KNBR Among Leaders In Sportstalk Revenue

The Houston Chronicle ran an article Sunday morning which mentions that The Sports Leader, KNBR/680, is #3 overall nationally among sports/talk stations in attracting advertiser dollars.

Quoting here:

"Arbitron ratings are nice, but bucks are the bottom line. By that measurement, to no one's surprise, the nation's top sports radio station in 2006, based on revenues, was WFAN in New York City at $50.6 million, according to BIA Financial Network.

WEEI in Boston was No. 2 at $36.5 million, followed by KNBR in San Francisco at $29.7 million and KTCK in Dallas-Fort Worth at $24.7 million. Stations in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Miami, Chicago and Philadelphia rounded out the top 10."

"San Francisco Soundz" Back On KTRB/860

Pappas Radio's KTRB (860 AM), which moved into the Bay Area from Modesto earlier this year, is bringing back its "San Francisco Soundz" program, playing music by local bands from the mid-1960s into the ealy 1970s, just in time for the fortieth anniversary of the so-called "Summer of Love."

The program will air Saturday and Sunday nights from 7 p.m. to midnight beginning tomorrow night (May 26).

I know that Lee Baby Simms was discussed as a possible host of the show, but the press release (copy below, with corrected misspellings) from the station doesn't mention who'll be playing the phonograph records...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“SAN FRANCISCO SOUNDZ” RETURNS TO KTRB AM
860 WEEKEND NIGHTS

San Francisco, California (May 25, 2007) -- KTRB AM 860 today announced the return of its popular “San Francisco Soundz” program on Saturday, May 26th. “San Francisco Soundz” features the music of home-grown Bay Area bands from the mid-sixties, including such artists as Janis Joplin, Sons of Champlin, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Santana, Creedence Clearwater, and Jefferson Airplane.

The concept for “San Francisco Soundz” was originated earlier this year by KTRB’s Program Director, Kevin Barrett, as a tribute to classic San Francisco music in honor of KTRB’s debut in its new Bay Area home.

The response from listeners was so overwhelming that Barrett and KTRB’s General Manager, Jim Pappas, decided to revive the program in order to better serve the station’s audience. “San Francisco Soundz” will air every Saturday and Sunday evening from 7:00 p.m. to Midnight.

Listeners may e-mail suggestions and comments to listen@ktrb860.com.

Bonneville Sells KOIT/1260 To Immaculate Heart

Bonneville International's final remaining Bay Area broadcast property, KOIT/1260, has reportedly been sold to IHR Educational Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Immaculate Heart Radio, which describes itself as a "non-profit umbrella organization that operates a 24-hour Catholic Radio Network on the West Coast."

The reported sale price for the station is $14-million.

The station presently simulcasts KOIT/96.5's Lite Rock programming via the 1260 AM 5000-watt daytime, 1000-watt nighttime signal that was once the beloved KYA.

IHR also operates Catholic-programmed stations elsewhere in California, Nevada and New Mexico, including KWG/1230 in Stockton and KSMH/1620 in Sacramento. IHR may take over operation of the station in the next few weeks with an LMA in advance of final FCC approval of the sale.

Free FM Folds; KFRC Resuscitated

The buzz began building before noon today with a news tip that CBS Radio was reviving the venerable KFRC call letters and a Classic Hits format on 106.9 FM later this afternoon, ending a year and a half of moribund "Free FM" programming on the frequency.

With confirmation in the form of an official press release from deep within CBS Radio's San Francisco headquarters, the wait was on, goosed along by regular mentions by Ken Korach during the Oakland A's broadcast that an exciting announcement was coming following the game at about 4 p.m.

The change came abruptly, however, when Robert Buan — ostensibly hosting the team-produced "Extra Innings" postgame show — decided to read from the CBS press release, apparently trumping the company's hoped-for dramatic debut. Buan's show on 106.9 FM was quickly cut off, and the KFRC Classic Hits "Magical Mystery Tour" stunting began.

Following a recorded "Winds Of Change" announcement by former 610/KFRC personality Beau Weaver, the music began with Free's "Alright Now," kicking off an A-Z jukeboxing of classic hits, heavily weighted toward Seventies tunes, with a smattering of Sixties and Eighties.

Meanwhile, according to comments I've heard from a CBS/SF insider, plans are in the works to hire an air staff that features several well-known voices, although the announcement may be weeks away. One name to scratch off the list: Bobby Ocean, who was reportedly courted for an on-air shift and to do the station's imaging, but respectfully declined. He'll stay with Entercom's Lite Rock KOIT/96.5 and continue doing afternoons on XM Radio's 70s on 7 channel.

Several Free FM talk programs will be switched over to co-owned KYCY/1550 (KYOU), including the Adam Carolla and Danny Bonaduce morning show and the Tom Leykis afternoon show. With additional brokered programming on KYCY, it may mean that the vaunted podcasting format pioneered by the station may be pushed even farther into the background.