KZBR (defunct)

KMAX (95.7 FM) was a radio station in San Francisco, California. The station, known on-air as "Max FM", programmed an "Adult Hits" format, playing a mix of hit music from the 1970's, '80s, '90s and today. Their slogan was "70s, 80s, Whatever we feel like!" Other examples of the Adult Hits format include Jack FM and Bob FM.

KMAX was owned and operated by Entercom Communications, and broadcasted from studios at 3rd and Howard in San Francisco, with transmitter on Mount San Bruno. Entercom also owned San Francisco radio stations KOIT and KDFC. In January 2007, Bonneville announced that it would be swapping all three of its San Francisco FM stations, including KMAX, plus $1 million cash, to Entercom Communications for three of Entercom's radio stations in Seattle, Washington plus Entercom's entire radio cluster in Cincinnati, Ohio, subject to FCC regulatory approval. [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/300350_radioswap19.html] Entercom officially took over via LMA on February 26, 2007.

Historically, the station was a long-time classical music station known as KKHI, running a commercial classical music format from 1962 to 1994. After Group W acquired the station, the frequency then became KPIX-FM, a sister station to CBS television affiliate KPIX. It aired a talk format with Dr. Laura Schlessinger, among other hosts. During this period, the station briefly attained an all-time ratings high by airing non-stop coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial. After a few years, Group W successor Infinity Broadcasting (now CBS Radio) sold the station to Bonneville. Not only did the callsign change to KZQZ, it underwent a series of format changes: First it was converted into Top 40-formatted "Z95.7," then into classic hits "957 The Drive" with call letters KKDV, and next into country-formatted "95.7 The Bear" with call letters KZBR. Unfortunately, the audience for mainstream pop country in San Francisco turned out to be quite small, so the change was made on May 11, 2005 to another format to try to boost ratings. The station changed to its former "95.7 MAX FM" position on April 13, 2006 and a few months later adopted the KMAX call letters. [http://www.varietyhits.com/variety/markets/sanfrancisco.shtml]

KMAX started with a full complement of announcers, but moved to a more-music, DJ-free approach in mid-April, 2006. [http://www.bayarearadio.org/blog/2006/04/london-latest-to-leave-free-fm-max.html]

On March 1st, 2007, 9.57 Max FM played its last song ("Venus" by Bananarama) and switched to 95.7 The Wolf, a country station and its current format.

ee also

*95.7 The Wolf

External links

*FMQ|KMAX