If you’re interested in local radio, grab this morning’s Chron to read an Q&A Ben Fong-Torres had with the legendary Carter B. Smith (pictured), who was at KNBR, KFRC “Magic 61,” KABL and KSFO. The Q&A included this:

Q: What about personality radio? Is it over?

A: I think it’s gone into a great descent. It may recover, once management realizes that in order to make a buck you have to spend a buck. Radio is in the mode of “don’t spend a buck, so don’t attract the kind of talent who’d want money, don’t spend money on promotion” — all the elements that worked so well for many years.

(Photo credit: Ben Fong-Torres via sfgate.com)