KIST (AM)

Infobox Radio Station
name = KIST


area = Santa Barbara, California
branding =
slogan =
airdate =
frequency = 1340 (kHz)
format = progressive talk
power = 650 Watts
class =
owner = California Lutheran University
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = http://www.talkradio1340am.com
callsign_meaning =

KIST is a radio station in Santa Barbara, California, broadcasting on 1340 kHz AM. The station airs a progressive talk format and is owned by the Santa Barbara Community Broadcasting Company.

History

For many years, especially in the 1960s and '70s, KIST was a premier Top-40 music station. In addition to playing the top music of the day, KIST also claimed one of the finest news broadcasting teams in the Santa Barbara area, winning awards from the Southern California Broadcasters Association for their coverage of the Sycamore Fire in 1977. Each on air "disc jockey", as well as many of the support staff, had two way mobile radios in their vehicles enabling them to "report from the scene".

Owned privately by J. Patrick "Pat" Wardlaw, some of KIST's staff from that era included Program Director Hal Bates, Music Director Dick Williams (since deceased), News Director Patrick C. Riley (whose car was incinerated in the Sycamore Fire), Morning Drive host Baron Ron Herron, Chief Engineer Doug Allan, and disc jockeys Tom Payne, Jack Kinney, Mike Hennie, Frank Catalano and Steve Dezormo (since deceased). One of the bumper-sticker mottos in that era was "Get KIST 1340!"

By the early-1990s, KIST had changed its format to oldies. KIST also broadcasted in C-QUAM AM Stereo. Before adopting to its current format, KIST was known as all-sports "XTRA Sports 1340." One of the station's on-air hosts was Jim Rome, a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara.

On January 11, 2007, Clear Channel Communications sold all of its radio stations in Santa Barbara to Rincon Broadcasting, who immediately sold KIST to its current owner.

It was announced on June 19, 2008, via All Access Media Group, that R & R Radio, LLC sold KIST to California Lutheran University for $1.44 million. The school, also the owner of noncommercial Natinal Public Radio affiliate KCLU, will convert the station to noncommercial status.

External links

* [http://www.talkradio1340am.com AM 1340 Progressive Talk official website]
*AMQ|KIST
*AML|KIST
*AMARB|KIST