• January 20, 2003

San Francisco-based CNET Networks will shut down its radio programming division at the end of January, as it transitions its content to a paid user model. The station, airing at KNEW, AM 910 from the Bay to Silicon Valley, was launched in January 2000, but it never was able to attract enough advertising to become profitable. Last year, CNET pulled the plug on a similar effort in Boston. In both cases, CNET purchased the time from station’s owner. While it exits the over-the-air space, CNET will continue to market audio content with a forthcoming launch of “CNET Radio Direct,” a twice-daily on-demand technology news program that will be available only to subscribers. “CNET Radio 910 helped us establish a radio brand and category,” says associate VP Brian Cooley. “We will leverage this momentum by packaging the station's content for delivery via the Internet, our company's core distribution platform.” KNEW will be returned to Clear Channel, which is expected to debut a new format shortly.