Biggest Format Hole in Bay Area Radio???

[SFStatic]

Also, in the early 90's KSFO/KYA-FM was playing Oldies (splitting off KSFO for the A's games), and had a good chunk of the ratings. Part of what's going on today is that stations that aren't Oldies or Classic Hits/Rock are playing more of the same oldies library, diluting the ability of the Oldies stations to grab share.

I still say done right on the right freq, and with decent promotion, Oldies would do well in SF again. Like so many other things, it works if you do it RIGHT!

 

[DavidKaye]

David, KFRC was an Oldies station all during the 90's and it was number one Twice, beating KGO 25 - 54 Today's audience only remembers KFRC as an Oldies station.

KFRC actually was #1 in 25-54 twice as an oldies station? I'm finding that a bit hard to believe, but I'll accept it and stand corrected.

 

[Domino Rippy]

David:

Twice. Two number 1 25 - 54 under the direction of Brian Thomas PD and Will Schutte GM
Lineup:

Goss and Garrett mornings
Sue Hall middays
Cammy Blackstone and Ron Parker afternoons
Sylvia Chacon nights
JJ Stone all night

2 number one books as an oldies station in the mid nighties. Today's audience knows this slogan "KFRC Means Oldies" answer your phone like that and win 1000 dollars.

 

[musicfan101]

How would that be different from what Live 105 does? Maybe I'm missing what you mean by "indie-rock"...

I meant something like Indie 103.1

 

[weav]

How would that be different from what Live 105 does? Maybe I'm missing what you mean by "indie-rock"...

I meant something like Indie 103.1

Hmmm.... after listening to their stream for a while, they sound to me like what Live 105 used to be, back before they went all emo.

I'm not sure that's a format hole here, but it might be.

 

[Hunkey Snarkey]

Domino Rippy, iwas just sitting down to breakfast, getting ready to enjoy a tall stack of pancakes, and you mentioned Ron and cammy, I just lost my appetite! However KSFO/KYA in the 90s had a much better line up

Gene Nelson SINCE 1962, he ruled radio
Celeste Perry
THE LEGENDARY JOHN MACK FLANAGAN
Sylvia Chacon

Kenny in Concord

 

[LKellerIII]

Domino Rippy, iwas just sitting down to breakfast, getting ready to enjoy a tall stack of pancakes, and you mentioned Ron and cammy, I just lost my appetite! However KSFO/KYA in the 90s had a much better line up

Gene Nelson SINCE 1962, he ruled radio
Celeste Perry
THE LEGENDARY JOHN MACK FLANAGAN
Sylvia Chacon

Kenny in Concord
[/quot

I wouldn't disagree with that, Kenny. But if you remember what happened, CBS bought 93.3 (after they bought 99.7 and 610, I think), and decided that 2 Oldies stations didn't make sense, so they chose the weaker frequency to become Young Country. CBS switched Sylvia Chacon to KFRC - why they didn't switch John Mack and Celeste, I don't know. As much as it pains me to say it, I think Ron and Cammy generated some good ratings in that afternoon show, so they didn't want to change it.

 

[Hunkey Snarkey]

Its water under the bridge, however CBS could have saved a bundle with (1) DJ,, guys like John mack Flanagan and Bobby Ocean do it solo, and still pull in HUGE ratings. And most of all these two Are total Radio legends> Thats my story, and im stickin to it Kenny in Concord,, if John Mack and Bobby Ocean read radio Info, thanks for giving us Great radio in the 70s!!

 

[andreajesus]

Ah, Kenny, monitoring the SF Board is NOT the same WITHOUT seeing your posts there...

 

[Hunkey Snarkey]

Thank you oldies Diva, i know how much you to enjoyed John Mack Flanagan, and Bobby (americas favorite disc jockey) Ocean. Im hoping james Gabbert comes out of retirement and buys back KIOI ,, 101.3 and changes the format, retires Don Bleu, and in his place gets Chrissy 1968 Edwards for morning drive. its time for a change,, theres nothing to listen to. Kenny in Concord

 

[SFStatic]

I can tell you Chrissy won't ever do that...but he'd still love to do the Time Machine show once a week. It would not be a surprise if it pops up someplace down the road.

 

[LKellerIII]

Thank you oldies Diva, i know how much you to enjoyed John Mack Flanagan, and Bobby (americas favorite disc jockey) Ocean. Im hoping james Gabbert comes out of retirement and buys back KIOI ,, 101.3 and changes the format, retires Don Bleu, and in his place gets Chrissy 1968 Edwards for morning drive. its time for a change,, theres nothing to listen to. Kenny in Concord

James Gabbert spent over 3 decades in broadcasting (mostly successful), then made a kajillion dollars selling KOFY-TV when it was a high-value WB affiliate. What's the saying?... 'been there, done that.' He fills in on KGO from time to time, and has been doing imaging for KOFY-TV which is trying to rebuild their brand on Gabbert-era nostalgia. I've also seen him hosting a couple of KOFY-TV interview cut-in segments. But I think he does that when he's bored with boating...or whatever he spends his time doing.

 

[cayenne]

Great radio tends to reflect both the culture and trends of the times. That's why they come and go. The Quake, Early KSAN, KRQR, The Original KPIG, Early KFOG, Early KKSF, KTIM and on. Consolidation and the dependency on consultants had a dramatic constricting impact on the fabric of all formats. Corporate blinders led to a loss of vision, creativety, adventure, variety, talent and scores of other qualities that tend to be the core characteristics of greatness. The biggest format hole is directly linked to the vacumn of inspired leadership and exceptional talent. We are subject to massive voice tracking, out of market syndication, and computer generated programming replacing the likes of Dave Morey, Stave Capen, Mercy Hawkes, Tom Donahoe, Dusty Street, Rachael Donahue, Gary Owns, Ray White, and many more compelling personalities. Radio has lost it's mojo and it's muse.
The hole is in the creative process and one wonders if we will ever hear great radio again. That station we never changed. We are a global, multi-cultural, world audience capable of embracing a pocketful of fascinating, compelling formats. Few at the top seem to have the artisitc calling or adventurous nature to invent them. NPR is likely the best we have.

 

[vchimpanzee]

"I left my heart in San Francisco ..."

I heard it on Saturday where I live.

 

[Mediaace]

All very valid points!

Personally I preferred Camey and Dean on 99.7 during the last three years KFRC was running on that frequency...I know, I know I am in the minority on that. But...the overall product seemed to work. The music, signal and legendary frequency. The problem with 106.9 was it started too far leaning rock for a classic hits presentation. Adjustments were made along the way..but the biggest problem is you can't run a hip sounding classic hits station in market #4 like a juke box and expect it to fly. Listeners remember those songs were hearing them on personality driven top 40 radio in the 60's and 70's. It's like serving sugar-free chocolate milk to first graders...it's not going to fly. Eliminating good jocks from this format is certain for failure. Signal challenges plagued 106.9 as it had no East Bay presence. Travelers would never know this station existed from Pleasanton to Walnut Creek. That is a big money area missed by CBS. WCBS and KRTH both are strong on personality which hits the mark for success. They both possess good signals as well. 106.9 had virtually no marketing other than cheesy roadside billboards and budget-based TV spots. The website was even bare bones. It almost seemed like local management signed it back on out of difiance after New York ordered them to do so. No real effort ever went into that project.

On a differnet note; CBS could save more money by taking 1550 dark.

To keep the post on topic..
format holes I would consider filling: Mainstream Top 40, a *true* Classic Hits format or Soft AC (Adult Standards) 60's, 70's and 80's material etc.

Freq and signal sure didn't help. When it's clear at the top of the band and the freq was a religious station for years and years, it seems like CBS would have needed to actually spend real money on promotion to drive people there. Would it have done much better if they'd popped it back on 99.7? Absolutely no doubt about it. Would it have been doing better there than Movin is right now...THERE's the million dollar question, and I think CBS just went with what they thought would hit the almighty 25-54 demo the best with that channel.

For my money, the version of KFRC on 106.9 was 10 times better than Scott Shannon's "True Oldies Channel." A trained monkey could program oldies better with a card file box than the presentation that's on 1550 right now. Sorry, it really sucks.

 

[Objectivist]

Bring back KSJO

 

[DavidKaye]

Bring back KSJO

Which KSJO? KSJO 1590?

 

[LKellerIII]

Bring back KSJO

Which KSJO? KSJO 1590?

Yes, David - I'm sure he means 1590. And when we talk about KFRC, we're referring to the 1940s when the station had a live band, and Merv Griffin was their singer. Or - we mean the MOR version of KFRC of the 50s and 60s with great DJs like Van Amburg.

 

[CHRles]

format holes I would consider filling: Mainstream Top 40,

Movin 99.7 is making an effort to try and fill that hole. In the past 6 months the station's evolved from a Rhythmic A/C to a Rhythmic leaning CHR/Pop station. The last stations to make a go at the format were Z-95.7, and before that X-100, which was located at 99.7 FM as well. The great thing is that 99.7 FM has a great signal that reaches almost the entire Bay area from Vallejo to San Jose. Kings of Leon are in rotation, Taylor Swift is in heavy rotation, Jason Mraz is on, Miley Cyrus, Cobra Starship, Katy Perry, 3 Oh! 3, and All American Rejects. All that alongside big crossover Rhythmic/Pop from the likes of Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Britney, Pitbull, LMFAO, Beyonce, Rihanna, and the big Hip Hop hits.
The station's also got some great personalities on the air so I'm really hoping the station continues to grow in the ratings, and in cume - it's already seventh in cume with over a million listeners.

 

[Objectivist]

Bring back KSJO

Which KSJO? KSJO 1590?

KSJO 92.7
"Rock-it"

I enjoyed the 70s and 80s KSJO.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KSJO
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KOME