KSZL
Broadcast areaVictorville, California
Frequency1230 kHz
BrandingHot Talk AM 1230
Programming
FormatNews/talk
Ownership
Owner
  • California Communications of Barstow, LLC
  • (Dos Costas Communications Corporation)
History
First air date
1947
Former call signs
KWTC (1947–1983)
KPRD (1983–1986)
Technical information
Facility ID21496
ClassC
Power1,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
34°54′44″N 117°01′39″W / 34.91222°N 117.02750°W / 34.91222; -117.02750
Translator(s)93.5 MHz K228FU (Barstow)

KSZL (1230 AM) is a commercial radio station that is licensed to and serves Barstow, California, United States. The station is owned by California Communications of Barstow, LLC and broadcasts a news/talk format.

History

The station first signed on in 1947 as KWTC. Originally owned by William T. Brown, Burton C. Boatwright, and Robert E. Reno—doing business as Mojave Valley Broadcasting Company—it broadcast at a power of 250 watts at all hours.[1][2] In June 1950, KWTC joined the Liberty Broadcasting System, an early radio network that carried live re-creations of Major League Baseball games.[3] In 1959, KWTC applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to increase its power to 1,000 watts during the day; the FCC approved the adjustment in 1961.[4][5]

In late 1980, Mojave Valley Broadcasting sold KWTC and its sister station KWTC-FM (93.5 FM) to Inland Empire Broadcasters—headed by Howard N. Fisher, owner of KPRO in Riverside, California—for $385,000.[6] The new owner changed the station's call sign to KPRD in March 1983.[7] In September 1985, Inland Empire Broadcasters sold KPRD and its FM counterpart, now called KZNS, to First American Communications Corporation for $300,000.[8] The following April, the station adopted the KSZL call letters.[9]

In August 1995, KSZL flipped formats from country music to talk radio.[10] In December 1998, First American sold KSZL and FM sister stations KDUC and KDUQ to Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania-based Tele-Media Broadcasting LLC for $875,000.[11]

In June 2008, Dos Costas Communications Corporation sold KSZL, KDUC, KDUQ, and KXXZ to California Communications of Barstow, LLC for $4.3 million.[12][13]

KSZL previously aired programming from Air America before that network's demise in January 2010.

References

  1. ^ "Directory of AM, FM, and TV Stations of the United States" (PDF). Broadcasting 1950 Yearbook Number. Broadcasting Publications Inc. 1950. p. 78. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  2. ^ "FCC Actions" (PDF). Broadcasting/Telecasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. April 11, 1949. p. 185. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  3. ^ "Front Office" (PDF). Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. June 26, 1950. p. 40. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  4. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. October 26, 1959. p. 119. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  5. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. March 27, 1961. p. 108. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  6. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. December 1, 1980. p. 110. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  7. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. March 21, 1983. p. 182. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  8. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. September 23, 1985. p. 68. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  9. ^ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. April 14, 1986. p. 184. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  10. ^ "Format Changes & Updates" (PDF). The M Street Journal. Vol. 12, no. 34. New York City: M Street Corporation. August 23, 1995. p. 1. ISSN 1052-7109. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  11. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. R.R. Bowker. December 14, 1998. p. 69. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  12. ^ "Victor Valley, CA Cluster Changes Hands". All Access. All Access Music Group. June 25, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  13. ^ "BAS Spins Two From Ohio Deal". All Access. All Access Music Group. July 2, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2019.

External links

Radio stations in the Victor Valley and Barstow areas of California
News/Talk radio stations in the state of California
Categories