 | |
| Broadcast area | San Diego–Tijuana |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1360kHz |
| Branding | The Patriot AM 1360 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Talk |
| Network | CBS News Radio |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks Radio America Westwood One |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KGB,KGB-FM,KHTS-FM,KIOZ,KMYI,KOGO,KSSX | |
| History | |
First air date | July 14, 1922; 103 years ago (1922-07-14) (as KFBC) |
Former call signs |
|
Former frequencies |
|
Call sign meaning | "Liberal San Diego" (refers to a previousprogressive talk format) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 34452 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 5,000watts days 1,000 watts nights |
| Translator | 103.3 K277DH (San Diego) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | patriot1360 |
KLSD (1360AM) is acommercialradio station inSan Diego, California, United States, broadcasting aconservative talkradio format branded as "The Patriot." It is owned byiHeartMedia with studios on Granite Ridge Drive. Programming is also heard onFM translatorK227DH at 103.3MHz.
Founded in 1922 withcall sign KFBC, KLSD is San Diego's oldest licensed radio station. For much of its early history, it had the call sign KGB from 1928 to 1982.Art Linkletter was an announcer and later station manager for KGB radio in the 1930s. During the KGB era, the station had different music formats, includingtop 40 from 1965 to 1972 and 1974 to 1982,album-oriented rock from 1972 to 1974.
Beginning in the 1980s, KGB had several changes in identity and management. The station became KCNN in 1982 with a 24-hour simulcast ofCNN, then a newly founded news cable channel. After one year, KCNN changed its call sign to KPQP in 1983 and its format toadult standards; this format would last nearly 20 years and include another call sign change to KPOP in 1986. The station had been locally owned throughout its history until 1996, when it was purchased byNationwide Communications, predecessor to iHeartMedia. Then in 2004, the station joinedAir America Radio, a startupliberal talk radio network, and became KLSD. The liberal talk format stayed for three years. KLSD then had a sports format affiliated withFox Sports Radio from 2007 to 2022. KLSD anda KGB station with a different frequency swapped formats in 2022, resulting in KLSD picking up its current conservative talk programming.
KLSD's schedule is primarilynationally syndicated shows:The Glenn Beck Radio Program,The Dana Loesch Show,The Mark Levin Show,The Jesse Kelly Show,Red Eye Radio andAmerica in the Morning. Most hours begin with an update fromCBS News Radio.
Founded by W.K. Azbill in his home in theNormal Heights neighborhood of San Diego, it firstsigned on the air as KFBC on July 14, 1922, broadcasting on 833.3 kHz (360 meters) with 10 watts of power and sharing the time with eight other San Diego radio stations.[2][3][4] To date, the station that is now KLSD remains the oldest, continuously licensed radio station in San Diego.[2]
In September 1926, theUnion League Club of San Diego County leased the station full-time from Azbill. Later that year, physician Arthur Wells Yale bought KFBC and all Union League properties, and the station moved toBalboa Theatre indowntown San Diego.[3] As the government expanded the AM band to numerous frequencies, the station soon moved to 1210 kHz in 1927.[3]
At the request of vice president George Bowles, the KFBC call sign was changed to KGB on March 27, 1928.[3] Then on July 11 that year, the Pickwick Stages System, a transportation company in Los Angeles, bought the station.[3][5] By December, KGB became an affiliate ofDon Lee's radio network.[3]
The Pickwick Stages System created the Pickwick Broadcasting System in January 1929 as the license holder for KGB and two other radio stations in California. KGB became a full-timeCBS Radio Network affiliate as did all Don Lee stations. KGB began having a slogan "Music for the Sick", reflecting that its programming targeted people who had to stay home due to illness.[3] Don Lee bought KGB outright on May 9, 1931.[3] KGB also regularly broadcastGus Arnheim concerts.[6]
On August 5, 1932, theFederal Radio Commission authorized KGB to increase its power from 500 watts to 1,000 watts. At that time the station operated on 1330 kHz.[7]
Future CBS and NBC broadcasterArt Linkletter began his broadcasting career in 1933 as an announcer for KGB. He was promoted to program director in 1934 and station manager in 1936. Linkletter also developed his "Man on the Street" audience participation shows while with KGB.[3] Don Lee died in 1934, and his son Thomas S. Lee became president of the Don Lee company.[8]
In 1936, KGB switched its network affiliation from CBS to theMutual Broadcasting System. Around the same time, future television screenwriterLarry Rhine became a screenwriter and morning host for KGB.[3] KGB also began amiddle of the road music format.[9]
On March 24, 1941, under theNorth American Regional Broadcasting Agreement, KGB was moved from 1330 to its present 1360 kHz.[3][4] DuringWorld War II, KGB featured content relating to the U.S. military. TheUnited States Navy broadcast ship signals on the station, and KGB hosted shows originating from theMarine Corps Recruit Depot andNaval Training Center San Diego. Those shows featured theUnited States Marine Corps with film stars such asGinger Rogers andHenry Fonda as special guests.[3] In this era, KGB was the most popular radio station in San Diego, with local car dealers being the top sponsors.[3]
On December 27, 1950, theGeneral Tire and Rubber Company bought KGB as part of a $12.3 million purchase including all Thomas S. Lee properties and interest in the Mutual Broadcasting System.[3]The broadcast license transferred to Marion R. Harris in 1954 and KGB Inc. in 1956.[3] In April 1959, KGB moved from the Mutual Broadcasting System toABC Radio Network.[10]
On April 1, 1964, Willet Brown bought KGB.[9] Then in 1965, KGB became the first client of theDrake-Chenault consulting company and changed to theBoss RadioTop 40 music format.[11][12] Nearly two months into retaining Drake-Chenault, KGB had its ratings improve from worst to best in San Diego.[13]
In 1972, KGB became an early adopter and pioneer of what is now called thealbum oriented rock format, simulcasting with co-ownedKGB-FM. KGB-AM returned to Top 40 in 1974.[9] In 1979, the station began designating itself as13-K.[14]
On March 15, 1982, KGB's call sign changed to KCNN, and the format changed to an audio simulcast ofCNN.[15][9] General manager Jim Price based the format change on anticipation of listeners preferring FM for music.[9] However, KCNN struggled in the ratings, never rising above a 2.3 share.[16]
KCNN changed its format toadult standards in July 1983, with its call sign changing to KPQP on October 7, 1983, then to KPOP on August 1, 1986.[15][17]
Nearly four decades of local ownership ended in 1996, whenNationwide Communications bought KPOP.[15][18] Nationwide was later acquired byJacor in 1997.[19] Then in 1998,Clear Channel Communications bought Jacor and its stations including KPOP.[20]
Beginning in the 2000–01 season, KPOP became the radio home ofSan Diego State Aztecs men's basketball.[21][22] In June 2001, formerKFMBHudson and Bauer co-host Joe Bauer became morning drive host ofBreakfast with Bauer at KPOP.[23] In 2002, KPOP added a rotating set of lifestyle programs at 6 p.m. weeknights.[24]
The station became aprogressive talk station under the call sign KLSD on August 23, 2004.[25][26] The call sign reportedly stood for "Liberal San Diego".[27]
Most of the programming came from theAir America Radio Network.[25] KLSD also aired theEd Schultz show fromJones Radio Network andMike Malloy fromNova M Radio.[25][28] Local programming included the morning show, hosted by Stacy Taylor and the nationally syndicatedAir America hostJon Elliott.[28]
In August 2005, Clear Channel applied to theFCC to increase KLSD's power to 50,000 watts day and night, planning to share the six-towerKSDO array inSantee, California, since the owners of KLSD also owned the broadcast site for KSDO.[29] However, due to the added cost, Clear Channel decided against the move, and KLSD still broadcasts at 5,000 watts day/1,000 watts night.
After registering a 2.2 rating in the winter 2006–07 period, KLSD's ratings declined to 0.9 and 1.0 for the spring and summer 2007 ratings books, according toArbitron.[30]In an August 31, 2007, article,San Diego Union-Tribune sports reporter Jay Posner found that Clear Channel registered the domain name "xtrasports1360.com", sparking speculation that the company would change KLSD to a sports format.[31] The blogSDRadio.net hinted at a format change nearly a week earlier August 23.[32]
Following theSDRadio.net report, listeners organized and held rallies to attempt to persuade Clear Channel to keep the format.[33] A documentary titledSave KLSD: Media Consolidation and Local Radio was made about the effort.
Posner reported for theUnion-Tribune on October 13, 2007, that Clear Channel planned on changing KLSD to sports.[34]
On November 12, 2007, KLSD flipped to the new format as XTRA Sports 1360, inheriting the former branding fromXETRA-AM, which would change its callsign to XEWW a month later. The first local live program, which aired at 3 p.m. that day, was hosted byLee Hacksaw Hamilton.[35] Outside of local programming, the new XTRA Sports broadcast the nationalFox Sports Radio network.[36]
In 2008, KLSD broadcast selectSan Diego State Aztecs baseball.[37] Hacksaw left the station in 2008 when his contract was not renewed.
KLSD was not listed in the Arbitron ratings book in the winter 2007–08 period.[38] KLSD returned to the Arbitron ratings books in June 2009 with an 0.6 share.[39] The ratings would remain around that level in the final months of 2009.[40]
Beginning in the2009–10 season, KLSD became the San Diego affiliate for theLos Angeles Lakers.[41]
On July 21,2014, KLSD rebranded as "Xtra 1360 Fox Sports San Diego" as a partnership with theFox Sports San Diego TV network.[42]
In September 2014, Clear Channel Communications became iHeartMedia.[43]
On May 8, 2017, KLSD and sister stationKGB-FM signed a contract withSan Diego State University to broadcastSan Diego State Aztecs football andmen's basketball after the previous contract withXEPRS-AM "The Mighty 1090" expired.[44]
Beginning in the fall of 2020, KLSD began broadcasting someESPN Radio programming during the week, with ESPN Radio's East Coast morning drive showKeyshawn, JWill, and Zubin weekdays at 3 a.m. and weekend mornings to noon.[45][46]
On August 31, 2022, iHeartMedia announced that it would swap the formats of 760KGB and KLSD at midnight the next day, with KGB's nationally syndicated conservative talk shows moving to the 1360 AM signal and KLSD's sports programming moving to KGB on 760 AM. The swap, timed to coincide with the beginning of the college football season, moved San Diego State football and the other sports programming to a stronger signal.[47]
KLSD was rebranded "1360 the Patriot" beginning September 1 with an all-syndicated lineup includingThe Glenn Beck Program andThe Mark Levin Show. Mark Larson and Mike Slater, hosts previously on KGB, moved toKOGO.[47][48]
The station operates with 5,000watts by day and 1,000 watts at night using anon-directional antenna. It shares abroadcasting tower with co-ownedKGB-FM andKHTS-FM on 52nd Street in the Oak Park neighborhood of San Diego.[49] Programming is also heard onFM translatorK277DH at 103.3MHz.[50] Theradio studios and offices are located at theSerra Mesa section of northeastern San Diego.[51]
13-K is the designation for KGB-AM, beginning Monday.
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32°43′49″N117°05′01″W / 32.73028°N 117.08361°W /32.73028; -117.08361
