KKNT

Last updated

KKNT
Broadcast area Phoenix area
Frequency 960 kHz
Branding960 The Patriot
Programming
Format Conservative talk
Affiliations Salem Radio Network
Townhall News
Westwood One
Ownership
Owner
KXXT, KPXQ
History
First air date
June 22, 1947 (1947-06-22)
Former call signs
  • KOOL (1947–1979, 1983–1996)
  • KARZ (1979–1983)
  • KPXQ (1996–1999)
  • KCTK (1999–2002)
Call sign meaning
"News/talk"
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 13508
Class B
Power 5,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
 33°41′34″N112°0′9″W / 33.69278°N 112.00250°W / 33.69278; -112.00250
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website 960thepatriot.com

KKNT (960 AM, "960 The Patriot") is a radio station broadcasting a conservative talk radio format in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The station is owned by Salem Communications Holding Corporation, a subsidiary of the Salem Media Group. [2] Studios are located at 24th Street and Camelback in Phoenix; the transmitter is on the city's northern edge.

Contents

Established in 1947 as KOOL, the station became a force in Phoenix radio nearly immediately after Gene Autry purchased the outlet within a year of its operation. The station was a CBS affiliate for decades and spawned a successful television station, KOOL-TV (now KSAZ-TV), and an FM radio station, KOOL-FM. Autry and his business partner, Tom Chauncey, sold KOOL AM in 1978, and it struggled as KARZ for four years before Chauncey repurchased it. After several sales, Salem acquired the frequency in 1996 and instituted the present conservative talk format in 1999.

History

KOOL

In 1945, Maricopa Broadcasters, Inc., a group of Arizona residents, incorporated [3] and filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to build a new radio station on 960 kHz in Phoenix. [4] The application was placed into comparative hearing with a bid from a company known as Radio Phoenix, but that firm withdrew its application, [5] clearing the way for a construction permit to be granted on December 17, 1946. [4]

In early 1947, construction and hiring proceeded apace for the new station, to be known as KOOL. A four-tower array was built for the 5,000-watt directional station on part of the Clyde Pierce ranch in midtown Phoenix, [6] while studios were set up in the Hotel Adams and Carl D. Haymond of Tacoma, Washington, the principal backer in the station, led hiring. KOOL began broadcasting on June 22, 1947, as an affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System and Don Lee Network; it also represented Mutual programs in the state and set up the "Radio Network of Arizona", which signed fledgling Tucson station KCNA as its first affiliate. [7]

Four months after starting, a major star acquired the station: Gene Autry, who disposed of a minority interest in KPHO (1230 AM) to purchase KOOL. (Both stations were located in the Hotel Adams at the same time.) [8] In Tucson, Autry and Charles Garland, who had been KPHO's general manager, owned station KOPO. [9] The acquisition of the station, for just under $250,000, [10] approved on April 8, 1948. [4] Garland had already begun a revamp of KOOL's programming. [11]

Autry was long associated with CBS and co-owned Columbia Records; however, CBS programs aired in Phoenix over KOY (550 AM). This changed at the start of 1950, when Autry secured CBS affiliation for KOOL over protests from KOY. [12]

Under Autry, KOOL became one of the most important radio stations in the state. It spawned television station KOOL-TV in 1953 [13] and KOOL-FM 94.5 in 1960. Tom Chauncey, who had assisted in launching the TV station, became an investor in the radio station as well when Garland sold his interest in 1954; [14] that year, the station moved in with KOOL-TV at its studios at 5th Street and Adams. [4] When KOY was sold to Edens Broadcasting in 1968, several top executives defected to KOOL. [15] The call sign gave rise to the greeting telephone callers received when they called the KOOL stations: "It's KOOL in Phoenix", ironic for a city known for its hot weather. [16]

KARZ

In 1978, KOOL AM was sold to Stauffer Communications of Topeka, Kansas, with the FM and television stations remaining under the ownership of Gene Autry and Tom Chauncey. [17] After approval was given, the AM station changed its call sign to KARZ on May 1, 1979, [4] but though the station moved to new studios at 22nd Street and Camelback Road, there were no changes in personnel or programming. [18] The Arizona Republic 's editorial board marked the end of an era and noted the station's public service record under more than 30 years of Autry–Chauncey ownership. [16]

The station continued its adult contemporary format under Stauffer for two years, [19] but amidst continually falling ratings and a struggle to define itself, KARZ flipped to country at the end of February 1981, joining four other local stations in that format and branding as "K-960". [20] Where KOOL had been one of the top five stations in the market in 1975, it had tumbled to near the bottom of an expanding Phoenix radio marketplace by 1982. [21]

Return to KOOL

Chauncey sold KOOL-TV to Gulf United Corporation in late 1982 and immediately repurchased KARZ from Stauffer for $2 million after the struggling station reportedly had been for sale for months. [22] In February 1983, Chauncey closed on the purchase and restored the KOOL call letters to 960 AM, and after considering a news/talk format in competition with KTAR, the station readopted much of the adult contemporary sound and CBS programming it had aired prior to the sale to Stauffer. [23]

In 1986, Chauncey sold KOOL-AM-FM to Adams Communications for $15 million. The deal tied with one for KLZI (99.9 FM) for the same price, announced the same day, as the largest radio station sale in Phoenix history. [24] At the start of 1987, KOOL dropped the adult contemporary format and changed to 1950s/1960s oldies, a slightly older set of music than KOOL-FM was playing at the time, on January 7, 1987. [25] In late 1995, KOOL began simulcasting KOOL-FM, getting rid of its "older-leaning oldies". [26]

Salem ownership

Rapid consolidation in Phoenix radio would split the former KOOL AM from its FM counterpart in 1996. Par Broadcasting acquired the KOOL stations and immediately sold both to Colfax Communications of Minneapolis; [27] After acquiring several other Phoenix stations, Colfax spun KOOL AM out to Salem Communications for $1 million. [28]

On October 4, KOOL yielded to KPXQ "Q96", a Christian radio station. As part of its opening stunting, the relaunched station simulcast various Salem outlets from around the United States. [29] After the new year, KPXQ added a local drive-time talk show and aimed to target a younger audience in head-to-head competition with secular talk stations. [30]

Salem acquired the 1360 AM frequency in 1999 as a result of further cluster realignment and consolidation in Phoenix. [31] KPXQ moved to that frequency in 1999, making way for a conservative talk station, KCTK "Compelling Talk". [32] The call letters were changed on September 1, 2002, to the current KKNT. [33] At the same time, the station relaunched as KKNT "News/Talk 960", retaining its lineup of national hosts syndicated by Salem. [34]

Programming

KKNT's weekday lineup primarily consists of nationally syndicated conservative talk shows, many of them from the Salem Radio Network with hosts such as Mike Gallagher, Charlie Kirk, Dennis Prager, and Sebastian Gorka, as well as Mark Levin from Westwood One. In afternoon drive, the station airs the local The Seth Leibsohn Show. Weekends include programs on money, health, finances, the outdoors, firearms, and brokered programming. [35]

One prior local program from KKNT was a weekly talk show featuring Chris Simcox, founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, which had debuted in 2006. [36]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KSAZ-TV</span> Fox TV station in Phoenix, Arizona

KSAZ-TV is a television station in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It is owned and operated by the Fox network through its Fox Television Stations division alongside KUTP, which airs MyNetworkTV programming. The two stations share studios on West Adams Street in Downtown Phoenix; KSAZ-TV's transmitter is located atop South Mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KPNX</span> NBC affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona

KPNX is a television station licensed to Mesa, Arizona, United States, serving the Phoenix area as an affiliate of NBC. The station is owned by Tegna Inc., and maintains studios at the Republic Media building on Van Buren Street in downtown Phoenix ; its transmitter is located atop South Mountain on the city's south side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KPHO-TV</span> TV station in Phoenix, Arizona

KPHO-TV is a television station in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is owned by Gray Media alongside independent stations KTVK and KPHE-LD, a group known together as "Arizona's Family". The three stations share studios on North Seventh Avenue in Uptown Phoenix; KPHO-TV's transmitter is located on South Mountain on the city's south side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNXV-TV</span> ABC affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona

KNXV-TV is a television station in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, affiliated with ABC. It was established in 1979 as the Phoenix area's second independent station with part-time subscription television programming from ON TV. It was originally owned by the New Television Corporation, which had attempted to set up the station for nearly five years prior to its launch. In 1985, Scripps-Howard Broadcasting, the broadcast division of the E. W. Scripps Company, acquired KNXV-TV. Channel 15 affiliated with Fox in 1986 and became the leading independent in the market, one of Fox's strongest affiliates. In 1994, Fox announced a multi-city affiliation agreement with New World Communications which included Phoenix's then-CBS affiliate, KSAZ-TV, and mostly CBS affiliates in several other major markets. CBS expressed interest in affiliating with Scripps's ABC affiliates in other cities and Scripps used this as leverage to force ABC to move its Phoenix affiliation from market leader KTVK to KNXV-TV beginning in January 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KAZT-TV</span> TV station in Prescott, Arizona

KAZT-TV is a television station licensed to Prescott, Arizona, United States, serving the Phoenix television market as a de facto owned-and-operated station of The CW. The station is locally owned by the Londen family of Phoenix and managed under a multi-year time brokerage agreement by Nexstar Media Group, which owns 75% of the network. KAZT-TV has studios on Tower Road in Prescott and in the Londen Center on Camelback Road in Phoenix. Its main transmitter is located atop Mingus Mountain. Its signal is relayed through a network of five low-power translators across central and northern Arizona, including Class A station KAZT-CD in Phoenix.

KOOL-FM is a commercial classic hits radio station in Phoenix, Arizona, owned by Audacy, Inc. Big 94.5 features mostly hits of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. KOOL-FM's studios are located in downtown Phoenix, and its transmitter is in South Mountain Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KESZ</span> Adult contemporary radio station in Phoenix, Arizona

KESZ is a commercial radio station licensed to Phoenix, Arizona, featuring an adult contemporary format known as "99.9 KEZ". Owned and operated by iHeartMedia the station serves the Phoenix metropolitan area. For much of November and December, the station flips to all-Christmas music, and 99.9 KEZ's normal format is heard on 95.5 the Mountain during the Christmas music period.

KALV-FM is a commercial radio station in Phoenix, Arizona. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and it airs a top 40 (CHR) format. KALV-FM's studios are located in downtown Phoenix, and its transmitter is in South Mountain Park.

KOLD-TV is a television station in Tucson, Arizona, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is owned by Gray Media, which provides certain services to Fox affiliate KMSB and dual CW/MyNetworkTV affiliate KTTU-TV under a shared services agreement (SSA) with Tegna Inc. The three stations share studios on North Business Park Drive on the northwest side of Tucson. KOLD-TV's primary transmitter is atop Mount Bigelow, with a secondary transmitter atop the Tucson Mountains west of the city to fill in gaps in coverage.

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

KFYI – branded News/Talk 550 KFYI – is a commercial news/talk radio station licensed to serve Phoenix, Arizona. Owned by iHeartMedia, KFYI serves the Phoenix metropolitan area as the market affiliate for Fox News Radio, The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, The Sean Hannity Show, the Glenn Beck Radio Program and Coast to Coast AM.

Kool may refer to:

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

KOY is a commercial radio station licensed to Phoenix, Arizona, featuring a Regional Mexican radio format known as "93.7 El Patrón". Owned by iHeartMedia, the station serves the Phoenix metropolitan area. KOY's studios are located in Phoenix near Sky Harbor International Airport, and broadcasts at 1,000 watts—non-directional—from a transmitter located near Downtown Phoenix. In addition to a standard analog transmission, KOY is available online via iHeartRadio and is relayed over low-power Phoenix translator K229DB, from which the station's branding is derived from.

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

KGME is a commercial radio station in Phoenix, Arizona, featuring a sports format known as "Fox Sports 910." Owned by iHeartMedia, the station's studios are located in Phoenix near Sky Harbor International Airport, and broadcasts with 5,000 watts—directional at night—from a transmitter site at the intersection of 30th and Maryland Avenues in north Phoenix. In addition to a standard analog transmission, KGME is relayed over the third HD Radio subchannel of KESZ and is available online via iHeartRadio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KLUP</span> Radio station in Terrell Hills, Texas

KLUP – branded 930AM The Answer – is a commercial conservative talk radio station licensed to serve Terrell Hills, Texas. Owned by the Salem Media Group, the station covers the San Antonio metropolitan area. The KLUP studios and transmitter are both located in San Antonio. Besides a standard analog transmission, KLUP is available online. Current station staff includes Chad Gammage - General Manager, Chris Lair - Operations Director, and Barry Besse - Program Director.

KTAR is an AM commercial radio station licensed to Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Owned and operated by Bonneville International, it features a sports format airing programming from ESPN Radio. The studios are located in north Phoenix near Piestewa Peak, and the station broadcasts with 5,000 watts from a transmitter site near the corner of 36th Street and Thomas Road.

KXXT is a radio station broadcasting a Christian talk and instructional format. Licensed to Tolleson, Arizona, United States, the station serves the Phoenix area. KXXT uses the slogan "Family Values Radio" and is owned by Salem Media Group,

KPXQ is a commercial AM radio station, airing a Christian talk and teaching radio format. It is licensed to Glendale, Arizona, and serves the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is owned by Salem Media Group with studios on East Camelback Road in Phoenix.

KNAU is a radio station broadcasting a classical music and news/talk and information format. Licensed to Flagstaff, Arizona, United States, KNAU and its sister stations serve Northern Arizona. The station is currently owned by Northern Arizona University (NAU) and features programming from National Public Radio, Public Radio International, and American Public Media, among other content providers. NAU also owns KPUB, a station devoted to talk programming, and student-run low-power station KLJX-LP. KNAU's programming is heard on KNAA in Show Low and on five translators in northern Arizona, as well as online.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona Public Media</span> Public broadcasting service of the University of Arizona

Arizona Public Media (AZPM) is the public broadcasting service of the University of Arizona, providing radio and television service and regional news coverage in southern and southeastern Arizona from its studios in Tucson. AZPM encompasses two primary radio services aligned with NPR, with KUAZ and KUAZ-FM in Tucson airing news and talk programming and KUAT-FM airing classical music, and KUAT-TV "PBS 6", the PBS station for the region. AZPM is housed in the Modern Languages Building on the UA campus.

Mary Jo West is an American retired television news anchor who primarily worked in the Phoenix, Arizona, market. She was the first female evening news anchor in Phoenix at KOOL-TV from 1976 to 1982, anchoring the network newscast CBS News Nightwatch from 1982 to 1983 before returning to Phoenix, this time at KTVK. After leaving television news in 1986, she became a spokeswoman and communications director.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KKNT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "KKNT Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ↑ "Firm Seeks Charter". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. September 8, 1945. p. 4. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "History Cards for KKNT". Federal Communications Commission. (Guide to reading History Cards)
  5. ↑ "Radio Application Settlement Looms". Arizona Daily Star. Tucson, Arizona. Associated Press. November 1, 1946. p. 5. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "New Radio Station Towers Ready For Operation". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. June 8, 1947. p. 2:5. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "New Radio Station Ready: KOOL Makes Debut Today". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. June 22, 1947. p. 9. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Star May Buy Radio Station". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. October 29, 1947. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Mahoney, Ralph (November 2, 1947). "KOOL, Under Autry, Promises Challenge". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. 2:9. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Station Sale Terms Bared". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. November 19, 1947. p. 21. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Mahoney, Ralph (January 11, 1948). "Revamping Of Programs For KOOL Is Scheduled". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. 2:7. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Mahoney, Ralph (November 18, 1949). "CBS To Quit Radio KOY, Sign KOOL: Action In Federal Court Is Planned To Retain Hookup". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. pp. 1, 4. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "TV Channel 10 Plans To Go On Air Today". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. October 25, 1953. p. 46. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Garland Sells KOOL Share". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. August 4, 1954. p. 11. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ Swanson, Jack (January 21, 1973). "Phoenix radio: KOY was first". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. N-5, N-6. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  16. 1 2 "No Longer KOOL". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. May 3, 1979. p. 6. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "KOOL-AM in Phoenix being sold". Arizona Daily Star. Tucson, Arizona. Associated Press. November 12, 1978. p. D5. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ Price, Hardy (April 27, 1979). "Listeners may not notice KOOL-to-KARZ change". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. E-9. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ Wilkinson, Bud (May 30, 1980). "KARZ plays musical chairs with its announcing lineup". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. D19. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Wilkinson, Bud (February 24, 1981). "KARZ tries to rustle audience by joining country stampede". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. B9. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ Duncan, James E. (2004). "An American Radio Trilogy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via World Radio History.
  22. ↑ "Chauncey to reacquire AM radio station KARZ". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. September 29, 1982. p. E11. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ Wilkinson, Bud (February 27, 1983). "KOOL aims format at mature audience". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. D11. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ Wilkinson, Bud (July 28, 1986). "Pair of radio station sales ups ante to $15 million". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. B7. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  25. ↑ "KOOL (AM) To 'Good Time Rock & Roll'" (PDF). Radio & Records. pp. 3, 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 107, no. 41. October 14, 1995. p. 79.
  27. ↑ Van Dyke, Charlie (February 17, 1996). "Listeners lose their say under new rules". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. D8. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ Van Dyke, Charlie (June 22, 1996). "Raucous Denver duo a wake-up call for Valley, KSLX predicts". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. D7. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  29. ↑ Van Dyke, Charlie (October 12, 1996). "On a swing, prayer: New religious format Q'd up on old KOOL". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. D7. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  30. ↑ Winton, Ben (November 30, 1996). "Q96 adding mouth, muscle to Christian talk". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. D7, D8. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ Clancy, Michael (April 17, 1999). "KOY leaving '550' spot after 77 years". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. D5. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  32. ↑ Clancy, Michael (July 31, 1999). "KFYI squeezes schedule to make room for Woods". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. p. D12. Retrieved June 8, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  33. ↑ "KKNT Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  34. ↑ "Salem announces 960 AM changes". Phoenix Business Journal. August 30, 2002. Archived from the original on December 30, 2004. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Program Guide". 960thepatriot.com. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  36. ↑ Cassachia, Chris (September 17, 2006). "Battle call: KKNT-AM puts Minuteman founder on the air". Phoenix Business Journal. Archived from the original on June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.