Media in the San Francisco Bay Area

Media in the San Francisco Bay Area refers to media produced and covered within the San Francisco Bay Area, historically focused on San Francisco, but with two other major media centers, Oakland and San Jose. The Bay Area is a technologically advanced and innovative region, with many Internet websites based in the area, including social networking giant Facebook and the largest search engine site Google. The region also hosts to one of the oldest radio stations in the United States still in existence, KCBS (AM) (740 kHz), founded by engineer Charles Herrold in 1909.

Print

The first newspaper published by Americans in California was The Californian, printed in Monterey in 1846 announcing the Mexican American War, written half in English and half Spanish. The press was moved to San Francisco and printing started up again on May 22, 1847 in competition with the weekly California Star, beginning that January. The first newspaper published solely in English in San Francisco was The Star published by Mormon pioneer Sam Brannan before San Francisco was renamed from Yerba Buena in 1847. Both efforts suspended publication in the face of the California Gold Rush. By August, The Californian had resumed publication, but by November 1848, both papers were bought and merged, then renamed the Alta California.

The press that once printed The Californian was moved to the Sacramento area to be used on the Placer Times. The press was again moved and began publishing the Motherlode's first paper, the Sonora Herald, then taken to Columbia to print the Columbia Star. Within a few years of the discovery of gold, mother lode towns all had multiple competing journals. Before 1860, California had 57 newspapers and periodicals serving an average readership of 290,000.

James King of William began publishing the Daily Evening Bulletin in San Francisco in October, 1855 and built it into the highest circulation paper in the city. He criticized a city supervisor named James P. Casey, who, on the afternoon of the story about him, ran in the paper, shot and mortally wounded King. Casey was lynched by the early vigilante committee. The Morning Call was established and began publishing in December 1856, and later merged with the Bulletin to become the long-running Call-Bulletin. The San Francisco Chronicle debuted in June, 1865 as the Dramatic Chronicle, founded by Charles and M.H. de Young aged 19 and 17.

In 1887, young William Randolph Hearst took over his father's Daily Examiner, which became the flagship of his national chain.

Fremont Older became editor of the San Francisco Bulletin in 1895 and took up the struggle against the powerful Southern Pacific Railroad and along with fellow Californian Lincoln Steffens, became a well-known muckraker and the first objective observer to accuse District Attorney Charles Fickert of the framing of labor radical Thomas Mooney.

The oldest African-American newspaper, still active in the 1930s, was the California Eagle. It appeared first in Los Angeles in 1879. The first French journals, the Californien and the Gazette Republicane both began in 1850, and were followed by the Courrier du Pacifique in 1852. Both the first German and first Italian papers, the California Demokrat (1852) and the Voce del Popolo (1859) were founded in San Francisco and had long runs. Chinese in California have published many newspapers, the first being the Gold Hills News in 1854.

Noted journalists, writers, cartoonists and publishers have passed through San Francisco's media world, including:

By the early decades of the 20th century, San Francisco supported four major dailies and numerous influential weeklies. The dailies were the San Francisco Call (later Call-Bulletin), the San Francisco Examiner, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Scripps-Howard, the Daily News. The weeklies included the Wasp, the ARGONAUT, the Labor Clarion, the Coast Seamen's Journal, Emanu-el, Liberator and the News Letter.

Today, several newspapers, covering community, regional, national, and international news, and community-specific papers, catering to niche markets and individual neighborhoods, are in circulation in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Newspapers

Former newspapers
Ethnic newspapers

Aside from the major English broadsheets, the Bay Area also publishes newspapers catering to the large ethnic communities in the region, including:

Several college newspapers also exist as well in the Bay Area, including:

Magazines

References:,[2][3]

Television

The San Francisco Bay Area is currently the sixth-largest television market in the United States, with all of the major U.S. television networks having affiliates serving the region, and it is host to various local, national and international programming. With a large, diverse population spread throughout the region, the Bay Area provides channels specific to their needs, including Asian and Hispanic television stations, as well as foreign programming on digital subchannels.

When television stations identify themselves, they would usually identify the station in this order (it can be altered depending on the station's city of license, but always include San Francisco in the list): (channel/station ID), San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose. This also happens when radio stations (listed below) identify themselves on the top of each hour.

Currently, television stations that primarily serve the San Francisco Bay Area include: (Note: list does not include the stations' digital sub-channels)[4]

Station Channel Network Affiliation City of License Status
KAXT 1.1 Independent Santa Clara Owned by KAXT
KTVU† 2.1 Fox Oakland Owned and operated by 21st Century Fox
KRON 4.1 MyNetworkTV San Francisco Owned by Media General
KPIX† 5.1 CBS San Francisco Owned and operated by CBS Corporation
KGO 7.1 ABC San Francisco Owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company
KQED 9.1 PBS San Francisco Owned and operated by Northern California Public Broadcasting
KNTV† 11.1 NBC San Jose Owned and operated by Comcast
KDTV† 14.1 Univision San Francisco Owned and operated by Univision Communications
KOFY 20.1 Independent San Francisco Owned by Granite Broadcasting
KRCB 22.1 PBS Cotati Owned by Rural California Broadcasting Corporation
KTSF 26.1 Independent San Francisco Owned by Lincoln Broadcasting
KFTL 28.1 HSN San Francisco Owned by LocusPoint Networks
KMTP 32.1 DW, Classic Arts San Francisco Owned by Minority Television Project
KICU† 36.1 Independent San Jose Owned and operated by 21st Century Fox
KCNS 38.1 MundoFox San Francisco Owned by NRJ TV
KMMC 40.1 Tr3s San Francisco Owned by Caballero Television
KTNC 42.1 Estrella TV Concord Owned by Titan Broadcasting
KBCW† 44.1 The CW San Francisco Owned and operated by CBS Corporation
KSTS† 48.1 Telemundo San Jose Owned and operated by Comcast
KEMO 50.1 Azteca America Santa Rosa Owned by Una Vez Más Holdings, LLC
KQEH 54.1 PBS San Jose Owned and operated by Northern California Public Broadcasting
KCSM 60.1 Independent San Mateo Owned by San Mateo County Community College District
KKPX 65.1 ION San Jose Owned and operated by Ion Media Networks
KFSF† 66.1 UniMás Vallejo Owned and operated by Univision Communications
KTLN 68.1 TLN San Rafael Owned by OTA Broadcasting

Note: † - channel involved in a duopoly with another channel, owned by the same company or network.

In addition to local television channels, several television networks have regional news bureaus in the San Francisco Bay Area, including BBC, CNN, ESPN, MSNBC, Al Jazeera America, Russia Today, CCTV America, and PBS.

Radio

The San Francisco Bay Area is currently the fourth-largest radio market in the United States, with all of the major U.S. radio networks having affiliates serving the region.

When radio frequencies broadcast their identities, they would usually identify their frequency in this order (it can be altered depending on the network's city of license, but always include San Francisco in the list): (channel/station ID), San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose.

Currently, radio stations that primarily serve the San Francisco Bay Area include:

AM

Station Frequency Network Affiliation Format City of License Status
KSFO 560 ABC News News/Talk San Francisco Owned by Cumulus Media
KEAR 610 Family Radio Christian Radio San Francisco Owned and operated by the network
KNBR 680 CBS Sports Radio Sports San Francisco Owned by Cumulus Media
KCBS 740 CBS News San Francisco Owned and operated by the network
KGO 810 ABC News San Francisco Owned by Cumulus Media
KTRB 860 ESPN Deportes Spanish Sports San Francisco Owned by Comerica Bank
KKSF 910 Fox News Radio News/Talk Oakland Owned by Clear Channel Communications
KNEW 960 Bloomberg Radio Business News/Talk Oakland Owned by Clear Channel Communications
KIQI 1010 Independent Spanish San Francisco Owned by Multicultural Broadcasting
KTCT 1050 CBS Sports Radio/NBC Sports Radio Sports San Mateo Owned by Cumulus Media
KFAX 1100 Salem Communications Religious Talk San Francisco Owned by Salem Communications
KLOK 1170 Independent Indian San Jose Owned by Principle Broadcasting
KDYA 1190 Independent Gospel Music Vallejo Owned by Baybridge Communications
KDOW 1220 Wall Street Business Network
Salem Communications		 Business News/Talk Palo Alto Owned by Salem Communications
KSFB 1260 Immaculate Heart Radio Catholic Radio San Francisco Owned and operated by the network
KMKY 1310 Radio Disney Children's Oakland Owned and operated by the network
KZSF 1370 Independent Spanish San Jose Owned by Carlos Duarate
KVTO 1400 Singtao Chinese Radio in Cantonese Chinese Berkeley Owned by YMF Media
KVVN 1430 Independent Vietnamese Santa Clara Owned by YMF Media
KEST 1450 Bay Area Metro Radio Chinese San Francisco Owned by Multicultural Broadcasting
KSJX 1500 Independent Vietnamese San Jose Owned by Multicultural Broadcasting
KSFN 1510 Independent Chinese Piedmont Owned by Mapleton Communications
KZDG 1550 Independent Indian San Francisco Owned and operated by CBS Radio
KLIV 1590 Independent News San Jose Owned by Empire Broadcasting
KDIA 1640 Independent Religious Talk Vallejo Owned by Baybridge Communications
KBCP 1650 Independent Various (School) San Jose Owned by Bellarmine College Preparatory

FM

Station Frequency Network Affiliation Format City of License Status
KSFH 87.9 Independent Rock Mountain View Owned by St. Francis High School of Mountain View
KECG 88.1 Independent School El Cerrito Owned by El Cerrito High School
KSRH 88.1 Independent School San Rafael Owned by San Rafael High School
KQED 88.5 NPR Public Radio San Francisco Owned by Northern California Public Broadcasting
KCEA 89.1 Independent School Atherton Owned by Atherton High School
KARC 89.3 QFM Adult Hits Moss Beach Owned by Educational Public Radio Inc
KPFB 89.3 Independent Public Radio Berkeley Simulcast of KPFA 94.1
KOHL 89.3 Independent Top 40 Fremont Owned by Oholone College
KMTG 89.3 Independent School San Jose Owned by San Jose Unified School District
KPOO 89.5 Independent Variety San Francisco Owned by Poor's People Radio
KFJC 89.7 Independent College Los Altos Owned by Foothill College
KCRH 89.9 Independent College Hayward Owned by Chabot College
KZSU 90.1 Independent College Stanford Owned by Stanford University
KOSC 90.3 Independent Classical San Francisco Owned by University of Southern California
KSJS 90.5 Independent College San Jose Owned by San Jose State University
KALX 90.7 Independent College Berkeley Owned by University of California Berkeley
KCSM 91.1 Independent Jazz San Mateo Owned by College of San Mateo
KKUP 91.5 Independent Variety Cupertino Owned by Assurance Science Foundation
KALW 91.7 NPR, PRI Public Radio San Francisco Owned by San Francisco Unified School District
KSJO 92.3 NASH-FM Country San Jose Owned by Cumulus Media
KREV 92.7 The Revolution Top 40 San Francisco Owned by Royce International
KRZZ 93.3 La Raza Regional Mexican San Francisco Owned by Spanish Broadcasting System
KXZM 93.7 Radio Lazer Regional Mexican Felton, California Owned by Radio Lazer
KPFA 94.1 Pacifica Public Radio Berkeley Owned by Pacifica Radio
KBAY 94.5 K-BAY Adult Contemporary San Jose Owned by Next Media Group
KYLD 94.9 Wild Rhythmic Contemporary San Francisco Owned by Clear Channel Communications
KRTY 95.3 Independent Country Los Gatos Owned by Empire Broadcasting
KGMZ 95.7 ESPN Radio Sports San Francisco Owned by Entercom Communications
KSQQ 96.1 Singtao Chinese Radio in Mandarin
Independent		 Chinese/Vietnamese/Portuguese Morgan Hill Owned by Coyote Communications
KOIT 96.5 Independent Adult Contemporary San Francisco Owned by Entercom Communications
KLLC 97.3 Alice Hot AC San Francisco Owned and operated by CBS Radio
KFFG 97.7 Independent AAA Los Altos Simulcast of KFOG 104.5
KISQ 98.1 Kiss FM Rhythmic Oldies San Francisco Owned by Clear Channel Communications
KUFX 98.5 K-FOX Classic Rock San Jose Owned by Entercom Communications
KSOL 98.9 Estereo Regional Mexican San Francisco Owned and operated by Univision Radio
KSQL 99.1 Estereo Regional Mexican Santa Cruz Owned and operated by Univision Radio
KMVQ 99.7 Now FM Top 40 San Francisco Owned and operated by CBS Radio
KBRG 100.3 Mas Variedad Spanish Adult Hits San Jose Owned and operated by Univision Radio
KVVZ 100.7 HOT Rhythmic Contemporary San Rafael Simulcast of KVVF 105.7
KIOI 101.3 Star Hot AC San Francisco Owned by Clear Channel Communications
KKIQ 101.7 Independent Hot AC Livermore, California Coast Radio Company
KRBQ 102.1 Q Rhythmic hot AC San Francisco Owned by Entercom Communications
KBLX 102.9 Independent Urban AC Berkeley Owned by Entercom Communications
KSCU 103.3 Independent College Santa Clara Owned by Santa Clara University
KOSF 103.7 Big FM Clsssic Hits San Francisco Owned by Clear Channel Communications
KFOG 104.5 Independent AAA San Francisco Owned by Cumulus Media
KXSC 104.9 KDFC Classical Sunnyvale Simulcast of KOSC 90.3
KITS 105.3 Live FM Rock San Francisco Owned and operated by CBS Radio
KVVF 105.7 HOT Rhythmic Contemporary Santa Clara Owned and operated by Univision Radio
KMEL 106.1 Independent Urban Contemporary San Francisco Owned by Clear Channel Communications
KEZR 106.5 MIX Hot AC San Jose Owned by Next Media Group
KFRC 106.9 CBS News San Francisco Simulcast of KCBS 740
KLVS 107.3 K-LOVE Contemporary Christian Livermore Owned by EMF
KSAN 107.7 The Bone Classic Rock San Mateo Owned by Cumulus Media

Online

Besides websites that are in addition to print publications, a large body of publications that only exist online have come into existence in recent years. They include:

International news digital video channel AJ+, part of Al Jazeera Media Network is also based in the city.

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ San Francisco Newspapers - Newspaper Guide
  3. ↑ California Newspapers - Newspaper Guide
  4. ↑ "Station Index - San Francisco - Oakland - San Jose". Retrieved 18 March 2013.