Cumulus Shuts Off Struggling Stations

• Last November, Cumulus made several significant moves in San Francisco, including elevating the conservative talk format on KSFO from its 5,000-watt perch on 560AM up to the big 50,000-watt stick at 810AM, the former longtime home of what had been Talk 810 KGO (which in 2022 had been unsuccessfully transformed into the sports betting-focused 810 The Spread). The KSFO calls also moved with the format up to 810, while 560 (which recently marked its 100th birthday) was assigned the KZAC calls… with a format TBA.

However, that mystery format never appeared, and on March 3, Cumulus elected to pull the plug and take KZAC dark while it decides what to do with the station.

A similar scenario has transpired in Lexington, KY, where Cumulus made the decision to shut down ratings-challenged Adult Hits WLXX (101.5 Jack FM) rather than explore an alternative format.

In a statement, a Cumulus spokesperson tells RAMP, “As part of our ongoing efforts to optimize our portfolio and allocate resources effectively in our local markets, we have determined that certain stations are no longer the right strategic fit within their respective markets. As a result, we have made the decision to suspend operations at these stations — an adjustment that impacts very few individuals — while we evaluate the best path forward, allowing us to focus on strengthening and maximizing the impact of our other brands.”