Kcbs Radio Station

When 11-year-old classic-rock station KCBS-FM (93.1) changed formats, it went from an arrow to a shotgun. The playlist for the new station, dubbed "93.1 Jack FM," is so scattered -- by design -- that listeners can hear current heartthrob singer-songwriter John Mayer following '80s heavy-metal band Def Leppard, for example. "It's like the ultimate CD collection on shuffle.

Callers to the new Jack FM radio station in San Diego are greeted by a smug voice with this message: "If you want to request a song, call somebody else. We play what we want." A radio station telling listeners to buzz off would have been heretical a few years ago. Now it's just business.

Nine voices scream out in quick succession, "You rock!" Then, another yells, "You [do something we won't say in a family newspaper]!" The irreverent radio self-promotion, which finishes with "Nine out of 10 ain't bad," demonstrates part of the formula that helped rocket the new "Jack" format at KCBS-FM (93.1) up the ratings charts last week.

Radio stars Jonathon Brandmeier and Scott Shannon are returning to Southland airwaves this month. Chicago institution Brandmeier takes over the morning show at classic rocker KCBS-FM (93.1) -- "Arrow 93 -- on April 19. Until 1997, Brandmeier spent 14 years at classic rock and talk station "The Loop," WLUP-AM and FM, topping the Second City ratings with interviews, frenetic humor, song parodies and prank phone calls. He was last heard in L.A. on talker KLSX-FM (97.