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KMOX

Coordinates:38°43′21.18″N90°3′18.38″W/ 38.7225500°N 90.0551056°W/38.7225500; -90.0551056
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the radio station. For the television station, seeKMOV.For the airport serving Morris, Minnesota, assigned the ICAO code KMOX, seeMorris Municipal Airport.

KMOX
Broadcast areaGreater St. Louis
Frequency1120kHz
Branding1120 AM 98.7 FM KMOX
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatNews/talk
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
December 24, 1925;98 years ago(1925-12-24)
Former call signs
  • KMOX (1925–1928)
  • KMOX-KFQA (1928–1930)
Call signmeaning
Missouri Xmas eve (station first signed on the air on Christmas Eve)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID9638
ClassA
Power50,000watts
Transmitter coordinates
Translator(s)98.7K254CR (St. Louis)
Repeater(s)102.5KEZK-FM-HD2(St. Louis)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live(viaAudacy)
Websitewww.audacy/kmox

KMOX(1120AM) is acommercialradio stationinSt. Louis, Missouri.Owned byAudacy, Inc.,it is a 50,000wattClass Aclear-channel stationwith anon-directional signal.The KMOX studios and offices are on Olive Street at Tucker Boulevard in the Park Pacific Building in St. Louis.[2]KMOX refers to itself as "NewsRadio 1120 - The Voice of St. Louis".[3][4]It is considered the first U.S. station to program alltalk showsaround the clock.[citation needed]

KMOX'stransmitteris located offRoute 162inPontoon Beach, Illinois.[5]With a good radio, KMOX's nighttime signal can be heard across most of the United States and intoMexicoandCanada.However, it is strongest in theCentral United States.Its daytime signal provides at least secondary coverage to most of EasternMissouriand much ofSouthern Illinois.The station is also heard on KEZK's HD2 subchannel and translator 98.7 K254CR. Along withWIL-FM,KMOX is responsible for the activation of theGreater St. LouisEmergency Alert Systemfor hazardous weather, disaster declarations, etc.,[citation needed]and is the EAS primary entry point for eastern Missouri and southern Illinois.

Programming

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KMOX airs atalk radioformatwith blocks of news every morning and in weekday afternoondrive time.Middays it carries the Dave Glover Show, which replacedThe Rush Limbaugh Show.Local talk hosts Charlie Brennan and Amy Marxkors are heard in late mornings and Mark Reardon in early afternoons. In the evening, the station airs sports. At night, local host Ryan Wrecker is heard, followed by two syndicated shows,Our American Stories withLee HabeebandAmerica in the Morning.The Other Side of Midnightwith Frank Morano is heard on Mondays in the early morning hours.

On weekend mornings, all-news blocks start the schedule, followed by programs on money, health, car repair, home improvement and old time radio dramas and comedies. Some weekend shows are paidbrokered programming.KMOX is theflagship stationof theSt. Louis CardinalsBaseballteam, and was the flagship station for theSt. Louis BluesHockeyteam through the 2018–2019 season.

KMOX has a large team of local newscasters and reporters, and airsCBS News Radioat the beginning of most hours. KMOX also has an agreement to share news gathering and weather information withKMOV,theCBStelevisionnetwork affiliatefor St. Louis. At one time, KMOX and KMOV (formerly KMOX-TV) weresister stations,both owned by CBS.

History

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Early years

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KMOX was started in the early 1920s by a group of businessmen who formed a company known as "The Voice of St. Louis, Inc." The station's owners wanted KVSL, for "Voice of St. Louis". The owners also applied for KMO, with MO the abbreviation for Missouri, but those call letters had been in use by another station since 1922, KMO (nowKKMO) inTacoma, Washington.KMOXsigned onthe air on December 24, 1925. The "X" was added because the starting date was Christmas Eve, or Xmas Eve. A local legend states the call letters meanKirkwood, MissouriOn Xmas.[citation needed]

In 1927 the station gave prominent coverage to theCharles Lindberghflight across the Atlantic in his plane TheSpirit of St. Louis.That same year, KMOX became one of the first 16 stations in theCBS Radio Network.[6]

Following the establishment of theFederal Radio Commission(FRC), stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927.[7]In addition, stations were informed that if they wanted to continue operating, they needed to file a formal license application by January 15, 1928, as the first step in determining whether they met the new "public interest, convenience, or necessity" standard.[8]On May 25, 1928, the FRC issuedGeneral Order 32,which notified 164 stations, including KFQA, also in St. Louis, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it."[9]KFQA proposed that instead of maintaining its own transmitting facility, it would share the facilities of an existing station. The FRC initially disapproved of this proposal, and ordered KFQA deleted,[10]but eventually relented, and assigned KMOX to be operated under the dual call sign of KMOX-KFQA.[11]

On November 11, 1928, the FRC made a major reallocation of station transmitting frequencies, as part of a reorganization resulting from its implementation ofGeneral Order 40.KMOX was designated aclear-channel stationon 1090 kHz.[12]In mid-1930, the dual call sign operation as KMOX-KFQA ended, and the station's call sign reverted to just KMOX.[13]

CBS bought KMOX, and began the process of getting approval to build a 50,000-watt transmitter tower. When completed, it gave the now a signal that could be heard at night through much of the U.S. In the early days of radio, KMOX broadcasts had been picked up inScotland,New Zealand,theArctic CircleandSouth Africa.[14][15]

In 1933, KMOX covered the first post-Prohibitioncase ofBudweiser beerleaving theAnheuser-BuschSt. Louisbreweryfor theWhite House,a story carried nationally by CBS.[citation needed]Through the "Golden Age of Radio,"KMOX carried the CBS schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports,soap operas,game showsandbig bandbroadcasts. The studios and offices were housed in the Merchandise Mart Building on Washington Street.[16]

On March 29, 1941, KMOX moved from 1090 to 1120 kHz, its location ever since, as part of the implementation of theNorth American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.

TV and FM stations

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CBS had planned to have a corporate-owned and operatedtelevision station in St. Louis, to pair with KMOX. In 1957, the network originally won an FCCconstruction permitto build a new station on Channel 11, the last remaining commercialVHFchannel in St. Louis.[17]After being approached with an offer, CBS decided in August of that year to instead buy the existing KWK-TV for $4 million.[18]KWK-TV was owned by a group including the publisher of theSt. Louis Globe-Democrat.

CBS took control of KWK-TV's operations that March, and changed its call letters to KMOX-TV, sharing the call sign with AM 1120.[19]The original Viacompurchased KMOX-TV from CBS in 1986, and because of an FCC regulation in place then that prohibited TV and radio stations in the same market, but with different ownership from sharing the same callsign, it subsequently amended its call sign to KMOV.

KMOX added an FM station on February 12, 1962.[20]It broadcast at 103.3MHzand mostlysimulcastthe AM station. By the late 1960s, KMOX-FM was separately programmed, airing aneasy listeningformat, then later shifted toTop 40as KHTR in 1982, and is currentlyclassic hitsKLOU,owned byiHeartMedia, Inc.

In July 1968, CBS opened a new studio and office facility in downtown St. Louis to house KMOX-AM-FM-TV, which until that point had been operating from separate locations. The radio stations had been headquartered nearForest Park.[21]KMOX-TV moved from Cole Street into the new facility, known as One Memorial Drive.

Talk radio pioneer

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As network programming shifted from radio to television in the 1950s, KMOX scheduled afull serviceformat of talk shows, news, andmiddle of the road(lateradult contemporary) music. In 1955,Robert Hyland Jr.became KMOX's general manager, a role he held for nearly forty years. It was Hyland who leveraged KMOX's relationship with the Cardinals, signing many lucrative advertising contracts with local businesses.

Hyland made the decision in 1960 to eliminate the station's afternoon music programming, the last of the non-talk shows. That made KMOX the first full-timetalk radiostation in the country, helping keep KMOX dominance in the St. Louisradio marketfor many decades. On February 29, 1960,Jack Buckhosted the first "At Your Service" program, which included an interview with formerFirst LadyEleanor Roosevelt.That program, like the sports and talk shows that soon followed, pioneered a format for radio featuring news maker interviews, guest appearances, and calls from listeners.[citation needed]

After Hyland died in 1992, Rod Zimmerman was named general manager. He departed in 1998 to manage CBS stationWBBMRadio inChicago.

KMOX picked upCostas Coast to Coastin 1994. Also, in July of that yearBob Costasbegan hosting a sports call-in show on the station.[22]

Karen Carroll was general manager from 1998 until 2003, whenTom Langmyerwas promoted to the top position. Langmyer left in 2005 to become vice president/general manager ofWGNRadio in Chicago. Dave Ervin managed the station from 2005 to 2008. Becky Domyan, who also oversees sister stationsKEZKandKYKYis the station's current Market Manager & Sr. Vice President for Entercom.

KMOX started broadcasting inHD Radioin May 2006.[citation needed][23]For many years, KMOX broadcast usingC-QUAM'sAM Stereotechnology, but stereo transmissions ended in the spring of 2000.

On January 30, 2012, Jon Grayson'sOvernight America,based at KMOX, and also airing on CBS stationsWCCOinMinneapolisandKDKAinPittsburgh,became a nationally syndicated program with several dozen stations airing it across the country. The syndication was discontinued in 2017, but the show continued to air late nights on KMOX.

Entercom/Audacy ownership

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On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge withEntercom.[24]The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on the 17th.[25][26]The Entercom acquisition ended KMOX's 88 years of CBS ownership.

KMOX held the distinction of holding the record for consecutive number oneArbitronratings books in the United States. The station was consistently the top rated radio station in St. Louis since the ratings service began in 1972 until 2010, whenWARHtook over the top spot in the Arbs.[citation needed]KMOX remains the top rated AM station, consistently in the top ten in theNielsen ratingsfor St. Louis.[27]

KMOX carried theRush Limbaughshow weekdays for several decades. The program was sometimes pre-empted bySt. Louis Cardinals' afternoon baseball games. Limbaugh was one of the few non-local shows broadcast on the station;[28]it was syndicated byPremiere Networks,asubsidiaryofiHeartMedia.KMOX also carries two non-local shows overnight,Our American Stories withLee HabeebandAmerica in the Morning.Habeeb is a programmer with theSalem Radio Network.America in the Morningis supplied byWestwood One,a subsidiary ofCumulus Media.

For the past 21 years[when?],KMOX has hosted a holiday radio program, in which KMOX personalities perform an old-time radio show in front of a live audience.[citation needed]

Logo before translator launch

On March 22, 2021, KMOX added an FMsimulcaston 98.7 FM K254CR, a translator formerly used forKFTK (AM),then temporarily forKFTK-FM.This translator provides coverage to the inner ring suburbs of St. Louis. KMOX also added The Dave Glover Show to their schedule, which previously aired on KFTK for the past two years, and following Limbaugh's death elected to launch a new, local show hosted by longtime news reporter Carol Daniel in its lunchtime timeslot.[29]

Sports

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Jack BuckandMike Shannonannouncing aSt. Louis Cardinalsgame atBusch Memorial Stadium,1992

KMOX has had a long history of broadcasting sports. In 1926, it aired theCardinals-Yankees World Series,and starting the next season the station began airingSt. Louis Cardinals' games.

During the 1930s and 1940s, KMOX was one of several St. Louis stations broadcasting both the Cardinals andSt. Louis Brownsbaseballgames. KMOX lost broadcasting rights in 1948 when a new Cardinals radio network was formed by the team, but by the 1950s, it became theflagship stationof that network (in part due to its clear channel status).[citation needed]

KMOX's most famous sports broadcaster wasJack Buck,who was the station's year-round sports director during the years he was also calling baseball and football for theCBSradio and television networks. Another famous announcer wasHarry Caray,who did play-by-play for Cardinals' baseball from 1945 through 1969.Dan Kellywas hired in 1968 to broadcast the new Blues hockey team and became the voice of hockey in the city until his death in 1989: his sonJohnis the team's TV commentator today.Bill Wilkerson,the station's football caller, was the first black man to be the lead announcer for an NFL team when he took over commentary duties forthe football Cardinalsin 1973: three years later, he would assume the same position for Mizzou football, where once again he would be one of the first black primary broadcasters in major college athletics, only leaving the post in 1993 when he was poached byKTRS.Bob Costasdid play-by-play on KMOX for theSpirits of St. Louisof theAmerican Basketball Associationfrom 1974 until theABA- NBA mergerin June 1976.[citation needed]

At times, the station's emphasis had shifted away from broadcasting St. Louis professional sports teams. In 2000, theSt. Louis Blueshockey team moved toKTRSafter having been on KMOX for all but three of the team's 33 seasons (1967–2000), but the games returned starting in the2006–07 season.The St. Louis Blues moved toWXOSstarting in the 2019–2020 season. In 2006, the Cardinals' broadcasts moved to KTRS after 52 seasons on KMOX (1954–2005) after the team purchased controlling interest in KTRS.[citation needed] On September 1, 2010, the Cardinals announced the return of broadcasts to KMOX, starting in the 2011 baseball season.[30] KMOX airedUniversity of MissouriTigers Footballandbasketballgames for many years, and was the flagship of their radio network until the 1990s. Starting in 2011, the Tigers moved their basketball, football, and news & talk programs to 550 KTRS.[31]

The station continues to host sports programming such as "Sports Open Line". Matt Pauley is the main host.[32]

Live play-by-play sports on KMOX

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FM translator

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Broadcast translatorfor KMOX
Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP(W) HAAT Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info Notes
K254CR 98.7 FM St. Louis, Missouri 138424 250 162m(531ft) D 38°36′47.2″N90°20′9.4″W/ 38.613111°N 90.335944°W/38.613111; -90.335944(K254CR) LMS Previously assigned to rebroadcastKFTK (1490 AM);reassigned toKFTK-FMand then KMOX after KFTK (AM)'s license was cancelled by the FCC.

Notable personalities

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Notable current and past KMOX broadcasters include:

References

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  1. ^"Facility Technical Data for KMOX".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^"KMOX Leaving One Memorial Drive for Park Pacific".KMOX. June 14, 2012.RetrievedJune 15,2012.
  3. ^"Newsradio 1120 KMOX".CBS St. Louis (webpage).CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc.RetrievedOctober 29,2011.
  4. ^USPTO Trademark Reg. No. 2998300
  5. ^"KMOX-AM 1120 kHz - Saint Louis, MO".radio-locator.
  6. ^ Radio Digest,September 1927, quoted in: McLeod, Elizabeth (September 20, 2002).CBS—In the Beginning,History of American Broadcasting.Retrieved on January 1, 2007. The other stations were WORinNewark; WADCinAkron, Ohio; WAIUinColumbus, Ohio; WCAOinBaltimore; WCAUinPhiladelphia; WEANinProvidence; WFBLinSyracuse; WGHPin Detroit; WJASinPittsburgh; WKRCinCincinnati; WMAKinBuffalo-Lockport; WMAQin Chicago; WNACin Boston; WOWOinFort Wayne, Indiana;and KOILinCouncil Bluffs, Iowa.
  7. ^"List of broadcasting stations issued temporary permits",Radio Service Bulletin,April 30, 1927, pages 6-14.
  8. ^"Extension of Broadcasting Station Licenses",Radio Service Bulletin,December 31, 1927, page 7.
  9. ^"Appendix F (2): Letter to and list of stations included in General Order No. 32, issued May 25, 1928",Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for the Year Ended June 30, 1928, Together With Supplemental Report for the Period From July 1, 1928, to September 30, 1928,pages 146-149.
  10. ^"Federal Radio Commission order: August 27, 1928",Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission(year ending 1928), page 157.
  11. ^"Alterations and corrections",Radio Service Bulletin,October 31, 1928, page 8.
  12. ^"Broadcasting Stations",Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission(June 30, 1928), page 180.
  13. ^"Alterations and corrections",Radio Service Bulletin,July 31, 1930, page 10.
  14. ^MARKGM20877."MW DX WWL New Orleans and KMOX St Louis Received In Scotland On Perseus SDR-he received it on Tuesday September 14, 2010".Youtube.Archivedfrom the original on December 21, 2021.RetrievedMarch 21,2011.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^Deacon, Gary."Ultralight Reception of 1120 KMOX St. Loius MO-received in January 2009".RetrievedMarch 21,2011.
  16. ^"Broadcasting Yearbook 1935 page 40"(PDF).
  17. ^"FCC acts to clear key market V's."Broadcasting – Telecasting,January 21, 1957, pp. 35-37.[1][permanent dead link][2][permanent dead link][3][permanent dead link]
  18. ^"CBS buys KWK-TV for $4 million."[permanent dead link]Broadcasting – Telecasting,September 30, 1957, pg. 48.
  19. ^"CBS-TV takes over KWK-TV."[permanent dead link]Broadcasting – Telecasting,March 3, 1958, pg. 10.
  20. ^Broadcasting Yearbook 1961-1962 page B-98
  21. ^"D'Arcy's new office reflects spirit of St. Louis."[permanent dead link]Broadcasting,July 15, 1968, pg. 26.
  22. ^Stark, Phyllis (June 4, 1994). "Vox Jox".Billboard.Vol. 106, no. 23. p. 129.
  23. ^"Stations".HD Radio.
  24. ^"CBS Radio To Merge With Entercom".February 2, 2017.
  25. ^"Entercom Receives FCC Approval for Merger with CBS Radio".Entercom.November 9, 2017.RetrievedNovember 17,2017.
  26. ^Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017)."Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger".Radio Insight.RetrievedNovember 17,2017.
  27. ^"StationRatings".stationratings.
  28. ^"KMOX Programming Schedule".KMOX.RetrievedAugust 25,2013.
  29. ^"KMOX Adding FM Translator; Dave Glover & Mark Reardon Trade Stations".March 2021.
  30. ^Cardinals returning to KMOX next season(September 1, 2010)
  31. ^"Mizzou Moves to KTRS Radio".University of Missouri Athletic Department. May 11, 2011.
  32. ^"Sports Open Line".KMOX.RetrievedNovember 2,2013.
  33. ^"Bill Wilkerson, longtime radio news/sports announcer, dies at 72".St. Louis Post-Dispatch.November 3, 2017.
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