KFRC was home to Merv Griffin in the 40’s (swing music) and Dr. Don Rose in the 60’s (Top 40) when the station was on the AM dial at 610. The station has gone through a number of format changes over the years. CBS bought KFRC, leaving the AM dial ending up at 99.7 FM. More format changes with KFRC becoming Movin’ 99.7 playing dance music. About a year later CBS’ Free FM shock-talk format at 106.9 was dropped and 106.9 FM became the new home for KFRC playing a classic hits format. Got it so far? Try this.

If you have not already heard, Monday the KFRC on-air staff was told that they were history; KFRC would start simulcasting KCBS all news broadcasts beginning Monday, October 27.

This past season the A’s were on KFRC, it has been suggested that they helped lower the station’s ratings but were not at all the main reason for the poor numbers. Jumping around the dial and format changes did not help. Low ratings and KCBS wanting to expand its audience, younger listeners who hang out on the FM dial being a reason for the move.

KFRC’s Classic Hits have not completely disappeared; the classic hits will continue to be available as streaming audio at KFRC.com and on KFRC-HD2; however, you will not hear Dave Sholin, Celeste Perry, Sue Hall, Jay Coffey, and Ben Fong-Torres.

If this turns out to be a positive move for KCBS, will KGO and KLIV be next?

The morning commute will not be the same beginning this mid-December as KFOG’s morning host Dave Morey is leaving the airwaves after 26 years at the station.

Morey has spent about 39 years in radio. He was the first voice heard when KFOG 104.5 in San Francisco and now in the South Bay at 97.7 switched from “beautiful music” in 1982 to Album-Oriented Rock (now Adult Album Alternative).

I think his longevity is due to his keeping the chatter to a minimum and not going the shock jock/morning zoo route.

His show has a very popular feature called 10@10, “10 great songs from one great year.” What makes 10@10 special, along with the songs from the year featured that day, are the jingles, news clips, commercials, TV theme songs and historic/political speeches. 10@10 is heard weekday mornings at 10:00 am and repeated that evening at 10:00 pm. He will continue to do the 10@10 segments from his new lakefront home in Michigan after his retirement.

Give Dave Morey a listen at 97.7 on the FM dial weekday mornings before Friday, December 19.

While waiting for our respective customers at SFO, I noticed that the chauffeur standing next to me was holding a clipboard. Attached to its back was a small handbill from the San Jose Jazz Festival. Seeing it was enough for me to start up a conversation. I learned that this chauffeur was none other than Afrikahn Jahmal Dayvs a.k.a. radio KKUP DJ - Bajaba On Jazzline.

KKUP’s involvement (Blues Stage) with the Jazz Festival includes being one of its sponsors. Mr. Dayvs was surprised to hear that because of a miscalculation, San Jose’s Office of Cultural Affairs had made the recommendation to significantly cut funds for this years festival.

To shift funds away from the Jazz Festival and give it to other city venues such as Christmas in the Park is not in the best interest of San Jose. Christmas in the Park makes for a nice local family tradition but it does not generate the revenue or recognition that a jazz festival does.

Hopefully wiser minds at City Hall will prevail and the San Jose Jazz Festival will receive the well-deserved attention it deserves.

KKUP 91.5 Peoples Radio

Bajaba On Jazzline 4PM Tuesday

San Jose Jazz Festival 2007

Bruce Springsteen “The Boss” and the E Street Band will perform for San Jose.

April 5th. HP Pavilion at 7:30pm!

Tickets go on sale Monday Jan. 28 at 10 a.m
San Jose’s HP Pavilion
Tickets - $65-$95

* Live Nation
* Ticketmaster
* (408) 998-TIXS.

Free tickets? 98.5 KFOX will most likely have a contest

Actually, KFRC never left it just changed formats from classic rock to a format “Featuring a combination of rhythmic hits from the 80s, 90s and today.” Now, KFRC Classic Hits is back but now down the dial.

So, what has changed? Here we go… 106.9 Free FM is now KFRC Classic Hits; MOViN 99.7 is now KMVQ, no format change; Free FM’s Adam Carolla, Opie & Anthony and Tom Leykis move to KYOU (KYCY) 1550 AM.

Bad news for those who listen to the “Free FM” personalities as 1550 is not a strong signal in the South Bay. Currently, no information when the KYOU format changes. For now, you can find streams at Free FM Los Angeles and New York.

KFRC
MOViN 99.7
CBS Radio

KFRC On-Air: Dave Sholin, Celeste Perry, Jay Coffey, Steve Moore, Ben Fong-Torres (Sundays)

A new radio station began broadcasting February 1 on the AM dial, KTRB 860. KTRB will play continuous music reprising the late 60s and early 70s including The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother & The Holding Company, and a number of other Bay Area artists. However, KTRB’s permanent format begins March 1 15.

From their press release: “KTRB will bring a fresh sound to the Bay Area to add diversity to the choices available to the public. KTRB will entertain and inform with fresh, lively content, the likes of which the public does not now have available.”

If you like music from the 60s and early 70s give a listen now as who knows what will happen in March.

For more on this story check this post by our friend Mark Pritchard, Metroblogging San Francisco.

Update: The new format will be talk. Returning to Bay Area airwaves are Mancow Muller (broadcasting from Chicago) and John London (broadcasting from Austin). Other syndicated shows may fill other time slots during the day. “The San Francisco Sound” may continue on weekends.

In other radio news: KCNL 104.9 changes format from Spanish alternative to alternative music in English. The new format will include new and older alternative songs, and will draw heavily from listener requests.