KOST
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| Broadcast area | Greater Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.5 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | KOST 103.5 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Mainstream AC[1] Christmas music (November-December) HD2: KFI Talk Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KBIG, KFI, KRRL, KIIS-FM, KLAC (AM), KEIB, KYSR | |
| History | |
First air date | 1957 |
Former call signs | KGLA (1957-1966) KADS (1966-1968) |
Call sign meaning | KOaST (play on the word COAST, as in West Coast) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 34424 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 12,500 watts |
| HAAT | 949 meters (3,114 ft) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kost1035.com |
KOST (103.5 FM, KOST 103.5) is a radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California, with a Mainstream AC musical format. It is one of three Adult Contemporary-based formatted radio station in the Los Angeles/Orange County area, the others being sister station KBIG (Hot AC) and CBS-owned Smooth/Urban AC KTWV. KOST broadcasts Christmas music from November to December each year. The station is one of the top rated radio stations in Los Angeles and one of the top revenue billing radio stations in the United States. KOST's site is the most visited Adult Contemporary radio station website in America.[citation needed] KOST is rebroadcast on translators K280DT in Thousand Oaks at 103.9 FM and K288AX in China Lake at 105.5 FM.
Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications until September 2014), KOST has studios co-located with its sister radio partners in Burbank, and has a transmitter atop Mount Wilson alongside most L.A. based television and radio stations. KOST is often referred to as a "Superpower" Grandfathered Class B FM radio station.
HD programming
KOST broadcasts in the HD (hybrid) format.[2]
- HD 1 is a digital simulcast of the traditional KOST analog signal.
- HD 2 is an HD simulcast of KFI.
History
KOST was owned by radio icon Gordon McLendon in the 1960s, initially as KGLA, but later changed in November 1966 to KADS, when McLendon, with permission from the Federal Communications Commission, experimented with an all-advertisement format. One of its features was that listeners could purchase their own commercials on KADS, not unlike classified advertising in the newspaper. However, the format was not successful, and in March 1968, the station adopted the KOST-FM callsign, along with a substantially all-music format (i.e., no news bulletins), which was unusual if not unique given then-prevailing license obligations to broadcast at least some news.[3] In 1973, Cox Communications purchased KOST and sister station KFI. KOST also aired a Beautiful Music format until November 15, 1982, when they switched to an all-hit Adult Contemporary format. Former Sacramento radio personality Bryan Simmons was KOST's first host when the station signed on with its new format.
On February 3, 1986, Mark Wallengren and Kim Amidon made their debut as KOST's new morning hosts. The "Mark and Kim" morning show was one of the longest running shows on Los Angeles radio.[citation needed]
In 1999, Cox Communications sold KOST and sister station KFI to AMFM, Inc., which was then purchased by Clear Channel Communications (now IHeartMedia, Inc.) in 2000. Over the years, the station has had solid ratings. Until recently there had been little turnover among the airstaff. On November 29, 2007, morning show co-host Kim Amidon left, followed by KOST's original midday host Mike Sakellarides and longtime traffic reporter Mike Nolan (who has since been rehired).
In October 2008, former San Diego radio personality Kristin Cruz joined Mark Wallengren as co-host of KOST's morning show. She left the station in May 2014. In 2009, the midday shift was voicetracked by former WLTW/New York personality Karen Carson. In February 2011, Karen Carson resigned and joined WWFS/New York. Both Christine Martindale and Ted Ziegenbusch filled in on the midday show until August 2011, when former KBIG midday host Kari Steele took over. She currently serves as the host of KOST's Public Affair Program "The Sunday Journal" broadcasting every Sunday after the nationally syndicated Animal Radio providing interviews with organization within the community.
The radio station jingles were produced by JAM Creative Productions from 1985 until 2009 and had become an integrated element of KOST's identity. They used jingles from ReelWorld Productions, from 2009 through 2010. In 2011, KOST started using JAM Creative Productions again for their jingles along with the classic musical signature sound that JAM created for the station. KOST switched back to Reelworld once again on February 2015 and they used the KVIL Package. They also used the "KOST Christmas" Package by December along with their Christmas playlist. Currently, they are using the "KOST 2016" package.
On August 26, 2011, longtime KOST afternoon personality Bryan Simmons left the station. Simmons had been on the station since 1982, except between 2002 and 2004 when he hosted "Boogie Nights" at KBIG.
In December 2012, KOST radio personality Christine Martindale was among the layoffs of radio personalities in the Clear Channel Communications stations. On January 17, 2013, it was announced that Christine Martindale would join KKGO.[4] Christine Martindale joined KKGO on February 4, 2013.
From November until February 2015, KOST's HD 3 signal relayed the syndicated Christian Rock station Air 1.[5] But in early February, the station's HD 3 signal went dark and the HD signal of Air 1 moved to a subchannel on 92.3 KHHT.
Former KIIS-FM morning show and On Air with Ryan Seacrest co-host Ellen K took over the KOST morning show on October 19, 2015. Mark Wallengren, who had been part of the KOST morning show since 1986 transferred effectively to afternoons, replacing Bruce Scott who has been with the station since 2012.[6]
Awards
In 2007, the station was nominated for the top 25 markets Adult Contemporary station of the year award by Radio & Records magazine. Other nominees included WMJX in Boston, WALK-FM in Long Island, New York, WLTW in New York City, WBEB in Philadelphia, and KEZK-FM in St. Louis.[7]
References
- ^ "Kost1035FM". Retrieved 2010-11-27.
- ^ http://www.hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=2 HD Radio Guide for Los Angeles
- ^ Gordon McLendon: The Maverick of Radio By Ronald Garay, pp.138-144, via Google Books.
- ^ Horgan, Richard (January 17, 2013). Christine Martindale joined KKGO "Laid Off KOST-FM Personality Christine Martindale Goes Country". Retrieved December 1, 2013.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ http://hdradio.com/stations
- ^ https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/94830/ellen-k-moves-from-kiis-to-kost/#more-94830
- ^ "2007 Industry Achievement Awards". Radio and Records. 2008-09-28.
External links
- KOST official website
- KOST in the FCC FM station database
- KOST in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- List of "Superpower" Grandfathered FM stations