Saturday, December 21, 2013

The End of the World for Harold Camping and Talk Radio on FM; Saturday Quickie

    I didn't care much for Harold Camping; he would only mean to me the guy that owned something called "Family Radio" and the legacy call letters, KFRC. Camping also provided a nifty marketing and PR campaign that called for the world to end in May, 2011. We know that went well.

Camping died last week. (Insert metaphor).


So now, the frequency is available and there's a gargantuan set of rumors making the rounds: more religion programming, perhaps ethnic radio, a new talk station? That would be lovely but AM radio being AM radio, highly unlikely.

The frequency is an expensive proposition --millions, like $6-7M. So an LMA is probably more viable and in the offing if one is to believe one such story. I'm still not convinced about sustainability of talk radio on that part of the dial. I know it's still inconceivable that the Bay Area doesn't have a full M-F talk format, (the albatross station doesn't count).

A radio buddy of mine says he thinks FM would be a great source for talk. I'm not so sure. I know talk on FM is very successful in other markets, like Boston for example, but the vast majority of FM people here listen to the marginalized stations like LIVE 105; a few loyal fogheads still play KFOG and then there's KCSM and 94.9 Wild. I hear there's an all-sports station but the little I hear, I'm not impressed.

As the cliche goes, stay tuned.



 

11 comments:

  1. Not really qualified to offer an opinion on this subject. However, I do know that the Bay Area is devoid of really talented, intelligent talk show hosts. I feel bad constantly beating up on Gil, I think he is a nice person, but I just can't his show these days. Ed Baxter sad in for Frosty yesterday, he was followed by Gil and Rhoda, what a let down, I just couldn't listen to them and what has become a really stupid show, devoid of any creativity. Although Ed followed the 910 format, his show was still so much better than both Frosty and Gil. Matt Rey seem to be a permanent replacement on KGO and he is pretty good. However, there are several talented hosts we don't get to hear anymore: John Rothman, Stacy Taylor, Peter B Collins and Christine Kraft (she did fill in on KGO recently). David Lazarus sad in for Norm Goldman for several days on 960, he use to on KGO and I really think he is very good, knows his stuff and can engage the listeners, and is polite and don't yell, even when people disagree with him, however his main job is as a journalist for the LA Times. Anyway just some random thoughts about talent that would greatly improve talk radio in the Bay Area.

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  2. You are so wrong about this man. Unlike TV evangelists he did try to do good with his money as he built a radio network. Lived modestly in Oakland,didn't drive a Bentley,just a plain American car. He was a good man who got old and made predictions he believed in that were wrong. That's the sad part. Old,success went to his head,whatever...but he didn't make the prediction to make a money you have to remember.
    I remember somebody called in to his show and just laid into Harold about religion. Camping let the man talk,belittle him, and after some back and forth calmly said that "we disagree" Never hung up on the caller,didn't berate him. That surprised me.
    So yes,he he was wrong about the end of the world twice...at age 70,then 90. Geddit?

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    1. That actually made sense with some sentence structure and was thoughtful. Guess Stan can post sober.

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    2. Dances with DictionariesDecember 22, 2013 at 11:00 AM

      U R ill li tur ate. Dum two!

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  3. Cumulus will announce the purchase of the station after the first of the year after months of behind the scenes negotiations.

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  4. At least he was finally correct, for once.

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  5. How about a return to KFRC 60's, 70's, and 80's music? Yes, there's 98.1 and 103.7 on the FM dial. I liked when KFRC-AM in the 2000's rebroadcasted Casey Kasem's American Top 40 on Saturday mornings and had themed music on weekends.

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  6. What time is the shindig at Tommys Joynt?

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  7. Hey,I get the message Rich... I still will post..and then tell the truth how you manipulate the blog to look as if nobody agrees' with me ever. I'm the only real liberal in the media. You and Mike Savage want to make a buck using whoever and whatever you can- eh,fine. If you really need money..read your own advertiser KSCO!..how media can make money. Oh,that's right,you know that KSCO ownership are more con artists. They stabbed you in the back..
    Only,on ALLl the other blogs,its the other way around. Just yours. Tell the people that.

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    1. Stan, nobody ever does agree with you. Consider yourself lucky that Rich tolerates your insane comments.

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  8. The last thing that the Bay Area needs is another talk station. There's too much of that on the air now. Why would we need more? If anything, it would be a good idea for a current talk station to change formats. Besides, KFRC in it's "Classic Hits" form is badly needed along with a good C&W station. I hope that CBS is listening and would be willing to do a better job of promoting KFRC than they did in the past. No automated stuff either. Hire live DJ's along with contests and anything that would build listener's interest.

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