KFRC: The Magic 61 Era Ends
August 12, 1993
Featuring Buddy Hatton and Brian Winters
In August 1986, the magical era of KFRC as “The Big 610” came to an end with the flip to an Adult Standards format shepherded by such notable personalities as Jim Lange, Carter B. Smith, Dan Sorkin and Buddy Hatton, along with adopting the “Magic 61” brand name.
During KFRC’s seven-year run as Magic 61, the station itself underwent a significant change, becoming the final broadcast property in the RKO General stable to be sold. Bedford Broadcasting, owned by Peter Bedford, acquired KFRC from RKO General in April 1991 for $7,419,000.
A few weeks prior to buying KFRC, Bedford had also purchased KXXX (99.7 FM, known as “X-100”; it was the former KNBR-FM) from NBC Radio, which he would transform into Oldies-formatted KFRC-FM.
The last voice heard on Magic 61 belonged to Clyde “Buddy” Hatton, a San Francisco native who had been a Top 40 disc jockey at the Bay Area’s original Top 40 station, KOBY (1550 AM), in the mid-1950s. He later became part of 560/KSFO’s stalwart air staff in the 1970s. Brian Winters is the first voice heard as the Oldies simulcast with 99.7 KFRC-FM begins on 610.
In April 2005, 610/KFRC was sold to Family Stations and began broadcasting Christian-oriented programming. On October 17, 2005, the KFRC call letters were removed from 610, and the station became KEAR.
610 KFRC:
The End Of Magic 61
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