 | |
| Broadcast area | Redding, California |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1670kHz |
| Branding | NewsTalk 105.7 KQMS |
| Programming | |
| Format | Conservative talk |
| Affiliations | Fox News Radio Compass Media Networks Premiere Networks Westwood One |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KNRO,KWLZ,KSHA,KRDG | |
| History | |
First air date | 2000 (as KAZT) |
Former call signs | KAZT (1998–2001) KNRO (2001–2016) |
Call sign meaning | KQualityMusicStation (before news/talk format took over) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 87171 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 10,000watts day 1,000 watts night |
| Translator(s) | 104.9 K285FE (Redding) 105.7 K289BT (Anderson) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kqms.com |
KQMS (1670AM, "NewsTalk 105.7 KQMS") is a radio station inRedding, California. Owned byStephens Media Group, it broadcasts aconservative talk format. The station is also carried on FM translators on 105.7 inAnderson (from which the station derives its current branding), and 104.7 in Redding.
The station was the longtime home of popular conservative talk show hostRush Limbaugh until 2021 when the show ended its run four months after Limbaugh's death from cancer. Several different hosts also have their shows currently on KQMS includingDan Bongino,Sean Hannity,Glenn Beck andMichael Knowles. The station news team and on-air talent includes Steve Gibson, Kelly Frost Sr. and Kelly Frost Jr.
KQMS originated as the expanded band "twin" of an existing station on the standard AM band. In 1936 a new station was licensed in Redding as KVCV, which became KSXO in 1977, KHTE in 1989, and KNRO in 1993. The station switched to the fast-growing news/talk format in the late 1980s.
On March 17, 1997, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that eighty-eight stations had been given permission to move to newly available "Expanded Band" transmitting frequencies, ranging from 1610 to 1700 kHz, with KNRO authorized to move from 600 to 1670 kHz.[2] A construction permit for the expanded band station was assigned the call lettersKAZT on January 9, 1998. On January 22, 2001, there was a call letter swap, with KAZT transferred from 1670 AM to 600 AM, while the reverse was true forKNRO, which moved from 600 AM to 1670 AM.[3]
An FCC policy mandated that both the original station and its expanded band counterpart could operate simultaneously for up to five years, after which owners would have to turn in one of the two licenses, depending on whether they preferred the new assignment or elected to remain on the original frequency.[2] It was ultimately decided to transfer full operations to the expanded band station, and on June 25, 2001, the license for original station, KAZT on 600 AM, was cancelled.[4]
On August 21, 2016, there was a second call letter and format swap between two Redding stations, which this time saw the call signKQMS and a news/talk format moving from 1400 AM to 1670 AM, while theKNRO call sign and its sports format moved from 1670 AM to 1400 AM.[5] The new call letters stood for "Quality Music Station", based on various earlier music formats.
KQMS simulcasted all of its programming with sister stationKQMS-FM 99.3 until January 15, 2017, when 99.3 FM dropped the simulcast, while continuing on 105.7 and 104.9 FM.
Among former radio personalities that have worked at or have hosted programs on KQMS include top talent from the past:
KQMS broadcasts on the following translators:
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | Class | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K289BT | 105.7 FM | Anderson, California | 156510 | 250 | D | LMS |
| K285FE | 104.9 FM | Redding, California | 154828 | 99 | D | LMS |
Translators
40°33′31″N122°19′48″W / 40.55861°N 122.33000°W /40.55861; -122.33000