An update to the item below about CBS Radio’s plans to simulcast KCBS All News 740 on KFRC 106.9: KFRC’s Dave Sholin, Celeste Perry and Sue Hall have been let go, but they will return this week (we don’t know when) to do a farewell show. According to promos, KCBS will be heard on KFRC starting at 7:40 a.m. (get it?) on Monday, Oct. 27. Since KFRC’s on-air staff has been let go, the station is playing music and recorded liners until the switch occurs. KCBS gm and CBS market manager Doug Harvill said he’s been thinking about putting KCBS on the FM dial for years.
Rebecca Corral: Are there listeners who don’t listen to AM and only get their sounds, their radio from FM?
Harvill: Yes.
Corrall: What? Why?
Harvill: That’s a question that perplexes me because I love the AM dial. And most people do. There is a small minority that, you know, may be exclusive to one band or the other. What this is about is people who prefer FM, or want the audio quality of it or listening to you guys in stereo. We’re going to make it available to them. This is such a terrific service. And this is a way to grow it and make it available to more people. …
Corrall: So since we will be heard on FM, assuming there is a different audience in FM, will KCBS’s sound begin to change?
Harvill: I would like to keep that a surprise.
Off mic: Even away from us?
Corrall: Are you going to tell us?
Harvill: Yeah I will, at the appropriate time. There’s some things that we will do to update the sound. You know, not changing reporters or what we’re doing or the way we report the news. But some of the things you wouldn’t expect — for example making sure that all of our reporters have digital recorders so on FM it sounds that much better. The production packages, the music you hear between the elements needs to be updated, and put in stereo.