You’ve been transported here
because what I have to say about KKSF does not fit the goofy spirit of All
The Excess! When it’s time to be sincere, I have to leave my usual
surroundings. Sincerity mode is now “on,” big time.
On Monday May 18, when I
learned that KKSF had changed format, I felt an emptiness I can’t describe.
Spending eleven memorable years working for that station probably has something
to do with it. In 1988 I became KKSF’s morning guy, left four years later for a
very forgettable gig across town, miraculously got hired back a year later, and
stayed in various capacities until 2000. By the time I left I was Assistant
Program Director and Music Director of that incredible and very unique station.
I was hired by the late
Steve Feinstein, whose singular vision for KKSF propelled the team for almost
ten years. GM Dave Kendrick was always the consummate gentleman, and everyone
on staff was united in the effort not only to make KKSF an enjoyable radio
station, but also to bond with the Bay Area as a whole and become an integral
part of the community.
The eclectic music mix
was the first difference you’d notice about KKSF. The technical sound was top
notch and pristine. After some listening you’d soon pick up on the soul of the
station – the genuine love of San Francisco demonstrated by the charity CD samplers
for AIDS relief, the countless KKSF listener parties which brought like-minded
people together, and the humble attitude that our listeners were deserving of
the utmost respect. KKSF did everything with class.
Toward the end of the
nineties, KKSF did what it had to do…it mainstreamed its music to stabilize
some unpredictable swings in the Arbitron ratings. In fact it almost did a
180-degree turnabout, because the KKSF of 1988 wouldn’t touch a “hit,” but the
KKSF of 1999 and later was all about familiarity. The overall presentation
remained intelligent and classy throughout, and gave KKSF consistency amidst
change.
KKSF built an audience
one listener at a time. We would painstakingly assist listeners who called in
with questions about some of the hard-to-find songs we’d play. I remember Feinstein
responding personally to every letter and email, regardless of whether it was a
complaint or a compliment. We were taught that each listener we touched was immensely
important to our success. And we never, ever talked down to our audience.
Playing music not bound
by genres, giving good customer service, and working tirelessly in the community,
KKSF became one of an alarmingly few radio stations that truly resonate with their
markets. Bay Area people would describe themselves as “KKSF listeners” in the
personal ads, and you’d know exactly what they meant! How many stations are
lifestyle-defining?
KKSF was one of the last
stations of its kind…not because it was a Smooth Jazz station, but because it
was an adventurous, local, wired-into-the-community commercial radio station. A
station that truly served the public interest. That’s why it’s so sad to see it
go.
It’s hard to fault Clear
Channel for changing a station that perhaps wasn’t delivering enough return on
investment to make good business sense. Maybe KKSF’s time had come and gone.
But KKSF did set the bar very high when it came to having a solid bond with its
audience. Will we ever see a personal ad in which someone describes themselves
as a “103.7 The Band listener?” I suppose time will tell.
--Blake Lawrence