KOIT's Station ID

[asstprince]

During their regular programming, they identify themselves as "FM 96.5 KOIT" but on top of the hour, they identify themselves "KOIT AM and FM San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and koit.com on the Internet."

Why? That sounds confusing in many ways... Can anyone explain?

 

[hitliner]

Because they simulcast their FM on their AM position.

 

[HubertJSmithers]

Funny thing is, The FM is owned by Entercom and the AM is still owned by Bonneville. So Entercom gets free AM on Bonneville's PG@E bill for the AM xmtr. You gotta love radio.

Ah me, I's regusted.

 

[Jaycifer666]

It's a legal I.D. That's all that is required. During the hour they can call themselves whatever they please.

 

[newsperson]

KOIT AM and FM are still owned by Bonneville. The transfers at the FCC at still pending. As we all know KOIT-AM is not part of the deal so the simulcast is temporary. Since Entercom will not own the AM in the long run, it makes no sense to promote it.

The expenses for Bonneville are: yes power, property taxes and remember the bill from Arbritron. Because KIOT is the number one arbritron rated listen at work station; it cost money to be able to say that.

Can anyone think of other FM/AM simulcast combos that just promote the FM frequency?

Newsperson

 

[LKellerIII]

Can anyone think of other FM/AM simulcast combos that just promote the FM frequency?

In the last years of the KFRC simulcast, 610 AM was never mentioned - it was "99.7 KFRC" . The top of the hour ID just said "KFRC, San Francisco," which is all that is required by FCC regs - you don't have to say "AM and FM.". When the AM was playing Oakland As games, the DJ would note that the game was on "The Big 610," but that was the only mention of AM that you ever heard.

 

[maplebar]

From the summer of 2004 till the day 610 AM went away in 2005, KFRC's Top of the Hour ID was Bobby Ocean saying .."You're listening to
the Greatet Hits of All Time on 99.7 FM and The Legenary Big 610 ... Jingle out..KFRC San Francisco.

Except for splitting for Oakland A's baseball, this ran every hour.

 

[SFStatic]

But...as pointed out above, the actual legal ID was the (sung) KFRC, San Francisco. It will be interesting to see what happens when the deal goes through, if they will keep the KOIT AM calls, change them, or as many have pointed out, sell the thing. A power challanged, stand alone AM in San Francisco-- what do you do with it besides brokered snake oil?

 

[DavidSC]

"Can anyone think of other FM/AM simulcast combos that just promote the FM frequency?"

This seems to be a common thing nowdays. KSL Salt Lake City with a heritage 50,000 watt AM now only identifies the FM except in legal ID. I've heard this on other stations around the country. I never did understand why KFRC didn't capitalize on the legend of the legendary 610. Why not do something like "The Big 610 and 99.7 KFRC" during the hour? KWIN, Stockton promotes both FM frequencies "97.7, 98.3 KWIN...".
Why not do the same with an AM/FM?

 

[LKellerIII]

"The Big 610 and 99.7 KFRC"

The DJs would lead out of songs with this (though 99.7 got top billing) for a few weeks from time to time, but always went back to just "99,7 KFRC"

 

[jd]

It's a legal I.D. That's all that is required. During the hour they can call themselves whatever they please.

If that's the way they say it, it's not a legal ID. Per FCC regulations it should be "KOIT and KOIT-FM," since the AM station's assigned call letters are KOIT, without the AM suffix. "-AM" is not an official part of any US AM station's call letters. (Of course with FM stations, if they were assigned an "-FM" suffix they have to use it in their ID.) I doubt that KOIT has anything to worry about, though, since the FCC doesn't seem to be too interested in enforcing the station ID policy these days.