And another music format bites the dust: Clear Channel has blown up its Hot AC KGBY-FM (12/1) to simulcast its sister station, News-Talk KFBK-AM. Station staff learned of the changes Wednesday morning and it was announced on KFBK Wednesday afternoon. There was no mention of the switch on KGBY. The new FM calls are KFBK-FM. KFBK-FM’s HD2 signal keeps the LGBT-targeted Pride Radio format.
GM Jeff Holden told FOX40 Sacramento that 66% of the Sacramento radio market never listens to AM and by simulcasting on 92.5, KFBK stands to gain a larger and perhaps younger audience. KFBK listeners will notice some subtle changes to jingles and recorded announcers but the news talk programming will remain the same.
RBR-TVBR observation: Another in the trend of music stations being nixed on FM by spoken word formats, and not being added to an HD-2 or HD-3 channel in the markets making these flips. Other recent examples include Q Country KNBQ-FM Seattle, Classic Rock WYSP-FM Philadelphia and Classic Rocker WHTQ-FM in Orlando.
