California Music Channel

"California Music Channel" (CMC-TV) is an American music video service [Billboard, September 5, 1987 p. 57] which airs Monday through Saturday on KTSF-TV in the San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose areas. It is one of the world’s longest running local music video television stations. [Billboard, September 5, 1987 p. 57] The live broadcasts feature on-camera disc jockeys, audience participation, and contemporary music videos. It is owned by CMC Broadcasting Company, Inc.

History

1981-1982

CMC-TV was founded on August 31, 1981 by Rick Kurkjian, debuting on March 1, 1982 as a half hour show telecast twelve times per week on Teleprompter Cable Oakland Channel 12. The notion of a Bay Area Interconnect was developed early on as CMC expanded by doing local original cable channels on Concord TV Cable Ch. 11, Viacom Cable of San Francisco Ch 6, Viacom of Marin and Castro Valley Cable TV. After a little more than a year on the local cable channels CMC started running a Saturday night version of the program on KCSM-TV Ch 60 in San Mateo. The CMC broadcast was simulcast in stereo on KCSM-TV's sister station, KCSM-FM 91.1.

1983

In 1983, KCSM-TV was one of a handful of educational stations to experiment with running expanded underwriting announcements and full 30 second commercial TV spots from non profit organizations. In addition to the U.S. Army, many of its other advertisers were coincidentally set up as non-profit organizations under dealer associations and franchise organizations such as the California Milk Advisory Board and the McDonalds "Golden Arches Advertising Fund". As such, CMC was able to include commercials for these organizations on the otherwise non-commercial, educational, KCSM. This revenue allowed the show to remain profitable, when other local music video shows were struggling to remain on the air or even on non commercial cable access. [Rockamerica's Videofile August 1984 p.12]

1984

In 1984, the demand from CMC advertisers grew beyond the scope of underwriting announcements and non profit 30s. On October 1, 1984 the California Music Channel debuted its Monday to Friday broadcast on full power independent KTSF-TV.

Format

The California Music Channel music video format is Hot AC and CHR/Rhythmic. The concept is "radio with pictures" - music video shows are broadcast live, and announcers interact directly with viewers by telephone and e-mail, including requests, contests, and birthday greetings.

CMC-TV operates as a full-time channel, broadcasting 24 hours a day on cmc-tv.com. Unlike other TV programs which are sold or bartered to local stations, the show on KTSF is solely responsible for its advertising clients. KTSF receives the 24 hour feed and clears it during CMC’s scheduled time on that channel. Prior to this, CMC operated three full-time video music channels for MobiTV, including "CMC California Music Channel", "CMC Beat Lounge", and "CMC-USA Country Music Channel". Currently, music videos from all three genres are being featured on CMC-TV.COM.

Broadcast affiliates

KCSM: 1983 - 1984
KTSF: 1984 - Present
KXTV: 1986 - 1987
KVIQ: 1986 - 1987
KNSO: 1996 - 1997
KTNC: 1996 - 2001 (Country Music Channel)

CMC DJs

1985: Big Tom Parker from KFRC simulcasting in AM-Stereo 610 KFRC.
1986: Modern Rock Five at Five with Steve Masters from KITS Live 105.
1987: Power Thursday with Renel from KMEL.
1992: Mimi Chen from KRQR now KLLC.
1992: [http://www.cmctv.com/californiamusicchannel/onairchuy.htmChuy Gomez] from KYLD formerly Wild 107.7 and then from KMEL. Chuy is still the main personality on CMC today.
1994: Steve Jordan from KSAN at 94.9 FM (now KYLD) and KYCY-FM (now KRZZ) hosting CMC's Country Music Channel.
1994: Trace & Franzen from KMEL.
1997: Sway Calloway from KMEL.

Additional CMC personalities

Gil Ashley - 1988
Alex Caronfly - 1991
Susan Butler - 1991
Andy Kawanami - 1992
Lipoi Niualiku - 1994
Cynthia Roberts - 1998
Jessica Correos - 2004
Brian Moore "B-Mo" - 2004
Heather Kant - 2007
Cheryl Zurbano - 2007

References

External links

* [http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/U_S__States/California/Cities/San_Francisco/News_and_Media/Television/Stations/ Yahoo Directory: California > San Francisco > Television Stations]
* KNSO
* Mediaweek June 19,2006 "Media Plan of the Year Best Use of Mobile"
* [http://www.ktsf.com/ktsf_e/company/press/music_channel.html KTSF-TV Press Release]
* [http://cbs5.com/grammy/local_story_038181809.html KPIX-TV Press Release]