . [ [http://techguylabs.com/radio/ShowNotes/Show460] , Show #460]

Podcast

Every show is available as a podcast on the TWiT network, distributed via RSS feed chat room.

Tech Guy affiliates

Laporte's Tech Guy radio show is syndicated to several affiliates across America. The show originates from Petaluma, California near San Francisco, California, and while KGO is the San Francisco show affiliate, KFI in Los Angeles, California is considered the show's flagship. The show runs live weekends at 11 a.m. Pacific, 2 p.m. Eastern. Some affiliates opt to pick up both shows each weekend, while others only choose to run one day. Due to a request from his affiliates, Leo is only streaming video during the show's broadcast and does not stream the show's audio. Leo unmutes the stream during commercial breaks and still chats with the IRC chat room. A list of affiliates can be found [http://techguylabs.com/radio/Main/Stations on his web site] showing all the stations as timely as possible.

External links

* [http://www.leoville.com/ Leo Laporte's official website]
* [http://leoville.vox.com Leo Laporte's blog]
* [http://www.techguylabs.com Leo Laporte's "The Tech Guy" radio show notes site]
* [http://www.leovilletownsquare.com Leo Laporte's message boards]
* [http://twit.tv/ "This Week in Tech" Netcast/Podcast Network official website]
* [http://www.premiereradio.com/shows/view/leo_laporte.html Leo at Premiere Radio Networks]

References