KCBS-FM

Infobox Radio Station
name = KCBS-FM


city = Los Angeles, California
area = Greater Los Angeles
branding = 93.1 Jack FM
slogan = Playing What We Want
airdate = 1948
frequency = 93.1 (MHz) HD Radio
format = KCBS-FM (Adult Hits)
KCBS-HD2 (Top 40 Mainstream)
erp = 28,500 watts
haat = 1056 meters
class = B
facility_id = 9612
owner = CBS Radio
webcast = [http://player.play.it/player/player.html?id=142&onestat=kcbsfm Listen Live]
website = [http://www.931jackfm.com/ www.931jackfm.com]
callsign_meaning = Columbia
Broadcasting
System
sister_stations =KFWB, KLSX, KNX, KROQ, KRTH, KTWV

KCBS-FM is a radio station in Los Angeles, California broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area on 93.1 FM.

KCBS-FM airs an adult hits music format branded as "Jack-FM".

Like other radio stations of similar format, the Jack FM playlist runs the gamut from classic rock to dance music to hard rock. Currently, the station has no air staff, as many other stations of this format.

Although Jack proclaims that the station is run "in a dumpy little building in beautiful downtown Culver City", KCBS-FM was actually at the intersection of Venice Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, about half a mile north of Culver City. [http://msl1.mit.edu/furdlog/docs/latimes/2005-07-25_latimes_jack_radio.pdf 1]

History

The station signed on in 1948 as KNX-FM. KNX-FM was a simulcast of sister station KNX until the mid 1960s. The radio station, along with other CBS-owned FM radio stations aired a beautiful music format branded as "The Young Sound".

In 1971, KNX-FM aired a mellow rock music format, featuring rock artists deemed too "soft" for album rock rivals KLOS and KMET.

In 1983, long after other CBS-owned radio stations moved on to other formats, KNX-FM adopted a Top 40 music format - again similar to the other CBS Radio stations branded as "93.1 KKHR". A change of the heritage KNX-FM call letters followed to KKHR. KKHR was not a traditional Top 40 music format of the time as the playlist was more stringent limited to 30 songs.

In 1986, the Top 40 format ran its course likely due to its lackluster ratings. The mellow rock music format and heritage KNX-FM call letters were returned under the new branding "Quality Rock". [KNX/KODJ/KCBS Call Sign History]

In March 1989, an oldies music format was introduced and the heritage KNX-FM call letters were dropped yet again in favor of KODJ to complement the change in branding to "Oldies 93.1" [The Boss Is Back!] . KODJ competed with crosstown rival KRTH, which is ironically now a CBS Radio station. KODJ focused more on the 1950s and the early 1960s era of oldies music than rival KRTH. In response, KRTH gradually reduced the amount of newer songs from the playlist and received higher ratings.

On July 12, 1991 at 2:00pm KODJ changed to its present call letters, KCBS-FM. These call letters had previously been used by two CBS-affiliated stations (now KSOL and KLLC) in San Francisco. [What Are The Call Letters Today?]

In 1993, KCBS-FM dumped the oldies music format in favor of classic hits music, focusing primarily on the 1970s; branded as "Arrow 93" using the slogan, "All Rock and Roll Oldies".

Infinity Broadcasting (as CBS Radio was known at the time) won the licensing rights to brand their adult hits music formatted radio stations as "Jack FM". Many Infinity/CBS Radio stations adopted the adult hits format and "Jack-FM" branding which led to yet another format change for KCBS-FM. On March 17, 2005, the classic hits music format was dropped in favor of its present music format of adult hits branded as "Jack-FM".

KCBS-HD2

In January 2007, KCBS-FM began broadcasting in HD Radio for a "higher-quality" broadcast. A year later, on February 21, 2008, they launched a Top 40 Mainstream format on its HD2 subcarrier, which is billing themselves as "AMP Radio." While they may not have any impact on rival outlets KIIS-FM and KPWR, they are the first Top 40 station to be launched on a HD2 FM frequency in Los Angeles. This station can also be heard online as well.

Also worth noting

Unlike most other stations in this format, the call sign no longer includes any form of the word "Jack," opting instead to hold over calls from a previous format. This is similar to its FM sister station in New York, WCBS-FM, which had maintained its WCBS calls during its run as "Jack FM."

ee also

*KNX (AM)
*KCBS-TV
*KCBS-TV/FM Tower
* [http://www.w9wi.com/articles/grand_fm.htm List of "grandfathered" FM radio stations in the U.S.]

External links

*http://www.931jackfm.com/
* [http://www.ampradio.com/ AMP Radio website]
*FMQ|KCBS
*FML|KCBS
*FMARB|KCBS

References

1: Call Sign History -- http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=9612&Callsign=KCBS-FM

2: The Boss Is Back! KODJ Oldies 93.1 Los Angeles -- http://www.mgkelly.com/archive-23.asp

3: What Are The Call Letters Today? KODJ Becomes KCBS-FM 93.1 -- http://www.mgkelly.com/archive-25.asp