KDFO
 | |
| Broadcast area | Bakersfield, California |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 98.5 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 98.5 The Fox |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KBFP, KBFP-FM, KHTY, KRAB | |
| History | |
First air date | 1970 (as KDNO) |
Former call signs | KDNO (1970-1997) KKDJ (1997-1998) KSMJ (1998-2000) KDFO (2000-2008) KBKO-FM (2/15/08-6/20/08)[1] |
Call sign meaning | K Delano FOx |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 64607 |
| Class | B1 |
| ERP | 8,000 watts |
| HAAT | 177 meters |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°30′53″N 119°3′41″W / 35.51472°N 119.06139°W |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 985thefox.com |
KDFO (98.5 FM, "98-5 The Fox") is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock music format. KDFO is licensed to Delano, California, and serves the Bakersfield, California, area. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc..[2]
History
98.5 KDNO
98.5 KDNO was a Christian radio station in Bakersfield started by Richard Palmquist in 1970. The station was known as Uplift 98.5. The station was on the air until he sold it in 1997 to Mondosphere Corporation and went into retirement. Today, the KDNO call letters belong to a station in Wyoming. KDNO was owned by a California Corporation, Tape Networks INC., founded by Palmquist when he was a broadcast consultant in Glendale, California. After building KDNO for a client, that owner suffered the loss of his bank loan. Palmquist arranged for his friend Chester Newell to purchase the station, and Palmquist became the manager. Later, Newell sold the station to Tape Networks, Inc. Palmquist raised the purchase price by soliciting help from KDNO listeners. The station, however, was devoted to ministry rather than revenue, so Palmquist purchased the Pixley Enterprise Newspaper and later the Terra Bella News. He merged them to form the "Enterprise News," and the newspaper became commercially successful, proving a living for the Palmquist family and helping to support the radio ministry. After two unsuccessful efforts to sell the newspaper, Palmquist closed that business in 1993 to concentrate on improving the radio station's music and Bible teaching ministry. However, income from listener support, though supporting current expenses, could not pay off the half million dollar long term debt on the station. So when Palmquist reached retirement age, he sold the station to honor his obligation to those who had helped purchase and build the station. He now operates www.truthradio.com, www.truthradio.info
Star 98.5 KKDJ/Smooth Jazz 98.5 KSMJ
After Mondosphere took over, the station was downgraded from a class B at 50 kW to a class B1 with 8 kW ERP and the transmitter was moved to the 105.3 site closer to Bakersfield and was known as Star 98.5 KKDJ and was an oldies station. In 1998, KKDJ moved to 105.3 FM and KSMJ moved to 98.5 FM and was known as Smooth Jazz 98.5 KSMJ.
98.5 The Fox
On March 24, 2000, the KSMJ format changed to a classic rock format and the call letters were later changed to KDFO and the station branded as "98.5 The Fox". On February 15, 2008, the call letters KBKO and the country music format were briefly moved from 96.5 FM to 98.5 FM in a frequency swap with KDFO where it was branded as "98.5 KBKO".[3] On June 20, 2008, the two stations were moved back to their previous frequencies after a four month swap.[4]
Airstaff
- The weekday programming on this station features the syndicated Bob and Tom show which is on weekday mornings.
- Kenn McCloud is on mid-days. During lunch hour he hosts "The Fox Lunchbox" playing four songs in a row from an artist, genre or theme." He also covers the daily news headlines with his "Daily Update" with comedic takes on the top stories.
- Mike Bell [5] is on during the afternoon with his show "The Road Show with Mike Bell!" He hosts the program from within a clown car, and is live with regular comedic features "Celebrity Birthdays", "The Amazing Useless Fact Of The Day", and "Bellski's Police Blotter", plus "The Drive @FIVE!", an hour-long live request program.
- The Real Bruce Wayne is on evenings
- Doc Reno is on overnights
- Weekends/Fill-in include Maria Milito, Ken Dashow, Big Rig, and Ty Bailey
References
- ^ http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=64607&Callsign=KDFO
- ^ "KDFO Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ Venta, Lance (February 17, 2008). "KBKO and KDFO Bakersfield Swap Frequencies". Radio Insight.
- ^ "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
- ^ http://bakersfieldbusinessconnection.ning.com/profile/MichaelBell
External links
- 98.5 The Fox KDFO official website
- Facility details for Facility ID KDFO ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database