KCAL-FM Lays Off Entire On-Air Staff and Switches to Automated Format

A seismic shift rolled through the Inland Empire radio dial as Anaheim Broadcasting Corporation flipped Active Rock KCAL 96.7 to a jockless classic rock format, eliminating every live voice from the schedule. The station, which has served Redlands, Riverside, and San Bernardino since signing on the air in 1965, pulled the plug on its entire broadcast lineup ahead of an August 1 rollout of its automated, personality-free music format.

Anaheim Broadcasting Restructures KCAL-FM Into Automated Format

The ownership group promoted the programming change under the banner All Music, All the Time, informing listeners via social media that the station would feature nothing but music all day across the Inland Empire. Chief Operating Officer Kelly Sanders defended the overhaul as a strategic move to build upon the station’s rock heritage while streamlining the listening experience for both audiences and advertisers.

“KCAL has a longstanding history in the Inland Empire, and this next chapter builds on the station’s strong rock heritage. We rebuilt KCAL around the music our listeners grew up on, the songs and the artists that made classic rock, and we built it right here at home.”

Kelly Sanders, Chief Operating Officer of Anaheim Broadcasting Corporation

Sanders added that the shift expands the station’s musical focus and provides a focused, consistent sound with fewer interruptions throughout the broadcast day. The programming alteration positions KCAL-FM to compete more directly with rival classic rock signals in the broader Southern California market, including Meruelo Media’s KLOS in Los Angeles, following a rise in Nielsen Audio ratings where KCAL-FM climbed from 2.0 to 2.9 in June 2026.

Veteran Broadcasters and Staff Confirm Sudden Layoffs

The automation sweep resulted in the termination of more than a dozen full-time, part-time, weekend, and fill-in personalities. Among those displaced are morning host Patrick Tish, midday host and public service director Nikki Preston, evening host and promotions director John DeSantis, and afternoon drive host Daryl Norsell, who spent 42 years at the station and served as program director since 2014.

Other affected staff members include morning traffic and production contributor Eve Hart, alongside weekend and fill-in personnel such as Lacey Kendall, Tim Brown, Steve “Razz” Brazill, Mike “Mike Z” Zara, Kelli Cluque, Frank “Frank-O” Garcia, Syeda Jafri, Jeremiah Paul, and Rogelio Orozco.

On-air personalities turned to social media to break the news to listeners. DeSantis described the sudden corporate decision in blunt terms.

“Well, it’s finally our turn. This morning the ownership of KCAL released the entire air staff. Yes, all of us. They will be moving to an automated, human-less format. To say this is shocking is an understatement.”

John DeSantis, Evening Host, via Facebook

Norsell, reflecting on more than four decades behind the microphone in the Inland Empire, expressed deep gratitude for his listeners and colleagues while acknowledging the abrupt end of an era. He noted that his daily four-hour shift had long served as his favorite part of the day and an escape to connect with friends across the region.

“We’ve been through triumphs and tragedies, marriages and divorces, births and deaths, and always the sense of community and the ability to find the joy and laughter in it all helped make all of it more meaningful.”

Daryl Norsell, Afternoon Host, via Facebook

Broader Industry Shifts Across Southern California Radio

While Anaheim Broadcasting Corporation maintains that the all-music direction satisfies advertising partners and delivers a consistent product, the departure of anchors like Norsell, Tish, Preston, and DeSantis marks the close of a defining chapter for Inland Empire broadcasting.