99.7 KFRC and 93 KYA

[mikecroaro]

We don't hear much on the board about KFRC and KYA anymore.

For years there was always a "Bring back KFRC" thread. At the same time, no one seemed to even care about the former KYA. Which I thought was strange. I had listened to KYA from about 1989-1994 and enjoyed the music selection greatly. KYA was my "go-to" radio station the moment I sat in the car. Years later I listened to KFRC. It was also a great station.

I recently listened to a KFRC aircheck with Joe Ike on Youtube. Hearing those great songs, the the famouse "Drake" style KFRC intro, and Joe Ike.....great memories flooded my mind. It was like taking a trip back in time to a better time in radio.

I also thought of all the familiar DJ's: JJ Stone, Jay Coffee, Kim Diamond, Karen Dee, Tom Benner etc. Wasn't there a DJ with the last name "Shannon" at KFRC for a while? Michael Shannon? Bob Shannon?

Those were the days..........

 

[mikecroaro]

I just remembered the name of the DJ........his name was Roger Shannon. I recall he worked at KYA and then K-Big. Later I think he moved to Oregon to work at a Classic Rock station.

 

[adradio]

KCBS-FM (106.9) HD2 channel spins a KFRC format (including some old KFRC jingles between songs).

 

[Joey1986]

KCBS-FM (106.9) HD2 channel spins a KFRC format (including some old KFRC jingles between songs).

The 106.9 frequency is actually KFRC, simulcasting the all-news format of KCBS-AM 740 on both its analog FM and HD1 signals. The KFRC call letters have been there since May 17, 2007. You can find info on the current KFRC-FM at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KFRC-FM. You can read more about KFRC’s history at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KFRC_(defunct).

The KCBS-FM callsign is at 93.1 in Los Angeles, which carries an adult hits format as Jack FM.

 

[BossRadioDJ]

I had listened to KYA from about 1989-1994 and enjoyed the music selection greatly. KYA was my "go-to" radio station the moment I sat in the car.

You're actually referring to the second iterations of both KYA and KFRC. "KYA from about 1989-1994" would have been during King Broadcasting's ownership, when it was KYA-FM (93.3), which had nothing to do with the original 1260/KYA.

The radio museum has been doing a 1260/KYA tribute station – kyaradio.com – for about the past dozen years.

Years later I listened to KFRC. It was also a great station.

Again, that version of KFRC (610 AM and 99.7 FM) had very little to do with the original 610/KFRC during its 1966-1986 "golden age" under RKO General's ownership.

Don't go to Wikipedia for KFRC's history. Listen to it for yourself at https://bayarearadio.org/audio/kfrc-radio

D.J.

 

[mikecroaro]

Hello Boss Radio,

By virtue of my young age, I never really knew the original incarnations of KYA and KFRC. I "grew up" so to speak with the 99.7 version (of KFRC) and the 93.3 version of KYA. To me both were king. The posting is/was about the newer incarnations of both stations.

 

[LKellerIII]

Hello Boss Radio,

By virtue of my young age, I never really knew the original incarnations of KYA and KFRC. I "grew up" so to speak with the 99.7 version (of KFRC) and the 93.3 version of KYA. To me both were king. The posting is/was about the newer incarnations of both stations.

When KYA went "Oldies" (they called it "Rock and Roll Classics"). the station was initially paired with KSFO AM 560, and all the formatics announced both stations. Then, I believe KSFO was sold - becoming a talk station, and KYA stayed Oldies. During this period, they also used the Drake formatics, and sounded almost identical to KFRC. The jingle was "93/KYA." reminding us misplaced Angelinos of "93/KHJ."

When Infinity (CBS) bought both stations, they flipped 93.3 FM to country (KYCY, I think it was called), figuring there was no need to duplicate Oldies on both frequencies - 93.3 having by far a worse signal than 99.7.

 

[DavidKaye]

The 106.9 frequency is actually KFRC, simulcasting the all-news format of KCBS-AM 740 on both its analog FM and HD1 signals. The KFRC call letters have been there since May 17, 2007. You can find info on the current KFRC-FM at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KFRC-FM. You can read more about KFRC’s history at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KFRC_(defunct).

The KCBS-FM callsign is at 93.1 in Los Angeles, which carries an adult hits format as Jack FM.

It's a bear telling Alexa to play KCBS.

If you say "Alexa, play KCBS" you get KCBS-FM in LA
If you say "Alexa, play KCBS news radio" you get the 24/7 CBS Radio news feed.
You have to say "Alexa, play KCBS all-news radio" in order to get KCBS(AM).

 

[DavidKaye]

Hello Boss Radio,

By virtue of my young age, I never really knew the original incarnations of KYA and KFRC. I "grew up" so to speak with the 99.7 version (of KFRC) and the 93.3 version of KYA. To me both were king. The posting is/was about the newer incarnations of both stations.

What a lot of people fail to realize is that both KFRC and KYA were Top 40 (or Top 30) stations, not **** stations. Thus, at any given time, both KFRC and KYA would have about 1/3 what might be called easy-listening or middle of the road songs. The various resurrections have been way more ****-oriented, and don't really represent what those stations were.

What's more, KFRC had a lot of public affairs drop-ins such as Father Harry and the God Squad, which consisted of short philosophical musings, as well as short public affairs material from Jan Yanahiro. Sunday night had popular programs such as the "Ever Changing Transcendental Multilingual Two-Ton Mustard Seed" recorded at KFAX and presented at various times on both KFRC and KYA. Go to the Bay Area Radio Museum for some of those programs. They still give me a chill when I play them.

Finally, KFRC had a cute and very informative Sunday night program called DuPont Gai, (DuPont Street, the original name for Columbus Avenue in SF), a creative discussion and documentary program produced by a group of Asian high school kids. I hope some copies of DuPont Gai exist somewhere.

KFRC's public affairs and the DJ and news people's interaction with the community was an important part of their appeal.

 

[xkxrx]

I never figured out what Father Harrys' signoff meant...

Father Harry, God squad, I'll never tell.

 

[michael hagerty]

Why are we censoring r-o-c-k?

 

[michael hagerty]

I never figured out what Father Harrys' signoff meant...

Father Harry, God squad, I'll never tell.

I never heard the "I'll never tell". Just "Father Harry, God Squad" followed by John Mack Flanagan's tag.

 

[davideduardo]

Why are we censoring r-o-c-k?

The site got a C&D about a trademark for a streaming station with that word in its slogan. Frank is working on a way to prevent the station from being mentioned in future posts.

 

[adradio]

KFRC also used to do something called 'Let Me Speak to the Manager'. It was a 15 minute show (recall Dave Sholin being the 'Manager' where he talked about all things KFRC) right in front of DuPont Gai.

 

[mikecroaro]

I'm enjoying all the comments from everyone........even thought the thread is really is about the 1990's incarnation of both stations.

 

[DavidKaye]

I never figured out what Father Harrys' signoff meant...

Father Harry, God squad, I'll never tell.

I think he just wanted to sound clever.

Father Harry had such a huge following that he was demoted. Father Miles was the go-to media person for all things SF Catholic. He appeared on talkshow on KPIX, etc. But then this hotshot Father Harry comes along and is more popular than Father Miles. After a time, Father Harry is demoted and his stuff is taken off the air. That's what I get from someone who was close to the goings on.

 

[DavidKaye]

The site got a C&D about a trademark for a streaming station with that word in its slogan. Frank is working on a way to prevent the station from being mentioned in future posts.

In the meanwhile instead of posting ==== can the system change it to "rawk" or something?

 

[DavidKaye]

The site got a C&D about a trademark for a streaming station with that word in its slogan. Frank is working on a way to prevent the station from being mentioned in future posts.

I'm puzzled why a C&D order is even valid here. A trademark is designed to prevent confusion in the same or similar business classification. The "trademark covers everything" issue was settled 30 years ago when P. I. McFly restaurants sued the producers of "Back to the Future" for use of the name "McFly". Amblin entertainment argued (successfully) that nobody is going to walk into a movie expecting to find a restaurant. Surely, nobody here is going to get a forum confused with a streaming service.

 

[JackBenny]

What a lot of people fail to realize is that both KFRC and KYA were Top 40 (or Top 30) stations, not **** stations. Thus, at any given time, both KFRC and KYA would have about 1/3 what might be called easy-listening or middle of the road songs. The various resurrections have been way more ****-oriented, and don't really represent what those stations were.

What's more, KFRC had a lot of public affairs drop-ins such as Father Harry and the God Squad, which consisted of short philosophical musings, as well as short public affairs material from Jan Yanahiro. Sunday night had popular programs such as the "Ever Changing Transcendental Multilingual Two-Ton Mustard Seed" recorded at KFAX and presented at various times on both KFRC and KYA. Go to the Bay Area Radio Museum for some of those programs. They still give me a chill when I play them.

Finally, KFRC had a cute and very informative Sunday night program called DuPont Gai, (DuPont Street, the original name for Columbus Avenue in SF), a creative discussion and documentary program produced by a group of Asian high school kids. I hope some copies of DuPont Gai exist somewhere.

KFRC's public affairs and the DJ and news people's interaction with the community was an important part of their appeal.

I seem to recall KFRC also had "a man on the street interview segment" a few times a day. "Takin' it to the Street". I think it was much like the "The Question Man" column format in the "San Francisco Chronicle" back in the day. What was really memorable was the brilliant KFRC production for this segment and the music was perfectly chosen: "Takin' it to the Streets" by the Doobie Brothers. Great music bed punctuated with on the street interviews, closing with vocals and off to the races to the next exciting moment in KFRC. I borrowed the idea but wrapped it around a Weekend theme focus at another station. Great fun!

 

[davideduardo]

I seem to recall KFRC also had "a man on the street interview segment" a few times a day. "Takin' it to the Street". I think it was much like the "The Question Man" column format in the "San Francisco Chronicle" back in the day. What was really memorable was the brilliant KFRC production for this segment and the music was perfectly chosen: "Takin' it to the Streets" by the Doobie Brothers. Great music bed punctuated with on the street interviews, closing with vocals and off to the races to the next exciting moment in KFRC. I borrowed the idea but wrapped it around a Weekend theme focus at another station. Great fun!

I recall first hearing Question Man at WMAK in Nashville in 1970. Daily current topic, a dozen or so interviews, each cut to a minute and logged as PA. Entertaining, yet fulfilled a renewal requirement.

I went on and did Question Man at WUNO, then WERC and then KWKW and WQII among others.