KNBR

KNBR, "The Sports Leader", are the call letters associated with 680 AM in San Francisco and KTCT 1050 AM in San Mateo. 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.

Related Topics:
AM - San Francisco - KTCT - San Mateo - San Francisco Giants - Golden State Warriors - San Jose SaberCats - San Francisco 49ers

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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.

Related Topics:
Clear channel - KGO-AM - WGY

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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.

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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.

Related Topics:
NBC - KGO

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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 move 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.)

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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.

Related Topics:
RCA - Hirohito

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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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An all-sports format stations, both KNBRs 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.

Related Topics:
Bay Area - Ralph Barbieri - Tom Tolbert - KRON - Gary Radnich

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