KFI

City of license
Broadcast area	Los Angeles, California
Branding	KFI AM 640
Slogan	More Stimulating Talk Radio
First air date	March 31, 1922
Frequency	640 (kHz)
Format	Talk
Power	50,000 watts
ERP
Class	A
Callsign meaning	Farmer's Information
Owner	Clear Channel Communications
Website	www.kfi640.com

KFI is an AM radio station that began operating on March 31, 1922 as one of the United States' first high-powered, "clear channel" stations. The original station used a 50-watt transmitter built by Earle C. Anthony, who operated it from his garage. In its early days, it was typically on the air only four and a half hours a day. The "FI" segment of its call sign was an abbreviation of "farmer's information." Image File history File links KFI.gif Summary KFI (AM) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... In the United States (and potentially elswhere), each radio station or TV station is assigned a city of license by the Federal Communications Commission that they must serve. While this has become far less meaningful over the decades, stations are still required to post their public file somewhere within the... Nickname: City of Angels Motto: Official website: http://www. ... ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining, as the final day of March. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Sine waves of various frequencies; the lower waves have higher frequencies than those above. ... A kilohertz (kHz) is a unit of frequency equal to 1,000 hertz (1,000 cycles per second). ... A radio format or programming format describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. ... Talk radio is a radio format which features discussion of topical issues. ... Nominal power is a measurement of a mediumwave radio stations output used in the United States. ... The watt (symbol: W) is the SI derived unit of power. ... In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or ERP is determined by subtracting system losses from system gains. ... This is the list of broadcast station classes. ... Call sign can refer to different types of call signs: Airline call sign Aviator call sign Cosmonaut call sign Radio and television call signs Tactical call sign, also known as a tactical designator See also: International Callsign Allocations, Maritime Mobile Service Identity This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid... This article is about the company. ... The front page of the English Wikipedia Website. ... AM radio is radio broadcasting using Amplitude Modulation. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and appeal to a wider international audience, this article may require cleanup. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining, as the final day of March. ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Clear channel stations are AM radio stations that are designated as such so that only one or two 50,000 watt powerhouses operate at night on each designated frequency, covering a wide area via sky wave propagation. ... The watt (symbol: W) is the SI derived unit of power. ... Antenna tower of Crystal Palace transmitter, London A transmitter (sometimes abbreviated XMTR) is an electronic device which with the aid of an antenna propagates an electromagnetic signal such as radio, television, or other telecommunications. ... Earle C. Anthony was a pioneer businessman based in Los Angeles, California. ... In radio (including television), a callsign or call sign (also call letters) is a unique designation for amateur, broadcast, and sometimes military radio use, as well as for broadcast television. ... It has been suggested that Apocopation be merged into this article or section. ...

For many years, KFI was the Los Angeles area affiliate of the National Broadcasting Company radio network, most particularly the NBC Red Network, as distinguished from the NBC Blue Network of less powerful stations, which became the American Broadcasting Company. It also carried such sporting events as the World Series and the Rose Bowl. From 1960 to 1972, the station was the flagship station of the Los Angeles Dodgers radio network. This article is about the largest city in California. ... The National Broadcasting Company or NBC is an American television broadcasting company based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... A radio network is a network system which distributes radio programming to multiple radio stations. ... -1... 2002 identity of the ABC Circle logo, designed by Paul Rand in 1962. ... The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is a television and radio network in the United States. ... The World Series is the championship series of Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada, the culmination of the sports postseason each October. ... The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football game, usually played on January 1 (New Years Day) at the stadium of the same name in Pasadena, California. ... A flagship is the ship used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890-present) West Division (1969-present) American Association (1884-1889) Major league titles World Series titles (6) 1988 â€¢ 1981 â€¢ 1965 â€¢ 1963 1959 â€¢ 1955 NL Pennants (21) 1988 â€¢ 1981 â€¢ 1978 â€¢ 1977 1974 â€¢ 1966 â€¢ 1965 â€¢ 1963 1959 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1955 â€¢ 1953 1952 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 â€¢ 1941 1920 â€¢ 1916 â€¢ 1900...

In the 1960s KFI played Top 40 music. By the 1970s though they softened to an Adult top 40 format (sort of in between Top 40 and adult Contemporary). By the mid '70s the station was more news and personality intensive than music intensive with a Full Service format. Top 40 is a radio format based on frequent repetition of songs from a constantly-updated list of the forty best-selling singles. ... Adult Top 40 is a another variation on the Top 40 format, in which this genre is more geared towards an adult audience who are not into Rock music teen Pop, Dance music, Hip-Hop, Modern Rock or slower Adult Contemporary fare. ... Adult contemporary music, frequently abbreciated to just AC, is a type of radio format that plays mainstream and pop music, without hip-hop or rap since, as per the name, it is geared more towards adults than teens. ...

For nearly 20 years during the 1970s and 1980s, KFI boasted one of the most listened-to shows in Los Angeles radio history, "The Lohman and Barkley Show," featuring the comedy duo of Al Lohman and Roger Barkley. During this time, throughout the day the station featured a hybrid format combining adult contemporary music with comedian hosts. Other hosts included Hudson and Landry (of "Ajax Liquor Store" fame), Charlie and Mitzi (Charlie Brill and Mitzi McCall of Laugh-In), and Gary Owens. This article is about the largest city in California. ... The double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic device in which humor is derived from the uneven relation between two partners, usually of the same gender, age, ethnic origin, and profession, but drastically different personalities. ... Al Lohman (b. ... Roger Barkley (b. ... A radio format or programming format describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. ... Adult contemporary music, frequently abbreciated to just AC, is a type of radio format that plays mainstream and pop music, without hip-hop or rap since, as per the name, it is geared more towards adults than teens. ... A comedian, or comic, is an entertainer who amuses an audience by making them laugh. ... Charlie Brill is an actor. ... Rowan & Martins Laugh-In was a United States comedy television show broadcast from January 22, 1968 through 1973 over the NBC Network. ... Gary Owens (born Gary Altman on May 10, 1936) is a disc jockey and voice actor born in Mitchell, South Dakota. ...

By the mid 1980s ratings began to slip. KFI moved the music to more of a Soft gold based AC and began to play less and less of it. The talk shows moved from a blend of entertainment, comedy, and lifestyle to more political issues. The music was dropped in 1988 and KFI evolved bit by bit to an issue-oriented talk format. A talk show (U.S.) or chat show (Brit. ... Talk radio is a radio format which features discussion of topical issues. ...

Ownership History

The station was owned by Cox Communications until 1997 when Chancellor bought it along with KOST 103.5. Cox opted to exit the Los Angeles market and focus on medium market radio stations and its TV stations. Cox Enterprises is the successor to the publishing company founded at Dayton, Ohio, by James Middleton Cox, who began with the Dayton Daily News. ... KOST (also KOST 103. ... A media market, broadcast market, media region or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers or Internet content. ... A television station is a type of radio station that broadcasts both audio and video to television receivers in a particular area. ...

Chancellor merged with Capstar in 1999 and became known as AMFM Inc. In 2000 they merged with Clear Channel Communications making KFI Clear Channel's flagship AM radio station. This article is about the company. ...

Programming

KFI is a talk radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications. Syndicated personalities who began on KFI include Dr. Laura Schlessinger. Local programs include Bill Handel, John and Ken, and John Ziegler (not to be confused with NHL team owner John Ziegler, Jr.). The weekend lineup includes tech expert Leo Laporte, topical-talkers Wayne Resnick and Ken Gallacher, and syndicated Internet news personality Matt Drudge. The John and Ken show was once syndicated but the show has reverted to being a local program. KFI carries other well-known syndicated programs such as The Rush Limbaugh Show and Coast-to-Coast AM. Talk radio is a radio format which features discussion of topical issues. ... This article is about the company. ... In the entertainment and news industries, syndication is a method of making content available to a range of outlets simultaneously. ... Dr. Laura Schlessinger Laura Schlessinger (born January 16, 1947) is an American cultural and moral commentator, most known as host of the very popular Dr. Laura radio therapy call-in show. ... William Wolf Handel is a morning news talk show host on KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles, California. ... John Kobylt (left) and Ken Chiampou (right) John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, known professionally as John and Ken, are American talk radio hosts of a four-hour radio show, The John and Ken Show. ... John Ziegler John Ziegler (born March 28, 1967) is the evening host of a radio talk show on KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles, California. ... Leo Laporte holds a legitimate New York license plate that he had just autographed. ... Matthew Drudge (born October 27, 1966) is an American Internet news personality. ... The Rush Limbaugh Show, hosted by Rush Limbaugh, is the most listened to radio talk show in the United States with an estimated between 13 and 20 million listeners weekly. ... Coast to Coast AM is a late-night syndicated radio talk show dealing with current events particularly as they relate to paranormal issues. ...

Like that of most talk radio stations, programming on KFI has a reputation for political conservatism. However, while KFI's highest-rated syndicated hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and Laura Schlessinger are indeed unabashedly conservative, in general the local hosts on the station in recent years would more accurately be described as tending towards libertarianism. The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... Rush Limbaugh. ... Libertarianism is a political philosophy that favors individual rights, private property rights, and free markets. ...

KFI also has an extensive news department, and produces news updates for other Clear Channel stations in the Los Angeles market. KFI's newscasts air at :00 and :30 past the hour, with brief headlines approximately halfway between the fuller newscasts on weekdays. The newscasts primarily focus on local news with relevant national and international stories included. KFI also has traffic reports four times an hour. Only two news reports and traffic reports an hour are provided during the overnight hours on Coast-to-Coast.

Broadcasting

Today, KFI broadcasts from its Burbank, California studios on 640 kHz on a 50,000-watt non-directional AM transmitter which is located in nearby La Mirada at 33° 52' 47" N, 118° 00' 47" W. As a class A signal, KFI can be heard throughout Southern California and some distance into Nevada, Arizona, northwestern Mexico, and, at night, in some parts of Hawaii and most of the western United States. According to a May 1, 2004 broadcast by Art Bell, this station can even be heard by sensitive receivers in parts of the Eastern United States. In Summer 2004, KFI became the most listened to talk radio station in the United States, beating New York City's WABC in cumulative audience during the rating period. This article or section should be merged with Burbank, Los Angeles County, California This article is about the Burbank in Southern California. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 402. ... The watt (symbol: W) is the SI derived unit of power. ... Amplitude modulation (AM) is a form of modulation in which the amplitude of a carrier wave is varied in direct proportion to that of a modulating signal. ... La Mirada is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... Southern California Downtown Los Angeles Skyline Southern California, sometimes abbreviated SoCal or colloquially, the Southland, is an informal name for the megalopolis and nearby desert that occupies the southern-most quarter of the state of California. ... Official language(s) None Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 7th 286,367 km² 519 km 788 km 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 6th 295,254 km² 500 km 645 km 0. ... Official language(s) Hawaiian and English Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 43rd 28,337 km² n/a km 2,450 km 41. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Arthur Art Bell, III (born June 17, 1945) is the founder and longtime host of the paranormal-themed radio program Coast to Coast AM. Though his work is much less frequent than in the past, he remains an occasional host. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... WABC AM (770 kHz New York City) NewsTalkradio 77 is the flagship station of the ABC Radio Network. ...

FEC Complaint

In recent years, especially since the 2003 California recall, afternoon drive hosts John and Ken have become actively involved in several political causes, most notably that of illegal immigration. In the months leading up to the 2004 election, the hosts instigated several political rallies advocating the defeat of Congressmen David Dreier (a Republican) and Joe Baca (a Democrat), both of whom they felt were wrongly supportive of illegal immigration. As a result, the John and Ken show was the subject of a Federal Election Commission complaint filed by the National Republican Congressional Committee alleging that John and Ken engaged in an illegal campaign against Congressman Dreier. Although the large amount of publicity received was quite amazing, the "Political Human Sacrifice" campaign as they dubbed it was not successful, since both Dreier and Baca were re-elected, albeit Dreier by a substantially smaller percentage than in past terms. The 2003 California recall was a special election permitted under California law. ... The neutrality and factual accuracy of this article are disputed. ... Elections to the United States House of Representatives for the 109th Congress were held on November 2, 2004. ... A Congressman or Congresswoman (generically, Congressperson) is a politician who is a member of a Congress. ... David Dreier David Timothy Dreier (born July 5, 1952), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since January 1981, representing the 26th District of California (map). ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party), is one of the two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Democratic Party. ... Joe Baca (born January 23, 1947), American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999, representing the 43rd District of California. ... It has been suggested that Democratic presidents be merged into this article or section. ... The neutrality and factual accuracy of this article are disputed. ... The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency created in 1975 by Congress to administer and enforce campaign finance legislation in the United States. ... The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee for the United States House of Representatives, working to elect Republicans to that body. ... The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Tower Destroyed

On Sunday, December 19, 2004 at 9:45 a.m. Pacific Standard Time, Jim and Mary Ghosoph were killed when their rented Cessna 182P single engine airplane travelling from the El Monte Airport to Fullerton Municipal Airport struck KFI's Ideco transmission tower, originally erected in 1948. The solid steel truss collapsed upon itself, mostly landing in a parking lot to the north of the site. KFI's signal was knocked off the air for approximately one hour. Pilots had complained for years to KFI management that it needs to put strobe lights on the tower and highly reflective balls on the guy wire, KFI and Clear Channel Communications management responded by saying the tower was in compliance with FCC and FAA regulations and that it did not need to make any changes. Until a replacement tower is erected, the station is transmitting from a 250-foot auxiliary tower at a power of 22,500 watts. December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Pacific Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... The Cessna 182, also called the Skylane, is a 4 seater single engine light aircraft. ... Fullerton Municipal Airport is the last strictly general aviation airfield still operating in Orange County, California. ... Masts of the Rugby VLF transmitter in England Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas (also known as aerials in the UK) for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. ... Truss bridge for a single track railway, converted to pedestrian use and pipeline support. ... KVLY-TV mast, which is guy-wire supported. ... The FCCs official seal. ... The Federal Aviation Administration is the entity of the United States government which regulates and oversees all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S. // Activities Along with the European Joint Aviation Authorities, the FAA is one of the two main agencies worldwide responsible for the certification of new aircraft. ...

Former hosts and on-air alumni

April Winchell - Hosted a variety talk show from 2000 until 2002. April Winchell born April Terri Winchell on January 2, 1962 in New York, New York is a voice actress, radio talk show host, and commentator living in Santa Monica, California. ...

Mr. KFI - Hosted a question and answer talk show from 1993-1996. He has since changed his name to Mr. KABC, a reflection of his new job at competing Los Angeles talk radio station KABC. Marc Germain (born May 28, 1967), better known as Mr. ... KABC 790 AM is a Los Angeles radio station, and a West Coast flagship station for the American Broadcasting Company. ...

Scott and Casey- A live call-in talk show, hosted by Scott Hasick and Casey Bartholomew, aired from 1994-1997, and again from 1998-1999. They exited KFI in 1999, for weekday afternoons on New Jersey 101.5. Scott and Casey can presently be heard on KTRS 550 in St. Louis. WKXW-FM, better known as New Jersey 101. ...

Tom Leykis - Hosted a talk show from 1988 until 1992, which was more political issue-oriented than his syndicated show is today. Tom Leykis Tom Leykis (born August 1, 1956 in The Bronx, New York) is a radio talk show host, syndicated nationally and internationally (USA and formerly in Canada) by Westwood One. ...

Joe Crummey - Hosted an evening talk show from 1988 to 1994 and can now be heard at KFYI in Phoenix, Arizona. Nickname: Valley of the Sun Motto: Official website: http://www. ...

Phil Hendrie - Hosted an evening issue-oriented talk show from 1989 to 1990 (sometimes alternating with Joe Crummey), and his syndicated comedy show The Phil Hendrie Show from 1996 to 2005 which can now be heard on XTRA Sports Radio. Philip Stephen Hendrie (born September 1, 1952, Arcadia, California) is the host of The Phil Hendrie Show, a comedy talk radio program syndicated throughout North America on Premiere Radio Networks and on XM Satellite Radio. ... An official t-shirt. ... KLAC AM 570 is a radio station serving the Los Angeles metropolitan area. ...

Mark Denis - Worked the KFI Traffic Center from 1986 until his death in April 2000 from a viral infection at the age of 59. Mark was the imaging voice of "KFI, More Stimulating Talk Radio" and was the voice of the Disneyland Monorail ride. Disneyland Park is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, USA. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. ...

Tammy Bruce - Hosted weekend talk show from 1993 to 1998. Bruce was fired for making comments about Bill Cosby and his wife Camille who had recently lost their son Ennis in a brutal murder. Tammy is now syndicated on 153 stations including KABC in Los Angeles. Tammy Bruce is a libertarian author and political commentator. ... Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show William Henry Bill Cosby, Jr. ... KABC 790 AM is a Los Angeles radio station, and a West Coast flagship station for the American Broadcasting Company. ...

Deborah Rich - Hosted a weekend, topic-driven show on Saturday evenings.

Ted Rall - Yacked-up Saturday evenings on KFI for a spell, and can still be heard on the Bill Handel Show time and again. Ted Rall, born 1963 in Cambridge, Massachusetts and raised near Dayton, Ohio, is a liberal columnist and editorial cartoonist. ...

Rabbi Mentz - Before The Jesus Christ Show found a home on KFI, Rabbi Mentz provided a religious-based perspective in the late 90s on weekends. The Jesus Christ Show is a radio program that airs every Sunday from 6 to 9 AM on KFI 640 AM in Los Angeles, California. ...

External links

• KFI homepage
• National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report on the 'plane crash 19 December 2004
• Pictures of the fallen KFI tower
• Query the FCC's AM station database for KFI

Transmission Tower: December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• Maps and aerial photos
  • Street map from MapQuest or Google Local
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image from TerraServer-USA
  • Satellite image from Google Local or Microsoft Virtual Earth