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In a move that reflects the growing influence of the South Bay's Latino population, Clear Channel Communications on Thursday shut down San Jose's oldest rock station and began programming in Spanish.
KSJO-FM (92.3), a rock station for 36 years, switched over just after 7 p.m. to an oldies hit format called ``La Preciosa.'' The final complete English song played was Wall of Voodoo's ``Mexican Radio.''
The new format, which features hits by artists such as Vicente Fernandez, Los Bukis and Juan Gabriel, and features morning host Alex Lucas, has gained a large following in Monterey and Salinas, and 14 other Clear Channel markets nationally.
Although long rumored, the change stunned fans of what is called ``active'' rock. They have no other station in the area to turn to for new rock music with a harder edge.
``That's a shocker to me,'' said Santa Clara guitarist Dave Meniketti, who grew up listening to the station and founded the band Y&T that became a staple on it. ``I know radio stations come and go, but I thought they would always be there.''
The change reflects the growing Latin market and the graying of the rock market, according to Clear Channel Communications Regional Vice President Ed Krampf. ``The fastest part of the market is Latin,'' he said. ``And rock is having trouble. Young white kids are listening to hip-hop, and the other young segment is Hispanic. . . . Sometimes you just have to move on.''
The decision also reflected the growing promise of the South Bay, where 38 percent of all radio listeners are Latino, Krampf said.
In San Jose, Clear Channel programs classic rock KUFX-FM (98.5), nicknamed KFOX, and has an alternative rock station, KCNL-FM (104.9), which plays new alternative.
The San Antonio-based company is the country's largest radio station owner, with 1,200 stations. It also owns San Francisco's urban music KYLD-FM and KMEL-FM; adult contemporary music station KIOI-FM; urban hits, KISQ-FM; smooth jazz, KKSF-FM; conservative talk, KNEW-FM. It came under fire from big band fans when it switched KABL-AM at 960 to liberal talk KQKE-AM.
Left out now are the harder rock of bands such as Metallica and AC/DC, which were staples of KSJO. The station was known in its prime for breaking acts such as Tom Petty, the Police and AC/DC.
KSJO's ratings had been terrible in the last ratings period. The ratings, released last week, showed the station ranked 24th in San Jose for listeners over 12, collecting about 1 percent of the area's 1.5 million listeners.
Not coincidentally, in those same rankings, a Spanish-language station was for the first time tops in the South Bay. KSOL-FM, which broadcasts at 98.9 and 99.1, was first with roughly 7 percent of listeners over 12, beating out longtime leader KGO-AM in San Jose. KGO news talk has been on top in the Bay Area's ratings for 25 years, and almost always takes the top spot in San Jose.
KSJO began as a rocker in San Jose in 1968. It had started in 1947 as the only station in the county with an all-female staff; thus the female symbol on its stickers that remained for years after.
For years, KSJO was in the city's Top Ten before losing its morning hosts ``Lamont and Tonelli'' to San Francisco competitor KSAN-FM (107.7) two years ago. For much of this past year, the Clear Channel station picked up the syndicated ``Bob and Tom'' show from Indianapolis, a cost-cutting move that was never welcomed by local listeners.
(Most radio listening is done by commuters in cars, and the morning drive is the most important part of the day. Listeners usually set their dial and leave it there for the day.)
``Active rock works in plenty of markets,'' said Ken Anthony, a former KSJO employee who is the rock editor for the radio trade journal Radio and Records. ``It's a very viable format, and the Bay Area is a hotbed for mainstream rock acts like Metallica and Montrose. But it depends on how it's being handled, on the morning show, competition in the market and ownership support.''
Some San Jose broadcasters see the loss of another English signal as another black eye for a market that struggles for recognition and advertising dollars with its smaller neighbor to the north.
``San Francisco gets to count San Jose's population in its ratings, so it's fourth in the country,'' said Paul ``Lobster'' Wells, the former KSJO program director, who does a syndicated specialty show heard on KUFX-FM Sundays at 9 p.m. ``But San Jose can't count San Francisco, so it's 32nd.''
In the weeks to come, another English-language radio station, KBAA-FM (93.3), which simulcasts the programing of San Jose's KBAY, will begin broadcasting in Spanish pending government approval.