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| Broadcast area | Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 1130kHz |
| Branding | 1130 The Tiger |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Sports radio |
| Affiliations | Fox Sports Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| KEEL,KRUF,KTUX,KVKI-FM,KXKS-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | August 6, 1926 (99 years ago) (1926-08-06) |
Call sign meaning | W. K. Henderson (station founder) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 60266 |
| Class | A |
| Power | 50,000 watts |
| Translator | 103.3 K277DO (Shreveport) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kwkhonline.com |
KWKH (1130AM) is asports radio station licensed toShreveport, Louisiana. The50-kilowatt station broadcasts at 1130kHz. Formerly owned byClear Channel Communications andGap Central Broadcasting, it is now owned byTownsquare Media. KWKH serves theShreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area. Its studios are shared with its other five sister stations on Westport[2] Avenue in West Shreveport (one mile west ofShreveport Regional Airport), and the transmitter is a three-tower array inBelcher, Louisiana.
KWKH is no longer the local affiliate of theNew Orleans Saints, but still broadcast theLSU Tigers (hence its nickname, "1130 The Tiger") as well asFox Sports Radio. It is a 50,000-wattclear-channel station, one of two in Louisiana; the other beingWWL inNew Orleans. A single tower is used during the day, providing at least secondary coverage to most of northern Louisiana (as far east asMonroe and as far south asAlexandria, northeasternTexas and southwesternArkansas. At night, power is fed to all three towers in a directional pattern to protectWBBR in New York City, the other Class A station on 1130 AM. Even with this restriction, KWKH can be heard across much of the central portion of North America at night.
KWKH has a colorful history. It was founded byW. K. Henderson, owner of Henderson Iron Works and Supply Company, and native ofBastrop, Louisiana. Henderson signed KWKH on the air from his country estate at Kennonwood, north of Shreveport, in 1926, after selling hisearlier venture into radio the year prior, which had also bore the call letters KWKH at the time. Henderson developed a celebrated on-air persona amongst the station's listenership, and a notorious reputation with government regulators.[3] He often sparred with theFederal Radio Commission over his profanity-laced rants againstchain stores and theUnited States government, as well as over his desire to operate the station in the manner he wished, using as much radiated power as he felt necessary. The broadcaster initially enjoyed the patronage ofGovernorHuey P. Long Jr., whose son,Russell B. Long, was born in 1918, in Shreveport. Ultimately, the outspoken Henderson lost Long's support and his radio license as well.[4]
KWKH's future came into question in 1932, when Henderson filed forpersonal bankruptcy during theDepression. An article in the trade publicationBroadcasting reported that the bankruptcy "may be made an issue at a hearing involving the KWKH license renewal to be held probably in February [1933]".[5] Bowing to this pressure and at the advice of his attorneys, Henderson sold the station in September 1932, to International Broadcasting Corporation, a firm composed of local investors.[3] At that time, KWKH operated nighttime on 850 kHz, the same frequency asWWL in New Orleans, Louisiana. WWL had applied for full-time status, and "a local insurance company" had applied for the 850 kHz frequency in Shreveport.[5] Under this new ownership, KWKH became affiliated with theCBS network in 1934.[6]
On May 28, 1935, theFederal Communications Commission approved transfer of ownership of KWKH to the Times Publishing Company Ltd. of Shreveport.Broadcasting magazine reported, "KWKH is listed as being assigned to 850 kc. with 10,000 watts, but with special authorization to operate on 1100 kc. unlimited time". The company simultaneously became the owner of KWEA in Shreveport, which operated on 1210 kHz with 100 watts (unlimited).[7]
During World War II, KWKH broadcast a musical production, a medley of waltzes, foxtrots, and jazz songs, of the orchestra consisting of prisoners of war from nearby Camp Reston.
In April 1948, KWKH launched theLouisiana Hayride, a live country music show broadcast from theMunicipal Auditorium in Shreveport. The successful show helped launch the careers of a number of important music artists. In the mid-1950s, KWKH was the first major radio station to feature the music ofElvis Presley on theLouisiana Hayride.Horace Logan, long-term KWKH Program Manager and originator of the "Hayride", andFrank Page introduced Presley on Hayride.[8][9] The station carried games for theShreveport Steamer during the 1974World Football League season.Larry King was the color commentator for the Steamer games.
International Broadcasting Corporation sold KWKH in 1977,[10] and the station's music format was changed to strictly country. Prior to the sale, KWKH maintained afull-service format – airing a variety of music, news, sports, farm reports, and other locally-produced programming.
On May 31, 2012, KWKH changed its format to sports, branded asThe Tiger.[11]
KWKH is a Federal Primary Entry Point station for the National Public Warning System and a Louisiana State Relay of theEmergency Alert System, and is in charge of The Shreveport Area EAS operations.
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32°42′18″N93°52′55″W / 32.70500°N 93.88194°W /32.70500; -93.88194
