Disney Sells 1110 KRDC to KWVE Owner Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa

[TomásEstefan]

Disclaimer: This is just nostalgic, wishful thinking on my part. But if KMPC 710, a legendary, storied L.A. station, had not been sold to Disney/ESPN/ABC, they could have developed an FM counterpart, held on to their sports contracts, and taken an MOR format to FM. I don't think that Golden West Broadcasters, owned by the Autrys, ever ventured into FM. But it is possible that they could have played standards and jazz and might have been successful.

For example, look at KRTH, who is playing 80's classics to an audience, many of whom were born in the 90's and were never even around at the time that the original songs were released. KRTH does well with a demographic whose parents listened to the original recordings. I wonder if KMPC could have done the same, especially with a jazz genre, whose tunes have a range of 3 or 4 octaves, especially during improvisational riffs. FM is perfect for that. They could still do live broadcast of sports events, then play MOR or jazz in between times.

But the KMPC calls are now owned by a Korean language station, and that may never change, unless a religious broadcaster like Salem buys the call sign and the frequency. Just my opinion. -- Daryl

It may seem odd that the KMPC legacy call sign is up on 1540 (the station's name is "Radio Korea") but thank goodness it's still in the LA Market, after all it could have wound up on a 250 W daytimer in Flyspeck, OK! At least KMET is still in SoCal (1490 in Banning).

What was country on 1280, and later religious, KFOX is on 1650 another Korean language station. I've often wondered how much cash KTTV 11 would have to offer to get those calls, assuming the station would want to give them up!

 

[michael hagerty]

It may seem odd that the KMPC legacy call sign is up on 1540 (the station's name is "Radio Korea") but thank goodness it's still in the LA Market, after all it could have wound up on a 250 W daytimer in Flyspeck, OK! At least KMET is still in SoCal (1490 in Banning).

From 1997 to 2000, the KMPC calls were on 1560 in Abilene, Texas. They were bought by Sporting News Radio for use on 1540 in L.A. and have been there since.

What was country on 1280, and later religious, KFOX is on 1650 another Korean language station. I've often wondered how much cash KTTV 11 would have to offer to get those calls, assuming the station would want to give them up!

Given how little calls matter (see KMPC above) and the fact that it hasn’t happened, my guess is FOX doesn’t care.

 

[Frequency1]

KFOX-TV is a station El Paso and has been since 01/03/1994. KFOX-FM was on 93.5 Redondo Beach from the 70's to 1999.

 

[TheBigA]

W

KFOX-TV is a station El Paso and has been since 01/03/1994. KFOX-FM was on 93.5 Redondo Beach from the 70's to 1999.

WFOX-TV is in Jacksonville, owned by Cox, and is a Fox affiliate.

WFOX-FM is in Bridgeport CT

 

[TomásEstefan]

From 1997 to 2000, the KMPC calls were on 1560 in Abilene, Texas. They were bought by Sporting News Radio for use on 1540 in L.A. and have been there since.


Given how little calls matter (see KMPC above) and the fact that it hasn’t happened, my guess is FOX doesn’t care.

Unfortunately, you're probably right. I've noticed since way back in the 80s when I've asked someone what their favorite station is or what they're listening to right now, most of the time they would tell me a "number" or the station's "name", such as: "Gentle Country" ( KGBS 1020 and 97.1) Way back then even my mother-in-law would say her favorite station was "710".

Someone pointed out in another post that "KFOX-TV" is in El Paso. "KFOX-TV" are the legal call letters. There would be nothing legally stopping KTTV from using the KFOX calls alone if they could secure them. Witness KPBS-FM (89.5) and simply KPBS (ch 15) in San Diego.

 

[TheBigA]

There would be nothing legally stopping KTTV from using the KFOX calls alone if they could secure them.

Except that doesn't appear to be an interest at FOX, because as I posted, the WFOX letters are on a Cox station in Jacksonville.

In the case of KPBS, the two stations are co-owned. KFOX is owned by Sinclair.

 

[fybush]

Unfortunately, you're probably right. I've noticed since way back in the 80s when I've asked someone what their favorite station is or what they're listening to right now, most of the time they would tell me a "number" or the station's "name", such as: "Gentle Country" ( KGBS 1020 and 97.1) Way back then even my mother-in-law would say her favorite station was "710".

Someone pointed out in another post that "KFOX-TV" is in El Paso. "KFOX-TV" are the legal call letters. There would be nothing legally stopping KTTV from using the KFOX calls alone if they could secure them. Witness KPBS-FM (89.5) and simply KPBS (ch 15) in San Diego.

This is not correct.

You can use the same base calls on multiple stations in different services. You can't use them in the same service. You can't have a KFOX-TV and a KFOX(TV) both in the TV service.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

It may seem odd that the KMPC legacy call sign is up on 1540 (the station's name is "Radio Korea") but thank goodness it's still in the LA Market, after all it could have wound up on a 250 W daytimer in Flyspeck, OK! At least KMET is still in SoCal (1490 in Banning).

What was country on 1280, and later religious, KFOX is on 1650 another Korean language station. I've often wondered how much cash KTTV 11 would have to offer to get those calls, assuming the station would want to give them up!

Oh noooooool !! The "Mighty Met" is now 1490 in.....Banning? Oh, dear. Tell me it ain't so.

KFOX Long Beach 1280 was the real deal. They played country music with all their heart. I lived in the Arcadia/ Pasadena area at that time, and their signal was faint during the day. But at night, they came in clearly.
They were serious about Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline, Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, et. al. They never played country/folk from Kris Kristofferson, Cowsills, Springfields, Rita Coolidge, Judy Collins.

They were old school to the max. Nostalgic memories. 🥲

 

[TomásEstefan]

Oh noooooool !! The "Mighty Met" is now 1490 in.....Banning? Oh, dear. Tell me it ain't so.

KFOX Long Beach 1280 was the real deal. They played country music with all their heart. I lived in the Arcadia/ Pasadena area at that time, and their signal was faint during the day. But at night, they came in clearly.
They were serious about Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline, Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, et. al. They never played country/folk from Kris Kristofferson, Cowsills, Springfields, Rita Coolidge, Judy Collins.

They were old school to the max. Nostalgic memories. 🥲

1490 in Banning has been KMET for decades. The stations owner was a big fan...

 

[TomásEstefan]

This is not correct.

You can use the same base calls on multiple stations in different services. You can't use them in the same service. You can't have a KFOX-TV and a KFOX(TV) both in the TV service.

I stand corrected, I was unaware of that!

 

[michael hagerty]

Unfortunately, you're probably right. I've noticed since way back in the 80s when I've asked someone what their favorite station is or what they're listening to right now, most of the time they would tell me a "number" or the station's "name", such as: "Gentle Country" ( KGBS 1020 and 97.1) Way back then even my mother-in-law would say her favorite station was "710".

Call letters are like license plates. The original intent was identification, not branding.

 

[david]

Oh noooooool !! The "Mighty Met" is now 1490 in.....Banning? Oh, dear. Tell me it ain't so.

KFOX Long Beach 1280 was the real deal. They played country music with all their heart. I lived in the Arcadia/ Pasadena area at that time, and their signal was faint during the day. But at night, they came in clearly.
They were serious about Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline, Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, et. al. They never played country/folk from Kris Kristofferson, Cowsills, Springfields, Rita Coolidge, Judy Collins.

They were old school to the max. Nostalgic memories. 🥲

KFOX Long Beach 1280 is prominently featured in the 1974 movie Gone in 60 Seconds - with several scenes shot in their studios and several references to the station in the dialogue.

 

[Robert Douglas]

Oh noooooool !! The "Mighty Met" is now 1490 in.....Banning? Oh, dear. Tell me it ain't so.

KFOX Long Beach 1280 was the real deal. They played country music with all their heart. I lived in the Arcadia/ Pasadena area at that time, and their signal was faint during the day. But at night, they came in clearly.
They were serious about Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline, Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, et. al. They never played country/folk from Kris Kristofferson, Cowsills, Springfields, Rita Coolidge, Judy Collins.

They were old school to the max. Nostalgic memories. 🥲

And KFOX-FM on 100.3 was a great way to hear all the beautiful high frequencies in the country music of the late 60's and early 70's. 1280 might have had a sharply tuned antenna limiting the high frequencies. You couldn't "detune" it to hear the highs like you could with KLAC, KIEV, KGBS, etc. But, in some parts of Pasadena, 100.3 on Mulholland was blocked by Flint peak, and/or the Verdugo mountains. They moved around, but seemed like there were always about 5 country stations in L.A. in those days - just like here in San Antonio today - three AM, four FM, with one of them being a simulcast.