Format Change To KFRC SOON!

[calguy]

Re: KFRC Questions & Comments

> > I mostly listen in the car, and change stations frequently
> depending on my boredom level with the songs, but I'm
> finding that I default back to KFRC a lot lately. The
> playlist is longer, and they've gotten smart enough to throw
> in some surprise songs...not just the same heavy rotation.
> Other than Cammy, the jocks are fine, though I wish Ron
> Leonard wouldn't laugh so often at his own semi-clever
> remarks. Overall, I think the station has improved a lot.
>
>
> > My question is if KFRC-FM really sounds that bad now? How
> > are it's ratings? Is a format change warranted? It would
>
> > be sad to lose the FM now that the original AM is for all
> > intents and purposes gone. Then again it wouldn't be the
> > first time as the original KFRC-FM was sold and became
> KMEL
> > back in 1977 or 78 if I remember correctly...
> > {/snip}
> >
> > Just to clarify ... Infinity isn't going to get rid of
> KFRC
> > -- either the heritage call letters or the oldies format.
> >
> > There has been much speculation as to whether Infinity
> will
> > move KFRC -- the call letters and the oldies format -- to
> > the current KEAR(FM) spot at 106.9 and, at the same time,
> > return to simulcasting oldies on the "new" KFRC(AM) at
> 1550,
> > once the baseball season is over and the FCC approves the
> > purchase of 106.9 from Family Stations.
> >
> > There has also been speculation that Infinity will "Jack"
> > 106.9.
> >
> > If the moderators don't mind looking away for a moment,
> > KFRC-FM's most recent 12+ Arbs were:
> >
> > Win 04: 1.8
> > Spr 04: 2.3
> > Sum 04: 2.6
> > Fal 04: 2.1
> > Win 05: 2.2
> >
> > I think that the station has started sounding better with
> > the Drake-style jingles and a slightly expanded playlist,
> > but (IMHO Alert!) I'm still not crazy about their
> > personality lineup. My fantasy KFRC team would include The
>
> > True Don Bleu in the morning and Dean Goss (solo) in PM
> > drive, with a bigger infusion of actual personality across
>
> > the board ... while staying true to the classic Drake
> style.
> >
> >
> > Oh, and I would erase Sue Hall's "yaaaay" crowd cheering
> > sound clip. I have no problem with Sue at all, but does
> she
> > have to play that every time she does a break, no matter
> > what she says?
> >
> > Straying off-board here: I always enjoy hearing K-Earth
> 101
> > when I'm down in L.A., but I haven't listened to Hollywood
>
> > Hamilton on mornings there yet. Gary Bryan, Shotgun Tom
> > Kelly and Jim Carson are solid professionals and excellent
>
> > broadcasters, if not still at the very top of their game.
> > I'd love to hear the legendary Charlie Tuna as morning guy
>
> > on K-Earth.
> >
> > DJ
> >
>
Can't disagree with you on your favored changes to KFRC. But I still miss the jocks of old. John Mack Flanagan and Bobby Ocean were always favorites of mine.
As for your take on K-Earth. Tuna would've been perfect as a successor to Morgan. He's being wasted at KBIG. KRTH tried Charlie out along with many others when Morgan passed on before deciding on Charlie Van Dyke. Hollywood Hamilton isn't by cup of tea. Thought he was highly over-rated at KIIS way back when and don't care for him on 101.1 either.
Gary Bryan, Shotgun Tom Kelly and Jim Carson all have been on air at KFRC at one time or another. Kelly and Carson are actually the real thing, BOSS jocks from the BOSS era having done time at KGB in the Golden days. Come to think of it, Jim Carson worked at the BIG 610 in that time period as well.

 

[Creed613]

> > Beware! 99.7 Could be JACKED shortly!
> >
> if this happened then sf whould be the first market with 2
> jack like stations
>
DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[allisonmarie]

Re: KFRC Questions & Comments

> > > I mostly listen in the car, and change stations
> frequently
> > depending on my boredom level with the songs, but I'm
> > finding that I default back to KFRC a lot lately. The
> > playlist is longer, and they've gotten smart enough to
> throw
> > in some surprise songs...not just the same heavy rotation.
>
> > Other than Cammy, the jocks are fine, though I wish Ron
> > Leonard wouldn't laugh so often at his own semi-clever
> > remarks. Overall, I think the station has improved a lot.
> >
> >
> > > My question is if KFRC-FM really sounds that bad now?
> How
> > > are it's ratings? Is a format change warranted? It
> would
> >
> > > be sad to lose the FM now that the original AM is for
> all
> > > intents and purposes gone. Then again it wouldn't be the
>
> > > first time as the original KFRC-FM was sold and became
> > KMEL
> > > back in 1977 or 78 if I remember correctly...
> > > {/snip}
> > >
> > > Just to clarify ... Infinity isn't going to get rid of
> > KFRC
> > > -- either the heritage call letters or the oldies
> format.
> > >
> > > There has been much speculation as to whether Infinity
> > will
> > > move KFRC -- the call letters and the oldies format --
> to
> > > the current KEAR(FM) spot at 106.9 and, at the same
> time,
> > > return to simulcasting oldies on the "new" KFRC(AM) at
> > 1550,
> > > once the baseball season is over and the FCC approves
> the
> > > purchase of 106.9 from Family Stations.
> > >
> > > There has also been speculation that Infinity will
> "Jack"
> > > 106.9.
> > >
> > > If the moderators don't mind looking away for a moment,
> > > KFRC-FM's most recent 12+ Arbs were:
> > >
> > > Win 04: 1.8
> > > Spr 04: 2.3
> > > Sum 04: 2.6
> > > Fal 04: 2.1
> > > Win 05: 2.2
> > >
> > > I think that the station has started sounding better
> with
> > > the Drake-style jingles and a slightly expanded
> playlist,
> > > but (IMHO Alert!) I'm still not crazy about their
> > > personality lineup. My fantasy KFRC team would include
> The
> >
> > > True Don Bleu in the morning and Dean Goss (solo) in PM
> > > drive, with a bigger infusion of actual personality
> across
> >
> > > the board ... while staying true to the classic Drake
> > style.
> > >
> > >
> > > Oh, and I would erase Sue Hall's "yaaaay" crowd cheering
>
> > > sound clip. I have no problem with Sue at all, but does
> > she
> > > have to play that every time she does a break, no matter
>
> > > what she says?
> > >
> > > Straying off-board here: I always enjoy hearing K-Earth
> > 101
> > > when I'm down in L.A., but I haven't listened to
> Hollywood
> >
> > > Hamilton on mornings there yet. Gary Bryan, Shotgun Tom
> > > Kelly and Jim Carson are solid professionals and
> excellent
> >
> > > broadcasters, if not still at the very top of their
> game.
> > > I'd love to hear the legendary Charlie Tuna as morning
> guy
> >
> > > on K-Earth.
> > >
> > > DJ
> > >
> >
> Can't disagree with you on your favored changes to KFRC.
> But I still miss the jocks of old. John Mack Flanagan and
> Bobby Ocean were always favorites of mine.
> As for your take on K-Earth. Tuna would've been perfect as
> a successor to Morgan. He's being wasted at KBIG. KRTH
> tried Charlie out along with many others when Morgan passed
> on before deciding on Charlie Van Dyke. Hollywood Hamilton
> isn't by cup of tea. Thought he was highly over-rated at
> KIIS way back when and don't care for him on 101.1 either.
> Gary Bryan, Shotgun Tom Kelly and Jim Carson all have been
> on air at KFRC at one time or another. Kelly and Carson are
> actually the real thing, BOSS jocks from the BOSS era having
> done time at KGB in the Golden days. Come to think of it,
> Jim Carson worked at the BIG 610 in that time period as
> well.
>
Jim Carson was a favorite of mine that was replaced on 610 AM with the all-time favorite of mine and that was none other than Doctor Don Rose!

 

[vegasBABY]

Hey Bob Hamilton....Which Bob Hamilton are you?

 

[BossRadioDJ]

Hey Bob Hamilton....Which Bob Hamilton are you?

You'll note, of course, that this is a more than two-year-old thread that you hooked on to...

"Asking the musical question, whatever happened to allisonmarie?"

DJ

 

[newsperson]

My yes it is a very old thread! At first glance I thought that KFRC was going to change to a real oldies station, remember the top of the hour IDs, disc jockeys that talked instead of playing recorded liners?

Aside from KFRC a lot of music stations sound dull, except Energy 92.7 is very involved and has the personality that many other music stations lack.

Has anyone listen to Movin' 99.7 lately? It sounds a lot more active and involved than KFRC!

Your thoughts on Movin' verses KFRC?

Last I heard allisionmarie was driving a truck. Chris Kidd was also on this post. I have not heard him in a while on KGO and I beleive he is building a radio station somewhere.

Any other news?

Newsperson

 

[DavidKaye]

Sorry, I don't believe it -- why would they switch to "Jack" (blowing up a station with that much history) less than a month after MAX's debut? The market can't support 2 Jacks.

Uh, WHAT history? 99.7 spent most of its life as an NBC afterthought, as KPO-FM, then KNBC-FM, then KNBR-FM. They had a brief moment in the sun as KYUU (and Jeff MacNeal will not let us forget this), and for a while they played oldies under the callsign KFRC-FM. So, what history are we talking about?

Remember, that an oldies station with the callsign KFRC is NOT the KFRC of yore. The original KFRC played current hits, both national and regional. A friend of mine, Marty Blecman, chief of Megatone Records, once had a minor hit on KFRC, a song done by the 49ers. This was in the 80s. KFRC was also the station that played Rita Abrams' song "Mill Valley (California, That's My Home)" as sung by her and her 5th grade class. THAT was the KFRC of yore. And that wasn't the KFRC on 99.7.

 

[rickradio]

Uh, WHAT history? 99.7 spent most of its life as an NBC afterthought, as KPO-FM, then KNBC-FM, then KNBR-FM.

KPO-FM? I thought it signed on in 1949 as KNBC-FM. KPO was gone by the end of 1947. Did it sign on before KPO went bye-bye?

BossRadioDJ?

 

[DavidKaye]

KPO-FM? I thought it signed on in 1949 as KNBC-FM. KPO was gone by the end of 1947. Did it sign on before KPO went bye-bye?
BossRadioDJ?

As far as I know, in 1946, KPO-FM got a construction permit for 98.1 and then was moved to 99.7. It may or may not have been on the air by the time the callsign changed. Regardless, the 99.7 of today ("Movin'") could hardly be considered an historic station in the sense we use it here. Sure, it has a history, but it's a history mostly as a secondary outlet for NBC until it became KYUU and then rose in its own right. But I don't think anybody here is talking nostalgia for KYUU.

 

[DeadAudicy]

Having been a long time resident of Mill Valley, I can say that the 3rd Graders (not 5th) at STRAWBERRY POINT school, in STRAWBERRY, were not being thruthful as they yelped "Mill Valley California, that's my home"...as their homes were more than anywhere in Tiburon. Students at the time who were actually attending school IN Mill Valley (Park, Old Mill) were so upset at the song's airplay, they (through the mystic power of Mt Tamalpais) put a curse on any station airing the misappropriated lyric. The curse stipulated that the stations experience their eventual demise...never again to dominate their respective markets. And see how the curse has worked? Not only against KFRC, but KROY and KXOA in Sacramento as well. Where are they now? Hmm? Ok, then.

Aplogies for fraying the thread. I'm a terrible seamstress.

 

[DavidKaye]

Aside from KFRC a lot of music stations sound dull, except Energy 92.7 is very involved and has the personality that many other music stations lack.

KNGY and KMEL are today's KFRC in many ways.

 

[JimA]

KFRC use to be great - now

 

[radiogurl45]

My yes it is a very old thread! At first glance I thought that KFRC was going to change to a real oldies station, remember the top of the hour IDs, disc jockeys that talked instead of playing recorded liners?...

Just a quick note, the current KFRC jocks do talk at the top of the hour, right after the IDs, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m

 

[Starbucks]

Who cares were they talk whether it's under , inside or beneath the hour, I can't believe I read posts like this. Your better off disecting a cockroach. In a dying industry that doesn't much matter when people just want to hear just music (and they can), I can't believe the micro observance of a radio station. UGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!....

 

[newsperson]

Starbucks,

The point is that the jocks at KFRC need to talk in order for it to be a radio station. If people just want music they certainly do not need to listen to a radio station. They can listen to I-Pods, satelite, CDs and more.

If music was sucessful by itself then owners would run stations as a juke box 24-hours a day. That just does not work.

WCBS-FM in New York has been very sucessful with its return to oldies and part of that reason is that they has personalties on the air 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

radiogurl45:

Yes I have also heard the 7:00 p.m. to midnight guy talk around the top to the hour. However the recorded liners are grating on my nerves and when they play them it makes KFRC sound like a recorded jukebox and not the live station it has become. The liners are now counter-productive.

What are your thoughts?

 

[LKellerIII]

"Yes I have also heard the 7:00 p.m. to midnight guy talk around the top to the hour. However the recorded liners are grating on my nerves and when they play them it makes KFRC sound like a recorded jukebox and not the live station it has become. The liners are now counter-productive."

One thing the Jack stations do well are the liners - if they are funny, clever, and just a bit snarky - they add value, I think. A small percentage of the KFRC liners are clever, but most of them are hit and miss, and they're not enough of them. There's too much repetition.

What bugs me - is that outside of morning and afternoon drive, the DJs aren't allowed to talk over the end of the last song, and into the commercial stop set. This is usually the time good jocks have a few extra seconds to show their stuff. As it is now, the last song fades into a liner, then into commercials. If they changed this without changing anything else - just gave the jocks 15 - 30 seconds - the jocks would have a better presence, and the station would sound a lot better.

 

[DavidKaye]

The point is that the jocks at KFRC need to talk in order for it to be a radio station. If people just want music they certainly do not need to listen to a radio station. They can listen to I-Pods, satelite, CDs and more.

That's exactly right. Today's KFRC 106.9, and last year's KFRC 99.7 are nothing like the original KFRC 610. The formats are totally different. Only the name remains the same. So, it's silly for anyone to compare today's KFRC with the original. It's like comparing Johnson's Baby Powder with Johnson's Wax.

For anybody who has not made a study of KFRC under Bill Drake and under Paul Drew, there were all kinds of formatics that are not used in today's KFRC. For one, they seldom played 2 songs in a row. They'd intro and extro the songs, hitting the post with the the KFRC callsign and coming out of the song with the callsign. The DJs had lots of liners to say. In fact the first time I heard the term "liner" was in regard to KFRC's format. And if they had a spare 10 seconds they might say something clever, adhering to Bill Drake's admonition, "Don't turn on the mic unless you have something to say."

KFRC always had contests, they took calls, they had a full public affairs department (anybody remember Jan Yanihiro?) and a full news department. They even had fasinating public affairs shows. Anybody remember Father Harry of the God Squad? ("I'll never tell.") Or "Dupont Gai", the incredibly listenable Asian magazine show put on by college kids, consisting of news and skits?

Even the syndicated stuff they ran was top-notch. Anybody remember Allan Pierce's "Everchanging Transcendental Multingual Two-Ton Mustard Seed" ("Better living through the chemistry of love") -- the spiritual program that took current rock, acid, and folk-rock tunes and weaved them into tales of about God, ethics, and the supernatural? Anybody remember that?

The KFRC of old was a First Class operation with a capital F and C. RKO generously spent money on that station to bring in top people and give chances to new ideas. And remember that KFRC was not an oldies station, either. In fact, I don't remember them playing more than one oldie per half hour. Today's CBS namesake appears to be an afterthought designed to bring in audience but not become an institution. RKO was great at building institutions. CBS is great at building news stations, but otherwise they appear to be caretaking whatever legacy stations they happen to have. When's the last time there was any buzz about KITS? That station used to be a legend.

As I said before, today's KNGY Energy 92.7 and KMEL 106.1 (oddly the former KFRC-FM) come closest to the KFRC of old.

 

[radiogurl45]

Starbucks,

The point is that the jocks at KFRC need to talk in order for it to be a radio station. If people just want music they certainly do not need to listen to a radio station. They can listen to I-Pods, satelite, CDs and more.

If music was sucessful by itself then owners would run stations as a juke box 24-hours a day. That just does not work.

WCBS-FM in New York has been very sucessful with its return to oldies and part of that reason is that they has personalties on the air 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

radiogurl45:

Yes I have also heard the 7:00 p.m. to midnight guy talk around the top to the hour. However the recorded liners are grating on my nerves and when they play them it makes KFRC sound like a recorded jukebox and not the live station it has become. The liners are now counter-productive.

What are your thoughts?

I agree the liners are counter productive. I don't prefer the voice tracking. I think it sounds weak. We all know how voice trackers can goof, like if they say it's sunny out, but it raining. But what about that 7 point something earthquake a few weeks ago. Nothing said on KFRC because they were in voice track mode. Also, the 7 p.m. to midnight guy does his voice track, over the song, before the legal id.

Overall, the liners sound cheesy. Maybe they will bring back some of the older liners.

Politely, correct me if I'm wrong, but during the KFRC 610 days, wasn't it more jocks talking and less liners? It wasn't so much their box formula of:

-liner
-song
-liner
-song
-liner
-outro to spots
-commercials
-intro back to music
-song
-liner
-song
-lather
-rinse
-repeat as needed

 

[BossRadioDJ]

The "liner guy" on KFRC appears to be a major source of irritation. Aside from my own feelings (simple: get rid of them), I heard negative comments last week from three people who work at other stations, but who are also fans of KFRC in its current iteration.

Same liner guy KNBR uses, too, which is a bit weird. (Don't tell me "different target audiences." I am the target audience, and I listen to both KFRC and KNBR on a regular basis.)

 

[radiogurl45]

The "liner guy" on KFRC appears to be a major source of irritation. Aside from my own feelings (simple: get rid of them), I heard negative comments last week from three people who work at other stations, but who are also fans of KFRC in its current iteration.

Same liner guy KNBR uses, too, which is a bit weird. (Don't tell me "different target audiences." I am the target audience, and I listen to both KFRC and KNBR on a regular basis.)

Liner Guy, as officially dubbed, reminds me of "Max" on Max 95.7