Local (and other) radio news

[RGMike]

Big Rick isn't going to The Band, but KUFX in the afternoons.   

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/18/DDV71H9VL2.DTL&tsp=1

well, this is one wild-ass day in Bay Area radio!  But why on earth would you simulcast K-FOX on an SF frequency when SF already has a Classic Rocker (The Band), a younger-skewing almost-Classic Rocker (The Bone) and a classics-heavy Triple-A (KFOG)?

Whatevs. Bet the folks at The Band are hella pissed.

[sundaygal]

Big Rick isn't going to The Band, but KUFX in the afternoons.  

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/18/DDV71H9VL2.DTL&tsp=1

well, this is one wild-ass day in Bay Area radio!  But why on earth would you simulcast K-FOX on an SF frequency when SF already has a Classic Rocker (The Band), a younger-skewing almost-Classic Rocker (The Bone) and a classics-heavy Triple-A (KFOG)?

Whatevs. Bet the folks at The Band are hella pissed.

I don't know what when down between BRS and KFOG, but they were stupid to let him go.  There's absolutely no reason to listen in the afternoons anymore.  Who can fill those shoes?  Oh, I know!  Dave Morey...

San Francisco can use a decent alternative station remeniscent of ye olde Live 105 or KROQ (L.A.).  Or maybe that's just me talkin'.

Sorry for the italics.  My computer at work is on peyote.

[RGMike]

And as mentioned elsewhere, the guy who's now in charge of Entercom's SF operations (they own K_FOX and sold KDFC) is an old buddy of Big Rick's who used to be with KFOG (before Cumulus bought them) so it makes sense that he'd wanna work for an old pal rather than the suits at Cumulus.  And Cumulus is too busy trying to buy Citadel to care about retaining Rick, I guess.

One plus: we get to hear the Sharks radio broadcasts in SF.

[Tinka Cat]

Big Rick isn't going to The Band, but KUFX in the afternoons.  

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/18/DDV71H9VL2.DTL&tsp=1

well, this is one wild-ass day in Bay Area radio!  But why on earth would you simulcast K-FOX on an SF frequency when SF already has a Classic Rocker (The Band), a younger-skewing almost-Classic Rocker (The Bone) and a classics-heavy Triple-A (KFOG)?

Whatevs. Bet the folks at The Band are hella pissed.

losing broadcast KUSF sucks SUCKS SUCKSSSS!  
That's one of my top (three?) over the air stations.

No wonder Big Rick was so tight-lipped about this.  Not sure how much he knew about the whole dial re-org, but there are probably some media folks who knew the deets but who could not do any bean spilling.

[urth]

Big Rick isn't going to The Band, but KUFX in the afternoons.  

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/18/DDV71H9VL2.DTL&tsp=1

well, this is one wild-ass day in Bay Area radio!  But why on earth would you simulcast K-FOX on an SF frequency when SF already has a Classic Rocker (The Band), a younger-skewing almost-Classic Rocker (The Bone) and a classics-heavy Triple-A (KFOG)?

Whatevs. Bet the folks at The Band are hella pissed.

losing broadcast KUSF sucks SUCKS SUCKSSSS!  
That's one of my top (three?) over the air stations.

With you on this. Increasing their web visibility does not make up for the loss to the local terrestrial audience. The admin at USF should be ashamed. And I'd bet that Big Rick feels a little sheepish that the deal that brought him to K-FOX from KFOG was also responsible for the veritable demise of the station where he got his start.

So what's left? KALX and KFJC, I guess.

[Tinka Cat]

Big Rick isn't going to The Band, but KUFX in the afternoons.  

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/18/DDV71H9VL2.DTL&tsp=1

well, this is one wild-ass day in Bay Area radio!  But why on earth would you simulcast K-FOX on an SF frequency when SF already has a Classic Rocker (The Band), a younger-skewing almost-Classic Rocker (The Bone) and a classics-heavy Triple-A (KFOG)?

Whatevs. Bet the folks at The Band are hella pissed.

losing broadcast KUSF sucks SUCKS SUCKSSSS!  
That's one of my top (three?) over the air stations.

With you on this. Increasing their web visibility does not make up for their loss to the local terrestrial audience. The admin at USF should be ashamed.

did you see hartlaub's sidebar on KUSF?  The staffers had only a few MINUTES warning it was going to happen.  I can see the school administration's reason's for pulling the plug -- they got some good money for the license, and they're cash-strapped, and the bulk of the staff were not actually students -- but no advance warning is a tough one to accept.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/18/DD8H1HARE7.DTL

KUSF online will go dark for a few days while they upgrade the stream to handle more than the current 100 listeners (they stream now at a paltry 56k, I hope that increases):
http://www.usfca.edu/Newsroom/Community_News/KUSF_Moves_to_Online_Only_Format/



One good thing that might come out of this is that KDFC's new owners -- USC, which will operate the station as a non-profit -- might actually improve the classical programming on that station.  I'm sure no one here cares, but they play lots of light fare, single movements of pieces.  This may allow them to branch out and take some chances with their programming.  

btw, every weekend, KUSF plays played? the Metropolitan Opera's Simulcast: http://www.operainfo.org/stationfinder/stationFinder.cgi

[ggould]

One good thing that might come out of this is that KDFC's new owners -- USC, which will operate the station as a non-profit -- might actually improve the classical programming on that station.  I'm sure no one here cares, but they play lots of light fare, single movements of pieces.  This may allow them to branch out and take some chances with their programming.  

Well, we listen at certain times of the week, and day, and yes, I've noticed some very poppish tunes being played.  I'm not a classical snob, but yes, I'm sure the true aficionados have probably been suffering.

[urth]

And as mentioned elsewhere, the guy who's now in charge of Entercom's SF operations (they own K_FOX and sold KDFC) is an old buddy of Big Rick's who used to be with KFOG (before Cumulus bought them) so it makes sense that he'd wanna work for an old pal rather than the suits at Cumulus.  And Cumulus is too busy trying to buy Citadel to care about retaining Rick, I guess.

One plus: we get to hear the Sharks radio broadcasts in SF.

To paraphrase Richard Thompson, "did he jump or was he pushed?"  Hate to say it, but I'm guessing the former, since he's resurfacing at his new gig so soon after leaving KFOG.

Btw, BR's FB page has been scrubbed of all KFOG-related posts.

[Alicat]

And as mentioned elsewhere, the guy who's now in charge of Entercom's SF operations (they own K_FOX and sold KDFC) is an old buddy of Big Rick's who used to be with KFOG (before Cumulus bought them) so it makes sense that he'd wanna work for an old pal rather than the suits at Cumulus.  And Cumulus is too busy trying to buy Citadel to care about retaining Rick, I guess.

One plus: we get to hear the Sharks radio broadcasts in SF.

Didn't realize SF didn't get the Sharks broadcast. I take that for granted and guess I was lucky. That is all I listen to KFOX for as I lost my like of Greg Kihn. Wow. I said that so nicely. I will loudly boo him any time he is at the Tank when I am. I guess I should really refrain from that.

[sundaygal]

And as mentioned elsewhere, the guy who's now in charge of Entercom's SF operations (they own K_FOX and sold KDFC) is an old buddy of Big Rick's who used to be with KFOG (before Cumulus bought them) so it makes sense that he'd wanna work for an old pal rather than the suits at Cumulus.  And Cumulus is too busy trying to buy Citadel to care about retaining Rick, I guess.

One plus: we get to hear the Sharks radio broadcasts in SF.

To paraphrase Richard Thompson, "did he jump or was he pushed?"  Hate to say it, but I'm guessing the former, since he's resurfacing at his new gig so soon after leaving KFOG.

Btw, BR's FB page has been scrubbed of all KFOG-related posts.

BRS made his "announcement" on his FB page last night.  The ghosts of his radio past came out of the woodwork to wish him well (Alex Bennett, Sal Casteneda, Richard Sands, Web Fingors and even Deborah Iyall). 

[RGMike]

And as mentioned elsewhere, the guy who's now in charge of Entercom's SF operations (they own K_FOX and sold KDFC) is an old buddy of Big Rick's who used to be with KFOG (before Cumulus bought them) so it makes sense that he'd wanna work for an old pal rather than the suits at Cumulus.  And Cumulus is too busy trying to buy Citadel to care about retaining Rick, I guess.

One plus: we get to hear the Sharks radio broadcasts in SF.

To paraphrase Richard Thompson, "did he jump or was he pushed?"  Hate to say it, but I'm guessing the former, since he's resurfacing at his new gig so soon after leaving KFOG.

It makes me wonder if BR was working without a contract at KFOG, since he left on a Wed and resurfaces the following Tue.

[radical347]

Big Rick isn't going to The Band, but KUFX in the afternoons.   

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/18/DDV71H9VL2.DTL&tsp=1

well, this is one wild-ass day in Bay Area radio!  But why on earth would you simulcast K-FOX on an SF frequency when SF already has a Classic Rocker (The Band), a younger-skewing almost-Classic Rocker (The Bone) and a classics-heavy Triple-A (KFOG)?

Whatevs. Bet the folks at The Band are hella pissed.

K-FOX > The Band & hopefully this forces them to flip.

[RGMike]

Big Rick isn't going to The Band, but KUFX in the afternoons.   

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/18/DDV71H9VL2.DTL&tsp=1

well, this is one wild-ass day in Bay Area radio!  But why on earth would you simulcast K-FOX on an SF frequency when SF already has a Classic Rocker (The Band), a younger-skewing almost-Classic Rocker (The Bone) and a classics-heavy Triple-A (KFOG)?

Whatevs. Bet the folks at The Band are hella pissed.

K-FOX > The Band & hopefully this forces them to flip.

agreed. No way all four stations survive unchanged.

[Tinka Cat]

Big Rick isn't going to The Band, but KUFX in the afternoons.   

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/18/DDV71H9VL2.DTL&tsp=1

well, this is one wild-ass day in Bay Area radio!  But why on earth would you simulcast K-FOX on an SF frequency when SF already has a Classic Rocker (The Band), a younger-skewing almost-Classic Rocker (The Bone) and a classics-heavy Triple-A (KFOG)?

Whatevs. Bet the folks at The Band are hella pissed.

K-FOX > The Band & hopefully this forces them to flip.

agreed. No way all four stations survive unchanged.

As I write this, KFOG has just finished playing Sweet Home Alabama.  earlier today, The Bland gave us Layla.  I don't know The Fox beyond it being the station where Greg Khin spins, and I heard on this board that he has his moments of reactionary politics.    I did dial them up online yesterday and heard something that I hear on too many other stations, I forget what it was, maybe AC/DC or Led Zep.  Nice, but not anything earth shattering.  I will enjoy having Sharks broadcasts, I suppose.

the biggest news in all of this is the loss of KUSF.  That was a true valuable resource.  Without the USF agreeing to sell its license, we don't have all this reshuffling.  KUSF played music you NEVER heard on any SF airwaves.  The stuff that KFOG has been playing in its evening shift probably was heard on college stations like KUSF before any PD in Cumulus or CBS or Clear Channel heard of them.  They say the station will go online, but big deal, we all know that's not the same. 

[RGMike]

As I write this, KFOG has just finished playing Sweet Home Alabama.  earlier today, The Bland gave us Layla.  I don't know The Fox beyond it being the station where Greg Khin spins, and I heard on this board that he has his moments of reactionary politics... 

Indeed, now we have 4 stations that will play "Sweet Home Alabama" 17 times a week!  (5 if you count True Oldies Channel)

The folks at Cheap Channel must be pissed as hell right now. They could've simulcast K-FOX on 103.5 when they owned both stations (I said as much when The Band began), but instead went thru all the trouble of creating a new brand, even tho' they had a known quantity in KUFX. 

It will be interesting to see how Kihn fares in this move.  Indeed, a bit of a reactionary (he got into a bit of a kerfuffle a few years ago when he said he was against gay marriage), and when the idea of a K-FOX SF simulcast was first mentioned I said they could probably use Kihn's "political incorrectness" to their advantage, since he'd be a marked (and marketable, for better or worse) alternative to KFOG's laid-back, generally left-leaning morning crew. Time will tell.