KKOH

KKOH (780 kHz, "KOH News Talk 780 AM") is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Reno, Nevada. KKOH airs a News/Talk radio format under ownership and operation of Cumulus Media. Studios and offices are on East Plumb Lane, while it broadcasts from a three-tower transmitter facility off Chickadee Drive.[2]

KKOH
CityReno, Nevada, U.S.
Broadcast areaCentral and Northern Nevada
Frequency780 kHz
BrandingNews Talk 780 AM
SloganThe News and Talk of Nevada
Programming
FormatNews/Talk
AffiliationsKOLO-TV (weather only)
Premiere Networks
Westwood One
Ownership
OwnerCumulus Media
(Radio License Holding CBC, LLC)
Sister stationsKBUL-FM, KNEV, KWYL
History
First air dateOctober 13, 1971 [1]
Former call signsKCRL (1971-1981)
KROW (1981-1994)
Technical information
Facility ID11236
ClassB
Power50,000 watts
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewww.kkoh.com

KKOH broadcasts with 50,000 watts, the maximum power permitted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for AM stations, but because 780 AM is a clear channel frequency, reserved for Class A WBBM in Chicago, KKOH must use a directional signal after sunset to avoid interfering with WBBM. A single tower is used during the day, allowing it to be heard some distance into California. It provides a strong grade B signal to Sacramento, and can be heard as far as the Bay Area under the right conditions.[3] At night, power is fed to all three towers in order to protect WBBM. Even with this restriction, it can heard in much of the western United States with a good radio.

History

The station began broadcasting on October 13, 1971 as KCRL, owned by businessman E. L. Cord.[1][4][5] It was a sister station to Reno's NBC television affiliate, KCRL-TV (now KRNV). KCRL became well known across the West for its classical music format. Although the station lost $25,000 a month, Cord took the losses philosophically, feeling that he was providing a public service.[5]

Its call sign was changed to KROW in 1981, and it gradually evolved into a country station.[6][7]

The station's current incarnation dates from 1994. Soon after Citadel bought KOH, Nevada's oldest radio station (on the air since 1928), it applied to move from its longtime home at 630 AM to KROW's frequency at 780.[8] 630 AM must reduce its power from 5,000 watts to 1,000 watts at sunset to protect clear-channel KFI in Los Angeles, at nearby 640 AM.

As part of the agreement, the FCC issued a new license to Citadel under the slightly altered calls of KKOH on March 10, 1994. Citadel concluded the advantages of broadcasting at a full 50,000 watts outweighed the nostalgic value of the last three-letter callsign issued for a "new station." 630 AM became Christian contemporary KRCV[8][7] and is now Fox Sports Radio outlet KPLY.

The station continues to trade on the KOH call letters' legacy in Reno; nearly all verbal references drop the second "K."

Notable staff

References
  1. Broadcasting Yearbook 1977, Broadcasting, 1977. p. C-130. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  2. http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=KKoh&nav=&x=0&y=0
  3. Coverage area
  4. History Cards for KKOH, fcc.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  5. Griffith Borgeson (2005). Errett Lobban: His Empire, His Motor Cars. Automobile Heritage Publishing. ISBN 9780971146877.
  6. Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  7. Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 11, No. 10. March 9, 1994. p. 1. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  8. Archive of KKOH station history page

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