S.F. March Radio Ratings In Review...

In the latest Arbitron ratings, News KCBS (740 AM and 106.9 FM) keeps its grip on the top spot among all listeners age 6+ for the third straight month. KQED-FM (88.5) holds the second spot, followed by Lite Rock KOIT (96.5 FM)

In AllAccess.com's analysis:

Like geological strata revealed on a dig, the P25-54 rankings for March are layered by format from #1 to #10. At the top is the News layer, revealing #1 KQED-FM and #2 KCBS-AM. Next is the Top 40 stratum, featuring #3 CBS Radio Top 40/Mainstream KMVQ (99.7 NOW), #4 Clear Channel Top 40/Rhythmic KYLD (Wild 94.9), and #5 KMEL. Next is the Latin layer, with #6 Univision Regional Mexican KSOL and #7 Univision Spanish Adult Hits KBRG (Recuerdo 100.3). The final layer of the P25-54 Top 10 format stratification is the AC layer, which shows KOIT, Clear Channel Hot AC KIOI (Star 101.3), and Clear Channel Rhythmic AC KISQ (98.1 Kiss FM) stacked at #8, #9 and #10, respectively.

AllAccess also notes that the Wild 94.9 morning show, starring J.V. and Rico, has jumped from #5 to #2 among listeners 18-34, and from #10 to #5 among listeners 25-54.

Dave McQueen Signs Off At KCBS Tonight

Dave McQueen, one of the best newsmen we'll ever hear, retires after his late-night shift at All News KCBS (740/106.9) tonight. KCBS has been running a tribute piece by Mike Sugerman as their cover story today, and his friends and colleagues will hold a retirement party for him tonight.

McQueen (photo, right) came to the Bay Area forty years ago from Texas as the news anchor at KSAN during its nascent days as "The Jive 95." He had a deep, solid, authoritarian voice -- a "network voice" -- which belied his appearance: Dave McQueen was a full-on long-haired hippie.

He also worked at KFRC, KNEW, KKCY and KKSF. McQueen's last shift tonight (through early Saturday morning) has him on from 9 to 11 PM, then again from 2 to 5 AM, according to the KCBS program schedule.

UPDATE (6/27/2009 5 AM): As I fully expected, Dave McQueen -- who declined to be interviewed for Mike Sugerman's tribute piece -- signed off his final broadcast on KCBS in simple, by-the-book fashion: he mentioned the features that were coming up in the next hour, and then, after the top-of-the-hour time signal, he intoned "five o'clock."

The KCBS audio tribute to McQueen may be streamed at the station's website.

PHOTO SOURCE: Dave McQueen, circa 1973, from Jive95.com.

KCBS Heads To San Jose For A Day

This Thursday (June 11), All News KCBS returns to its ancestral roots for one afternoon as it sends morning co-anchor Stan Bunger (photo, right) and midday co-anchor Rebecca Corral to the approximate spot that the station originally broadcast from a century ago.

Bunger and Corral will anchor the KCBS (740 AM and 106.9 FM) noon newscast from Fairmont Plaza in San Jose, once the site of the Garden City Bank Building, where Prof. Charles D. Herrold developed the world's first broadcasting station in the late 1900s.

When the government began licensing stations for commercial broadcasting in 1921, Herrold's pioneering station became KQW. A migration to San Francisco began in 1942 with the opening of studios at the Palace Hotel, along with becoming CBS' key affiliate in the Bay Area.

In April 1949, the station was purchased by CBS, at which time it adopted the KCBS call letters. The station's transmitter remained in the Southbay, near Alviso, until moving to Novato in August 1951.

(For more on the history of KQW and Doc Herrold, check out the Bay Area Radio Museum's website.)

Thursday's live broadcast is open to the public, and will include giveaways of snappy KCBS centennial T-shirts (got one; love it) and passes to view an exhibit of Doc Herrold memorabilia at the nearby Tech Museum of Innovation.

Dots & Dashes (Nov. 18 Edition)

A few quick hits...

* All News KCBS (740 AM and on 106.9 FM, as they say) switched to a new, fresher "sounder" package today, obviously intended to brighten up the sound of the presentation on the FM side. The new package is close to the previous set, but with a livelier, more "techno"-ish feel.

The new sounders are heard leading into various news segments (sports, traffic, weather, business, etc.) on KCBS.

* Deposed KGO Newstalk 810 (and FM Don't Get Me Started) weekend performer Karel will be back in San Francisco at the Nikko Hotel's Rrazz Room (222 Mason St.) on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. for a stand-up gig appropriately titled "Karel Stands Up."

Mo' info at Mr. Bouley's utterly fabulous website, www.RadioKRL.com.

* Speaking of KGO, heartiest congratulations to the almighty Ronn Owens, who celebrates his 40th anniversary on the air (including stops in Philadelphia, Miami, Cleveland and Atlanta) this Friday, Nov. 21. Here's a tip of the cap to you, Ronn, for four decades of greatness, and a wish for many more years (if not decades) of outstanding entertainment on the air.

It's 7:40 AM. Do You Know Where Your News Is?

Rather anticlimactic, the crossover this morning to the KCBS simulcast on AM 'n' FM...

Journey ("Don't Stop Believing," rather than "Lights," which I thought would be more of a nod to the old KFRC), some stunt-ish stuff (news timeline audio clips, reminding me of the stunting used before 106.9 became Free FM), then Stan Bunger spake "Well, welcome to FM 106-9, and let's get back to doing what we do here at KCBS."

A time check (7:41), over to Susan Leigh-Taylor and, just like that, we now have a KCBS news simulcast at 740 AM and 106.9 FM.

The top of hour ID?

"What's happening, and why. KCBS AM and HD, KFRC-FM and HD-1, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose."

Hello, Goodbye: KFRC Dies Again

Not much more to say beyond what Ben Fong-Torres broke in this email blast to a few friends this afternoon:

"We expect this music to live forever..."

Just heard that liner on KFRC ... it's 1:47, and -- I'm sure you've heard -- KFRC is just about gone.

If you haven't heard: CBS Radio just announced that KFRC is being replaced with the programming on KCBS; at a meeting this morning, KFRC staffers were told the station is over as of today. Since then, it's been just music, liners & commercials. Dave Sholin, Celeste Perry, Sue Hall, Jay Coffey, Dean Goss (fill-in/weekender)-- all gone.

CBS is saying they'll keep the KFRC call letters on FM and run KFRC music online and on the HD-2 channel linked to 106.9. Up to now, it'd been the opposite. KFRC was on HD-1, KCBS on HD-2.

I'm sure you both know who to call for details. I'm running just a tiny item in my next col. (still nearly 2 weeks away), bec. of coverage of the radio hall of fame inductions...

Oh -- needless to say, my show, Backstage, is out the rear door. 52 shows, 100 or so hours (there were some repeats); absolute fun.

That's what radio is: fun and heartaches.

cheers,
ben

Damn. I had just commented to Ben about what a great show "Backstage" is (was). This past weekend's program was phenomenal. How can you beat Leo Sayer doing karaoke to his own "When I Need You" in your living room?

It's funny how much I listened to KFRC this past weekend, digging my old buddy John Mack Flanagan doing the Beatles shows, and Big Tom Parker playing back-to-back hits.

Oh, well. If you need a good 1960s Oldies fix, give a listen to the radio museum's Classic KYA. Since old-fashioned radio is being killed off by its caretakers, you might as well invest in a WiFi set and join the future.

Radio is dead. Long live radio.

Comments? Get on board at Radio-Info.com.

Capacity Crowd Cheers BARHOF Class Of 2008

An overflow crowd of fans, friends and colleagues was on hand to welcome the latest group of inductees into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame on October 1 at the Doubletree Inn on the Berkeley Marina.

Sixteen of the seventeen members of BARHOF's Class of 2008 were represented at the gala luncheon, including Broadcast Legends Red Blanchard and Don Klein.

New inductees Rosie Allen, Alex Bennett, Renel Brooks-Moon, Bob Fouts, Mickey Luckoff, Terry McGovern and Dave Sholin were all present for the ceremony.

(That's me between Messrs. McGovern and Bennett après the ceremony.)

Roy Storey, who could not be present, was represented by his sister Marcia Johnson, while Bill Gavin, Hap Harper, Mikel Hunter Herrington, Russ Hodges, Dude Martin, Doug Pledger and Russ "The Moose" Syracuse, inducted posthumously, were represented by friends or family members.

Presented under the auspices of the Broadcast Legends, the BARHOF 2008 program was emceed by David Jackson, executive director of the Bay Area Radio Museum. Joe Starkey, radio voice of 49ers and Cal football, inducted the four legendary local sportscasters -- Hodges, Storey, Klein and Fouts -- into the Hall of Fame.

NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts, a successful sportscaster in his own right, presented his father, Bob Fouts, with a funny and heart-warming speech. "We've all worked for a variety of stations with a variety of call letters -- KFRC, KCBS, KPIX," Dan Fouts commented. "But this is one set of call letters that's for life -- BARHOF."

The senior Fouts, early voice of the 49ers on radio and television as well as a longtime sportscaster on KSFO and KCBS, regaled the audience with tales of his the Niners ... and pro wrestling!

Other presenters included Bill Faust (for his step-father, Doug Pledger), Bob Matheson (for Red Blanchard), Ed Baxter (for Rosie Allen), Ronn Owens (for Mickey Luckoff), Dana Jang (for Mikel Hunter), Mike Preston (for Dave Sholin), Ted "Hezzie" Johnson (for Dude Martin) and Al Newman (for Terry McGovern).

Ben Fong-Torres and Tommy Saunders presented their memories and an audio montage of their friend, Russ Syracuse. New Hall of Famer Dave Sholin presented his former boss, Bill Gavin, for induction.

More than 6,000 votes were cast in the BARHOF 2008 balloting. Renel Brooks-Moon, host of 98.1 Kiss FM's morning show and voice of the Giants at AT&T Park, was named on more than 25% of all ballots -- most of any nominee -- and, along with KGO's Rosie Allen, was one of only two women to be inducted this year.

Other notable guests in the capacity crowd included sportscaster Barry Tompkins, KGO production superstar Mike Amatori, popular KYA disc jockey Chris Edwards (now an account exec with KFRC), legendary R&B disc jockey John "Bouncin' Bill" Doubleday, longtime radio personality Ward Glenn and voice artist Gary Mora (now hosting Classic KYA Radio).

But it was Celeste Perry, Dave Sholin's partner on KFRC's morning show, who got off the line of the day. During his acceptance speech, Sholin introduced Perry, noting that she, too, will someday be inducted into BARHOF.

Perry quickly replied "I'm not old enough!" and was met with raucous laughter and applause from the multitude.

Photograph by courtesy of Robert Mohr.

RIP: Frank Knight

Longtime KCBS/740 news anchor Frank Knight passed away on October 15, following a brave battle with cancer. He was 72 years old.

Born Frank Dale Leber in 1935, he served for 29 years as a newsman at KCBS Newsradio 740, and was an original member of the anchor team when the station switched to all-news in 1968. He had also worked at the pioneering Southern California all-news station, XETRA ("Extra News") in the early 1960s.

According to his son, Lance Leber, he took the air name "Frank Knight" because "it just sounded cool."

An avid collector of radio memorabilia, Frank was widely considered to be a leading expert on classic radio programs, as well as a devoted motion picture enthusiast.

A member of the Broadcast Legends' executive board, Frank spearheaded the Legends' production of "Sam Spade: The One-Hour Caper," which was the centerpiece of the group's Summer luncheon. Frank had previously presented retrospectives on "Gunsmoke," "The Lone Ranger," "Pat Novak For Hire," "I Love A Mystery" and "Calling All Cars" for Broadcast Legends gatherings.

Frank is survived by his wife, Rosemarie Leber, his son, Lance, and step son, Mike, as well as five grandchildren.

A public memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 3, at the First Congregational Church, 1912 Central Ave., in Alameda.

RIP: KABL's Adult Standards On The Internet

It's been gone for a month and a half, and I hadn't noticed it until today: Clear Channel has slinked away from the rotting corpse of the once proud KABL, disconnecting the life support from the Adult Standards audio stream.

Clear Channel has even cast aside the fabled KABL call letters, which they had exiled to Salinas; that station has since become KION. KABL joins KOME on the callsign scrap heap; I guess Clear Channel subscribes to the thinking that call letters really don't mean anything any more.

From KABLradio.com:

Goodbye...

Dear Friends of KABL,

Due to circumstances beyond our contol, it is our sad duty to announce that, as of January 1, 2007, Kablradio.com will be ceasing operation. On behalf of myself, our Webmaster Sean, and the KABL Gang...Jim Lange, Dino Donikian, Carter B. Smith, and Mario in Production, a heartfelt thanks for your loyal support. Perhaps at some point off into the future, a kabl 2.0 will appear. Meanwhile, please visit our friends at {LINK REMOVED}. There you will find great music and wonderful people who love this music and this era as much as we all do.

You should know that everybody is doing fine. Jim and Nancy are travelling a lot and enjoying retirement. Carter B. is plotting to corner the ENTIRE stock market. Dino is still the unofficial Mayor of San Leandro. Sean, Mario, and yours truly are busy with several radion stations in our company.

Again, our sincere thanks and best wishes for a great 2007.

Clark Reid
Program Director
kablradio.com

DOTS & DASHES -- Brad Kava reported in his blog this evening that veteran Bay Area broadcaster Leo Laporte will begin doing a computers and technology show on KGO/810, replacing Michael Finney's consumer news and views show in the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. slot on Sundays. Finney will continue to be KGO-TV's consumer reporter ... The Marin Independent-Journal notes that KCBS/740 reporter and weekend anchor Janice Wright (Mrs. Mike Sugerman) "has joined Zanides Public Relations in San Rafael to specialize in managing bad publicity." Wright has been on the KCBS airwaves this week, however, doing that reporting thing she does...

Kevin Barrett is the guy to blame if you don't like the programming that will be emitted by Pappas Radio's new KTRB/860 in San Francisco beginning March 1. He's been named as program director for the transplanted AM station, a job he's already been filling at sister station KMPH/840 in magnificent Modesto ... Ron Stevens (ex-KOCN, KYAA) is Michael Zwerling's choice as new president of ZBS Radio's KSCO/1080 and KOMY/1340, both housed on the briny banks of Corcoran Lagoon in Santa Cruz. 10,000-watt KSCO is a news/talker anchored by Rush Limbaugh, while 1000-watt KOMY recently flipped to Oldies; those roles could potentially be reversed this Summer if a few things fall into place...

Radio Legend Ron Lyons Ailing

Len Shapiro let me know this morning that Ron Lyons (KEWB, KNEW, KNBR, KCBS, etc.) is recovering from surgery after being diagnosed recently with cancer.

From the KCBS website:

Several weeks ago, long-time KCBS traffic anchor Ron Lyons was diagnosed with cancer. He underwent emergency surgery last week and is recovering well. The family says he is antsy to get out of his hospital room and return home.

Cards and letters to:

Ron Lyons
P.O. Box 296
Gold Beach, OR 97444

Ron's website is at RonLyonsRadio.com.

Photo: Ron Lyons at KNBR, 1965. (Courtesy of Ron Lyons.)