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| Broadcast area | Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1080kHz |
| Branding | KSCO AM 1080 & FM 104.1 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Talk |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks Salem Radio Network Townhall News Westwood One |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Zwerling Broadcasting System, Ltd |
| KOMY | |
| History | |
First air date | September 21, 1947; 77 years ago (1947-09-21) |
Former call signs | KLRS (1988–1989) |
Call sign meaning | "Santa Cruz's Own" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 41594 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 10,000watts day 28 watts night |
Transmitter coordinates | 36°57′41.5″N121°58′55.3″W / 36.961528°N 121.982028°W /36.961528; -121.982028 |
| Translator(s) | 95.7 K239CN (Watsonville) 104.1 K281CA (Santa Cruz) 107.9 K300DD (Watsonville) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www.ksco.com |
KSCO (1080AM) is acommercialradio station broadcasting atalk radioformat. The station is owned by Zwerling Broadcasting System, Ltd and islicensed toSanta Cruz, California. Theradio studios and offices are on Portola Drive in Santa Cruz. The station can be heard over much ofCentral California during the day.
By day, KSCO broadcasts at 10,000watts. Because1080 AM is aclear channel frequency reserved forKRLDDallas andWTICHartford, at sunset, to avoid interference, KSCO reduces power to 28 watts. It uses anon-directional antenna at all times[2] KSCO also has threetranslator stations to broadcast its programming on the FM dial.
KSCOsigned on the air on September 21,1947.[3] It originally was powered at 1,000 watts by day and was housed in a distinctiveart deco building, which was constructed for the station, and still broadcasts there today. The founder was Charles Vernon Berlin, who also served asgeneral manager and chief engineer. In 1962, he added 99.1 KSCO-FM (nowKSQL).
In1986, Berlin sold KSCO-AM-FM to Fuller-Jeffrey Broadcasting which owned numerous stations around the country. The AM station went to anautomated format ofadult standards. On March 10, 1987, KSCO-FM changed itscall letters to KLRS (Colors) and its format to anew-age music format, the first station in North America to do so, with Mark Hammond asprogram director and Jay Petersonmusic director.
Since 1991, KSCO has been owned by the Zwerling family and has atalk radioformat. The Zwerlings later acquired another local AM station, 1340KOMY. Both Michael and his mother Kay Zwerling took an active role in the station with the former regularly hosting the call-in showSaturday Special and the latter writing and voicing politically conservative commentaries on a variety of topics, especially politics and current events. On January 3, 2017 Kay Zwerling died at 95 years old.[4]
On September 25, 2006, the offices of KSCO and KOMY received an envelope containing white powder. The envelope, which had no return address and contained no letter, was addressed to "AUNTIE KSCO" in handwriting described by Program Director Rosemary Chalmers as "chicken-scratch." Emergency response teams arrived on scene, and all KSCO personnel in the building were evacuated by a HazMat crew. By the evening of Tuesday, September 26, an FBI lab had determined that the powder was inert, and KSCO/KOMY's broadcast studios were deemed safe. Regular broadcasting resumed at 8 p.m. None of the four people who came in contact with the envelope experienced symptoms of any illness.
On October 24, 2022, the FCC proposed a $20,000 fine for Zwerling Broadcasting System, because KSCO had been operating outside of its licensed nighttime parameters since late 1996.[5][6] On December 15, 2022, the FCC denied Zwerling Broadcasting's appeal, and affirmed the $20,000 fine for KSCO.[7][8]
Apparently as a consequence of the cited long-term unauthorized nighttime operations, KSCO was directed to apply for a daytime-only (Class D) license, with nighttime power sufficiently reduced to fully protectKRLD (AM). The application was submitted, and authorization was granted. The application requested 0.028 kW (twenty-eight watts) nights,non-directionally. Daytime power remains 10 kW, also non-directionally.
The new license for 28 watts at night was granted on April 18, 2024.
The station programming is a mix of local, syndicated and brokered programming (meaning a person can purchase an available hour of time and produce their own show). A host can either pay for the hour out of his or her own pocket or find local businesses to sponsor the show in exchange for advertising.
The programming is a mix of local and national shows. The morning hours feature a syndicated news and commentary show called Armstrong & Getty, followed by NewsMax host Rob Carson, financial advisorDave Ramsey, and various local shows covering money management, real estate law, and everything about cars. Afternoondrive time comedy and local interest is hosted by Dave Michaels. Evening and nighttime offerings include Dr. Joel Wallach, Wayne Allen Root, andCoast to Coast AM withGeorge Noory.
KSCO does not subscribe to rating services, so listenership is unreported.
Past KSCO local programs were hosted by Rosemary Chalmers, Michael Olson, Vernon Bohr, Ethan Bearman, Daryl Alan Gault, Rob Roberts, Brian Maloney, and more. Current local hosts include Pamela Fugitt-Hetrick, Duncan McCollum, and Dean Sutton.
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K281CA | 104.1 FM | Santa Cruz, California | 153874 | 190vertical | D | 37°3′27.8″N121°46′33.8″W / 37.057722°N 121.776056°W /37.057722; -121.776056 (K281CA) | LMS |
| K300DD | 107.9 FM | Watsonville, California | 88248 | 24 vertical | D | 37°3′27.8″N121°46′33.8″W / 37.057722°N 121.776056°W /37.057722; -121.776056 (K300DD) | LMS |
| K239CN | 95.7 FM | Watsonville, California | 142038 | 37 vertical | D | 37°3′27.8″N121°46′33.8″W / 37.057722°N 121.776056°W /37.057722; -121.776056 (K239CN) | LMS |
On August 3, 2015, KSCO launched anFMsimulcast on 104.1MHz with translator K281CA from the Mt. Madonna Tower. It uses adirectional antenna with most of the signal directed at Santa Cruz.
On May 11, 2017 KSCO was granted a license for translator K300DD on 107.9 MHz from the Mt. Madonna Tower. It uses a directional antenna with most of the signal directed atMorgan Hill.
On June 8, 2017 KSCO was granted a license for translator K239CN on 95.7 MHz from the Mt. Madonna tower. It uses a directional antenna with most of the signal directed atGilroy.