KOA (AM)

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KOA (850

KOA is a Class A, clear-channel station, broadcasting at 50,000 watts non-directional, the maximum power permitted by the Federal Communications Commission for AM stations. By day, the station provides city-grade coverage to most of Colorado's densely populated area, including cities such as Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Fort Collins. It provides at least secondary coverage to most of eastern Colorado, along with portions of Wyoming. Under the right conditions, it reaches portions of Nebraska and Kansas. With a good radio at night, the signal can be heard over much of the Central and Western United States, and parts of Canada and Mexico. KOA is nicknamed "the Blowtorch of the West".^[3] It is Colorado's primary entry point station for the Emergency Alert System.

As of November 1, 2015, KOA is also heard on 94.1 MHz K231BQ, which is licensed to Golden, Colorado, as an FM translator of KBCO-HD3. In addition, KOA also simulcasts on translator K231AA (also on 94.1 MHz), licensed to Boulder.^[3][4]

History

KOA was first owned by

Former Rocky Mountain News columnist Mike Rosen, who retired at the end of 2015, was the long-running host of the 1 to 3 p.m. show. Rosen is a fiscal conservative and social libertarian who occasionally was a substitute host for Rush Limbaugh. Common Rosen-isms are "tell me where you sit before you tell me where you stand" and "a politician asks what you want, an economist asks what you want more". Rosen's philosophy is reflected in his recommended reading list which includes Ayn Rand, Adam Smith, Paul Johnson and Thomas Sowell.

Other well-known local voices previously heard on KOA include Bob Martin, Don Zimmer, Gus Mircos, and Alex Stone.

Also in the 1980s, during the weekend evening hours on KOA, Larry Cox, and his dog Wilbur, would host the radio program The National Recovery Act, a listener-friendly call-in show. A certain topic was announced and people from all over the nation, picking up the KOA signal at night, would call in with their memories. Big band music from the 1930s and 1940s was also played. The program would always end with the song "And So To Bed". In December 1987, Cox began a new radio program, No Place Like Home, broadcast from his home on Chicago Creek. Listeners would often hear the fireplace crackling and Cox's dog, Wilbur, snoring.^{[citation needed]}

Rush Limbaugh had been heard on KOA until 2019, when the show moved to co-owned KDFD (760 AM/93.7 FM). As a result of the changes, KOA began calling itself "The Voice of Colorado".^[7] As of 2021^[update], KOA brands itself as "Colorado's News, Talk, and Sports Station". In June 2022, longtime co-anchor of Colorado's Morning News April Zesbaugh retired.^[8][9][10]

Awards

KOA was one of ten stations honored at the 2007 NAB Crystal Radio Awards for public service awarded by the National Association of Broadcasters.^[11] Winners were honored at the radio luncheon on April 17, 2007, during the NAB Show in Las Vegas.

KOA was named "Large Market Station of the Year" at the 2008 National Association of Broadcasters' Marconi Radio Awards.^[12]

References

External links

• Official website
• FCC History Cards for KOA
• KOA in the FCC AM station database
• KOA in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
• K231BQ in the FCC FM station database
• K231BQ at FCCdata.org