KIOI Radio

The K-101 Era
1968-2000

San Francisco, California

K-101 moved to new studios and offices at 700 Montgomery Street in San Francisco early in 1973, in a pre-1906 earthquake building once occupied by the old Columbia Savings Bank. (The building later housed the law offices of Mayor Joe Alioto and his daughter, Angela Alioto.)

Gabbert’s company, Pacific FM, sold KIOI to San Francisco Broadcasters in October 1980 for $12-million, the record price for an FM station at that time. In August 1983, KIOI was sold again — this time for $12.4-million — to Bay Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Price Communications.

K-101 (KIOI) Building (Photo)
The K-101 Building at 700 Montgomery Street in San Francisco from an undated photo by Mike Plott

On October 1, 1987, KIOI was sold for $120-million, along with three other stations in the Price Communications stable, to Fairmont Communications. Fairmont filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy early in 1993, and K-101 became the property of Evergreen Media in a $45-million deal in April 1994. (Evergreen also owned KMEL in San Francisco at that time.)

KIOI moved out of the fabled 700 Montgomery Street facility in 1996, relocating to the fourth floor of 240 Townsend Street in the city’s South of Market district.

KIOI Star 101.3 Logo (2019)

In a series of corporate mergers, KIOI owner Evergreen Media was amalgamated into Chancellor Media (1997), then AMFM, Inc. (1999) and Clear Channel Communications (2000).

In November 2000, the station’s legendary K-101 imaging was dropped, with the station rebranded as “Star 101.3 FM.”

K-101 was awarded Legendary Station status by the Bay Area Radio Museum and Hall of Fame in 2020 in recognition of its place in San Francisco broadcasting history.

Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame Logo

KIOI (“K-101”) 101.3 FM

2020 BARHOF
Legendary Station Award

On The Air Sign (Image)
Bill Stone on K-101 (January 25, 1974; two parts):

Part 1:

Part 2:

Bill Stone airchecks courtesy of Michael D’Augelli.

Cliff Saunders on K-101 and KIQI/1010 (March 10, 1974):

KIQI, formerly KSAY, begins simulcasting with co-owned KIOI and testing the AM side’s new stereo transmitter.

The SNACK Benefit Concert on K-101 (March 23, 1975):

IN STEREO! The closing segment of the concert, benefiting SNACK (“Students Need Athletics, Culture and Kicks”), featuring Bob Dylan, Neil Young and members of The Band. Broadcast live on KIOI and KIQI (1010 AM) from foggy, chilly Kezar Stadium and hosted by James Gabbert, with an assist from Stefan Ponek, Claude Hall from Billboard magazine and Joel Selvin of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Courtesy of Richard Links.

Gary Taylor on K-101 (October 25, 1979):

It’s 1963 on the final broadcast by Gary Taylor from the K-101 Time Machine, recorded for posterity in the Ultimate Radio Bootleg LP series (Volume VI). Note the use of a classic Drake/Johnny Mann “San Francisco Weather” jingle, lifted from KFRC, about four minutes into the recording.

1986         Chris Edwards on K-101 (August 25, 1986; 95 minutes) Audio presentatio onlyMS

IN STEREO! Chris Edwards, formerly of 1260/KYA, hosts the K-101 Sunday Night Solid Gold Time Machine, assisted by Bouncin’ Bev (“The Wild Wahini”) and playing plenty of instant requests. Listen for several mentions of K-101’s morning man, Don Gerrard; a reference to the station’s then-owner during a top-of-hour ID (“A service of Price Communications”); and big bunches of kitbashed Chris Edwards jingles from KYA … with the “KYA” call letters creatively excised. Chris later worked on air at KSFO/KYA-FM (photo here) and segued into a successful career as a sales executive with Clear Channel and CBS Radio in San Francisco.

1988         Bobbie West on K-101, January 1, 1988 (18 minutes) Audio presentatio onlyEdited (scoped) aircheckRS

IN STEREO! Bobbie rings in 1988 with K-101’s very first broadcast of the new year.

1990         Terry McGovern on K-101, August 24, 1990 (80 minutes) Audio presentatio only

1998         Sammy The Psychic on K-101 and KNEW/910, August 25, 1998 (30 minutes) Audio presentatio only

The first simulcast of K-101 programming on co-owned KNEW, following an Oakland A’s baseball broadcast on the AM side.

1999         Teri King on K-101 and KNEW/910, March 4, 1999 (3 minutes) Audio presentatio onlyEdited (scoped) aircheck

A simulcast of K-101 programming on co-owned KNEW.

Presentation includes textAudio presentatio only — Exhibit includes text and audio. Audio presentatio only — Audio presentation only.
Fair-to-poor audio quality — Fair-to-poor audio quality. Edited (scoped) aircheck — Edited (scoped) aircheck.
MDA — Courtesy of Michael D’Augelli.
MS — Courtesy of Mike Schweizer.
RL — Courtesy of Richard Links.
RS — Courtesy of Robin Solis.

RELATED EXHIBITS:

1970s-era K-101 bumper sticker (at top of page) courtesy of Jay Arnold.
Undated K-101 Building photo courtesy of Mike Plott.

 

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Raul Ortega
Raul Ortega
15 September 2021 12:23 AM

Excellent page I have a KIOI recording of 1992 of 47 minutes, if you like I share it, greetings from Costa Rica

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