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KBWF (95.7 FM, "The New 95.7 The Wolf") is a United States radio station located in San Francisco, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area. KBWF airs a country music format.

The station is currently owned and operated by Entercom Communications, and broadcasts from studios at 3rd and Howard in San Francisco, with transmitter on San Bruno Mountain.

History

KKHI

The 95.7 FM frequency debuted in 1947 as KGSF Warner Brothers launched the station in San Francisco. There were several ownership changes and call letter changes, including KXKX, KEAR-FM and eventually KKHI-FM. For many years, the station aired a format consisting of classical music

95.7 KPIX-FM

Labor disputes, along with declining advertising support, eventually brought an end to the classical music programming. The station was sold in 1994 to Westinghouse, owners of KPIX-TV, and its format was dramatically changed. The station became KPIX-FM, and flipped to a news/talk format, simulcast with its AM sister station. Hosts included Dr. Laura Schlessinger. During this time, the station briefly attained an all-time ratings high by airing non-stop coverage of the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

Z95.7

The AM/FM KPIX simulcast ended in July 21, 1997, when Westinghouse, now a part of CBS Radio, sold KPIX-FM to Bonneville International, which changed the call letters to KOYT and later KZQZ and adopted a CHR format as "Z95.7." The slogan was "Today's Hit Music" The format lasted until May 15, 2002, when the station flipped to classic hits as KKDV ("95.7 The Drive"), inspired by the success of its Chicago sister station WDRV. Some songs heard on KZQZ (Z95.7) can now be heard on KMVQ.

95.7 Max FM

WDRV's success did not translate to the Bay Area, and a short time later, the station turned to a country music format as KZBR ("95.7 The Bear"). On May 11, 2005, the station adopted a classic hits format, but transitioned into adult hits as "MAX-FM" on April 13, 2006 with the KMAX call sign. KZBR started with a full complement of announcers, but moved to a more-music, DJ-free approach in mid-April, 2006. The familiar voice of "Station 'owner' J J Maxwell" or “Max” was actor John O'Hurley, perhaps best known for his work on “Seinfeld” as catalog king J. Peterman. “It’s unexpected and a bit irreverent,” said Bonneville's Senior Regional Vice President and General Manager Chuck Tweedle. “And very much in the eclectic spirit of MAX 95.7 FM.”

In January 2007, Bonneville announced that it would be swapping all three of its San Francisco FM stations, including KMAX, plus $1 million cash, to Entercom Communications for three of Entercom's radio stations in Seattle, Washington, plus Entercom's entire radio cluster in Cincinnati, Ohio. Entercom officially took over via LMA on February 26, 2007.

95.7 The Wolf

On March 1, 2007, at 7:50 AM, KMAX flipped formats once again, returning to country as "95.7 The Wolf", and began playing 10,000 country songs in a row, commercial-free, with the first song being "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)" by Big & Rich. The launch of "The Wolf", and most of the initial imaging production was created by Krash Creative Solutions. The launch of "The Wolf" was also simulcast live from the main stage at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, TN and heard by hundreds of radio and record executives.

After playing 10,000 country songs in a row, they continued with an additional 15,000 songs still commercial-free. On April 2, 2007 The Wolf began adding jocks, with Nikki Landry doing mid-days, JoJo Kincaid on afternoons and Tic Tak on nights. Then on April 16, 2007 The Wolf brought in The Y'all Turnative Morning Show with Gill Alexander, LeBaron Meyers, Marcus Osborne, Sue Hall and Eddie King.

95.7 The Wolf currently ranks at #23 (1.7) in the San Francisco market according to the December 2009 PPM Ratings release.

Airstaff

The current lineup (as of November 23, 2009) is as follows

• Morning Show (5am-10am): Ken & Corey - Ken Anderson, Corey Foley and Eddie King
• Mid-Days (10am-4pm): The Wolf @ Work - Micki Gamez
• Afternoon Drive (4pm-7pm): TBA
• Nighttime (7pm-12am): The 2 Shift - Alan Kabel
• Overnights (12am-5am): Pacey Williams
• Weekend's/Fill-ins: Jeff "JD" Dean, Mike Vincent, Greg West and Ali Wilder.
• Program Director: Mike Krinik
• Assistant PD/Music Director: TBA
• Station Voice: John Willyard

• On November 20, 2009, afternoon host and Assistant Program director/music director Keola Lui-Kwan left 95.7 The Wolf for New Country 98.7 KUPL in Portland. There is no word on a replacement for all three vacant positions. For now weekend host Ali Wilder will take over the afternoon drive on an interim basis.

Past personalities

KKHI Era 1980-1994

• Laura Brodian (1994)
• John Hawkins (1968)
• Jeff Riggenbach (1993-1994)

95.7 KPIX Era 1994-1997

• John Evans (1994)
• Don Imus (Morning Host "Imus In The Morning" 1994-1997)
• Dr. Tara Fields (Mid-day Host 1997)
• Gil Gross (Nighttime Host)
• Tom Leykis (Afternoon Host "The Tom Leykis Show" 1994-1997)
• Dr. Laura Schlessinger (Mid-day Host 1994-1997)
• Tom Snyder (Overnight Host "The Late, Late Show" 1995-1997)
• Dr. Nancy Snyderman (Late Morning Host 1997)
• Pat Thurston (Evening Host)

Z95.7 Era 1997-2002

• Woody (Morning Host "The Woody Show" 1999-2000) - Now mornings at 94.1 KTFM in San Antonio, Texas
• Danny Wright (Morning co-host "The Woody Show" 1999-2000)
• Jamie (Morning co-host "The Woody Show" 1999-2000)
• Carson Daly (Evening Host "Most Requested" 2001-2002)
• Gene Gates (Morning Host "Gene & Julie" 2001-2002) - Now mornings at 103.7 lite FM KVIL in Dallas, Texas
• Julie Gates (Morning Co-host "Gene & Julie" 2001-2002) - Now mornings at 103.7 lite FM KVIL in Dallas, Texas
• Michael Mann (Late Night/Nighttime Host 2000-2002)
• Katie Mason (Mid-day Host 1997-2002, later returns when the station becomes "The Bear".)
• Crystal McKenzie (Morning Co-host 1997-1999)
• Marcus D. Nejaro (Afternoon Host 1997-2000)
• Human Numan (Morning Host 1997)
• Matthew Reid (Afternoon Host 2000-2001)
• Lara Scott (Evening Host 1997-1999)
• Kevin Scott (Late Night Host 1997-1998)
• Stick (Evening Host 2000-2001)
• Steve Taylor (2001)
• Diana Steele (Afternoon Host 2001-2002) - Now afternoons at 103.1 Jack FM KJQN in Salt Lake City, Utah
• Fernando Ventura (Evenings/Morning Host "Fernando In The Morning 1997-1999)

95.7 The Drive Era 2002-2003

• Roger Coryell (Nighttime Host 2002-2003)
• John Grappone (Morning Host 2002-2003)
• Bill Keffruy (Morning Host 2002)
• Stephen Page (Mid-day Host 2002-2003)
• Jon Russell (Afternoon Host 2002-2003)

95.7 The Bear 2003-2005

• Forrest Kelly (Nighttime/Mid-day Host 2003-2004)
• Katie Mason (Mid-day/Nighttime Host 2003-2005)
• Mel Mays (Overnight Host 2003-2005)
• Billy Michaels (Nighttime Host 2004-2005) - Now mid-days at 102.5 KNIX in Phoenix, Arizona
• Robin Owen (Morning co-host 2004-2005)
• Rick Taylor (Morning Host "The Bear Morning Show" 2003-2005)

95.7 MAX-FM Era 2005-2007

• Mike Dawson (Mid-day Host 2006)
• Web Fingers (Morning Host 2005-2006)
• Sue Hall (Morning News, stayed when it flipped to country)
• Teri King (Mid-day/Afternoon Host 2005-2006)
• Janelle Marie (Morning Traffic 2005-2006)

95.7 The Wolf Era 2007-Present

• Mark "Tic Tak" Allen (Nighttime Host "Nite Wolf" 2007) - Now afternoons at 92.3 Now FM in New York City
• Gill Alexander (Morning Host "The Y'all Turnative Morning Show" 2007-2008) - Now weekends at Movin 99.7
• Doughboy (Weekends 2007)
• Sue Hall (Morning co-host 2006-2007)
• JoJo Kincaid (Afternoon Host 2007-2008) - Now afternoons at Q105 in Tampa Bay, Florida
• Nikki Landry (Mid-Day Host 2007-2009)
• Tim "Goose" Lock (Nighttime Co-host "Nite Wolf"/Producer/Overnight Host 2007-2008)
• Keola Lui-Kwan (Nighttime Host "Nite Wolf"/Afternoon Host 2007-2009)
• Lebaron "LB" Meyers (Morning co-host 2007-2008)
• Lola Montgomery (Weekends 2007-2008) - Now mid-days at 100.7 The Wolf in Seattle, Washington
• Marcus Osborne (Morning co-host/producer 2007)
• Jeff Perry (Weekends 2007)
• Steve Rockwell (Weekends/Morning co-host 2007-2008)
• Joey Way (Weekends 2007-2008)
• Wingnut (Weekends 2007) - Now afternoons at 100.7 The Wolf in Seattle, Washington

References

1. www.bayarearadio.org
2. San Francisco/Oakland - 95.7 Max FM - Variety Hits

• Web Archives
• San Francisco DJ List
• 95.7 The Wolf Airstaff
• New Mid-Day host is Micki Gamez

External links

• Facility details for Facility ID KBWF ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
• Hear The Launch Of The Wolf

• HD Radio stations
• Radio stations in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Country radio stations in the United States
• Hayward, California
• Radio stations established in 1947
• Media in Oakland, California