Clear Channel News/Talk 600 KOGO San Diego is no longer heard on FM as 95.7 KOGO-FM began stunting with commercial-free Christmas music at 7:00pm on Friday.
The simulcast, which began on November 7, 2011, ends amidst dropping ratings at the station despite the addition of the FM signal. In the September 2011 PPM monthlies, KOGO registered a 3.9 share. That was down to a 3.0 in October 2012. The previous “US 95.7” Country format on 95.7 had a 2.8 share when it was dropped. In the same time frame, Lincoln Financial Media’s Country 97.3 KSON has added many of 95.7’s former Country listeners to surpass Clear Channel CHR “Channel 93.3” KHTS-FM as the most listened to station in the market.
Clear Channel registered Holiday957.com on Friday for KOGO-FM, although the domain is just redirecting to IHeartRadio.com at this time.
Frankie Laney 
Alec 
johndavis
I really miss the FM simulcast, much better receiption for me. Oh well, ratings, ratings, ratings.
CC would have been better off moving the format outright to the FM side, then move “Xtra Sports 1360” over to AM 600.
But San Diego is move of an older market, and honestly, I’m surprised that KOGO wound up on FM to begin with. It’s not as if 600 is a horrible signal. Eventually the format will move to FM like all the others, but it seems as if this incarnation of KOGO-FM was a few year ahead of its’ time.
Ummm – can you say “CONTENT”? KOGO was once the home of Dr. Laura, Roger Hedgecock and an unknown duo of Ladona Harvey and Dave Mason on The Morning News (preceded by Ladona and Jeff Prescott). 2005 saw the entrance of a “new” type of morning show designed to get a younger audience…that’s why it’s “Chip”. Dr. Laura gave up radio and Hedgecock moved his syndication to KFMB. Add LaDona’s post-Rush talk show and “The Voice of Merrill” to afternoons and Sully at night. Actually a pretty good combination-save one thing. The FM move was a good one. It wasn’t given enough time. I can recall several historic events that brought fame and fortune to media outlets and personalities. “Nightline” on ABC wasn’t anything until the Iran crisis. It’s lasted for decades. The infamous “Blizzard of ’77” put WKBW on the map in Buffalo and it stayed there for decades. The San Diego wildfires of ’03 and ’07 helped to put KOGO back on the map, but (thankfully-and regrettably) nothing has happened as extreme (save the power blackout of 9/8/11) since. Had this a storm like “Sandy” hit the San Diego area, it would have powered people to KOGO–and wait, wait don’t tell me KPBS. There’s where the issues lie. KPBS has TV behind it-and a live and local news staff. KOGO’s news staff in town is a couple of interns (just kidding) and the KFI news staff. When news runs on KFI and KOGO with the same anchor, you KNOW one of those is recorded. KPBS got smart and jettisoned it’s classical music at night a few years ago and it’s been nothing but smooth sailing for their news department since. THAT’S the FM news voice in San Diego. Soon they might (or not) realize that AM News/Talk is a 35+ (and getting older) vehicle and stop trying to be something they’re not….and only a strong breaking news story that has lasting impact will bring those younger folks back to AM 600. Does the typical 25 year old guy care about politics? You won’t catch them listening to Rush. The 35+’er who DOES listen to Rush doesn’t care about most of what they talk about in the afternoon-and the 25 year old is (these days) hanging out with 105.3, 91X, 93.3, 94.1 or KSON. What’s my source? Just my opinion. But look at it and see if YOU see differently. One of my old radio consultants said you must “dance with who brung you”–and turning that old ship around is a very very very long process. You also can’t get people to “switch” when they’re pretty happy with what they have now. PBS? Making people very happy on FM. KOGO? Not so much. Yes in our time, companies don’t HAVE a year to learn how to make money with a simulcast. Remember CC’s debt service is coming soon. A new market manager has to make her mark, and the $$$ has to come flowing in, so they can pay to keep 95.7 on the air. CC has a number of “Premium Choice” formats – so look for one of those to pop up on 95.7. It probably won’t be sports. 1360 had a CP to go 50k – and that’s on the back burner (if not in the circular file) -and they’re stuck with a pitiful nighttime signal. The writing is on the wall. In pencil.
One correction: “Nightline” didn’t exist until the Iran hostage crisis. It was created specifically as a nightly update on that ongoing story in November 1989 and then was converted to a regular newscast with the title “Nightline” in March 1980.
The point is still valid, though. Over the years news/talk formats have done better when there is a highly visible news event to play off of.
It seems that KOGO is confused at what type of station it wants to be. They are supposed to be News/Talk, but at one time they carried the Padres. When the 5-year contract was up they didn’t renew. Their liberal talk station at Granite Ridge was failing so they turned that into Sports-Talk, shortly after the Aztecs are signed to KOGO-AM and the San Diego Chargers are on neither. They are on Rock 105.3 FM. Chris Merrill is more like a morning drive host not an afternoon host. Sort of like Jeff and Jer but half the team and 1/4th the talent.
Holiday957.com currently redirects to 957kissfm.com. Smoke, or a sign of what’s to come at 9:57AM?
“The Rhythm of San Diego, 95-7 Kiss FM” First song: Prince “Kiss”
Based on the launch imaging, the target appears to be XHRM.