KNBR

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KNBR
Broadcast area	San Francisco, California
Branding	The Sports Leader
First air date	1960 (as KNBR)
Frequency	680, 1050 (kHz)
Format	Sports radio/Sports
ERP	50,000 watts
Class	A
Callsign meaning	K National Broadcasting Radio
Owner	Cumulus Media Partner, LLC
Website	www.knbr.com

KNBR, "The Sports Leader", are the call letters associated with 680 AM in San Francisco and KTCT 1050 AM in San Mateo, California. Between the two stations, the entire seasons of San Francisco Giants baseball, Golden State Warriors basketball, San Jose SaberCats arena football, and San Francisco 49ers football are broadcast to the San Francisco Bay Area.

KNBR is one of two class A 50,000 watt clear channel stations in the Bay Area, and the only one in the area to use a non-directional transmitter (the other, KGO-AM, directs its signal mainly to the north and south in order to have a stronger signal on the more populated west coast and to protect WGY in Schenectady, NY). At night, KNBR can be heard throughout much of the western United States and in the Hawaiian Islands. Because of its extensive range, it is sometimes called by the nicknames "The 50,000 Watt Flamethrower," and "The Mighty 680."

Contents 1 History 1.1 1920s 1.2 1940s 1.3 1950s 1.4 1980s 1.5 "The Ticket 1050 2 Sports content 3 Ownership 4 Schedules and shows 4.1 Current programming 4.1.1 Weekdays 4.1.2 Weekends 4.2 Ongoing 4.3 Past programs 5 External links

[edit] History

KNBR began life as KPO, owned by the Hale Brothers department store and the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper. Originally located in the Hale store at Market and 5th (now site of Marshall's and other stores), its horizontal wire antenna on the roof was so efficient it immediately attracted the attention of audiences all over the Pacific Coast.

[edit] 1920s

In 1927, KPO became an affiliate of the new NBC radio network. Eventually, KPO was sold to NBC, where its operation was consolidated into that of its co-owned KGO at 111 Sutter Street. From there, NBC operated its West Coast network, feeding dozens of stations and operating a news bureau to serve NBC. From this address, NBC maintained a fulltime orchestra, five studios, and produced many live shows. During the rise of Hollywood, NBC's radio operation was moved to Los Angeles.

[edit] 1940s

In 1941, just before World War II, NBC constructed Radio City at 420 Taylor Street, considered one of the best radio facilities built during radio's golden age. However, with the network control having been moved to Los Angeles, the San Francisco NBC building was never fully utilized. (Later, the building housed KBHK-TV, and now houses the headquarters of a janitorial service.)

During World War II, KPO's news bureau was the major source for NBC of news about the war in the Pacific, and operated shortwave radio stations (transmitters located in Dixon) serving the world. It was at the KPO (RCA) shortwave facility that the message was received that Japanese emperor Hirohito had surrendered, ending World War II.

In 1946, to shore up its reputation as an NBC station (and the only radio station NBC ever owned on the West Coast), the callsign was changed from KPO to KNBC. This change lasted until 1960, when the callsign was applied to NBC's TV station in Los Angeles, and the radio station was renamed KNBR.

In 1949, former NBC television affiliate KRON-TV went on the air. Only before the TV station's first airdate did NBC fight for the license to own the TV station until it lost the bid to the deYoung Company, former owners of the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper.

[edit] 1950s

In the 1950s when NBC scrapped its comedy, drama, variety shows, and serials, the Los Angeles facility was sold and demolished, and KNBC/KNBR once again became the West Coast NBC network control center and West Coast NBC Radio news operation.

[edit] 1980s

In 1986 when NBC got out of the radio business, KNBR was sold to Susquehanna Corporation, a longtime radio station operator.

[edit] "The Ticket 1050

KNBR has long been linked with 680 AM. Several years after KNBR's parent company acquired 1050 AM and converted it into KTCT, "The Ticket 1050," the company opted to re-brand that other station as another version of KNBR.

Both stations features game broadcasts and sports talk, including shows hosted by Bay Area staples Ralph Barbieri, Tom Tolbert, and KRON's Gary Radnich. Some shows are simulcast on both 680 and 1050.

[edit] Sports content

KNBR is the longtime radio home of the San Francisco Giants. Giants broadcasters and former Giants Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow, affectionately known as "Kruk and Kuip," are considered to be broadcasting elite in baseball, as is San Francisco native and ESPN broadcaster Jon Miller, who is also a part on the Giants' on-air team. Recent additions Dave Flemming and Greg Papa round out the Giants' broadcast team.

Tim Roye is the radio play-by-play announcer for the Golden State Warriors, and is joined by Jim Barnett on non-televised games (as Barnett serves as an analyst for TV broadcasts).

A vast array of announcers participate in San Jose SaberCats broadcasts, including Bob Fitzgerald, Keena Turner, George Atkinson, Tim Liotta, F.P. Santangelo, and Troy Clardy.

In 2005, KNBR became the official radio home of the San Francisco 49ers. Currently, 49ers games are broadcast by Joe Starkey and Gary Plummer. All games are also heard on sister station KSAN-FM "107.7 The Bone"; some AM broadcasts may be moved to KTCT due to conflicts with Giants games.

KNBR is also an affiliate of ESPN Radio, and carries selected content and games from the national network. KNBR 1050 is an affiliate of Fox Sports Radio.

[edit] Ownership

KNBR is owned by Cumulus Media Partners, LLC^[1], a private partnership of Cumulus Media, Bain Capital, The Blackstone Group, and Thomas H. Lee Partners. It was bought from Susquehanna in 2005.^[2]

[edit] Schedules and shows

[edit] Current programming

Programs airing on KNBR (680) in 2006 include (all times Pacific):

[edit] Weekdays

• 12:00AM-05:00AM: ESPN Radio, except on nights of Giants games, which are replayed at midnight
• 05:00AM-09:00AM: KNBR Morning Show with Brian Murphy and Paulie Mac
• 09:00AM-12:00PM: Gary Radnich
• 12:00PM-03:00PM: Fitz & Brooks
• 03:00PM-07:00PM: The Razor & Mr. T.: Ralph Barbieri & Tom Tolbert
• 07:00PM-10:00PM: Sportsphone 680 with Damon Bruce
• 10:00PM-12:00AM: ESPN Radio

[edit] Weekends

(Various times)

• "ESPN Radio"
• "Public Affairs"
• "At The Track with Sam Spear"
• "Hooked On Golf"
• "Ray Brown On Real Estate"
• "Gary Allen - Business" 10AM to 11AM (PACIFIC)
• "Sportsphone 680 Weekends" with Tim Liotta
• "The Fishing Report with Brian Hoffman"
• "The Extreme Scene with Cyrus Saatsaz, Steve Blankenship, and Omar Etcheverry (KNBR 1050)"

[edit] Ongoing

• "The Gary Radnich Show"
• "Fitz and Brooks" (returned to air after Rick Barry resigned from "Rick and Rod")
  • Bob Fitzgerald, Rod Brooks (hosts)
• "The Razor and Mr. T"
  • Ralph Barbieri, Tom Tolbert (hosts)

An afternoon show, begun in 1996. The premise of "The Razor and Mr. T" was the pairing of Ralph Barbieri (promoted from evenings to afternoons) with former NBA (and Golden State Warriors) player Tom Tolbert.

• Sportsphone 680 with Damon Bruce

Sportsphone 680 was formerly hosted by Larry Krueger, who was fired after a personal rant against the Giants on the show. During his rant, he criticized the Giants for "brain-dead Caribbean hitters hacking at slop nightly." Krueger was first suspended for 10 days, then, on August 10, 2005, KNBR announced that it had ceased professional relations with Krueger.

• Untitled (Public Affairs)

Originating as part of the station's statutory requirement of public affairs, the station continues to air an hourlong interview show Sunday mornings at 5 a.m..

During the 1990s, the program typically began and ended with the phrase "This is Gimmy Park Li, Your Host". No program title was given. Interviews for this program often consisted of local individuals in volunteer, charitable, or minor governmental capacities.

Due to its time slot, the program is the quintessential example of the "Sunday-morning public affairs ghetto". (Related article: Public affairs) The program has, apparently, never been promoted outside of its timeslot. "Gimmy Park Li" was the station's Public Affairs Director. Her 'signature', was her sign off: "This is Gimmy Park Li... Your host. Thank you for spending your time... with us."

[edit] Past programs

• "Frank And Mike in the Morning"
• "C.J. Bronson"
• "Carter B. Smith"
• "The Steve Jamison Couch"
  • Steve Jamison (host)
• "The Leo Laporte Show"
• "Joel A. Spivak, Speaking"
• "The Peter B. Collins Show"
• "Sportsphone 68"
  • Hank Greenwald (host)
  • Ken Dito (host)
  • Dave Newhouse (host)
  • Ralph Barbieri (host)
• "California Weekend"
• "Hollywood Calling"
  • Jan Wahl (host)
• "Costas Coast to Coast" (syndicated)
  • Bob Costas (host)
• "Instant Replay" (syndicated); later "Pat Summerall's Sports in America"
  • Pat Summerall (host)
• "The Rush Limbaugh Show"
• "The Morning Show"
  • Steve McPartlin (host)
  • Kevin Radich and Kim Wonderley (hosts)
• "The Pete Franklin Show"
  • Pete Franklin (host)
• "Rick and Rod"
  • Rick Barry, Rod Brooks (hosts)

[edit] External links

• Official Website
• ESPN Radio
• Offical Extreme Scene Sports Radio Website
• Tony Bruno Show
• Official Website Of The Best 30 Minutes In Radio Featuring Gary Radnich & Tony Bruno