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With virtually no warning, San Francisco-based "smooth jazz" radio station KKSF (103.7 FM) shocked listeners with a sudden format change to "classic rock."

The Clear Channel-owned station change occurred on Wednesday, May 18 at 3 pm. Within 48 hours, the station's website had logged more than 4,000 comments, almost all of them unhappy — or downright outraged — at the sudden, unannounced format change.

According to a note posted by KKSF Program Director Michael Erickson, the decision to dump the patented "smooth jazz" format — a familiar sound on the airwaves since 1987, when the music was still called "New Adult Contemporary" — was made "only after exhaustive market research, and extensive economic considerations."

"Yes this is a business," added Erickson in his brief note on the station's website.

KKSF officially adopted the "smooth jazz" moniker at the stroke of midnight on July 31, 1977; the first song, according to the station's Wikipedia page, was a Steve Winwood song.

Ever since, KKSF straddled the line between Kenny G-styled instrumentals and R&B or jazz classics such as Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" or anything from the Al Green songbook. Lots of Boney James, lots of Tracy Chapman.

Through the years, the station went through numerous personnel changes, but always stayed true to its often eclectic mix of "adult"-flavored music.

In 1996, station ownership switched from the Brown Broadcasting Group to Evergreen Media. Clear Channel, based in Texas and the largest radio conglomerate in the nation, acquired the station in 2001.

KKSF was a market leader in the "smooth jazz" channel, and for many years aired the syndicated "Ramsey Lewis Morning Show."

The station was also responsible for generating more than $4 million in donations to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation through its annual "Smooth Jazz Sampler" CD series. The yearly CD compilations, with songs donated by the artists featured on each disc, was the brainchild of Program Director Steve Feinstein, who died in 1996.

The format change was "extremely difficult," said Erickson. 

"What were you thinking?" asked Smoothjazzman on the station's website. 

"Whoever made the decision to ditch smooth jazz, and its tens of thousands of loyal listeners made a HUGE mistake," wrote Lisa.

"We had George Bush, global warming, currently a disastrous financial fiasco, a housing implosion and now this," lamented Lew. "What a pisser!"

And Leonard branded the format change a "catastrophe," adding "A HUGE void has been created in Bay Area radio programming. You have betrayed thousands of loyal listeners who are the heart and soul of Bay Area diversity. You have insulted your entire staff and legions of your loyal listeners. Your decision has inflicted an unmendable wound upon us all. Our hearts are broken."

Clearly, folks are not happy about the format change.

Meanwhile Clear Channel is moving fast to bury any remaining traces of KKSF; the station's format has already been noted on their Wikipedia page, which duly noted that the change-over from smooth jazz to classic rock was met with "much shock and surprise."

Erickson somewhat assured listeners, however, with his promise that "smooth jazz" will still be available to listeners through the station's website, KKSF.com.