The staffers at Variety Hits “100.7 San Diego” KFMB-FM and Talk 760 KFMB San Diego have gained an additional one week of employment.
With the sale to Local Media San Diego yet to be approved by the FCC, KFMB-FM morning hosts Chris Cantore and Meryl Klemow told listeners they will be remaining on the air at least until next week. The companies originally intended for the sale to close today.
The Times of San Diego adds that it is expected that Local Media San Diego will turn around and resell 760 upon closing.
Original Report 1/28: Ahead of the sale of Variety Hits “100.7 San Diego” KFMB-FM and Talk 760 KFMB from TEGNA to Local Media San Diego, the majority of the staffers will exit on February 7.
The San Diego Reader reports that all but five of the 45 employees of the stations were given two weeks notice last week that their employment would be coming to an end. Four salespeople and one member of the production department will remain with the stations. A TEGNA spokesperson told the publication, “They are purchasing the stations and they will decide who will stay with them,” hinting at least at the possibility that some will be rehired by the new ownership.
Among the staffers exiting from 760 KFMB are 9am-12pm host Mark Larson, 12-3pm host Mike Slater, afternoon host Brett Winterble, commentator Roger Hedgecock and Program Director Dave Sniff. Exiting KFMB-FM will be morning hosts Chris Cantore and Meryl Klemow, APD/midday host Robin Roth, afternoon host Cha Cha Harlow, evening host Rick Lawrence, and Program Director Mike Vasquez.
Local Media San Diego purchased KFMB AM/FM in late December for $5 million to join a cluster that includes three Mexican leased stations in the market: CHR “Z90” 90.3 XHTZ, Alternative “91X” 91.1 XETRA-FM, and Rhythmic AC “Magic 92.5” XHRM. Both stations will also be required to take on new call letters as TEGNA retain all rights to KFMB.
Eric Jon Magnuson 
Nathan Obral
This sale is getting weirder and weirder: I can understand LMSD not really wanting 760, but it seems a bit odd that the company is still buying it–and apparently thinks that it can resell it. Among the other current operators in the market, only iHeart jumps out as a likely candidate to me–and perhaps only if it indeed feels that 760 would work better signal-wise than 1360. Even niche owners might not see any benefit in buying 760–e.g., Salem already has a local “Answer” station, while Univision might already have a “TUDN Radio” affiliate in Tijuana. That said, a potential dark horse for me is a company that I’ve thought might take a stab at radio, even as just a brand extension: McKinnon Broadcasting, which owns news-intensive independent TV station KUSI.
iHeart really hasn’t bought any stations since… WOR? The WBZ acquisition was a straight-up asset trade. Plus the creditors wouldn’t go for it.
Wouldn’t surprise me if 760 becomes a total white elephant and LMSD is stuck with it.