Friday, April 15, 2011

Why Country Music Radio keeps failing in San Francisco!

Not since Chancellor's KSAN has Country Music Radio won in market #4. KBWF came close with a 3.7 6+ in a summer month before Scott Mahalick's departure in August of 2009. The station at that time was blazin' with a sound that didn't take a break from sizzling. The other incarnations of CMR have never come close. KYCY, The Bear and even KRTY which is like KSOP Salt Lake City to me, an old school sounding CMR station.

San Francisco has deep redneck pockets in The South Bay, Hayward (East Bay), Contra Costa County, Concord and Walnut Creek. Programmers act like it's New York and the only country P-1's are in Long Island. Big mistake. They also  take on a white wine and cheese approach to CMR in San Francisco. They will not become a flame-throwing Country Music Radio station and the brands never grow. Mahalick had his battles with Entercom and still put on a smokin' product that won. Mike Krinik's hand were tied. The management and promotions functions at that group were very conservative and Entercom held most of the managers over from Bonneville and they were not very progressive and open in their thinking process.

Add to that Entercom corporate monkeying with the process at every turn. Are we Country one week, no we're not the next, whoops back to Country. They began cutting the soul out of that station with afternoon, nights and midday talents being eliminated and then mornings with a syndicated show. It was just a matter of time before you drive into a tree and the cops come filling out paperwork. Mike Krinik and Scott Mahalick were two of the most passionate radio programmers I've had the pleasure to know. This was the little engine that could, almost did and then rolled back down the hill. 

2 comments:

  1. I have been devestated by the news that my station is no longer. I voiced my opinion that getting rid of Ken and Corey was the worst thing they could have done and it fell on Entercomm's deaf ears. KRTY has survived for 20 years because it listens to its listeners- they do not sell out to corporate money. Look at the success you competition has and improve upon that. I hope another company comes in to give listeners what they want- a quality country station that plays a mix of new and classic music that does not have a jingle intro to every segment. RIP 95.7 The Wolf

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  2. KRTY is Listener Friendly that is what has kept them alive and well in the City!

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