Highlights from the author’s week of (always decidedly random) listening and the week’s radio headlines, ending October 26, 2011. Stations I’ve worked with recently in my Edison Research capacity are asterisked.

Station (Halloween)

“100.3, The Boo” – Actually, it’s Classic Rock CKKQ Victoria, B.C., normally "100.3 The Q," which will transform itself for the holiday starting at Friday at 6 p.m. PT, along with its website under PD John Shields. Also, Slacker has launched four Halloween-themed channels, including one devoted to Indie rock and one that is all sound effects. See some interesting Halloween music choices here.

Halloween Promotion

"Dead Air: The Massacre At 92.3 Now" – “The Fugitive,” one of radio’s most-talked-about promotions of the last decade returns in a special Halloween version to menace the staff of Top 40 WXRK (92.3 Now) New York.

Worst Holiday News

The real axe falls across the nation. If only all the layoffs could all be just a promotion.

Guest DJ

Michael Bublé, having kicked off holiday music on AC KOST Los Angeles last year, will do a weekly Saturday afternoon show on AC Magic 105.4 London between now and Christmas, according to the U.K.’s Radio Today. The celebrity DJ phenomenon has mostly receded here, as PDs decide that artists aren’t PPM-compelling enough for a single interview, much less a whole shift. (New Cox programming honcho Steve Smith, one of its early champions, DID bring in Eddie Money for mornings on Classic Rock WSRV [The River] Atlanta.) In the U.K., it’s more common for weekend lineups to include a celebrity or two.

Station (Online)

Bobby’s B100 – He also does mornings on KMXZ (Mix 94.9) Tucson, Ariz., and yet programmer Bobby Rich still has time to bring back B100, the legendary “KFM-BFM San Diego” online. It’s not exactly the high-voltage ’70s B100 as much as “Bobby-FM” with “Looking Out My Front Door” and “Your Body Is A Wonderland” on the same station. Liners include, “Where radio’s not just 25-54 anymore.”

Video Stream

“Ricky The K’s Solid Gold Time Machine” returns to the Web after several years’ hiatus on Friday nights at 9 p.m. ET. Richard Kaufman’s PAMS jingle-heavy recreation of WABC New York-era Top 40 built a loyal paid following in the ’00s. Kaufman, who launched the program in the ’90s as the Saturday night show on KOMA Oklahoma City, is now looking to find several stations for whom he can do a weekly show from his Dallas studio.

Jock Lines

"That’s a hard song to sing. Not as easy as this one: ‘La, La, La, La, La.’" – WBZZ (Star 100.7) Pittsburgh middayer Melanie Taylor on why Scotty McCreery might have fared better singing Cobra Starship’s “You Make Me Feel” at the World Series than “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Station Liner

“If we’re this naughty in public, can you imagine what we’re like alone?” – One of the top-of-the-hour IDs on Rhythmic Top 40 KZON (101.5 Jamz) Phoenix, under the always free-thinking PD Gillette.

Most Disappointing For “Twin Peaks” Fans

Metro FM Norway’s “Julecruise” – Sorry, David Lynch fans. It actually means “Christmas Cruise.” No connection to “Falling” or “Twin Peaks.”

Web Content

“Kiss 107 Staff Cutest Couples” – The morning team and midday host at Top 40 WKFS (Kiss 107) Cincinnati take the “it’s good to talk about your personal life” thing to a new level. The loser has to sing karaoke on-air.

Shared Experience (Just Not Ours)

Smooth Radio U.K. overnighter Terry Underhill tells the story of hearing Dean Friedman sing the 34-year-old “Lucky Stars” at a station event earlier this year. That song is most unknown in the U.S., but Friedman was able to sing the U.K. smash without a duet partner and have the audience fill in the female part. Then again, Friedman could still probably muster some help from the crowd on “Ariel” here.

Oh Wow Oldie

Michael Bolton, "Said I Love You… But I Lied" – From that period where Bolton started changing his ballads up more often, but was already facing too much resistance from Top 40 PDs to anything he did. Heard on the aforementioned Metro FM Askim, Norway’s gold-based AC format, which, speaking of former Mutt Lange projects, is now playing Shania Twain’s short-lived comeback attempt, “Today Is Your Day.” And now they’ve gone into an English-language interview with the members of a post-Mark Knopfler Dire Straits, who are apparently playing Norway this week. Metro FM also gave us our…

Really Oh Wow Oldie

Hooters, “500 Miles” – In America, their reggae remake of the folk standard, with references to the then-recent Tienanmen Square massacre, and backing vocals from Peter, Paul & Mary, just baffled radio. (It wasn’t an entirely ridiculous single choice. Despite the rapidly changing Top 40 format at the time, the No. 1 songs when it came out were “We Didn’t Start The Fire” and “Another Day In Paradise.”) In Europe, though, it was one of a string of hits that continued well after the first album with “All You Zombies,” “And We Danced,” etc.

Out Of Office Message

“It has come the time for me to take a trip, However in my absence, I will leave you this tip. I will check my email, though periodically at best, but if you have important info to discuss, no need to be stressed! My assistant is Jenny, and she can handle all of your needs, her email is (address), your expectations she exceeds. So I bid you adieu, adios, ciao and goodbye. I’ll be back Wednesday, October 26th… practically the blink of an eye. Have a fantastical day, and I’ll chat with you soon. Now it’s time for me to go enjoy another Blue Moon!” – Nate Samelson, promotions/marketing, CBS Sacramento, Calif., waxes poetic about vacation.