Broadcast area Bakersfield area Slogan "Newstalk" First air date 1932 | Branding KERN Radio Frequency 1180 kHz & 96.1 FM | |
City Wasco-Greenacres, California | ||
KERN (1180 AM) and (96.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a News/talk format. Licensed to Wasco-Greenacres, California, US, the station serves the Bakersfield, California, area. The station is currently owned by American General Media.
Contents
Map of Kern County, CA, USA
History
KERN signed on the air at the 1370 AM frequency in 1932. It moved to 1410 in 1941 as the result of the NARBA agreement. In the 1970s programming consisted of Top 40 music from the 1950s through the 1970s. Johnny Mitchell, Program Director and Phil Drake, Music Director took this fledgling station to a solid number one in 1973, soundly crushing its competitor, KAFY 550 AM, from its throne. In the early-1970s the station was a popular choice for Top 40 music in Bakersfield. It was also among the first stations to carry "American Top 40 with Casey Kasem" beginning on July 4, 1970. It switched to talk in the late-1970s when FM became the standard band for music. Emmy Award winning writer Ken Levine (known as Ken Stevens) got his start in radio at KERN in 1971.
On December 29, 2008, KERN started simulcasting on 1180 AM to get listeners used to the new frequency as part of an announced frequency swap with sister Christian station KERI. The KERN call sign was officially moved from 1410 to 1180 on December 30, 2008 and the KERI call sign was moved to 1410. On January 1, 2009, the Christian music format was reunited with the KERI call sign on 1410 AM.
The station is owned by American General Media and among its sister stations are soft adult contemporary KGFM adult hits KKXX-FM, sports radio KGEO, christian talk station KERI, top 40 station KISV, and Regional Mexican station KEBT.
KERN is the flagship station of the Bakersfield College Renegades.
Programming
KERN is affiliated with ABC Radio, from which it airs Mark Levin, as well as Talk Radio Network, from which it airs Michael Savage, Jerry Doyle and numerous weekend hosts. Local hosts heard on the station include Ralph Bailey and Scott Cox. KERN also airs Earl Pitts Uhmerikun during its morning show. Starting July 20, KERN will air "Midnight In The Desert" with Art Bell weekdays from 9 pm - 12 am.