KFRC, the expectations are high

[DonTMcCall]

The New KFRC (I hope they don't call it that), even before their staff hits the air, is the talk of The City. Also, the talk of this site. It's no wonder; we're talking about legendary call signs.

Ratings for KFRC can only go up. It's a clean slate, starting from ground zero. Whether it's Nelson, McKay, Slim, or St. Jonn, joining Dave, they will make a major broadcast imprint.

Welcome back KFRC! Great going Mike, Tim and The Management.

:

 

[1069_KIFR]

I hear in my head the theme from 'Welcome Back Kotter' playing for KFRC...
Welcome back, welcome back, wel...come baaack!

 

[Madmansam]

I hear in my head the theme from 'Welcome Back Kotter' playing for KFRC...
Welcome back, welcome back, wel...come baaack!

Maybe you should change your name to 1069_KFRC ? ;D

 

[calguy]

The New KFRC (I hope they don't call it that), even before their staff hits the air, is the talk of The City. Also, the talk of this site. It's no wonder; we're talking about legendary call signs.

Ratings for KFRC can only go up. It's a clean slate, starting from ground zero. Whether it's Nelson, McKay, Slim, or St. Jonn, joining Dave, they will make a major broadcast imprint.

Welcome back KFRC! Great going Mike, Tim and The Management.

:

Would that Nelson be Harry Nelson or Terry Nelson? Terry was at the Big 610 in 1979. First in one of the midday slots and then at night. He was a good jock with a great voice who also worked at KFI and at RKO's 99X-WXLO NYC where he did mornings and then afternoons. He would sound great at 106.9, but I think he's retired from the airwaves and in sales in Northern California now. I believe Harry is back east somewhere, but I was never that enamored with his style. I heard that RKO would fly him down from WRKO in Boston to do weekends at 99X where he sometimes would follow Terry. Supposedly they called them the Nelson Brothers for a short time...

 

[Talking Furniture]

The New KFRC (I hope they don't call it that), even before their staff hits the air, is the talk of The City. Also, the talk of this site. It's no wonder; we're talking about legendary call signs.

Ratings for KFRC can only go up. It's a clean slate, starting from ground zero. Whether it's Nelson, McKay, Slim, or St. Jonn, joining Dave, they will make a major broadcast imprint.

Welcome back KFRC! Great going Mike, Tim and The Management.

:

But, does anyone think it will succeed as a business? It may be the talk of this board - replacing the KTRB mania that fizzled when the station went on the air with the sound of a loud, but largely ignored, thud. Will the (New) KFRC manage to get into the top 10 with adults in the book within a year? Will it even manage to improve on the (old) KFRC rating/rank before they pulled the plug? Or will success simply be improving on the disaster that was Free FM?

 

[calguy]

But, does anyone think it will succeed as a business? It may be the talk of this board - replacing the KTRB mania that fizzled when the station went on the air with the sound of a loud, but largely ignored, thud. Will the (New) KFRC manage to get into the top 10 with adults in the book within a year? Will it even manage to improve on the (old) KFRC rating/rank before they pulled the plug? Or will success simply be improving on the disaster that was Free FM?
[/quote]

Well any improvement over what Free FM ratings were should be welcome. You can't hit a home run with every station in your cluster, one will be number one and the others fall in line. I think the real point is that KFRC can be a success. Nothing like the old KFRC of 30 years ago, but certainly better than Free FM or even Movin 99.7. CBS can sell the better numbers that they think KFRC will bring them and that’s an improvement for them as well. I think that’s an improvement for the listener too. KFRC will be lucky to be in the top 15 at first, but that’s better than Free FM's position.

 

[LKellerIII]

"Well any improvement over what Free FM ratings were should be welcome. You can't hit a home run with every station in your cluster, one will be number one and the others fall in line. I think the real point is that KFRC can be a success. Nothing like the old KFRC of 30 years ago, but certainly better than Free FM or even Movin 99.7. CBS can sell the better numbers that they think KFRC will bring them and that’s an improvement for them as well. I think that’s an improvement for the listener too. KFRC will be lucky to be in the top 15 at first, but that’s better than Free FM's position."

Agreed. My prediction as a savvy listener (disclaimer - don't work in the radio business) is that KFRC will slowly rise into the bottom half of the top 10 and stay there...after a few rating periods if they get good jocks and keep some variety in the playlist.

I base that guess on the following: When KFRC (99.7) first switched from "Oldies" to 70s-80s, their ratings went down (though not as far down as MOViN) because their playlist was almost exclusively "light" rock and the station sounded as dull as dirt. Later - just before they pulled the plug - when they dubbed it "classic hits," added a strong playlist, put in some funny-snarky imaging, and hired Jo Jo Kincaid, I think it sounded good, and the ratings were on the way up.

 

[BossJock1947]

The New KFRC (I hope they don't call it that), even before their staff hits the air, is the talk of The City. Also, the talk of this site. It's no wonder; we're talking about legendary call signs.

Ratings for KFRC can only go up. It's a clean slate, starting from ground zero. Whether it's Nelson, McKay, Slim, or St. Jonn, joining Dave, they will make a major broadcast imprint.

Welcome back KFRC! Great going Mike, Tim and The Management.

:

Yeah way to go Mike and Doug for screwing up the other KFRC. You know the ones with great jocks like JO JO Kinkaid and Sue Hall you screwed over. Now they're over at the Wolf doing great radio which SF hasn't seen in 20 years! I hate country but the Wolf sounds better than anything MIKE PRESTON AND DOUG HARVILL CAN PUT TOGETHER!!!!!!!

Chances are the New KFRC will not succeed because like CBS most companies that run radio these days won't give it more than 18mos before they change it again to another niche lame format. If they truly want it to succeeed they have to gives it 5 years of consistant programming and marketing.

 

[elliottc]

I agree....again, me being a listener and not a worker, too much James Taylor will be the kiss of death. What I want to hear is something different from KOIT, KEZR, KBAY, Star.

 

[XM RADIO]

The New KFRC will have Great Talent, With Dave Sholin, and the possibility of John Mack Flanagan, theres 2 DJ s that will positively draw alot of listeners, I would hope they give JMF a long lenghthy contract, afternnon drive is in need of JMF!! Im sure the Bay Area will tune to KFRC, and Lite Rock, Less Talk, will loose a few listeners, Leave Jo Jo and Sue hall where they are, They sound real good right were they are, Some one made a great decision by not having Blackstone on any more, Real radio is coming back,,, Kenny in Concord

 

[RadioStarOne]

Dream On Kenny!

 

[MikeAmatori]

"Well any improvement over what Free FM ratings were should be welcome. You can't hit a home run with every station in your cluster, one will be number one and the others fall in line. I think the real point is that KFRC can be a success. Nothing like the old KFRC of 30 years ago, but certainly better than Free FM or even Movin 99.7. CBS can sell the better numbers that they think KFRC will bring them and that’s an improvement for them as well. I think that’s an improvement for the listener too. KFRC will be lucky to be in the top 15 at first, but that’s better than Free FM's position."

Agreed. My prediction as a savvy listener (disclaimer - don't work in the radio business) is that KFRC will slowly rise into the bottom half of the top 10 and stay there...after a few rating periods if they get good jocks and keep some variety in the playlist.

I base that guess on the following: When KFRC (99.7) first switched from "Oldies" to 70s-80s, their ratings went down (though not as far down as MOViN) because their playlist was almost exclusively "light" rock and the station sounded as dull as dirt. Later - just before they pulled the plug - when they dubbed it "classic hits," added a strong playlist, put in some funny-snarky imaging, and hired Jo Jo Kincaid, I think it sounded good, and the ratings were on the way up.

Well LKeller, lets hope they keep a large music list, and remember that the audience that likes this station is older now.
I vote for smart and funny and grownup, NOT silly and wornout and trite. BUT, It's gonna be tough to pull this off, Sholin is a great guy and a grown up...I know he's made some progress as a human since the last time he was on KFRC...20 years ago. If Dave or even JMF had stayed working at those call letters for those 20 years, what would they sound like now?

Sadly, What I think we may hear is managment trying to recreate a bygone era, because it was wildly sucessful, which will have little or no relavence to the adults...that were once kids...that are listening now. I wish them luck, I too think it will be a bottom of the top 10 station if they give it a few years. Oh and lets hope the imaging gets better too.

The KFRC that Kenny loves was Music and Personality driven, It was also a contemporary station, not a classic hits station. If they are planing on skimping on the airstaff, (Sholin is a Good Start) Then the music better be exceptional.
So far it sounds like a more focused version of KMAX, With a little KOIT on Caffine to me. How many times am I gonna hear Leave On by Elton John? or Won't get Fooled again by the Who?

 

[Marv-L.A.]

'Levon' and 'Won't Get Fooled Again' are staples of a Classic Rock station, not an Oldies station.

 

[BossJock1947]

Dream On Kenny!

I like Dreamin

---Kenny Nolan 1977

;D

Dream On

----Aerosmith 1976

 

[LKellerIII]

Wise words Production Boy:

"Well LKeller, lets hope they keep a large music list, and remember that the audience that likes this station is older now."

I know I certainly am (older that is)

"I vote for smart and funny and grownup, NOT silly and wornout and trite. BUT, It's gonna be tough to pull this off, Sholin is a great guy and a grown up...I know he's made some progress as a human since the last time he was on KFRC...20 years ago. If Dave or even JMF had stayed working at those call letters for those 20 years, what would they sound like now?"

Agreed. As I said in a previous post, I hope they let Dave just be Dave, and not force him into a morning-comedy-schtick guy. We have enough of those.

"Sadly, What I think we may hear is managment trying to recreate a bygone era, because it was wildly sucessful, which will have little or no relavence to the adults...that were once kids...that are listening now. I wish them luck, I too think it will be a bottom of the top 10 station if they give it a few years. Oh and lets hope the imaging gets better too."

I hope you're wrong about that. As I said, I think all they have to do is go back to the "Classic Hits" format they were doing on 99.7 for the last few months before the CBS brain-trust killed it. Jo Jo Kincaid is gone to the Country ...but on the bright side, Cammy is staying gone (I hope). They were doing some funny imaging at that time, somewhat similar to the "Jack" stuff in other markets, but funnier than the pale imitations on Max-FM. I can't remember who the PD was at that time, but s/he was really improving the station.

 

[MikeAmatori]

I think it was Mike Preston. He replaced Bob Harlow as I recall.

 

[blackhole]

I think it was Mike Preston. He replaced Bob Harlow as I recall.

Tim Jordan, the now PD, ran the place from September through late April (longer than Mike had a chance to be at the reigns) as I recall as the interim PD. Mike came in and was there from then through last September when the started MOViN'. Keep in mind this was all under the guidance of a dreaded consultant.

To comment on some other things, JMF is a GREAT guy and I am sure we would all love to hear him back on the air, but I just don't see it happening. While they are going for heritage jocks, he is happily out of the business. Sorry Kenny.

And to the person who blamed KFRC going away on Doug and Mike, it wasn't them. These orders come from NY. The decision is not made here in SF. Joel Hollander pulled the plug on KFRC in lieu of MOViN', then he departed, Dan Mason comes in and doesn't like the under performing FREE FM that has basically done nothing anywhere but maybe LA and a couple other markets. He brought back KFRC. Don't blame the little people.

 

[raydioheadfm]

I hope you're wrong about that. As I said, I think all they have to do is go back to the "Classic Hits" format they were doing on 99.7 for the last few months before the CBS brain-trust killed it. Jo Jo Kincaid is gone to the Country ...but on the bright side, Cammy is staying gone (I hope). They were doing some funny imaging at that time, somewhat similar to the "Jack" stuff in other markets, but funnier than the pale imitations on Max-FM. I can't remember who the PD was at that time, but s/he was really improving the station.

Mr. Preston showed up in during April. He dropped the silly "sing a long" positioning that the dreaded consultant Terry Patrick put in place and added the classic hits name , along with hiring Jojo and Katie Mason. I think you're hearing the beginning of what you're asking for Lkeller...same imaging voice, similar imaging lines & attitude, etc. Let's hope he figures out how to get Tom Parker out of talk radio in Portland!

 

[XM RADIO]

BLACKHOLE, We will have to stay tuned to see about John Mack Flanagan, Theres really no reason not to give him a Lucrative Contract, CBS needs to take into acct, just who made these call letters what they are, and who did, and who can "Drive the Ratings thru the roof" Parkers and Blackstones not on my list ... I would be more inclined to hear Dave Jacksons spin on this, he is and always will be the one to Listen to for "Whats to Come in Radio" The Days of Being Overlooked should be over, its time to put this station where KOIT is, It can be done, John Mack are you out there today??? Kenny in Concord

 

[MikeAmatori]

I think it was Mike Preston. He replaced Bob Harlow as I recall.

Tim Jordan, the now PD, ran the place from September through late April (longer than Mike had a chance to be at the reigns) as I recall as the interim PD. Mike came in and was there from then through last September when the started MOViN'. Keep in mind this was all under the guidance of a dreaded consultant.

To comment on some other things, JMF is a GREAT guy and I am sure we would all love to hear him back on the air, but I just don't see it happening. While they are going for heritage jocks, he is happily out of the business. Sorry Kenny.

And to the person who blamed KFRC going away on Doug and Mike, it wasn't them. These orders come from NY. The decision is not made here in SF. Joel Hollander pulled the plug on KFRC in lieu of MOViN', then he departed, Dan Mason comes in and doesn't like the under performing FREE FM that has basically done nothing anywhere but maybe LA and a couple other markets. He brought back KFRC. Don't blame the little people.

Come to think of it Blackhole, you are correct, I keep forgetting about Tim, who, I think is the most Senior KFRC PD in the building, I know he's Filled In/Covered everytime KFRC shed a PD. No matter who was running it and what the format was.

Of course, now that Sholin is there I guess KFRC will have 3 PD's *

* I must give credit to my radio pal Dean Goss for the above line. A good jock anytime he did'nt have to work with Cammy or Erin Garrett.