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(AM or FM) Station with Same Format Longest

kfbkfb

kfbkfb

The only one I can think of is KPRS FM here in KC, WHB AM, KIIK FM, KRNA FM, KQCR FM, WLS AM have all changed formats, some dramatically, some subtle (music to talk, popular to country or classic rock etc.).

Any other radio stations with the same format for over 50 years (possibly some of the all news stations)?


Kirk Bayne
 
KYW Philly and WINS New York have been all-news since 1965. WCBS New York followed suit in 1967, and so did WBBM Chicago and KNX Los Angeles a year later.

But they don't hold the record: WFMT Chicago has been a Classical Music station since 1951. I can't think of any station keeping the same format longer.
 
kfbkfb said:
The only one I can think of is KPRS FM here in KC, WHB AM, KIIK FM, KRNA FM, KQCR FM, WLS AM have all changed formats, some dramatically, some subtle (music to talk, popular to country or classic rock etc.).

Any other radio stations with the same format for over 50 years (possibly some of the all news stations)?
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50 years ago is around 1972.

Many formats we have today did not exist then and many have gone away.

We did have early Gold formats... KRTH is still in format, although along the way there were "tomorrow's gold" moments.

We did have r&b formats... most back then were AMs but some have migrated to FM.

We did have country formats... and the first that comes to mind is KFDI in Wichita and also WPOC in Baltimore.

There were Top 40 stations, some still remain and some have become more rhythmic like WPGC.

AC did not exist until around 1972-1973 and was not even called that back then.

Regional Mexican was mostly on AMs in the US, and I don't think any remain.

WQBA Miami was news-talk going back to the mid-60's.

Multiple surviving news stations date back to the 60's such as KYW, WCBS, KNX, WINS, WBBM, WWJ.
 
KeithE4 said:
But they don't hold the record: WFMT Chicago has been a Classical Music station since 1951. I can't think of any station keeping the same format longer.
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WCLV in Cleveland, despite frequency shifts, began as all classical in 1960 or 1961 I believe.
 
I do believe that KING-FM in Seattle has been all classical since 1948. First 60+ years as a commercial entity owned by the Bullitts, now independent and non-commercial. Fascinating history behind KING-FM (and all of King Broadcasting, for that matter).

I’d argue the only reason the station lasted with a classical format for so long was having a long-time owner who appreciated the format.
 
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The Pacifica talk stations in New York, San Francisco, LA and elsewhere have been doing their thing for a very long time. KPFK in Berkeley since around 1950, WBAI in New York since around 1960.

WRR/Dallas has been running classical music for many decades. Although I'm not sure exactly what year they picked up music programming, I'm pretty sure it is over 50 years.
 
Cordelia Chase said:
How long has WSM out of Nashville had its country music format?
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That's an interesting question. Until the 80s it was primarily a full service AM station that played MOR music during the day with country at night. So people who grew up listening to the sky wave thought it was primarily a country station.
 
WLWI -FM in Montgomery, Alabama has been country since the mid/late 70's
 
Maybe WOWO? Now yes, there have been drastic changes to the programming, but it's been doing local news, sports and farm programming (though not as much in the last 30 years) for around 95 years. Even when it was doing network dramas, top 40 music, oldies music, and music and talk combined, then finally news-talk as we've known it since the 90s, it's still the basic premise for around 95 years.

WLW...same thing.
 
WCMF Rochester NY has been rocking since 1969. WDKX here has been urban since 1974. WBLK in Buffalo goes back to the 1960s with its urban format.
 
boiseengineer said:
Yep, not full time, they did Country only at night until 1980!
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TheBigA said:
That's an interesting question. Until the 80s it was primarily a full service AM station that played MOR music during the day with country at night. So people who grew up listening to the sky wave thought it was primarily a country station.
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That's right, I forgot that! I recently came across some Pat Sajak airchecks on YouTube and I remember being surprised to learn that he had worked at WSM. It was then that I learned about the dayparting because, as you said, I was only able to listen at night. (Sajak was GREAT, by the way.)
 
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