New Call Letters for AM 560 Are KZAC. A Question:

[Weiserguy]

As of the 8 AM hour they were still simulcasting. I'll check at the TOH to see if they've begun to run a new legal ID, or even new imaging. (Though I doubt it.)

Edit: At 12 Noon it was still status quo. At 1 pm, they'd switched to a new TOH ID that listed "KSFO San Francisco/KSAN-HD2 San Mateo/KZAC San Francisco". So it seems the simulcast continues, after the big call letter shuffle. A true non-event.

(OK, now I'm through with the death watch. 🤯 )

 

[Mark Roberts]

One hour later: the 1 pm Pacific ID now has KZAC and no KGO. So you probably heard the last TOH ID for KGO. (I'm listening on an SDR.)

You also missed the disclaimer for the spot two minutes before that: "Trump watches are not intended as an investment".

 

[Weiserguy]

One hour later: the 1 pm Pacific ID now has KZAC and no KGO. So you probably heard the last TOH ID for KGO. (I'm listening on an SDR.)

You also missed the disclaimer for the spot two minutes before that: "Trump watches are not intended as an investment".

Oh, I heard it. That little bit of flim-flam did not escape my tender eardrums. They're probably not intended for telling time either.

 

[KilowattKat]

Oh, I heard it. That little bit of flim-flam did not escape my tender eardrums. They're probably not intended for telling time either.

Or not being truthful about the correct time, and then blaming the factory for rigging them to be inaccurate.

Oh yeah, and about 560... with the legendary KGO calls now gone from radio, I find a sudden disinterest now, regarding the next phase of AM 560. I don't think the format change is imminent. The new calls are just in place for the future when something does happen, and probably have no meaning. Although it does roll off the tongue nicely when you aay them out loud....KAY-ZEE-A-CEE. Meh...

 

[TheBigA]

There is no rule that prevents them from simulcasting indefinitely. Remember that the FCC eliminated the simulcast rule five years ago.

 

[Weiserguy]

Audacy did something similar back in the summer in New York City. They changed the heritage calls on WCBS to WHSQ after killing off their legendary Newsradio 88/880 format. ("HSQ" for Hudson SQuare, in Soho, where the Audacy stations are headquartered these days.) They too were looking to the future, when "CBS" will need to be gone from all of their stations. KCBS, KCBS-FM in L.A., and WCBS-FM in NYC will eventually need to shed them too.) WHSQ is now running ESPN and local sports programming. Since Cumulus already feeds sports on three of their SFBA signals, I'm going to take a wild stab and guess that whatever tenth-rate format ends up on 560, its primary mission will be as overflow for whatever play-by-play sports have to get bumped off the main KNBR signals.

 

[Weiserguy]

There is no rule that prevents them from simulcasting indefinitely. Remember that the FCC eliminated the simulcast rule five years ago.

What you say is true, they can simulcast until the transmitter melts down. Simulcasting saves them some programming cost. But there is an opportunity cost to not putting something on 560 that's not already on a much better (except in some very limited locations) signal. If they found something that might garner an audience, they might be able to build a modest revenue stream. As it is, 560 is basically a heat sink for unneeded electrons and a pipeline for needed dollars that are instead going to PG&E.

 

[TheBigA]

But there is an opportunity cost to not putting something on 560

After weighing the possibilities, they apparently choose expediency over potential opportunity. I can't say I disagree with their logic.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Audacy did something similar back in the summer in New York City. They changed the heritage calls on WCBS to WHSQ after killing off their legendary Newsradio 88/880 format. ("HSQ" for Hudson SQuare, in Soho, where the Audacy stations are headquartered these days.) They too were looking to the future, when "CBS" will need to be gone from all of their stations. KCBS, KCBS-FM in L.A., and WCBS-FM in NYC will eventually need to shed them too.) WHSQ is now running ESPN and local sports programming. Since Cumulus already feeds sports on three of their SFBA signals, I'm going to take a wild stab and guess that whatever tenth-rate format ends up on 560, its primary mission will be as overflow for whatever play-by-play sports have to get bumped off the main KNBR signals.

Yes I was thinking something similar to other Cumulus owned stations and Red Apple when that happened. When I read about the John Catsimatidis hyping up buying another station. I was thinking he might be required to Remove the WABC call letters off 770 AM New York but when? Yes this is due to Red Apple having ties to WNYM and how Red Apple distributes some of their shows off to Salem Media.

 

[Weiserguy]

Yes I was thinking something similar to other Cumulus owned stations and Red Apple when that happened. When I read about the John Catsimatidis hyping up buying another station. I was thinking he might be required to Remove the WABC call letters off 770 AM New York but when? Yes this is due to Red Apple having ties to WNYM and how Red Apple distributes some of their shows off to Salem Media.

The original spinoff of the ABC legacy radio stations by Disney to Citadel happened (IIRC) in 2007. (Then to Cumulus 2 or 3 years later, and eventually to Red Apple.) The deal included a provision that the acquirer could continue to use the legacy call letters for 20 years, which would make the cutoff date in just 2 or 3 years, 2027. (Again, IIRC.) So unless Mr. Catsimaditis cuts some side deal with Disney to continue using WABC, he too will need to find another set of calls to plug into 770/NY.

But other than an ABC employee discount on groceries from the Upper West Side Gristede's supermarkets, what might Cats have that Disney needs? Cash, ya think?

 

[fybush]

You do not recall correctly. The Citadel/ABC callsign deal was a perpetual one. The former ABC calls can't be moved to other stations, though, which is why 560 didn't become KGO.

The "CBS" calls have a 20-year window, which means Audacy will need to renegotiate their use in 2037, assuming call signs and radio even still exist by then.

The only reason WCBS(AM) changed is that there was a clause forcing a change in calls if there was a format change.

 

[Mark Roberts]

There is no rule that prevents them from simulcasting indefinitely. Remember that the FCC eliminated the simulcast rule five years ago.

Maybe they're shopping it around to see who might lease it. There are plenty of languages on the Indian subcontinent to choose from.

 

[Mark Roberts]

Since Cumulus already feeds sports on three of their SFBA signals, I'm going to take a wild stab and guess that whatever tenth-rate format ends up on 560, its primary mission will be as overflow for whatever play-by-play sports have to get bumped off the main KNBR signals.

The simulcast has been broken for University of California basketball games, which have been broadcast only on 810, most recently last Saturday. We'll have to see where those end up. Learfield, which has the rights, would have to agree to a move to 560, I would expect. Learfield might want to hang on to the bigger 810 coverage.

Edit: next chance to find out is Wednesday 1/8 at 8 pm Pacific.

 

[michael hagerty]

Okay, I'm just gonna go ahead and break cover.

I know a guy who knows a guy. Both are KGO alum and both tell me that Cumulus has informed program vendors of their intent to take 560 dark.

I can't confirm that independently, but apparently, there's some existing contractual thing (sports?) that requires them to keep 560 on the air a while longer.

And that, they tell me, is why they needed new calls for 560 instead of just moving the KSFO calls to 810 and turning in the license.

Apparently there are written communications between Cumulus and the vendors.

There are people on this board much better connected with the vendor world than I, so maybe that can be confirmed or debunked conclusively.

 

[TheBigA]

It all makes sense. Cumulus is very different from iHeart, where they built BIN as a way to attract new advertisers to AM stations. That's not the direction Cumulus is going. They seem to be cutting back on inventory rather than seeking to grow it. At least in terms of broadcasting. They're not building new platforms or new formats. They are instead shrinking the footprint. So turning in some AM licenses wouldn't surprise me at all. They have a bunch of dead AMs around the country, most of which came from the Citadel purchase. I think they have shut down a few already, mostly for technical reasons. In another thread, I said that some owners have held on to these AMs in the hope of getting something (anything) in exchange for the license. Maybe a tax credit from the government, for example. They may be waiting to see what the new administration might do in this area. But reading the early comments of Brendan Carr, I would say that his FCC won't be like Agit Pai's.

 

[KilowattKat]

Townsquare has been shutting down AM's for awhile now. Not bothering to sell, just turning in the license. In the last week they turned in the license for KHKR and WFNT. Also, they requested silent notifications for WDLA AM/FM.

So, this is being done for a tax write off?

 

[mightynine]

So, this is being done for a tax write off?

Probably more to cut operating expenses.

 

[davideduardo]

Townsquare has been shutting down AM's for awhile now. Not bothering to sell, just turning in the license. In the last week they turned in the license for KHKR and WFNT. Also, they requested silent notifications for WDLA AM/FM.

So, this is being done for a tax write off?

"Tax write-offs" are quite misunderstood. In most cases, you convert an asset into an "expense item". And that only saves you money if you are making an operating profit which can be reduced by the station's value

A property is on the books at its estimated value; companies have to adjust values if they decline over time... just as they reduce the value of equipment under depreciation.

The main reason to close a station would be not having a likelihood of a solid buyer and wanting to get out of property leases or taxes, maintenance costs and, of course, operating costs..

 

[TheBigA]

"Tax write-offs" are quite misunderstood. In most cases, you convert an asset into an "expense item". And that only saves you money if you are making an operating profit which can be reduced by the station's value

Thanks, I couldn't come up with an easy way to explain it. Cumulus isn't making a profit, so adding to the losses doesn't help. There is no government program that encourages companies to turn in their AM licenses. I can't conceive of a reason why there would be. But in my opinion, the main reason these radio companies don't show a profit year after year is partly because of stations like this. For many years, the San Francisco cluster was helped by the success of KNBR. But that seems to be ending. So they simply can't afford to float these four AM stations anymore. Unless they can attach some revenue to them, they're better off being shut down. I think we'll see many more AM stations turned in during the next few years.

 

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

But why keep 1050?