‘The Wave’ Is Washed Up; Rock Is Ready to Roll

“The Wave” has crashed.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, KSWV-FM (102.9) will drop the satellite-delivered format, which features New Age music often described as “elevator jazz,” in favor of a classic-rock format. Beginning Thursday night, the station will be known as KSDO-FM, “Classic 103.”

Pioneered in Los Angeles in 1987, The Wave format was quickly picked up by dozens of stations throughout the country. The Wave premiered in San Diego in October, 1987, to much media attention, replacing a Top 40 format.

But in San Diego, as in many other areas of the country, The Wave was never able to generate anything more than a ratings swell. In the latest ratings book, KSWV earned a dismal 1.9 share among listeners 12 and older, compared to a 3.1 for KIFM (98.1), its main musical competitor.

“It was just not the kind of station that generated ratings,” said Mike Shields, general manager of the Gannett-owned KSDO-AM and -FM.

To orchestrate the switch to classic rock, Shields has hired Larry Bruce Communications as a consultant. Bruce, who was program director of perennial album-oriented rock ratings power KGB-FM (101.5) from 1980 to 1986, will be program director for the new format, and Elizabeth Burley, another KGB alumna, will serve as promotions director.

Shields said KSDO-FM will begin hiring on-air personalities next week. The only recognizable personality of The Wave, which originally was without any live disc jockeys, was Art Good, who is now out of a job.

Shields said the new “Classic 103” will target listeners ages 25 to 44, primarily men, which, from an advertising sales perspective, will complement the news-talk listeners of KSDO-AM (1130). The format will put the station in competition with several others, including KGB, the oldies of KCBQ (Eagle 105) and KGMG-FM (Magic 102), which currently bills itself as “San Diego’s Only Classic Rock” station.

Shields said the station will feature “pure classic rock,” the album-oriented rock hits of the ‘60s and ‘70s, not including some of the current hits in the Magic 102 format.

“Our research shows that the adult rock audience we’re targeting doesn’t want a station exclusively living in the past,” said Magic 102 Program Director Greg Stevens, adding that he will have to wait and see what kind of songs “Classic 103” programs.

“I really don’t think this is the ideal (audience) for two stations to split up,” Stevens said. “I think the niche is best served by one classic station.”

“Certainly we’re going to be aware of what they’re up to,” said KGB Program Director Ted Edwards. “Now that it’s a fact, we’ll deal with it as it comes. We take a company like Gannett very seriously.”

Rumors of the demise of The Wave had been circulating for several weeks, but weren’t confirmed until Tuesday.

“The people at KSDO are quality broadcasters,” said KIFM General Manager Bruce Walton. “They had to see that The Wave was going nowhere.”