KOST

KOST
City Los Angeles, California
Broadcast area Greater Los Angeles
Branding KOST 103.5
Slogan Helping You Feel Good.
The Best Mix Of The '80s, '90s, and Today
Frequency 103.5 MHz (also on HD Radio)
First air date 1957
Format Mainstream AC[1]
Christmas music (November-December)
HD2: KFI Talk Radio
ERP 11,500 watts
HAAT 949 meters (3,114 ft)
Class B
Facility ID 34424
Callsign meaning West/Pacific KOaST
Former callsigns KGLA (1957-1966)
KADS (1966-1968)
Owner iHeartMedia
(AMFM Broadcasting Licenses, LLC)
Sister stations KBIG, KFI, KRRL, KIIS-FM, KLAC (AM), KEIB, KYSR
Webcast Listen Live
Listen Live (aac)
Website kost1035.com

KOST (103.5 MHz, KOST 103.5) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California. KOST is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and airs a Mainstream AC radio format. It is one of three Adult Contemporary-based formatted radio station in the Los Angeles/Orange County area, along with co-owned Hot AC KBIG and CBS Radio-owned Smooth AC/Urban AC KTWV. KOST broadcasts all-Christmas music from mid-November to December 25th 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 website is among the most visited Adult Contemporary radio station websites in America. The KOST call sign is usually pronounced "Coast" on the air, as in "West Coast."

KOST has studios and offices, along with iHeart's other L.A. stations, on West Olive Avenue in Burbank. The transmitter is atop Mount Wilson alongside most L.A. based television and FM radio stations. Those FM stations, along with KOST, are considered "Superpower" grandfathered Class B FM radio stations, since their effective radiated power greatly exceeds the level the FCC sets for Class B FM stations at the height on Mount Wilson.

HD Programming, Translators and Booster

KOST broadcasts in the HD (hybrid) format.[2]

From November 2013 until February 2015, KOST's HD 3 signal relayed the syndicated Christian Rock station Air 1.[3] But in early February, the station's HD 3 signal went dark and the HD signal of Air 1 moved to a subchannel on co-owned 92.3 KHHT.

KOST is rebroadcast on translator stations K280DT in Thousand Oaks on 103.9 MHz, K234CR in China Lake on 94.7 MHz and booster station KOST-FM1 in Santa Clarita on 103.5 MHz.

History

KOST 103.5 logo used until 2013.

Early Years

On October 9, 1956, the station first signed on as KGLA. Noted radio programmer Gordon McLendon bought KGLA in the 1960s, changing the call letters in November 1966 to KADS. McLendon, with permission from the Federal Communications Commission, experimented with an all-advertisement format and the call letters referred to "Ads." One of its features was that listeners could purchase their own commercials on KADS, not unlike classified advertising in a newspaper. FM radios were still not widely owned in the 1960s and the experimental format was not successful.

Beautiful Music

On March 1968, the station adopted the KOST-FM call sign, 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.[4] The station aired a mostly-instrumental beautiful music sound. In 1973, Cox Communications purchased KOST to pair with its newly-bought AM 640 KFI. KOST continued its easy listening sound through the 1970s, a popular format also heard on rivals 98.7 KJOI (now KYSR) and 104.3 KBIG. In the early 1980s, KOST gradually added more vocals, until November 15, 1982, when the station switched to a Soft 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, continuing more than 20 years, till 2007.

Sale to AMFM, Clear Channel

In 1999, Cox Communications sold KOST and sister station KFI to AMFM, Inc., which in 2000 was then purchased by Clear Channel Communications. (In 2014, the company's name was changed to IHeartMedia, Inc.) Over the years, the station has had solid ratings. Until recently there had been little turnover among the air staff. On November 29, 2007, morning show co-host Kim Amidon left, followed by KOST's original midday host Mike Sakellarides (now at 94.7 KTWV) 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. Cruz left the station in May 2014. In 2009, the midday shift was voice-tracked by former WLTW New York City personality Karen Carson. In February 2011, Karen Carson resigned to join CBS Radio-owned 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 Animal Radio, providing interviews with community organizations.

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 on Clear Channel stations. On January 17, 2013, it was announced that Christine Martindale would join 105.1 KKGO.[5] Christine Martindale started at KKGO on February 4, 2013.

Ellen K, a former co-host on the KIIS-FM morning show and On Air with Ryan Seacrest, took over the KOST morning show on October 19, 2015. Mark Wallengren, who had been part of the KOST morning show since 1986, switched to afternoons, replacing Bruce Scott who has been with the station since 2012.[6]

KOST Jingles

KOST jingles were produced by JAM Creative Productions from 1985 until 2009 and had become an important part of KOST's identity. Jingles were provided by ReelWorld Productions from 2009 through 2010. In 2011, KOST returned to JAM Creative Productions for jingles along with the classic musical signature sound that JAM created for the station. KOST switched back to Reelworld once again on February 2015, using the package origiated for KVIL Dallas. A "KOST Christmas" Package was supplied by Reelword in November 2015, as the station switched to all-Christmas music. A "KOST 2016" package by Reelworld is currently heard.

Awards

In 2007, the station was nominated for an "Adult Contemporary Station of The Year" award for the top 25 markets, by Radio & Records magazine.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Kost1035FM". Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  2. ↑ http://www.hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=2 HD Radio Guide for Los Angeles
  3. ↑ http://hdradio.com/stations
  4. ↑ Gordon McLendon: The Maverick of Radio By Ronald Garay, pp.138-144, via Google Books.
  5. ↑ Horgan, Richard (January 17, 2013). "Laid Off KOST-FM Personality Christine Martindale Goes Country". Adweek. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  6. ↑ Venta, Lance (October 7, 2015). "Ellen K Moves From KIIS To KOST". RadioInsight. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  7. ↑ "2007 Industry Achievement Awards". Radio and Records. 2008-09-28.

Coordinates: 34°13′34″N 118°03′54″W / 34.226°N 118.065°W / 34.226; -118.065

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