Top San Diego Radio Headlines of 2007 (Dec 31, 2007)

San Diego Radio Story Poll Results (Dec 31, 2007)

103.7 Flips From Free to Sophie...16 (67%)
AM 1360 Flips From Air America to XTRA...7 (29%)
AM 540 Flips to Talk...1 (4%)
AM 1700 Flips From Business to Talk...0 (0%)

Analysis: many people were either thrilled or angry that a format change of AM 1360 and FM 103.7 flipped formats due to low ratings. Just as the ratings of AM 1360 were beginning to perk up in the last two Arbitrends, AM 1360 flipped from Air America to sports talk. Whether you're disappointed or glad that AM 1360 flipped formats, it was the format change of the year. Air America, having a huge local following, but not in the ratings, should be on another AM station in 2008. The protests in the months leading up to the format change of AM 1360 brought the station some free publicity, enough to drive up the monthly Arbitrends, but in the end, it was too little and too late to prevent the Clear Channel suits from abandoning the format and bringing a local brand XTRA back to the local airwaves. FM 103.7 continues to flounder after flipping off talk and adopting a mixture of Hot A/C and AAA as Sophie FM, a format that, unlike the old KSCA in the 90s and KPRI 102.1 today, appeals to a demographic that doesn't have the same appreciation for rock music from the 60s on through today as fans of the other AAA stations do.

What was the worst loss of the year in San Diego?

Music Without Boundaries Loses 91X As Station Home...10 (30%)
Magic 92.5 Drops Old School Mix Shows...7 (21%)
DFSXRadio Quits...6 (18%)
Cindy Pace Fired From KGB-FM...5 (15%)
KOGO 600 Drops Morning AM Newscast...4 (12%)
Dick and Skibba Fired From Free-FM...1 (3%)
Cindy Spicer Quits US 95.7...0 (0%)

Analysis: a lot of locals want Music Without Boundaries back on a San Diego station, but which one is anybody's guess. It was last heard on 91X and hasn't been heard since Phil Manning, the PD of 91X, axed the show. Could the show survive on X1FM or Slacker? In second place is notable because back in the recent day, XHRM 92.5 was featuring old school dance mixes at NOON and 5pm weekdays, and 7pm-3am on Friday and Saturday nights. Just ahead of Cindy Pace getting fired from KGB was the folding of the dfsxradio stream due to the station's budget running out of money and a bad economy, as well as bad tricks by its streaming provider live365 to cause an exodus of listeners to other stations. Fans were disappointed that the station ended, and there's no plans to resurrect DFSX in another form anytime in the future.

Too late to include in the survey is the firing or quitting of 91X morning host Chris Cantore, but two e-mailers suggested that it was their worst loss of the year.

What was the best return or debut in San Diego?

Lee Hacksaw Hamilton Returns to Weekdays...7 (26%)
Dennis Miller Begins Talk Show...6 (22%)
Pirate 96.9 Fires Up Then Shuts Down Again...6 (22%)
Dave and Jeff Begin Morning Shift on XTRA...4 (15%)
Sign On San Diego Radio Begins...3 (11%)
Roger Hedgecock Begins Syndicated Saturday Show...1 (4%)

Analysis: San Diego, where are you? You're glad that Hacksaw is back on the daily afternoon drive time rush, but why are you leaving the phone lines half-full? The second return or debut is tied between the debut of the Dennis Miller Show heard on AM 1700 (it was on FM 103.7 until it changed formats), and the return of Pirate 96.9, San Diego's longest running pirate radio operation. Only one reader cared about Roger Hedgecock beginning his Saturday syndicated radio show.