KDWN
Defunct on AM 720 | |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Las Vegas Valley |
Frequency | 720 kHz |
Branding | 101.5 FM 720 AM KDWN |
Programming | |
Format | Defunct (was talk radio and brokered programming) |
Affiliations | |
Ownership | |
Owner |
|
History | |
First air date | April 7, 1975 |
Last air date | March 1, 2023 | (on AM 720)
Former call signs | KQRX (1972-75; CP) |
Call sign meaning | "Dawn" |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 54686 |
Class | B |
Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 36°16′3.89″N 115°2′45.01″W / 36.2677472°N 115.0458361°W |
Translator(s) | 101.5 K268CS (Las Vegas, relays KMXB-HD3) |
Repeater(s) | 94.1 KMXB-HD3 (Henderson) |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen live (via Audacy) |
Website | www |
KDWN (720
KDWN aired a .KDWN's original 50,000-
KDWN's AM broadcast, along with KXST, ceased operations on March 2, 2023. The station's previous programming and branding continues to be heard on K268CS and KMXB-HD3.
History
From music station to talk radio
KDWN first came on the air on April 7, 1975.
The station began by broadcasting a
KDWN's transition from music to talk began slowly. In the late 1970s, KDWN aired a mix of music and some talk during the day. In January 1980, KDWN began broadcasting talk around the clock. KDWN was the top news/talk outlet in the Las Vegas
Unlike most Las Vegas-area stations, KDWN remained locally owned, even as most of its competitors were bought out by large radio corporations such as
Art Bell and Rush Limbaugh
Noted radio talk host
Bell began by discussing mostly politics. But he increasingly added discussions of the
KDWN was one of the first radio stations to carry Rush Limbaugh's nationally syndicated show in 1988. Limbaugh helped boost KDWN's midday ratings. In 1996, with the rates to carry it increasing, KDWN decided not to renew the show. Like Coast to Coast AM, The Rush Limbaugh Show moved to KXNT. KDWN produced and broadcast a local morning show, The Snoozebusters, from the early 1980s until 2006. It was hosted by Ken Stahl and Hart Kirsch.
Beasley Broadcasting acquisition, trade to Audacy
In March 2006, Beasley Broadcast Group, a Naples, Florida–based company, announced plans to buy the station for $17 million.[10] A Las Vegas newspaper reported a rumor that KDWN would change to an all-sports format, effective July 1, 2006, although the switch did not happen. Host Jim Dallas reported on Wake Up, America on July 21, 2006, that audience backlash against the change forced Beasley to retain the talk radio format.
In the fall of 2006, Beasley introduced a morning drive time news and information show hosted by Heidi Harris, with the remainder of its weekday talk format consisting of nationally syndicated shows and local brokered programming. Harris' show was discontinued in 2012, with the nationally syndicated Laura Ingraham show moved into the morning time slot which was later discontinued. Harris had also been heard on KDWN from 1988 to 1998.
In June 2017, the Oakland Raiders, in preparation for their relocation to Las Vegas, announced that a two–year deal had been reached with the Beasley Broadcast Group to carry Raiders games on KDWN and FM sister station KCYE, starting with the 2017 NFL season.[11] In 2019, the team moved their broadcasts to KYMT.
On October 6, 2022, Beasley Broadcasting announced a station swap with Audacy, Inc., wherein Beasley would swap ownership of KDWN to Audacy in exchange for ownership of KXTE.[12]
Sign off
On February 13, 2023, Audacy announced that KDWN would be signing off on March 1, while the translator would remain on air with the same programming. In November 2022, Audacy sold the land that the AM transmitter sat on for $40 million. KDWN was diplexed with KXST near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway; on the same day, Audacy also announced that KXST would also go dark.
With the station signing off, KXNT replaced KDWN as the primary entry point in Southern Nevada for the Emergency Alert System. KDWN's programming remains available on K268CS (101.5 FM), which is fed via KMXB-HD3.[13]
On March 1, 2023, at midnight, following the station's broadcast of Audacy-based podcast Perilous World Radio, the station gave a final message redirecting listeners to the FM signal or Audacy app, then played the state anthem,
On September 21, 2023, KDWN and sister station KXST filed applications with the FCC to relocate the two stations' towers and return to the air. No exact timeline was given.[15] The stations did not return to the air within a year of shutting down;[16] on March 11, 2024, Audacy submitted an application to cancel the license.[17]
The Federal Communications Commission cancelled the station’s license on March 22, 2024 because it had been silent for more than twelve consecutive months.[18]
References
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/K268CS
- ^ "FCCinfo search for KDWN archive records". Retrieved March 15, 2022.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/KDWN-AM
- ^ "HD Radio station guide for Las Vegas, NV". Archived from the original on September 14, 2016. Retrieved September 1, 2015. HD Radio Guide for Las Vegas
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1976 page C-122
- ^ "News Producer".
- ^ "Las Vegas News | Breaking News & Headlines". May 26, 2023.
- ^ [1][permanent dead link]
- ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1984 page B-161
- ^ "Beasley Broadcast Group to Acquire KDWN-AM in Las Vegas for $17 Million". Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved April 21, 2006.
- ^ "Raiders announce Las Vegas TV, radio partnerships". June 2017.
- ^ Beasley and Audacy Swap Stations in Las Vegas
- ^ "Audacy to Sign Off Pair of Las Vegas AMs". Radio Insight. February 14, 2023.
- ^ "KDWN 720 and KXST 1140 sign off March 2 2023"- YouTube
- ^ "FCC Report 9/24: Audacy Proposes to Revive Silent Las Vegas AMs". RadioInsight. September 24, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ Venta, Lance (March 11, 2024). "Audacy Surrenders KDWN & KXST Licenses After Failing To Restore Operations Before Deadline". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
- ^ "Cancellation Application". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System. March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ^ "License Cancelled". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System. March 22, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
External links
- KDWN in the FCC AM station database
- KDWN in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- K268CS in the FCC FM station database
- K268CS at FCCdata.org
- FCC History Cards for KDWN
- Founder of KDWN 720 AM Talk radio Dies
- KDWN Program Schedule
- Doctor Daliah show website
- KDWN official website
- KDWN Studio Photos
- Tru Hawkins internet radio show