Since last September, KTRB has been in receivership by Comerica Bank, which has been trying to sell it and its massive accumulated debt. Initially, the bank was asking anywhere from $8 -12 million, including all assumable debt. That figure has lowered considerably as the station's signal is weakened by a tower maintenance issue and now signs off after sunset and is only on the air when Stanford basketball occurs.
KTRB has a few hours of regular programming during the week.
The A's have been working hard to acquire the station; either a direct purchase or other unspecified plans as spring training nears.
On KTRB currently Sportsbyline USA starts about 7-8am with Marty Terrel (sic) - Ken Dito at 9-10am.
ReplyDeleteRick Tittle 10-noon. JJ and the Mouth at Noon and TONS of Ron Barr reruns after that. Then BANG it goes off the air....
What is the latest RUMOR on who might take over Sportsphone 680 since Santangelo left.
Last night Fitzgerald sound like he did 10-15 yrs ago as he guest hosted the 7pm to 9pm slot.
What is Hammer thinking now...
I hope the A's can somehow buy the station. We really need. I can only stand KNBR 680-1050 so much these days.
ReplyDeleteWill they keep the station plugged in during night games or still go off at sunset?
ReplyDeleteYou'd hope that there are enough A's fans to give their station enough ratings, advertisement revenue, to at least be on a relevant station.
The A's better find a way to get this (radio station purchase)squared away.
ReplyDeleteThey cannot expect to be a Major League Baseball Club without a strong radio presence.
The issue at night isn't tower maintenance -- it's the cost of propane to run the generators at their nighttime site up in the Livermore Hills. When Pappas couldn't afford paying for the daily delivery of propane to the site, they began shutting the station down at local sunset, which the receiver has continued (except for during Stanford night games).
ReplyDeleteThe new owners will either have to find a way to run electricity to the night site, or find a new nighttime site closer to the Bay. Their daytime site is shared with KFAX near the San Mateo Bridge in Hayward.
David Jackson has it partially right. It isn't that Pappas couldn't afford to pay for daily delivery - it doesn't need daily delivery, and the station was on the air at nights well into the bank's receivership. While the transmitter does run off propane, the entire thing is on the brink of breaking down. A new transmitter is needed (one that would run off electricity), and the cost of putting it up could go into the millions. Plus banks are filthy rich, they can afford to merely sit on the station and wait for a proper bid. It's what greedy rich people and organizations do. Pushing this issue for this long is a very amateurish move by the A's though, they need a legitimate station soon.
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