610 KFRC/KEAR

[HLeae]

KFRC went Standards in August of 1986. WLS went Adult Contemporary in late 1987.



It seemed like it, but probably not really. What happened at KFRC was that ratings erosion happened almost immediately after their last peak book---#1 with an 8.5 in April/May 1978. By the July/August 1980 book, KFRC was in fifth place with a 4.0---losing more than half its share.

KFRC hired Gerry Cagle as PD and he took the station very up and very rhythmic:

It worked in that KFRC got back up to a 5.4 in the summer and fall '81 books (by that time anything higher than #3 was unreachable because KGO and KCBS were doing so well).

The numbers began a gradual decline from there and in March of '84, after dropping to a 3.0 in fall '83 and a 3.1 in winter '83, Cagle was replaced by Mike Phillips.

Phillips broomed the heavy rhythmic approach and played straightforward mainstream AC as well as more and deeper (by age) Gold.

By comparison, that sounded like AC. Especially against a supposed actual AC (KYUU) that sounded very much like a CHR:

KYUU San Francisco / Bobby Ocean / 07-13-1984

Listen to KYUU San Francisco / Bobby Ocean / 07-13-1984 by Retro Radio Joe

www.mixcloud.com

🔴 In what years did my old favorite station, Top 40 KFRC, change to Amazing AM (AC), Big Band, and the ill-timed Game Zone?
Were they ever Urban?

 

[michael hagerty]

🔴 In what years did my old favorite station, Top 40 KFRC, change to Amazing AM (AC), Big Band, and the ill-timed Game Zone?
Were they ever Urban?

They were never officially urban, but they were definitely an urban-leaning Top 40 in 1981,1982 and a bit less so in 1983, under PD Gerry Cagle.

The "Amazing AM" thing was 1984, when Mike Phillips took over as PD. They really only sounded AC, they were just a very vanilla CHR.

The Game Zone was five months in 1985, ending in November.

Magic 61 was the big-band format and it began August 11, 1986 and lasted until 1993, when the KFRC AM-FM oldies simulcast began. That ran until the AM was sold in 2005.

 

[K.M. Richards]

In about August of '86, they switched to Magic 61, which was, as you called it, the Big Band era, though it was more like a traditional MOR's music library. Sinatra, Perry Como, etc. Dr. Don stayed around for about half a year until his contract ran out, which was a weird marriage.

But you have to admit that he still gave it all he had for those last months. A true professional and on my top-ten list of entertaining air talent.

RIP, Don Rosenberg. Hard to believe it's already been nearly 20 years.

 

[bjon830]

Dr. Don's contract lasted through the end of '86, although he left just before that. In early January '87, he started doing the morning show at KKIS in Concord, a gig that only lasted a few months(I recall reading that DR had been negotiating to have a larger role with the station, but talks fell through).
I'm not certain when he did his last show on Magic 61. I remember him acknowldging the death(by traffic copter crash in NYC) of Jane Dornacker, in late October. He vanished into 'non-compete/end of job vacation' status by the holidays.

 

[michael hagerty]

Dr. Don's contract lasted through the end of '86, although he left just before that. In early January '87, he started doing the morning show at KKIS in Concord, a gig that only lasted a few months(I recall reading that DR had been negotiating to have a larger role with the station, but talks fell through).
I'm not certain when he did his last show on Magic 61. I remember him acknowldging the death(by traffic copter crash in NYC) of Jane Dornacker, in late October. He vanished into 'non-compete/end of job vacation' status by the holidays.

The only reason DDR stayed after the format flip was that he had a full buyout clause in his contract. He made $300,000 a year and paying him off on August 8 would have cost almost $120,000.

He thought he was going to work until December 31, but the payoff number finally dropped to an amount RKO was comfortable with as a lump sum and he was gone in November.

 

[bjon830]

The only reason DDR stayed after the format flip was that he had a full buyout clause in his contract. He made $300,000 a year and paying him off on August 8 would have cost almost $120,000.

He thought he was going to work until December 31, but the payoff number finally dropped to an amount RKO was comfortable with as a lump sum and he was gone in November.

Thanks.
I also meant to clarify that DDR was in talks for some ownership stake in KKIS, which did not materialize, and that led to his last stop at K101.

 

[K.M. Richards]

Ten months after post #12 and still no guesses about that quote?

 

[cc333]

Ten months after post #12 and still no guesses about that quote?

I must confess that I know nothing.

I wish I did know where that quote was from. It's a good one!

c

 

[K.M. Richards]

I wish I did know where that quote was from. It's a good one!

Okay, since there are still no guesses:

In the 1946 movie "The Razor's Edge" (starring Tyrone Power as Larry Darrell), Clifton Webb played the character Elliott Templeton, who is a mild irritation to the rest of the cast by putting on airs, especially after the character has his family title restored. That is not enough to prevent his being deliberately shunned when invitations are sent to the major social event of the year, but he would not have been able to attend anyway as he is bedridden and near death.

Darrell happens to know the social secretary for Princess Novemali -- who is throwing the party -- (played by Elsa Lanchester, in her only scene in the picture, making for the rare credited cameo appearance) and convinces her to look the other way while he pilfers a blank invitation. He then takes it to Templeton, claiming it must have gotten lost previously, and Templeton insists on sending message of regret to the Princess, and dictates:

“Mr. Elliot Templeton regrets that he cannot accept Princess Novemali’s kind invitation owing to a previous engagement with his Blessed Lord.”

After which, he expires.

It seemed an appropriate remark to attach to my post about Dr. Don Rose not being alive to attend the event.

 

[michael hagerty]

Okay, since there are still no guesses:

In the 1946 movie "The Razor's Edge" (starring Tyrone Power as Larry Darrell), Clifton Webb played the character Elliott Templeton, who is a mild irritation to the rest of the cast by putting on airs, especially after the character has his family title restored. That is not enough to prevent his being deliberately shunned when invitations are sent to the major social event of the year, but he would not have been able to attend anyway as he is bedridden and near death.

Darrell happens to know the social secretary for Princess Novemali -- who is throwing the party -- (played by Elsa Lanchester, in her only scene in the picture, making for the rare credited cameo appearance) and convinces her to look the other way while he pilfers a blank invitation. He then takes it to Templeton, claiming it must have gotten lost previously, and Templeton insists on sending message of regret to the Princess, and dictates:

“Mr. Elliot Templeton regrets that he cannot accept Princess Novemali’s kind invitation owing to a previous engagement with his Blessed Lord.”

After which, he expires.

It seemed an appropriate remark to attach to my post about Dr. Don Rose not being alive to attend the event.

And that reminds me of a great Dr. Don bit:

"I was going to have a special guest read the weather---Monsignor Niles Adou.




But he hasn't shown up.





















So---without any Father Adou, cloudy today...."

 

[K.M. Richards]

I can hear Don saying that in my head.

 

[cc333]

I was born too late.

If I had been born about 40 years earlier, it would've been perfect because I could've experienced it while everyone was alive (if not well; I'd read that Don Rose had some serious health problems as far back as the mid 70s, to the extent that, if I'm not mistaken, he once made a broadcast from bead in a hospital room).

Airchecks and history books are good, but it's not quite the same, you know?

I saw Paul Simon live last night, and I basically ended up longing for the opportunity to have seen him about 50 years ago, when he was young and vibrant.

At least he's alive, though, and I now get to say that I saw and heard him live!

Can't say that about Dr Don and all the others, sadly.

c

 

[michael hagerty]

I was born too late.

If I had been born about 40 years earlier, it would've been perfect because I could've experienced it while everyone was alive (if not well; I'd read that Don Rose had some serious health problems as far back as the mid 70s, to the extent that, if I'm not mistaken, he once made a broadcast from bead in a hospital room).

Airchecks and history books are good, but it's not quite the same, you know?

I saw Paul Simon live last night, and I basically ended up longing for the opportunity to have seen him about 50 years ago, when he was young and vibrant.

At least he's alive, though, and I now get to say that I saw and heard him live!

Can't say that about Dr Don and all the others, sadly.

c

We all cycle in and out of this earth at different points. I feel the same way about Don Sherwood at KSFO---I only heard him on tape and there's not nearly enough of it. This is why preservation matters.

 

[michael hagerty]

I was born too late.

If I had been born about 40 years earlier, it would've been perfect because I could've experienced it while everyone was alive (if not well; I'd read that Don Rose had some serious health problems as far back as the mid 70s, to the extent that, if I'm not mistaken, he once made a broadcast from bead in a hospital room).

Airchecks and history books are good, but it's not quite the same, you know?

I saw Paul Simon live last night, and I basically ended up longing for the opportunity to have seen him about 50 years ago, when he was young and vibrant.

At least he's alive, though, and I now get to say that I saw and heard him live!

Can't say that about Dr Don and all the others, sadly.

c

I've been using the late 80s CBS News program West 57th as a punchline in another thread, but looking for visuals caused me to stumble over this episode from 1987 which includes a profile of Paul Simon and a story on the type of morning show that replaced Dr. Don's generation in morning radio. Thought you and anyone else reading might enjoy: