Frequency 1290 (kHz) Format Local News/Talk | First air date 1962 Class D | |
City Santa Barbara, California Power 500 watts (day)
122 watts (night) | ||
KZSB (1290 AM) is a commercial radio station located in Santa Barbara, California. The station airs local news and talk, mainly from news reports of the Santa Barbara News-Press. It also airs BBC World Service reports at the top of each hour.
Contents
Previously, the station aired a nostalgia format and was owned by Bob Newhart before being sold to Santa Barbara Broadcasting, Inc. and adopting its current format.
History
Bob Newhart bought 1290 AM in 1995. In 2005 he sold it to Santa Barbara Broadcasting Inc., owned by Dennis Weibling, and the call sign was changed to KZSB. Although Weibling is a friend of Santa Barbara News Press owner Wendy McCaw, the News Press does not actually own 1290 AM.
The station offers locally produced, block programmed talk shows hosted by local residents. KZSB also features CNN Headline News hourly.
The station went on the air as KACL in 1962 with a middle-of-the-road format. After an ownership change in 1973, the call letters were changed to KKIO and the format, to country music. A second ownership change in 1982 resulted in the format being changed again, to an oldies-based rock format as KXXN ("Kicks 1290"). Two years later, the station was sold during bankruptcy proceedings, changed call letters to KESP, and formats to Spanish language.
Formats
MOR (1962-1973)
Country (1973-1982, 1991-1995)
Oldies Rock (1982-1994)
Spanish Music (1984-1991)
Adult Standards (1995-2005)
Community/World Affairs (2005-Present)