The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / Historic Radio Call Letters To Disappear Forever On New Year's Day

**Posted by RadioActive** December 30, 2024 10:44 pm

Only DXers are likely to be interested in this, and while I'm betting many never received the station, they've certainly heard of it.

The call letters "KGO" have been in use in San Francisco on 810 AM since January 1924 - almost exactly 100 years. But on Jan. 1st, they disappear, reverting to another local station's famous call sign - KSFO.

Like WCBS-AM's departure from news earlier this year in New York City, it's another sign of the changing face of North American radio and the sad decline of a one-time AM powerhouse on the west coast.

So Long KGO: Historic Call Letters To Vanish From Bay Area Radio Dial

**Posted by mace** December 31, 2024 8:25 am

The only Bay area station I ever received was in 1977 while living in Hamilton. I received KNBR mixed with WPTF Raleigh. CFTR was silent that night for transmitter maintenance.

**Posted by RadioActive** December 31, 2024 8:27 am

I got KCBS on 740 back in the days when the CBC was still there and signed off every night.

**Posted by mace** December 31, 2024 8:53 am

In the December ratings, KGO is 28th with a 0.7 share.

**Posted by mace** December 31, 2024 9:06 am

Did you know the KGO call letters originally stood for General [Electric] Oakland?

**Posted by RadioAaron** December 31, 2024 9:31 am

mace wrote:
In the December ratings, KGO is 28th with a 0.7 share.

For context, the actual KGO's been gone a couple years now, replaced with the brokered BET-QL programming. Two months ago, KGO began simulcasting 560 KSFO.

The 0.7 share represents 810 KGO's share of the simulcast, the majority of which still goes to 560.

**Posted by mace** January 2, 2025 8:26 am

RadioAaron wrote:
mace wrote:
In the December ratings, KGO is 28th with a 0.7 share.
For context, the actual KGO's been gone a couple years now, replaced with the brokered BET-QL programming. Two months ago, KGO began simulcasting 560 KSFO.

The 0.7 share represents 810 KGO's share of the simulcast, the majority of which still goes to 560.

I looked up KSFO. They are ranked 22nd with a 1.6 share.

**Posted by RadioActive** March 11, 2025 5:51 pm

And now the old home of KSFO is gone, signing off its 560 frequency after 100 years on air, as owner Cumulus decides whether to sell it or return with a new format.

Former home of 560 KSFO disappears from Bay Area radio dial after 100 years on air

It's funny what sticks in your head. I've never been to San Francisco, but whenever I think of KSFO, I remember the intro to the old Doris Day Show on CBS back in 1969. Being a radio obsessed kid, I always recall the scene where she drives into the Golden Gate City, passing by the KSFO radio sign.

Oh well. Que Sera Sera.