KDWN

Last updated

KDWN
Defunct on AM 720
KDWN Logo 2018.png
Broadcast area Las Vegas Valley
Frequency 720 kHz
Branding101.5 FM 720 AM KDWN
Programming
Format Defunct (was talk radio and brokered programming)
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
  • Audacy, Inc.
  • (Audacy License, LLC, as Debtor-in-Possession)
History
First air date
April 7, 1975 (1975-04-07)
Last air date
  • March 1, 2023 (2023-03-01)
  • (47 years, 328 days)
(on AM 720)
Former call signs
KQRX (1972-75; CP)
Call sign meaning
"Dawn"
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 54686
Class B
Power
  • 25,000 watts day
  • 7,500 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
36°16′3.89″N115°2′45.01″W / 36.2677472°N 115.0458361°W / 36.2677472; -115.0458361
Translator(s) 101.5 K268CS (Las Vegas, relays KMXB-HD3)
Repeater(s) 94.1 KMXB-HD3 (Henderson)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live (via  Audacy)
Website www.audacy.com/kdwn

KDWN (720 AM) was a commercial radio station in Las Vegas, Nevada, owned and operated by Audacy, Inc.. The station pronounced its call letters as "K-Dawn". The station's studios were located in the unincorporated Clark County area of Spring Valley. Programming was also heard on 250-watt FM translator station K268CS on 101.5 MHz. [2] KDWN aired a talk radio format. It ran several nationally syndicated conservative talk hosts, along with local shows, most of which were brokered programming. National hosts included Brian Kilmeade, Sean Hannity and Mark Levin. Other hours were devoted to money, health, real estate and sports. In most cases, the local hosts paid for their time on the air and were permitted to run their own advertising. Most hours on weekdays began with world and national news from Fox News Radio. A local staff provided Nevada news, weather and traffic. Weather coverage was supplied by NBC Network affiliate KSNV.

Contents

KDWN's original 50,000-watt transmitter was on Galleria Drive in Henderson, and was nondirectional in the day and used three inline towers to produce a directional night signal nulled toward WGN on the same channel in Chicago. In 2020, it moved to a new site shared with KXST on North Sloan Lane in North Las Vegas. KDWN broadcast with 25,000 watts during daytime hours and 7,500 watts at night, still protecting WGN with an asymmetrical three-tower pattern. [3] While the original nighttime signal could be heard throughout most of the Western United States, north into Canada and south into Mexico, [4] the new signal had less coverage but was more economical, continuing to cover the local area using less spent power. KDWN also served as Southern Nevada's primary entry point station for the Emergency Alert System.

KDWN broadcast, along with KXST, ceased operations on March 1, 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. [5] It was founded by A.J. Williams and Jack Reeder. Williams owned KTYM-AM-FM in Inglewood, California, and also owned television station KAIL in Fresno. Reeder was the chief engineer of KRLA in Los Angeles. Reeder died, leaving his half of the station to Williams, who owned the station until his death in 2005. [6]

The station began by broadcasting a full service format of middle of the road music, news, sports and talk. The music format lasted longer on KDWN than on most AM radio stations of the day. In the 1970s, many AM stations were leaving music formats to FM, and switching over to talk programming. From 1978 to 1985, KDWN also was hosting sports talk at night, with 'The Stardust Line' on Sunday nights. 'The Stardust Line', broadcasting from The Stardust Resort and Casino, was hosted by Lee Pete and NFL football great Jim Brown. [7] For West Coast sports fans, KDWN was the first early source for betting lines and sports information from Nevada.

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 radio market and won an award for its coverage of the 1980 MGM Grand Fire. [8]

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 Clear Channel Communications and Infinity Broadcasting. The continuity of ownership kept a consistent style of station sound. The station continued to rely on experienced, yet older, hosts who may have had been with the station since it began broadcasting in the talk radio format. The station did well in the ratings as one of the first generation of talk radio stations. Call screening was not used until recently. [9]

Art Bell and Rush Limbaugh

Noted radio talk host Art Bell, after minor jobs at several California radio and TV stations, began hosting an all-night show on KDWN in 1983. KDWN had just been granted permission from the Federal Communications Commission to increase its nighttime power from 10,000 watts to 50,000 watts. [10] KDWN was now audible with a good radio between nighttime and dawn in Los Angeles, San Francisco and around the West Coast. Bell called the show "West Coast AM" because it aired between 1 and 6 a.m. Pacific Time.

Bell began by discussing mostly politics. But he increasingly added discussions of the paranormal and conspiracy theories to the program, resulting in increased ratings and national attention. The show got nationwide syndication in 1993, when it was renamed Coast to Coast AM . Bell did the show from the Plaza Hotel, where KDWN had studios. Later it moved to a studio in his home in nearby Pahrump, Nevada, in Nye County. Eventually KDWN, no longer in control of the program, decided not to continue carrying it in syndication and it was picked up by rival Las Vegas talk station KXNT.

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. [11] 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. [12] 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. [13]

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. [14]

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, Home Means Nevada , as sung by The Killers (a live recording from October 19, 2010), then a station ID before concluding with the Star-Spangled Banner as performed by Alabama, a picture of the transmitter sites transmitted using slow scan television, and a series of Q code messages ending with "KDWN QRT", the latter portion the Q code signal to end transmission. KDWN remained on the air with a dead air transmission in anticipation of a final additional DX test scheduled for March 2, prior to the station's final sign off at midnight on March 2, 2023. [15]

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. [16] The stations did not return to the air within a year of shutting down; [17] on March 11, 2024, Audacy submitted an application to cancel the license. [18]

The Federal Communications Commission cancelled the station’s license on March 22, 2024 because it had been silent for more than twelve consecutive months. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNTM</span> Radio station in Mobile, Alabama

WNTM is a talk radio station based in Mobile, Alabama. The station calls itself "News Radio 710." WNTM is owned by San Antonio-based iHeartMedia and the broadcast license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC. Its studios are located in the same building as Channel 5 WKRG-TV on Broadcast Drive in Mobile, and the transmitter is just north of downtown. WKRG-TV supplies local news and weather, while Fox News Radio supplies national newscasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXNT (AM)</span> Radio station in North Las Vegas, Nevada

KXNT is a commercial AM radio station licensed to North Las Vegas, Nevada. It broadcasts a news-talk radio format and is owned and operated by Audacy, Inc. The studios are in the unincorporated Clark County community of Spring Valley, while KXNT's transmitter is on U.S. Route 93 at Great Valley Parkway in North Las Vegas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KLUC-FM</span> Radio station in Las Vegas, Nevada

KLUC-FM is a commercial radio station in Las Vegas, Nevada, airing a Top 40/CHR format. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station's studios are on South Tenaya Way at West Warm Springs Road in Spring Valley, using a Las Vegas address.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXQQ-FM</span> Radio station in Henderson, Nevada

KXQQ-FM is a commercial radio station located in Henderson, Nevada, broadcasting in the Las Vegas, Nevada area. KXQQ-FM airs a rhythmic hot AC format, billed as "Q100.5". Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station's studios are located in the unincorporated Clark County area of Spring Valley, while KXQQ-FM's transmitter is atop Black Mountain in Henderson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KVGS</span> Radio station in Nevada, United States

KVGS - branded as 102.7 VGS - is a commercial radio station licensed to Boulder City, Nevada, serving the Las Vegas Valley region. KVGS broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format. The station's studios are located in Spring Valley in unincorporated Clark County, while its transmitter is on Black Mountain in Henderson.

KMXB is a commercial radio station licensed to Henderson, Nevada, and serving the Las Vegas radio market. KMXB airs a hot adult contemporary radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. The station's studios and offices are located in the unincorporated Clark County community of Spring Valley, while its transmitter is atop Black Mountain in Henderson.

KXST was a commercial radio station licensed to North Las Vegas, Nevada, and broadcasting to the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The station was owned by Audacy, Inc. It aired a sports radio and sports betting format, primarily from the co-owned BetQL Network and the CBS Sports Radio Network. That programming continues on 98.5 KLUC-FM-HD2, also owned by Audacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXTE</span> Radio station in Pahrump, Nevada

KXTE is a commercial radio station licensed to Pahrump, Nevada, and serving the Las Vegas metropolitan area. It is owned by the Beasley Broadcast Group and broadcasts an alternative rock format. KXTE is the flagship station of the nationally syndicated weekday program Dave and Mahoney. KXTE's studios are on South Durango Drive in Las Vegas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRLV (AM)</span> Radio station in Las Vegas, Nevada

KRLV is a commercial AM radio station in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, serving the Las Vegas area. Owned by Lotus Communications, KRLV airs a sports radio format focused on the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League. The station's studios and offices are located in the unincorporated community of Spring Valley in Clark County. A secondary studio is located at the Raiders headquarters and practice facility in Henderson. The transmitter is located off Wild Jan Drive, northwest of downtown Las Vegas.

KNPR is a non-commercial, listener-supported, public radio station in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned by Nevada Public Radio and it airs news and talk programming from National Public Radio (NPR) and other public radio networks. The studios and offices are in the Donald W. Reynolds Broadcast Center on the campus of the College of Southern Nevada.

KNCO is a commercial AM radio station in Grass Valley, California. It is owned by Nevada County Broadcasters and airs a talk radio format. The studios and offices for KNCO and KNCO-FM are on East Main Street in Grass Valley. The station streams its programming on the iHeartRadio platform and app.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSSP</span> Sports radio station in Milwaukee

WSSP is a commercial radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, owned by Audacy, Inc. It airs a sports radio format known as "1250 AM The Fan". Most of its programs are from Infinity Sports Network and the BetQL Network.

KTYM is a radio station broadcasting on-air and via the internet. Licensed to Inglewood, California, United States, the station serves the Los Angeles area and an international internet audience. KTYM is owned by El Sembrador Ministries of Chatsworth, California.

WYRD, branded as "The Fan Upstate", is a sports-formatted commercial AM radio station, licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to Audacy, Inc. in Greenville, South Carolina, which serves Upstate South Carolina. Studios and transmitter site are located in Greenville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KCYE</span> Radio station in Meadview, Arizona

KCYE is a radio station licensed to Meadview, Arizona. Owned by Beasley Broadcast Group, it broadcasts a Country format serving Clark County, Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKGK</span> Fox Sports Radio affiliate in Las Vegas

KKGK is a commercial AM radio station in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, serving the Las Vegas area. Owned by Lotus Communications, its studios and offices are located on West Flamingo Road in the unincorporated community of Spring Valley in Clark County. The transmitter is located off North Martin Luther King Boulevard in North Las Vegas. KKGK airs a sports radio format, mostly carrying the Fox Sports Radio Network. The syndicated "Dan Patrick Show" is heard on weekday mornings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGAC (AM)</span> Radio station in Augusta, Georgia

WGAC is a commercial AM radio station in Augusta, Georgia. The station carries a talk radio format simulcast with co-owned 95.1 WGAC-FM Harlem, Georgia. The stations are owned by Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., through licensee Beasley Media Group Licenses, LLC. The radio studios and offices are on Jimmie Dyess Parkway in Augusta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBEC (AM)</span> Radio station in Massachusetts, United States

WBEC is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a talk and sports radio format. It is licensed to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and is owned by Townsquare Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KQLL</span> Radio station in Henderson, Nevada

KQLL is a commercial radio station located in Henderson, Nevada, broadcasting to the Las Vegas metropolitan area on the AM dial with a simulcast on K272EE 102.3 FM. KQLL airs an oldies music format. The station is currently owned by Summit Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KOWL</span> Radio station in South Lake Tahoe, California

KOWL is a radio station licensed to serve South Lake Tahoe, California, United States. The station, established in 1956, is currently owned by D&H Broadcasting LLC.

References

  1. "Facility Technical Data for KDWN". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. Radio-Locator.com/K268CS
  3. "FCCinfo search for KDWN archive records" . Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  4. Radio-Locator.com/KDWN-AM
  5. Broadcasting Yearbook 1976 page C-122
  6. "News Producer".
  7. Carplas, Steve (March 25, 2010). "Former local radio host Lee Pete dies". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  8. "Las Vegas News | Breaking News & Headlines". May 26, 2023.
  9. [ permanent dead link ]
  10. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1984 page B-161
  11. "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.
  12. "Raiders announce Las Vegas TV, radio partnerships". June 2017.
  13. Beasley and Audacy Swap Stations in Las Vegas
  14. "Audacy to Sign Off Pair of Las Vegas AMs". Radio Insight. February 14, 2023.
  15. "KDWN 720 and KXST 1140 sign off March 2 2023"- YouTube
  16. "FCC Report 9/24: Audacy Proposes to Revive Silent Las Vegas AMs". RadioInsight. September 24, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  17. Venta, Lance (March 11, 2024). "Audacy Surrenders KDWN & KXST Licenses After Failing To Restore Operations Before Deadline". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  18. "Cancellation Application". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System. March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  19. "License Cancelled". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System. March 22, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.