KFRC (610 AM)
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KFRC (610 AM) was a radio station in San Francisco, California, United States. Its first broadcast in 1924 was from a studio in the Hotel Whitcomb at 1231 Market Street.[1] KFRC originally started broadcasting with 50 watts on the 270-meter wavelength (equal to about 1110kHz), moving to 660kHz in April of 1927. As part of nationwide frequency relocations, on November 11, 1928, KFRC moved to 610kHz, where the call letters remained until 2005.
KFRC co-owned an FM sister station, initially known as KFRC-FM and it operated on 106.1MHz in the 1970s, and later began simulcasting on 99.7MHz in 1991. Its format continued on 99.7FM for a time even after the AM station was sold. The KFRC call sign was moved to KFRC-FM 106.9 on May 17, 2007. The KFRC call letters were assigned sequentially by federal regulators when the station signed on in 1924. The call letters did not represent 'Francisco' or 'Frisco'. The station used the slogan "Known For Radio Clearness" when it began broadcasting with 50 watts. Other slogans KFRC used in its early days were "Keep Forever Radiating Cheer", "Keep Freely Radiating Cheer", and "Far Reaching Channel".
Early history
[edit]KFRC's first manager was Harrison Holliway. In 1920, Holliway operated his own amateur radio station with the call sign 6BN. He also worked as a part-time newspaper reporter, covering high school sporting news for the San Francisco Call.[2]
During the summer of 1924, Holliway worked at a radio shop called the Radio Art Corporation in San Francisco. A Western Electric salesman contacted the owners, Jim Threlkeld and Thomas Catton, and sold them on the idea of starting a new radio station and transmitter. KFRC was subsequently established with Holliway as the manager.[2]
KFRC began broadcasting on September 24, 1924. Its programming featured speeches by local dignitaries followed by a program with concert, symphony, and dance orchestras. This included the Stanislas Bem Little Orchestra, led by Eugenia Argiewicz. The broadcast, transmitted at 50 watts, was reported to have been received as far as the U.S. Atlantic Coast and New Zealand.[3]
In the following years, Holliway interviewed Rogers Hornsby, French-Canadian heavyweight boxer Jack Renault, and actors William S. Hart, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and John Barrymore.[4]
Don Lee Networks
[edit]In 1926, KFRC was purchased by Don Lee, a wealthy California distributor of Cadillac automobiles. His family owned the station for 25 years. In 1927, he purchased KHJ in Los Angeles and in 1929, both stations became affiliated with William S. Paley's Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS).
Meredith Willson made his radio debut on KFRC's Blue Monday Jamboree in 1928.[5] Jack Benny's announcer, Don Wilson, began his radio career at KFRC. Others included Ralph Edwards, Art Van Horn, and Mark Goodson, who later collaborated with partner Bill Todman to create numerous radio and television game and quiz shows. Other personalities associated with KFRC during the Don Lee era were Art Linkletter, Mel Venter, Bea Benaderet,[6] Harold Peary, Morey Amsterdam, Juanita Tennyson, Merv Griffin, and John Nesbitt.
Don Lee died in 1934, and his son took over management. KFRC and its sister station KHJ in Los Angeles switched to the new Mutual Broadcasting System on December 29, 1936.
1950s and 1960s: Bill Drake era
[edit]In 1949, RKO-General acquired KFRC and the format evolved to feature relaxed "air personalities," playing the adult hits of the day (Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, and similar). This format is sometimes referred to as Middle Of The Road (MOR). Air personalities included Bob Colvig doing the afternoon-drive show. At times, KFRC called itself "Frisco Radio." 1950s KFRC competitors with similar formats included KSFO, KNBC (formerly KPO, later KNBR), KGO and KROW (later KABL). Entering the 1960s, with the growth of Top 40 rock and roll radio, MOR stations had declining shares of listeners and revenue. [citation needed]
In the 1950s, like most radio stations, KFRC lost ratings and market share to television. So, in the early 1960s, the station switched to rock 'n' roll and entered what journalists considered its second "golden age," which coincided with the Summer of Love.[7]
During the Drake era, KFRC was responsible for two memorable concerts. The station presented several prominent acts at "The Beach Boys Summer Spectacular" at the Cow Palace in San Francisco in June 1966.[8] On June 10 and 11, 1967, KFRC organized and hosted the Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival at the summit of Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, California. The Fantasy Fair and Magic Mountain Music Festival took place one week before the Monterey Pop Festival. Some sources consider it among the earliest rock festivals.[9][10]
In the late 1960s, KFRC-FM utilized one of the first computer-operated automation systems in the country.[11]
Blocks
[edit] |
During its 1950s/1960s hits format, KFRC had blocks on various days of the week.
- Beatles Wednesday: an emphasis on Beatles music, particularly the songs before the release of Help!
- Motown Monday: an emphasis on artists like The Temptations and The Supremes
1970s
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Throughout the 1970s, the station had carefully programmed sound developed by RKO General's national program director, Bill Drake and program directors Tom Rounds and Les Turpin. It entered its second "golden era", which coincided with San Francisco's Summer of Love and featured legendary disc jockeys Mike Phillips, Ed Mitchell (who later changed his name to Ed Hepp)[1], Bobby Dale, Jay Stevens, Sebastian Stone, K.O. Bayley (real name Bob Elliott), Dave Diamond, Charlie Van Dyke, Howard Clark, Dale Dorman, Mark Elliott, Frank Terry, Joe Conrad, Jim Carson, Jack Friday, J.J. Johnson, and Bob Foster. [citation needed]
For several years, KFRC aired extended local newscasts on its AM station under the direction of news director Bob Safford. However, station management later decided to scale back news coverage, leading Safford and other members of the news staff to move to other broadcast outlets in San Francisco, including KCBS Radio and KGO-TV.[citation needed]
1970s and 1980s
[edit]Dr. Don Rose, Magic 61
[edit]From 1973 until 1986, Dr. Don Rose 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. This also served to represent the overall morning zoo radio format and style.[12]
With Dr. Don as anchor, the show had a supporting cast which included Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame inductee Jack Friday, Bobby Ocean, Rick Shaw, Dave Sholin, Harry Nelson, Terry Nelson, Bay Area Hall of Fame inductee Don Sainte-Johnn, "Marvelous" Mark McKay, and John Mack Flanagan. KFRC would be voted "Station of the Year" four times by Billboard Magazine.[13][14] Rose became a prominent morning radio personality in the Bay Area during the final years of AM Top 40 radio. KFRC program directors during this period included Michael Spears, Les Garland, Gerry Cagle, and Mike Phillips.[15][16]
In 1977, KFRC sold off its FM station at 106.1, programmed by Don Sainte-Johnn (to become KMEL).[citation needed]
1970s and 1980s: News Department
[edit]KFRC operated a news department that received industry recognition. Some of the news anchors and reporters who worked at KFRC in the 70s and 80s included Jo Interrante, Dave Cooke, Paul Fredricks, John Winters, Conni Gordon, Jeri Stewart, Vikki Liviakis, Robert McCormick, Mike Colgan, Laurie Kaye, Dave MacQueen, Stephen Capen, Mike Sugerman, Ken Bastida, John Evans, Jan Black, Abby Goldman, Joanne Greene, Jane Dornacker, Ron Naso, B.R. Bradbury, and reporter, anchor, and later, News Director William Abbott. Abbott would close each report with the station's signature, "This is William Abbott, KFRC 20/20 News".
The station began broadcasting in AM stereo in the early 1980s.[17] Among the disc jockeys at KFRC during the 1980s were, in addition to Ocean and Rose, Chuck Geiger, future AT&T Park public-address announcer Renel Brooks-Moon, and future Los Angeles radio programmer Jack Silver, who would be the last voice heard when KFRC ended its Top 40 era. Technically, Don Sainte-Johnn was the last air personality on KFRC. Sainte-Johnn had been specifically hired for KFRC as an air personality.
With the decline of the Top 40 format by mid-decade, KFRC's programming was flipped at 6 AM on August 11, 1986, to an adult standards 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.[18]
1990s: adding FM
[edit]In 1991, they purchased KXXX 99.7. Previously, this frequency was owned by NBC, and had been KNBR-FM, and later KNAI, and finally KYUU before NBC closed its radio division in 1988.
Under KFRC, the FM signal at 99.7 was simulcast with the AM station at 610, which began on August 12, 1993.[19]
Sign-on line up began after a week-long taped segment talking about the history of Bay Area Radio. The first Air Talent line up included Harry Nelson, Chuck Geiger (a mainstay of KXXX), Brian Lee, and Jym Dingler in nights. Kevin "Pig virus" Metheny stayed on from KXXX to be the first program Director.[20]
Personalities included Ron Parker and Cammy Blackstone in the mornings, Don "The Sainte" Sainte-Johnn, Sue Hall, Bobby Ocean, Jeff Dean, Jack Friday, and Sylvia "Cha Cha" Chacon. Oldies program directors included Bob Hamilton of KRTH fame, Brian Thomas from 1994 to 2003, and Tim Marinville in 2003–04. Bob Harlow became the last PD to play oldies on KFRC.[citation needed]
Sale of KFRC AM
[edit]Infinity Broadcasting sold the AM part of the station in 2005[7] for $35 million to Family Stations, the Christian broadcasting company that, as Family Radio, operates Christian radio station KEAR 106.9 FM.[21]
Broadcast of Oakland A's Games
[edit]As of the year of the sale, 2005, the Oakland Athletics baseball team, was the only sports tenant the past few years on the AM side.[citation needed]
They negotiated with Family Stations to have their games broadcast until the end of the 2005 baseball season.[citation needed]
By the end of 2005, the station's broadcasts of Oakland A's games ended.[7]
New Call Letters
[edit]The AM station was anticipated to receive new call letters. The oldies format of KFRC AM and FM was scheduled to continue on the FM frequency.[22]
The sale of the AM station came about as a result of the purchase of CBS' Sacramento television affiliate, KOVR, by Viacom, at the time the owner of both CBS and Infinity. Because KFRC's strong 5,000 watt AM signal from the Berkeley Marina was heard as a local station not only in San Francisco, but in Sacramento as well, the FCC required Infinity to sell either one of its Sacramento stations or a Bay Area station that had Sacramento as part of its city-grade coverage.
Gerry Cagle, who programmed KFRC in the early eighties, and now writes for Music Biz.com, commented in 2005:
KFRC wasn't a position on the dial. It was a place in the hearts of the many professionals who worked there to build and continue a legacy unmatched in radio. It was also a place in the hearts of the listeners who made it important in their lives. 610 means nothing. 'KFRC San Francisco with the Best Music!' will live forever in that magical place we all go when we think about the good things of the past.[23]
The same year, shortly thereafter, Family Stations sold their FM station to Infinity.[24]
On April 29, 2005, Family Stations began simulcasting the signal of their FM station on 610 AM.[25]
Classic Hits KFRC
[edit]Timeline
[edit]In 1986, KFRC became an "adult standards" station known as Magic 61. In 1993, it returned to its oldies rock format.[7]
In 2005, KFRC-FM moved their format ahead ten years switching to a '70s & '80s music format.[26]
In 2006, KFRC changed their format and closed their oldies broadcast with "American Pie" by Don McLean.[citation needed]
Rhythmic Movin' 99.7 KFRC
[edit] |
At 10:03a.m. on Friday, September 22, 2006, KFRC-FM changed their format to a Rhythmic Hot AC format. They changed to "The New Movin' 99.7 KFRC" with Gonna Make You Sweat by C+C Music Factory.
The "MOViN'" brand had previously been picked up by KQMV/Seattle, KMVN/Los Angeles, KYMV/Salt Lake City, KMVK/Dallas and WMVN/St. Louis.
The format switch was met with sharp criticism from long time listeners of KFRC because it was the last remaining Oldies station in the region.
KFRC callsign moves to 106.9
[edit]
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On Thursday, May 17, 2007, the KFRC-FM call sign moved to 106.9 FM, when CBS Radio discontinued the Free FM format in San Francisco. The station revived the "classic hits" format after the Oakland Athletics vs Kansas City Royals game.[27]
106.9 continued hosting the Oakland Athletics. The A's left it for KYCY 1550 AM and then 106.9 FM. MOViN' 99.7 continues on under the call sign KMVQ-FM.[28]
On October 27, 2008, at 7:40 AM, KCBS 740 AM began simulcasting on 106.9 FM,[29] which still has the call letters KFRC-FM. KFRC-HD2 (on 106.9-2 FM) continues a Classic Hits format: music hits of the 1960s through to the 1980s.[30]
Reincarnation at 1550 AM
[edit]It was announced on December 22, 2008, that starting on New Year's Day 2009, KYCY 1550 AM would switch to an oldies music format courtesy of Scott Shannon's "The True Oldies Channel" (programmed by ABC Radio), using the KFRC callsign.[31] This incarnation of KFRC ended on September 1, 2011, when it became Indian-targeted KZDG.[32]
Annual top 100 songs
[edit]On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, KFRC would count down their top 100 songs of the past year. Their number one songs, by year, were:[33][34]
| Year | Song | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction | The Rolling Stones |
| 1966 | Cherish | The Association[citation needed] |
| 1967 | Light my Fire | The Doors |
| 1968 | Hey Jude | The Beatles |
| 1969 | Sugar, Sugar | The Archies |
| 1970 | (They Long to Be) Close to You | The Carpenters |
| 1971 | It's Too Late | Carole King |
| 1972 | Alone Again (Naturally) | Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 1973 | Superstition | Stevie Wonder |
| 1974 | Seasons in the Sun | Terry Jacks |
| 1975 | Love Will Keep Us Together | Captain and Tennille |
| 1976 | Silly Love Songs | Paul McCartney and Wings |
| 1977 | Dreams | Fleetwood Mac |
| 1978 | Night Fever | Bee Gees |
| 1979 | The Logical Song | Supertramp |
| 1980 | Call Me | Blondie |
| 1981 | Bette Davis Eyes | Kim Carnes |
| 1982 | I Love Rock and Roll | Joan Jett & the Blackhearts |
| 1983 | Every Breath You Take | The Police |
| 1984 | Jump | Van Halen |
| 1985 | The Power of Love | Huey Lewis and the News |
References
[edit]- ^ Hotel Whitcomb, 1906 temporary City Hall - sfmuseum.org
- ^ a b BARHOF (August 13, 2014). "Harrison Holliway Operating Amateur Radio Station 6BN". Bay Area Radio Museum & Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ BARHOF (July 30, 2015). "The History of KFRC Radio, San Francisco and the Don Lee Networks". Bay Area Radio Museum & Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ "KFRC Radio History". www.theradiohistorian.org. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
- ^ "Music--As Written". Billboard. April 17, 1948. p. 34. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ "Meet Millie and Her Friends" (PDF). Radio-TV Mirror. 40 (1): 19. June 1953. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "LETTERS / Music lover mourns the loss of KFRC's two golden eras". SF Gate. December 31, 2006.
- ^ "1966". Jefferson Airplane: The Official Website. Jefferson Airplane, Inc. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
- ^ Hopkins, Jerry (1970). Festival! The Book of American Music Celebrations. New York: Macmillan Company. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-02-061950-5. OCLC 84588.
- ^ Nicholson, John (May 2009). "A History of Rock Festivals". Rock Solid Music Magazine. Archived from the original on December 22, 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ^ Eyewitness account by Robert E. Nylund, KFRC news intern, summer 1968
- ^ "Dr. Don Rose -- king of KFRC radio in '70s". SFGATE. March 31, 2005. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ "610 KFRC – Summer of '79 Aircheck Sampler". Rheacom. March 29, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ "Dr Don Rose - died today". Steve Hoffman Music Forums. March 29, 2005. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ "Dr. Don Rose". Bay Area Radio Museum & Hall of Fame. April 2, 2025. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ "Dr. Don Rose". The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia. December 31, 2007. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ "Jackson Armstrong on 610 KFRC San Francisco | December 30, 1982". Airchexx.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
- ^ "KFRC 610am commercial". Youtube.com. May 19, 2008. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
- ^ "Alliance Pulls Plug On Popular KFRC (AM) Format" (PDF). Radio & Records. August 20, 1993. pp. 1, 28 – via worldradiohistory.com.
- ^ SF Chronicle Pink Section, Ben Fong Torres
- ^ Fong-Torres, Ben. "RADIO WAVES". SFGATE. Archived from the original on May 24, 2025. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ Fong-Torres, Ben (April 3, 2005). "Radio Waves". San Francisco Chronicle. pp. PK–49.
- ^ "History of San Francisco Radio Stations". Tangentsunset.com. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
- ^ Archives, L. A. Times (April 19, 2005). "Infinity to Acquire S.F. Radio Station". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ BARHOF (July 30, 2015). "The History of KFRC Radio, San Francisco and the Don Lee Networks". Bay Area Radio Museum & Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 10, 2025.
- ^ Hartlaub, Peter (September 5, 2005). "KFRC switches from oldies to music of 1970s and '80s". SFGATE. Archived from the original on April 20, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ RadioInsight. “CBS Radio Shuffles San Francisco Formats; KFRC Moves to 106.9 FM.” May 17, 2007.
- ^ East Bay Times. “A's Radio Broadcasts Shift Frequencies Again.” April 2, 2009.
- ^ KCBS-AM Will Also Be Heard on FM Archived October 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, KCBS, October 20, 2008. Retrieved on October 27, 2008.
- ^ San Francisco Chronicle. “KCBS Begins Simulcast on 106.9 FM.” October 27, 2008.
- ^ CBS Radio/San Francisco Brings KFRC Back, In Oldies Form Archived December 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine - Radio Ink (released December 22, 2008)
- ^ "CBS-owned 1550 AM in San Francisco switches to South Asian "Radio Zindagi"". Radio-Info.com. September 1, 2011. Archived from the original on October 30, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
- ^ "KFRC's annual top 100". Boards.radio-info.com. February 4, 2010. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2010. Alt URL
- ^ "The Making Of A Classic: KFRC, February 1986, part 2". TheBig610.com. 1986. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2010. To hear the list, scroll down to 1986 and click on "The Making Of A Classic: KFRC, February 1986 (60 minutes)".