After 38 years in radio, Bill Lueth is stepping down as President of Classical California San Francisco at the end of June. Lueth has led KDFC in the Bay Area for nearly three decades and helped integrate Los Angeles’ KUSC into a single broadcast and digital platform.
The network now reaches more than two million listeners across California, making it the largest classical music radio service in the country.
He began his broadcasting career in 1986 at KUCV Lincoln, Nebraska, while studying opera in graduate school, then joined San Francisco’s KKHI as a morning host and program director in 1989 before moving into news roles at KPIX and CBS Television. He joined KDFC in 1997, helping grow it into the highest-rated music station in San Francisco by 1999.
Lueth was appointed president of KDFC in 2011 following its acquisition by the University of Southern California and transition to a nonprofit model. In 2012, he led a $7.5 million fundraising campaign to expand the station’s signal into San Jose and Silicon Valley. He later oversaw programming integration with KUSC and expanded his role to include vice president of marketing and sales, and led the station’s relocation to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Bowes Performing Arts Center.
He was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2021 and has received multiple NAB Marconi Awards for excellence in classical radio.
Classical California President James Muhammad said, “Bill’s commitment to making classical music accessible to everyone has shaped Classical California in lasting ways. He helped grow our audience, deepen our community impact, and position Classical California for continued success.”
