Hopefully the last. I would hope someone would take notice and learn that FM Talk does not work in the Bay Area. But I am sure there will be a PD somewhere in the future and say, "I can make it work, the others didn't know what they were doing!" Then the saga begins yet again and history will repeat itself......
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KFRC and the ARBS!
- Thread starter airpab
- Start date
pbf1 said:
Your pardon.
I can't help but thinking that FM talk has been a failure so far not so much because of the medium but because KGO has the good talent, and thus a lot of the talk-radio listenership, locked up. KGO-FM was a third-tier effort except when it simulcasted; KPIX-FM didn't have much compelling, and neither did Free FM.
I think, similarly to David Eduardo Gleason F., that if KGO put on an FM signal, the listenership would migrate there and possibly draw a lot of younger listeners who only know AM as the band on the radio that buzzes all the time and sounds like a bad telephone.
Not that the FM signal could totally supplant the AM considering all the hills around, but it could open up a lot of listeners who are closed off to it now.
weav said:
It sure didn't work on KIRO-FM (hence the change at the time to the Buzz). And KTAR-FM isn't doing as well as KTAR(AM) did before the switch.
It will be interesting to see how WIBC works out on FM, though they've also added morning drive metro coverage absent (at this time of the year, anyway) on 1070.
Weav asked: "CBS proved it with KGO-FM?"
OK - if all of you misunderstood that sentence, I guess it was my fault. But here's the sentence:
"CBS certainly proved that with the third failure for FM talk in the last 3 decades."
What that sentence means to me was that CBS's Free FM was the 3rd failure for FM talk in the last 3 decades, not that CBS owned all 3 of the failures. At the time I wrote it, I wasn't even occurring to me that CBS owned 2 of the 3 failures. I don't really think of the short-lived Westinghouse-owned CBS to be the same entity as the current CBS. Not being a radio insider, I obviously don't know if any of the execs and programming people currently with CBS are holdovers from the Westinghouse era, but I assumed not.
What I was implying is that talk has not been a success on FM in the Bay Area. Just before Free-FM debuted, a number of people posting here predicted it would be a failure based on past performance of Talk FMs here. The response from Free-FM supporters was that Free would be different, and that now the market was ready for FM talk. That obviously turned out not to be the case.
Having said that, I also think if Citadel purchased a strong FM signal, and then moved KGO to the FM dial, it would probably do just fine because that station has a following, and a long history.
I DO think of the current CBS as essentially the same entity as the Viacom owned CBS, since the current corporation was split off from Viacom.
OK - if all of you misunderstood that sentence, I guess it was my fault. But here's the sentence:
"CBS certainly proved that with the third failure for FM talk in the last 3 decades."
What that sentence means to me was that CBS's Free FM was the 3rd failure for FM talk in the last 3 decades, not that CBS owned all 3 of the failures. At the time I wrote it, I wasn't even occurring to me that CBS owned 2 of the 3 failures. I don't really think of the short-lived Westinghouse-owned CBS to be the same entity as the current CBS. Not being a radio insider, I obviously don't know if any of the execs and programming people currently with CBS are holdovers from the Westinghouse era, but I assumed not.
What I was implying is that talk has not been a success on FM in the Bay Area. Just before Free-FM debuted, a number of people posting here predicted it would be a failure based on past performance of Talk FMs here. The response from Free-FM supporters was that Free would be different, and that now the market was ready for FM talk. That obviously turned out not to be the case.
Having said that, I also think if Citadel purchased a strong FM signal, and then moved KGO to the FM dial, it would probably do just fine because that station has a following, and a long history.
I DO think of the current CBS as essentially the same entity as the Viacom owned CBS, since the current corporation was split off from Viacom.
D
daveallen99
Guest
WCBS-FM has been pretty much the same thing, on the same frequency, forever. "KFRC" has been too many different things, on too many different frequencies, for people to get sooo excited about it coming back, let alone on a frequency that has been cumed by practically nobody, ever.
"Of course, there is this assumption that FM talk is a failure. It isn't. KQED-FM is very successful. They have been doing just fine with talkshows for about 15 years now..."
I guess we could split hairs and say that KQED is both news and talk...but then again, that's also true of KGO since they have the two 3 hour news blocks. In a sense, KQED is somewhat similar to the "full service" stations that died out in the late 60s - blocks of news, talk and variety shows, although those stations also ran blocks of music - generally MOR.
But splitting hairs aside, you have a point, David. What do you think the explanation is? Possibly, it's the quality and variety of the NPR shows, and the presumption that Bay Area audiences are "more sophisticated." Or maybe we're giving local listeners here too much credit.
Like the bulk of talk stations here (KNEW, Green 960), most shows on KQED are not local, (Krasny's Forum, aside). Maybe its because the subject matter on KQED isn't predominantly right-wing, and the hosts aren't fast-talking pukers. The speaking styple of those Glenn Beck types always remind me of 60s era top 40 jocks.
I guess we could split hairs and say that KQED is both news and talk...but then again, that's also true of KGO since they have the two 3 hour news blocks. In a sense, KQED is somewhat similar to the "full service" stations that died out in the late 60s - blocks of news, talk and variety shows, although those stations also ran blocks of music - generally MOR.
But splitting hairs aside, you have a point, David. What do you think the explanation is? Possibly, it's the quality and variety of the NPR shows, and the presumption that Bay Area audiences are "more sophisticated." Or maybe we're giving local listeners here too much credit.
Like the bulk of talk stations here (KNEW, Green 960), most shows on KQED are not local, (Krasny's Forum, aside). Maybe its because the subject matter on KQED isn't predominantly right-wing, and the hosts aren't fast-talking pukers. The speaking styple of those Glenn Beck types always remind me of 60s era top 40 jocks.
D
DeadAudicy
Guest
Boy you got that right...Setting up a song with faux excitement is one thing, but carrying on endless conversation in the same excited bark is pretty grating. Weird that it works on a lot of people. But I do think that's where KQED might carry a lot of its appeal...hosts don't seem so much in love with the sounds of their own voices, don't come across like teenagers in a spat while arguing with idiot callers...don't try and get celebrated guests to embarass themselves laboring over a mattress ad read...and they don't bark. Add to that the variety of intelligent entertainment throughout the broadcast day, and a pretty big gap begins to form between KQED and the talkers. Almost enough to disqualify them from the talk label altogether, music unintensive as they may be.
Any truth to the rumor that Dan Mason is coming to town this week to make changes?
T
Talking Furniture
Guest
Geek-O-Rama said:
Where does he start?
KMVQ or KFRC?
Alice or Live 105?
General Managers or Program Directors?
"Where does he start? KMVQ or KFRC? Alice or Live 105...?"
First, he thanks a higher power that he no longer has to cut a paycheck to Cammy Blackstone. Sorry, I still can't resist a Cammy put down occasionally.
I can stop any time I want, really I can. I only do it because I'm tense, and need to relax. Really...
First, he thanks a higher power that he no longer has to cut a paycheck to Cammy Blackstone. Sorry, I still can't resist a Cammy put down occasionally.
I can stop any time I want, really I can. I only do it because I'm tense, and need to relax. Really...
R
Rick Mundy Show
Guest
Dan Mason came into town today Wednesday and is staying through Thursday. He's very pleased with the management and all their choices. He has changed management in most every major market, but will leave San Francisco alone. He considers these folks on the genius level.
So I guess that means there is no mental health care offered by the CBS Medical Plan. 
"I heard he's already called Dean & Camey. At least their ratings were above a 2.4 with out having to spend for all those bill boards. I'm sure he'd love to have those old KFRC numbers."
I don't think their decent ratings had much to do with Dean & Cammy. It wasn't exactly a top-notch morning show - it's because KFRC was usually a pretty decent station in the 11 years or so they had the Oldies format on 99.7.
"It is interesting how Camey stirs such passion in you Lew. Might want to have that checked out."
My health plan doesn't include coverage for mental health, either. I guess I'll just have to live with that curse.
I don't think their decent ratings had much to do with Dean & Cammy. It wasn't exactly a top-notch morning show - it's because KFRC was usually a pretty decent station in the 11 years or so they had the Oldies format on 99.7.
"It is interesting how Camey stirs such passion in you Lew. Might want to have that checked out."
My health plan doesn't include coverage for mental health, either. I guess I'll just have to live with that curse.
A
atwater kent
Guest
Talking Furniture said:
Looks like Program Directors. Word has it KLLC Pd Chris Mays has resigned.
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