CBS/SF Cuts Kohl, Nine Others

Count ten members of the CBS Radio team in the Bay Area among those caught in the wave that washed out 115 staffers in a nationwide cost-cutting move orchestrated by company chief Joel Hollander.

It's a great corporate philosophy: when in doubt, don't improve your product. Instead, slash and burn.

According to reports carried in today's Radio & Records and other electronic trade papers, the biggest name headed out the door is Ken Kohl, hired less than a year ago to oversee the launch of Free FM 106.9 (KIFR).

In an internal memo to local employees quoted by R&R, Doug Harvill, market manager for CBS Radio/SF, said "Our stations have implemented exciting plans that are delivering ratings and results. There is plenty of work for all of us to do, and I look forward to hearing how you may want to expand your role and contributions to our stations."

Others reportedly departing CBS include Vicky Biggs (national sales manager, KCBS/KIFR), Herb Anderson (controller, KFRC/KCBS), Angelina Fong (promotions assistant, KCBS), Kent Yeglin (chief engineer, KITS), Mark Silverstein (sales manager, KYCY/Oakland A's), Kari Fulton (NTR director), Cari Levine (NTR manager), and Jason Lee and Jay Vong, who worked in the business department for the group of CBS stations here.

Steve Dinardo, currently VP/GM of Live 105 (KITS), will take on the same duties at Free FM 106.9. Alice@97.3 (KLLC) VP/GM Greg Nemitz adds KYCY/1550 to his list of responsibilities.

DOTS & DASHES — The old original 1260/KYA has been dead and gone for nearly 25 years, but there are old original fans of the station (including me) who still pine for the days of Tom Campbell, Johnny Holliday, The Mighty Mitchell, Russ "The Moose" Syracuse, "Big Daddy" Tom Donahue and Emperor Gene Nelson.

Well, now we can relive those days, albeit vicariously and virtually, through KyaRadio1.com, which is streaming online from Clovis, Calif., through the efforts of Chris Edwards, the nom de radieux of Verne White. The KYA revival includes classic jingles and an extensive collection of oldies spanning the 1950s through the 1980s...

Speaking of which, Johnny Holliday sends along word that Ed Hider, a popular KYA jock back in the 1960s, is a real estate millionaire in Southern California these days, having invested his radio earnings in apartment buildings and other properties. See, I told you that going into radio would pay off eventually!