FM Talk Revisited: KGO-FM

[BossRadioDJ]

There was a discussion earlier this week about FM talk, and its failure in the Bay Area over the years. One such experiment was ABC's KGO-FM 104 (actually 103.7 FM), which began on May 3, 1982.

The last hour of KSFX's rock music format (hosted by Richard Gossett) leading into the switch to KGO-FM may be relived at:

http://www.bayarearadio.org/audio/ksfx/ksfx-kgo-fm_may-3-1982.shtml


DJ

 

[RadioEnginerd]

> There was a discussion earlier this week about FM talk, and
> its failure in the Bay Area over the years. One such
> experiment was ABC's KGO-FM 104 (actually 103.7 FM), which
> began on May 3, 1982.
>
> The last hour of KSFX's rock music format (hosted by Richard
> Gossett) leading into the switch to KGO-FM may be relived
> at:
>
http://> www.bayarearadio.org/audio/ksfx/ksfx-kgo-fm_may-3-1982.shtml
>
>
>
> DJ
>
Was ABC's KGO-FM 104 a simulicast of the AM?

I don't remember this station... Maybe that’s a bad sign.<P ID="signature">______________
If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything...</P>

 

[BossRadioDJ]

THe Mighty RadioEnginerd wrote:

> Was ABC's KGO-FM 104 a simulicast of the AM?
>
> I don't remember this station... Maybe that’s a bad sign.


The AM and FM were // during the morning and afternoon newscasts, but I think that was it. Stephen Capen had a call-in show on the FM -- he was a holdover from KSFX -- but I'm not sure who else was on the FM side.

DJ

 

[ChuckinEugene]

I remember KGO-FM broadcasting Michael Jackson via syndication out of Los Angeles. I recorded the format switch from KGO to KLOK-FM (Yes-No Radio) and I believe Michael Jackson's show was the last one aired. Since it was syndicated, there was no local comment on the format change. The only other shows I remember were Lloyd Lindsey-Young (yes, the weather guy) doing a show on Sunday afternoon and begging for people to call. I think he got one call in the half hour I listened. That was when I knew the station's days were numbered. I also remember a talk show targeted to the gay community also broadcast on the weekend.

 

[BossRadioDJ]

ChuckinEugene wrote:

> I remember KGO-FM broadcasting Michael Jackson via
> syndication out of Los Angeles. I recorded the format switch
> from KGO to KLOK-FM (Yes-No Radio) and I believe Michael
> Jackson's show was the last one aired.


Chuuuuuuuck ... do you still have that tape? If you do, you should contact the friendly Bay Area Radio Museum (http://www.BayAreaRadioMuseum.com) and let them know immediately. Please.

DJ

 

[LKellerIII]

> I think this was covered in last week's thread on the subject. Aside from Michael Jackson, most of the other KGO-FM weekday hosts also originated at KABC - there was also Dr. Toni Grant (similar to Dr. Laura, but not as rigid), and Ira Fistell at night. ABC moved Owen Spann from mornings at KGO-AM to WABC in New York to be on the network - moving Ronn Owens to mornings on the AM side where he resides to this day. The station (103.7) was part of a nationwide ABC Talk Network that never really got popular anywhere, as far as I know. Syndication wasn't big in Talk radio yet - Rush Limbaugh was still local on KFBK Sacramento. This ABC experiment was probably a decade too soon. Toward the end, KGO-FM tried a local afternoon sex-talk show with Don Chamberlin. It was a VERY uncensored version of his "California Girls" show (KNEW in the 70s), and I was suprised at the time that the FCC didn't receive complaints. Probably because the station was already dead, and nobody was listening.

ChuckinEugene wrote:
>
> > I remember KGO-FM broadcasting Michael Jackson via
> > syndication out of Los Angeles. I recorded the format
> switch
> > from KGO to KLOK-FM (Yes-No Radio) and I believe Michael
> > Jackson's show was the last one aired.
>
>
> Chuuuuuuuck ... do you still have that tape? If you do, you
> should contact the friendly Bay Area Radio Museum
> (http://www.BayAreaRadioMuseum.com) and let them know
> immediately. Please.
>
> DJ
>

 

[LKellerIII]

> The only other shows I remember were Lloyd Lindsey-Young (yes, the weather guy) doing a show on Sunday afternoon and begging for people to call. I think he got one call in the half hour I listened. That was when I knew the station's days were numbered.

Didn't know LLY was on KGO-FM. But not getting calls is a typical problem even on the BIG stations, like KGO-AM -especially nights and weekends. I was a guest 3 times on the KGO late night show - before Ray Taliaferro. Maybe I was a boring guest, but we usually only got a few calls per hour. I always assumed that's why they later hired Ray - he's controversial and adversarial, so he pisses people off, then they call. Does anybody remember this old Buck Henry skit on SNL? ...he's a talk show host and nobody is calling, so he keeps getting more and more outrageous, but still - nobody calls...