Jack, meet Sophie
Comments(0) On June 22nd, CBS Radio closed the book on their “Free FM” hot talk format, including a format change at San Diego’s KSCF, 103.7 FM.
My guess is that what they really would have liked to do is use the Jack FM format that they have had much success with in other markets, including Los Angeles.
Alas, Midwest Television Inc. had already licensed that format for this market and is running it on their KFMB-FM (100.3).
So they came up with the anti-Jack. Jack, meet Sophie. While Jack stations proudly proclaim that they don’t pay heed to their listeners and play “what we want”, Radio Sophie actively solicits its listeners’ feedback. Maybe it’s a female (Sophie) vs. male (Jack) kind of thing.
I have to say that Radio Sophie plays the best mix of music I’ve heard on San Diego radio in a long time. I like stations that play an eclectic mix, and I would listen to Jack with its 1000-song playlist if not for the fact that it consists mostly of oldies.
Those songs may have been fine back then, but I’m just not interested. I’m always looking for the next great song, and I love the fact that Sophie, almost the antithesis of Jack, plays all contemporary music, including some unsigned bands, with styles ranging from rock to blues to folk.
I just hope they keep it this way. I have seen way too many radio stations start out with an adventurous playlist, only to become more corporate and conservative after the major labels notice them and send in their promoters, flush with “incentives.”