What was supposed to be at 6PM was on 610 AM!!!!
I was reading around about the nonsense and I came across this LA Times article (which, by the way, has a very enjoyable photostream attached) and I learned something about that broadcast group that has me almost in tears.
Seriously. It has to do with their flagship station in San Francisco.
KEAR (610 kHz), is a non-commercial traditional Christian radio station in San Francisco, California. KEAR is the flagship station of Family Radio, and its transmitter is located in Berkeley, California. Until 2005, KEAR was broadcasting on 106.9 MHz FM.
So, now you're saying, "So what, kestrel?"
I'll tell you so the fuck what.
IN SAN FRANCISCO ON 610 kHz. That's what.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Talk about soiling something sacred! THERE ARE NO WORDS FOR HOW FUCKING WRONG THAT IS!!!!!
Seriously. That is so wrong it makes me want to CRY.
The frequency of 610 kHz had been home to the original KFRC for over eight decades, from September 24, 1924 until April 29, 2005. In the 1960s and 1970s KFRC was a legendary Top 40 powerhouse in San Francisco
The station began broadcasting in AM stereo in the early 1980s [8]. However, with the decline of the Top 40 format by mid-decade, KFRC's programming was changed at 6am on August 11, 1986, to a 1940s big band format, and was known as "Magic 61", while still broadcasting in stereo. The last song to be played before the change was "Lights" by Journey, which had also been used in KFRC's TV advertising
Why am I doing what I do today? One word: KFRC. I grew up hearing those guys and I wanted to be them.
From 1973 until 1986, Dr. Don Rose (July 5, 1934–March 30, 2005) was KFRC's morning air radio personality. With earlier experience at WQXI (AM) in Atlanta, Georgia, and WFIL in Philadelphia, he was known for his one-liners and sound effects. One of Rose's characteristic "sound bite" mannerisms around this time period was to state the words "that's right" in a continuous fashion that was intended to sound "crazy", or funny, which also served to represent the overall morning zoo radio format, style and "feel" of his show.
Flat baddest motherfucker ever to crack a mic, and I'll put that up against anyone.
ANYONE.
With Dr. Don as morning anchor, KFRC was voted "Station of the Year" four times by Billboard Magazine. He was considered by many to be the king of radio in the Bay Area during the final decade of AM's musical dominance. He was named by Billboard Magazine as Disc Jockey of the Year on both the East Coast (while with WFIL Philadelphia) and on the West Coast (while with KFRC San Francisco). One of Rose's characteristic "sound bite" mannerisms when he was at KFRC was to state the words "that's right" in a continuous fashion that was intended to sound "crazy" or funny, which also served to represent the overall morning zoo radio format, style and "feel" of his show.
"I'm married to radio," he told The Chronicle (San Francisco) in 1975, "and I'm thinking about suing it for nonsupport. I would describe my show as therapy, for myself."
Rose died in his sleep on March 30, 2005, due to complications from pneumonia at the age of 70. He was married for 45 years to his wife Kae, with whom he had five children.
In 2006, Dr. Don Rose was elected to the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame as a member of the first class to be inducted.
That's what hurts about this. 610 AM in San Francisco went from Dr. Don...to HAROLD CAMPING.
The Harold Campings of the world will come and go, but I bear witness: there will never be another Dr. Don Rose, and I, for one, will never forget him.
610 KFRC was, in my opinion, the greatest radio station ever to take to the airwaves.
Radio will never be like this again......
I worked at one of these stations. Can you guess which one?