KBLA

Infobox Radio station
name = KBLA


city = Santa Monica, California
area =
branding =
slogan = "Radio Zion"
airdate =
frequency = 1580 kHz
format = Spanish Variety
power = 50,000 watts night
50,000 watts day
erp =
haat =
class = B
facility_id = 34385
coordinates = coord|34|5|8.00|N|118|15|24.00|W|region:GB_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
owner = Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Licensee, LLC
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = [http://www.radiozion.net radiozion.net]
affiliations =

KBLA (1580 Radio Zion) is a radio station licensed to Santa Monica, California with an Spanish religious radio format. It broadcasts at 1580 kHz with 50,000 watts day and night. Most of this wattage is dumped over the Pacific Ocean, however, in order not to interfere with other radio stations. Consequently, the station is heard on a regular basis in Hawaii, via AM nighttime skip.

Originally, the facility was daytime-only, first playing pop music, and then, in the 1960s, switching to a soul/R&B format. In the early 1970s, the station gained approval from the FCC to operate at night. At this time, it was featuring a pop-album rock format, designed by Bob Wilson, who would later launch the media magazine Radio & Records. However, KDAY returned to its soul roots, and became a highly successful AM R&B radio station during the mid-to-late 70s, as "15-80 K-DAY."

About two decades ago, the original KDAY was the first radio station in Los Angeles area to play continuous hip-hop music. As acts such as Run-DMC, Grandmaster Flash, and the Beastie Boys became some of the most popular in the United States, KDAY brought their sounds to a new audience on the West Coast. In the early 1990s, it was the first station anywhere to play N.W.A, which would become one of the most famous rap acts of all time.

In addition, Lee Marshall, known on-air as "King News," gave news and commentaries relevant to the African-American and Hispanic communities. He warned about the troubles caused by gang violence.

By the mid-1990s, KDAY could no longer keep up with the FM stations that had co-opted the sound, so it became all-business KBLA. During this time, it was also the flagship station of the Los Angeles Clippers pro basketball team.

About 1997, KBLA ended that format and beginning selling air time to broadcasters of different ethnic backgrounds.

On March 31, 2004, KBLA became the original West Coast affiliate of Air America Radio, airing talk shows hosted by Al Franken, Randi Rhodes, and Janeane Garofalo among others. But on April 14, the shows were no longer available, due to a payment dispute between Air America and KBLA's owner, Multicultural Broadcasting. Air America shows would not return to the L.A. area until February 1, 2005 on KTLK AM 1150.

KALI (AM)

Radio Zion, the current format, is simulcast on KALI AM 900 in the San Gabriel Valley. Before it was Radio Zion, this station carried adult standards music and some talk programming with hourly news updates from NBC Radio. The station once billed itself as "AM 90 NBC."

External links

* [http://www.radiozion.net/ 1580 Radio Zion AM]
*AMQ|KBLA
*AML|KBLA