KSAN Classic Rock

Image Via Professor Poster

There have been many stations that have been called KSAN, this article will cover the one that on May 21, 1968, changed its call letters from KSFR to KSAN and the format switched to album-oriented rock music.

This change came about due to an event at another station, KMPX. On March 18, 1968 KMPX program director Tom Donahue turned in his resignation after a series of conflicts with the management at the station. This led to a strike by most of the KMPX staff that were loyal to Tom.

The owners of KSAN at the time were Metromedia and they recognized an opportunity quickly. Metromedia switched the format of KSAN from classical music to freeform rock, and hired Donahue and most of the his Ex-KMPX staffers, who then started at the station on May 21.

With this change, KSAN became a groundbreaking and historic rock station. Metromedia also changed the format of their Los Angeles station, KMET to the new format and continued their success in L.A.

KSAN’s rock format ended on November 15, 1980, when the station switched to a country music format.

KSAN
211 Sutter St
San Francisco CA 94108