| KMBZ | |
| Broadcast area | Kansas City, Missouri |
|---|---|
| Branding | Newsradio 980 KMBZ |
| Frequency | 980 kHz |
| First air date | 1922 |
| Format | Talk radio |
| Power | 5,000 Watts (day) 5,000 Watts (night) |
| Class | B |
| Transmitter coordinates | 39°02′17″N 94°36′55″W / 39.03806°N 94.61528°W |
| Callsign meaning | K Midland Broadcasting Z (to differentiate from KMBC-TV) |
| Former callsigns | WPE (1922-1923) KLDS (1923-192?) KFIX (192?-1928) KMBC (1928-1967) |
| Affiliations | ABC News |
| Owner | Entercom |
| Website | http://www.kmbz.com |
KMBZ, known as "Newsradio 980", is a conservative news and talk AM radio station broadcasting in the Kansas City, Missouri market from its studios and broadcast tower in suburban Mission, Kansas.
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History
KMBZ is the oldest surviving station in Kansas City, first going on the air on April 5, 1922, with the callsign WPE.
In its history it has been owned by two rival branches of the Latter Day Saint movement although it has no church affiliation now.
The Reorganized Church of Latter-Day Saints (RLDS - based in Independence, Missouri) bought the station in 1923 and renamed the station KFIX and later KLDS.
In 1928, Midland Broadcasting bought the station and renamed it KMBC. Cook Paint and Varnish Company bought the Midland holdings in 1954. The AM radio and television station operated out of the Lyric Theatre.
In 1967 Cook sold the radio and television stations to different owners. Bonneville International bought the radio station. Bonneville is owned by the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons based in Salt Lake City). They changed to KMBZ (with "Z" rhyming with "C").
It is now owned by Entercom, KMBZ consistently ranks as the most listened talk radio station in the Kansas City market.
Paul Henning, who created the Beverly Hillbillies, was a writer, actor, disc jockey and newsreader at the station early in his career.[1]
Rush Limbaugh got his start in political commentary on the station in 1983. He continues to be heard on KMBZ both in his live slot and on an overnight replay, one of only a handful of stations (KTTH in Seattle being another) that airs Limbaugh in the overnight hours.
The station now carries Limbaugh's nationally syndicated show along with those of Glenn Beck, Adam Bold, and Mark Levin as well as local hosts Mike Shanin & Scott Parks and Darla Jaye[2].
Though KMBZ was the Kansas City Royals flagship station for some time, their format is currently mostly news and political talk. However, beginning in 2009 the Royals returned to KMBZ, as part of a partnership with KCSP. The station is also the western flagship for the Missouri Tigers radio network, broadcasting football, men's and women's basketball and the "Tiger Talk" coach's show.
The station is one of the country's comparatively few stations to actually have local talk show hosts outside of "morning drive."
In 2009, KMBZ began simulcasting its program on sister station KUDL's HD3 subchannel.
Former Hosts
Jerry Agar, Tom Becka, Jack Cashill, Ray Dunaway, Mary O'Halloran, Russ Johnson, Marty Wall.
Trivia
- In the 1970s and early 1980s, the station's nickname was "Z-98".
- The last song played by the host who held the midday position before the station replaced him with Rush Limbaugh's syndicated show was Frank Sinatra's version of "Mrs. Robinson."
References
- ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/paul-henning-494830.html
- ^ "In Brief - June 15, 2005". FMQB. 2005-06-15. http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=93577. Retrieved 2008-01-02. "At KMBZ/Kansas City [...] Darla Jaye joins from WVNN/Huntsville for middays"
External links
- KMBZ official website
- KMBZ Frequency History
- History of KMBZ
- Query the FCC's AM station database for KMBZ
- Radio Locator Information on KMBZ
- Query Arbitron's AM station database for KMBZ
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