KHSL
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
KHSL are the call letters of both the radio and television stations based in Chico, California. KHSL Radio began in Chico in 1935 at the request of the Chico Chamber of Commerce. Two people, Harry Smithson and Sidney Lewis, put KHSL-AM on the air. The first letters of these gentlemen's first and last names form the call letters (KHSL). Over the years these call letters have become an institution in the Northstate. Its television transmitter is located in Cohasset, California.
In 1936, KHSL was purchased by Hugh and Mickey McClung of the Golden Empire Broadcasting Company. In 1953 the McClungs signed on the first commercial television in the Northstate, KHSL-TV. Golden Empire Broadcasting Company, which included KHSL-AM and KHSL-TV, was owned by the McClungs until October of 1994, and, until the sale, was one of the last original family-owned broadcast companies in the country. Mickey McClung was noted as one of the first female broadcast pioneers in the industry.
[edit] Brief History of KHSL Radio
In 1994, KHSL-AM Radio 1290 started broadcasting on the FM band at frequency 103.5 and were simulcasting. With the station now on FM, the AM frequency 1290 went to NewsTalk KPAY-AM (whose frequency was at 1060) as the station became a part of Clear Channel Communications in the late 1990s. Today, KHSL-FM, now known as "103.5 The Blaze", is owned locally by Deer Creek Broadcasting and is located in south Chico. The station's general manager is former on-air personality Dino Corbin, who also served as KHSL-TV general manager for over 20 years.
[edit] Brief History of KHSL-TV
In October 1994, KHSL-TV became part of the Golden Empire Television Corporation, owned by Mr. Howard Brown of Kenosha, Wisconsin. On September 14th, 1998, KHSL-TV was purchased by Catamount Broadcasting of Chico-Redding Inc., part of the Catamount Broadcast Group. The station, now known as CBS 12, is located on Silverbell Road in north Chico and is part of the McClung Broadcast Center, the largest broadcast facility in northern California north of Sacramento. Catamount also operates KNVN-TV NBC 24, which is owned by Evans Broadcasting. John Stahl serves as general manager.
Starting in September 2006 its DT2 subcarrier was added programming from The CW Television Network and acquired KIWB-TV Channel 10 in July 2006.
