KCLS (Arizona)

KCLS was the second radio station to broadcast in Flagstaff. The first station failed. Licensed to Flagstaff, Charles J. Saunders put it on the air in 1950.

History

KCLS signed on the air in 1950 and was owned by Saunders Broadcasting. The call letters were based upon the name of the owner's daughter "Cheryl Lynn Saunders." KCLS operated at 600 kHz with 5,000 watts of power in the daytime and 500 watts directional at night. This made it the most powerful AM radio station in Northern Arizona. The KCLS studios were originally a quonset hut.

Throughout most of its history, KCLS broadcast "middle-of-the-road" or "adult contemporary" music. It was also an early communications link for members of the nearby Navajo tribe, broadcasting in Navajo for one hour a day from 5 to 6 in the morning until the mid-1970s. The station had a long tradition of local news, with several radio announcers moving on to news positions in larger markets and with networks. The station carried with the National Weather Service to have their meteorologists deliver the weather. KCLS was also well known for broadcasting Northern Arizona University sports and also the high school sports.

Charles Saunders also owned stations KUPI and KQPI in Idaho Falls, Idaho at different times in the 1960s,'70s and '80s. Saunders, who was known as "C-J the D-J", served as mayor of Flagstaff from 1958 to 1960.

KCLS sold in 1986 and went dark shortly thereafter. In the late 1990s the owners of KVNA AM obtained the license for the 600 AM and moved their station from the 690 kHz frequency. KVNA (then KZKZ) had originally been on the 1290 AM frequency.

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