Photo Credit: KFOG
Iconic alt-rock radio station KFOG 104.5 in San Francisco is signing off the air after 36 years.
Yesterday, the radio station announced it would flip to a simulcast of KNBR-AM sports radio on September 6th. The station’s fans — affectionately known as Fogheads — have about a week to enjoy their favorite station.
Cumulus Media released a press statement explaining the decision. Turning 104.5 into a simulcast gives KNBR sports fans another place to tune-in, according to the radio conglomerate. The change will also give their sports coverage a stronger signal and broadcast range.
Doug Harvill, Vice President and Marketing Manager for Cumulus San Francisco said he’s excited about the changes.
“It’s never easy to say goodbye to a station, and we want to thank the staff, listeners, and advertisers who together made KFOG the legendary and beloved station that so many of us in San Francisco had the opportunity to enjoy.”
KFOG’s morning radio show “The Woody Show” took to Twitter to express their dismay. The team said they knew this was going to happen as soon as KFOG was sold. The duo instead asked fans to check out their podcast, which will continue.
At its peak, KFOG once ranked seventh out of 40 stations owned by Cumulus Media. It began life as KBAY-FM in 1960 and operated under Kaiser Broadcasting as an instrumental good listening station. The call letters later switched to KFOG, with a format shift to rock in 1982.
KFOG had a reputation for listener engagement, though that ultimately failed to drive enough revenues. One tradition that will be missed: KFOG compiled private in-studio concerts into an annual CD called Live from the Archives, and proceeds from the sales of the album were donated to local food banks.
Perhaps the choice of a CD album speaks volumes.
The radio station also put on the KFOG KaBoom fireworks show and concert for 16 years. Artists like Melissa Etheridge, Collective Soul, and Train have performed for the event.