KCBS (AM)
WeatherNation | |
Ownership | |
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Owner |
|
KFRC-FM, KGMZ-FM, KITS, KLLC, KRBQ | |
History | |
First air date | December 9, 1921 | ; previous experimental operations took place from 1909 to 1921
Former call signs | KQW (1921–1949) |
Call sign meaning | Columbia Broadcasting System, the former legal name of former owner CBS Corporation |
Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 9637 |
Class | B |
Power | 50,000 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 38°8′23″N 122°31′45″W / 38.13972°N 122.52917°W |
Repeater(s) | 106.9 KFRC-FM (San Francisco) |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Webcast | Listen live (via Audacy) |
Website | www |
Site of World's First Broadcasting Station | |
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Designated | January 14, 1983 |
Reference no. | 952[2] |
KCBS (740
KCBS is the Bay Area's only 24/7, live and local radio station.
KCBS formerly shared its Battery Street studios with CBS owned-and-operated television station KPIX-TV 5. The transmitter site is located in Novato. Its programming is simulcast on co-owned 106.9 KFRC-FM plus that station's HD1 digital sub-channel.[3] It is Northern California's primary entry point station for the Emergency Alert System.
KCBS operates with a transmitter output of 50,000
In addition to over-the-air broadcasts, KCBS audio is
Programming
Like most of its sister Audacy all-news stations, KCBS airs hourly CBS News Radio reports, including the CBS World News Roundup on weekdays and the CBS News Weekend Roundup on Saturday and Sunday early mornings. It simulcasts the audio portion of the weekly CBS News TV programs 60 Minutes and Face the Nation. Additional features include traffic, weather, sports updates, and "Bloomberg Moneywatch" business reports. KPIX-TV meteorologists provide weather forecasts, especially during AM and PM drive times.
KCBS Cover Story airs weekly as an extended look at a major issue in the news, while In Depth is a weekly long-form interview program. KCBS also simulcasts a seven-minute block of the CBS Evening News East Coast feed live on weekdays, allowing listeners to hear the program's top stories two hours before the newscast airs on KPIX-TV. The station hosts special segments each weekday with CBS News technology analysts Larry Magid and Brian Cooley, San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Matier, and longtime food and wine editor Narsai David. KCBS will often feature live interviews with call-in guest experts (who occasionally also appear in the studio with the anchors) to briefly discuss a specific story, topic or subject; the edited comments are replayed as part of featured news stories throughout the remainder of the day.
The morning team consisted of longtime anchors Stan Bunger and Susan Leigh Taylor. Bunger retired in 2021, Taylor in 2020. Their replacements have not yet been announced.[5][6] Jason Brooks serves as anchor of business news segments.[7] Kim Wonderley handles traffic reporting. Mid-days are anchored by Rebecca Corral. On weekday afternoons, the anchor team consists of Jeff Bell and Patti Reising. Evening and night/early morning news anchors include John Evans and Megan Goldsby. Weekend anchors include Melissa Culross, Dan Mitchinson, Liz Saint John, Lisa Chan, Eric Thomas, Susan Kennedy, and Peter Finch.
History
Experimental years
KCBS is considered to be among the world's
On January 1, 1909, Herrold opened the Herrold College of Wireless and Engineering, located in the Garden City Bank Building at 50 West San Fernando Street in San Jose. In order to promote the college, as well as provide practical experience for his students, a radio transmitter (then commonly known as "wireless telegraphy") with a large antenna was constructed atop the building. The earliest transmissions used spark-gap transmitters which could only transmit the dots-and-dashes of Morse code.
Herrold was among the first to develop a radio transmitter that could also be used for audio transmissions. After limited success with an approach that used "high-frequency" sparks, he later began using a version of an "arc-transmitter" originally developed by Valdemar Poulsen.[9] Although his primary objective was to create a wireless telephone that could be commercialized for point-to-point use, beginning in July 1912 Herrold also began making regular weekly entertainment broadcasts, with the debut program featuring phonograph records supplied by the Wiley B. Allen company.[10][11]
Radio communication was initially unregulated in the United States, and at first Herrold used a variety of self-assigned identifiers for his station, including FN
World War I
In April 1917, with the entrance of the United States into World War I, the U.S. government took control of the entire radio industry, and it became illegal for private citizens to possess a working radio receiver. In addition, all civilian radio stations were ordered to be dismantled, so for the duration of the conflict Herrold left the airwaves. This wartime government ban on civilian stations was lifted effective October 1, 1919, and in early 1921 Herrold was reissued an Experimental license, again with the call sign 6XF.[15] (He had previously been issued a license for a portable transmitter, with the call sign 6XE.)[16]
During the war impressive strides had been made in vacuum-tube transmitter and receiver design, and Herrold's arc-transmitters were no longer commercially competitive. In 1920 a number of radio stations in the San Francisco Bay area, employing vacuum-tube transmitters, began making regular entertainment broadcasts, most prominently the "California Theater" station, 6XC, set up by Lee de Forest, which began daily service around April 1920.[17] After the war Herrold needed to become familiar with vacuum-tube equipment before he could return to the air. Although some of his co-workers later reported that he resumed regular broadcasts as early as 1919, the oldest documented report of his resumption of broadcasting, presumably over 6XF, dates to early May 1921, with the announcement that the school was inaugurating a Monday and Thursday night schedule consisting of records supplied by "J. A. Kerwin of 84 East Santa Clara street, dealer in phonographs".[18]
KQW (1921–1949)
Effective December 1, 1921, the Department of Commerce issued a regulation that stations making broadcasts intended for the general public now had to hold a Limited Commercial license specifying operation on a wavelength of 360 or 485 meters,[19] and, on December 9, 1921, a broadcasting station authorization with the randomly assigned call letters of KQW was issued in Herrold's name.[20] This license specified operation on the common "entertainment" wavelength of 360 meters (833 kHz), so KQW initially broadcast only during the hours assigned to it under a time-sharing agreement made with the other local broadcasting stations.
Classifying stations according to when they first received a broadcasting authorization under the provisions of the December 1, 1921, regulations, KQW was tied for 6th in the state of California and 16th in the United States. It is the eighth oldest surviving radio station in the United States and tied for 2nd oldest in California, one day behind
Operation of KQW was financed by the sale of radio equipment by the Herrold Radio Laboratory, but by 1925 the costs had grown. The station was transferred to the First Baptist Church of San Jose, with Herrold kept on as program director. In 1926, station manager Fred J. Hart bought KQW's license and facilities, eventually buying the station itself in 1930. From 1937 to 1941, KQW served as the San Jose network affiliate of the Don Lee Broadcasting System. During this time its owner was Julius Brunton & Sons, and the station's operations were co-located with KJBS at 1470 Pine Street in San Francisco. Until 1942, it operated as a service of the Pacific Agricultural Foundation to farmers in the Central Valley.
In 1927, the
Under the NARBA provisions, 740 was a Canadian Clear channel, with
The beginning of KCBS (1949–1995)
CBS exercised its option to buy KQW in 1949, changing the station's call letters to KCBS.
In 1968, KCBS became one of the first
Throughout its early history, KCBS also broadcast local sports. As early as 1949, KCBS broadcast
Common ownership with KPIX (1995–2017)
In late November 1995, the Westinghouse Electric Corporation bought CBS, bringing the Bay Area's oldest radio station under common ownership with its oldest television station, KPIX-TV Channel 5, which Westinghouse had purchased from Associated Broadcasters in 1954. In May 2006, KCBS and KPIX-TV moved their news bureau in San Jose to the Fairmont Tower at 50 West San Fernando Street. This was, coincidentally, the location of Charles Herrold's original broadcasts. CBS management was unaware of the San Fernando Street address' history when the move was planned. However, once informed that this was the birthplace of KCBS, they recognized this at the bureau's opening celebration.[37]
In mid-March 2005, KCBS, along with nearly all of the other all-news stations owned by
In 2007, KCBS added an
In mid-September 2010, KCBS Radio's website was merged with that of KPIX and their sister radio properties in the San Francisco market under the "CBS San Francisco" banner.
Sale to Entercom
On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with
Pioneer station status
One of the conditions of Herrold's sale of KQW in 1925 was that the new owners include, in the sign-on announcement, the following: "This is KQW, pioneer broadcasting station of the world, founded by Dr. Charles D. Herrold in San Jose in 1909".[47]
Although there are reports that Herrold was making experimental audio transmissions as early as 1909, the best evidence is that it wasn't until July 1912 when he began making regularly scheduled broadcasts. These weekly programs are generally accepted as being the first regular entertainment broadcasts made by radio. More contentious is whether KCBS can be considered the oldest radio station in continuous service, due to the fact that, following the end of World War I, Herrold did not resume regular broadcasting until May 1921.[48] (Other candidates for oldest U.S. radio station include 8MK / WWJ in Detroit, which began regular broadcasts in August 1920; WOC in Davenport, Iowa, which traces its origin to station 9BY, beginning regular broadcasts around September 1920; 9ZAF/KLZ in Denver, with nightly concerts beginning in October 1920; and 8ZZ/KDKA in Pittsburgh, which began operating on November 2, 1920.)
In 1945, stations WWJ and KDKA held competing 25th anniversary celebrations, both claiming to be the oldest "commercial radio station". Later that same year, KQW prepared and broadcast "The Story of KQW".[49] The program made the claim that KCBS is the oldest radio station, predating by eleven years both WWJ and KDKA. This broadcast included a brief recorded statement by Herrold, made just before his 70th birthday. All three of these stations, WWJ, KDKA and KCBS, eventually came under the common ownership of CBS Radio and remain sister stations under the ownership of Audacy.
Landmark status
A commemorative plaque designating 50 Fairmont Plaza, San Jose, California as the site of the "World's First Broadcasting Station" was established on January 14, 1983,[2] as California Historical Landmark 952. The plaque was placed by the California State Parks in cooperation with the California Pioneers of Santa Clara County and Mountain Charlie Chapter No. 1850, E Clampus Vitus, on April 3, 1984.[2] The inscription on the marker reads:
On this corner stood the Garden City Bank Building, where Charles D. Herrold established Station FN, the first radio broadcasting station in the world. As a pioneer in wireless telephony (radio), Herrold established the first station in 1909 to transmit radio programs of music and news to a listening audience on a regular basis.[50]
In 2009, KCBS celebrated its 100th birthday, with a yearlong series of events throughout the Bay Area. Included was the public dedication of a plaque commemorating the "Centennial Celebration of the World's First Broadcasting Station". This plaque is located outside the lobby at 50 Fairmont Plaza in San Jose, where Herrold's original broadcasts took place.[51] During the year, KCBS adopted the slogan "The World's First Broadcasting Station".
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KCBS". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ a b c "Site of World's First Broadcasting Station". Office of Historic Preservation. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
- ^ "HD Radio Guide: San Francisco, California" Archived January 19, 2018, at the Wayback Machine (hdradio.com)
- ^ Mariners have also reported hearing KCBS on Marine VHF radio channel 22 on incorrectly configured receivers: "Getting AM radio stations on VHF Radio" (forum thread), June 25, 2010 (sailnet.com)
- ^ "Longtime KCBS News Radio Anchor Stan Bunger Retires". June 13, 2021.
- ^ "KCBS fixture Stan Bunger bids farewell to Bay Area airwaves". The Mercury News. June 11, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ "Jason Brooks" biography, (kcbsradio.radio.com)
- ^ "The Golden Anniversary of Broadcasting" by Gordon R. Greb, Journal of Broadcasting, Winter 1958-1959, pages 3-13.
- ^ Charles Herrold, Inventor of Radio Broadcasting by Gordon Greb and Mike Adams, 2003, pages 82-84.
- ^ "Will Give Concert by Wireless Telephone", San Jose Mercury Herald, July 21, 1912, page 27.
- ^ "Musical Concert by Wireless Telephone", San Diego Union, July 23, 1912, page 19.
- ^ "FN" was the inverted initials of "National Fone".
- ^ "Special Land Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, December 1915, page 2. The "6" in 6XF's call sign indicated that the station was located in the 6th Radio Inspection district, while the "X" specified that the station held an Experimental License.
- ^ Wireless Communications in the United States by Thorn L. Mayes, 1989, page 206.
- ^ "Special Land Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, April 1, 1921, page 4.
- ^ "Special Land Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, October 1, 1920, page 5.
- ^ "Radio Telephone Development in the West" by Harry Lubcke, Radio News, February 1922, page 702.
- ^ "Radio School Sends Jazz Music via Air", San Jose Mercury Herald, May 3, 1921, page 4.
- ^ "Amendments to Regulations", Radio Service Bulletin, January 3, 1922, page 10.
- ^ Limited Commercial license, serial #255, issued on December 8, 1921, for one year.
- ^ Limited Commercial license, serial #245, issued on December 7, 1921, for one year to the Portable Wireless Telephone Company.
- ^ Limited Commercial license, serial #248, issued on December 8, 1921, for one year (as KGC) to the Electric Lighting Supply Company.
- ^ "Broadcasting Stations Alphabetically by States and Cities: Effective June 15, 1927", Radio Service Bulletin, May 31, 1927, page 5.
- ^ "Your Radio Stations Have New Homes", San Francisco Chronicle, March 29, 1941, page 7.
- ^ KSFO's owner, Associated Broadcasters, had decided to concentrate on plans for its new television station, KPIX-TV. As compensation for allowing KQW to remain on 740, KPIX received the Bay Area's CBS television affiliation.
- Bay Area Radio Museum.
- ^ "KCBS" (advertisement), Broadcasting, April 11, 1949, page 3.
- ^ This use of the KCBS callsign predates its use in Los Angeles by KCBS-TV (formerly KTSL and KNXT) and KCBS-FM by more than 30 years.
- ^ "Business editor Bob Price retires from KCBS", San Francisco Press Club, November 5, 2009 (sfppc.blogspot.com)
- ^ "Cards Favored In Huskie Tilt", The Stanford Daily, vol. 116, no. 15, October 14, 1949, retrieved July 28, 2019
- ^ Haft, Chris (January 16, 1981), "Farm loses 'voice'; Klein goes to 49ers", The Stanford Daily, vol. 178, no. 60, Stanford University, p. 9, retrieved July 28, 2019
- ^ a b Lis, John (March 13, 1985), "University signs with KCBS-Radio", The Stanford Daily, Stanford University, retrieved July 28, 2019
- ^ a b c d Antonucci, Mike (March 18, 1987). "SJS, KHTT close to deal for live football coverage". San Jose Mercury News. p. 6E. Retrieved July 21, 2019 – via NewsBank.
- ^ Chandrasekaran, Rajiv (August 6, 1992). "Walsh's revelation: Football on the Farm". The Stanford Daily. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
- ^ Brewer, Boni (April 29, 1980), "Less means more in football radio contest", The Spartan Daily, vol. 74, no. 57, San Jose State University, retrieved July 28, 2019
- ^ "San Francisco 49ers Football On The Radio". Bay Area Radio Museum. August 13, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
- ISBN 9780786469635.
- ^ Press release from 2005 announcing launch of internet stream of CBS news radio stations
- ^ "CBS Sets Radio Division Merger With Entercom". Variety. February 2, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
- ^ "CBS and Entercom Are Merging Their Radio Stations". Fortune. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
- ^ "CBS Radio to Merge with Entercom" by Lance Venta, February 2, 2017 (radioinsight.com)
- ^ "Entercom Receives FCC Approval for Merger with CBS Radio". Entercom. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- ^ Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017). "Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger". Radio Insight. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- ^ WCBS and KCBS Calls Will Stay Put at Entercom {Retrieved 04 February 2023 from InsideRadio.com}
- ^ "Entercom Rebrands, Changes Name to Audacy". www.businesswire.com. March 30, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ^ "KCBS: 50 Years of Broadcasting" (advertisement), Broadcasting magazine, April 6, 1959, pages 22-23
- ^ Greb and Adams, page 129.
- ^ "Broadcasting's Oldest Stations: An Examination of Four Claimants" by Joseph E. Baudino and John M. Kittross, Journal of Broadcasting, Winter 1977, page 71.
- ^ "The Story Of KQW" (November 10, 1945) Includes a link to a recording of the original broadcast (bayarearadio.com).
- ^ "CHL No. 952 Broadcasting Station Site - Santa Clara". California Historical Landmarks. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
- ^ KCBS Centennial Celebration
External links
- Official website
- KCBS in the FCC AM station database
- KCBS in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- FCC History Cards for KCBS (covering 1927-1980 as KQW / KCBS)
- "The History of KQW/KCBS" by John F. Schneider, 1996 (bayarearadio.org)
- KQW Radio, San Jose "The Story Of KQW" Saturday, November 10, 1945 (bayarearadio.org)