KBLU (AM)

KBLU (560 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Yuma, Arizona. It is owned by El Dorado Broadcasters and airs a talk radio format. The studios and offices are on West 28th Street in Yuma.[1] The transmitter is off South 20th Avenue in Yuma, at West Main Canal Road.[2]

For the airport in Emigrant Gap, California assigned the ICAO code KBLU, see Blue Canyon – Nyack Airport.
KBLU
CityYuma, Arizona
Broadcast areaSouthwest Arizona - Southeast California
Frequency560 kHz
Branding"News Talk Radio 560"
Slogan"Talk, News, Sports"
Programming
FormatTalk
AffiliationsPremiere Networks
Westwood One News
Ownership
OwnerEl Dorado Broadcasters LLC
(EDB VV License LLC)
KTTI, KQSR
History
First air date
March 3, 1940 (KYUM)
September 6, 1959 (KBLU)
Former call signs
KYUM
Technical information
ClassB
Power1,000 watts
Links
Webcast(restricted apart from morning show)
Websitewww.kbluam.com

KBLU is powered at 1,000 watts, non-directional by day and using a directional antenna at night. With its low dial position, KBLU can be heard around much of Southwest Arizona and Southeast California, including the communities of El Centro, Brawley and Blythe. It also covers parts of Baja California and Sonora, Mexico.

Programming

Weekday mornings begin with a local news and conservative talk show hosted by Russ Clark. The rest of the weekday schedule is made up of syndicated talk shows, including Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Dave Ramsey, Clyde Lewis, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory and This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal. Weekends include shows on money, health, pets, law, real estate, house repair and technology. Weekend syndicated hosts include Kim Komando, Bill Handel, Leo Laporte and Bill Cunningham. Some hours are paid brokered programming. Most hours begin with world and national news from Westwood One News.

History

The station is descended from two early radio stations, KYUM and KBLU, and operates on the oldest active radio license in the Yuma market.

KYUM

KYUM signed on March 3, 1940, at 1210 kilocycles.[3] KYUM restored broadcasting to Yuma after the revocation of the license of KUMA forced it off the air a month prior. Twelve days after signing on, on March 15,[4] KYUM became an NBC Red Network affiliate, with secondary affiliation with the NBC Blue Network (after 1945 ABC). The Yuma Broadcasting Company, 45 percent[5] owned by KTAR radio in Phoenix, was a stockholder, and KYUM also became a link in its Arizona Broadcasting Company (later Arizona Broadcasting System) chain. It operated with 250 watts during the day and 100 watts at night. KYUM carried NBC and ABC's dramas, comedies, news, sports, soap operas, game shows and big band broadcasts during the "Golden Age of Radio."

With the enactment of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA), KYUM moved to 1240 AM on March 29, 1941. In 1948, the Yuma Broadcasting Company received approval from the Federal Communications Commission to move KYUM to 560 AM with 1,000 watts full-time; the move became effective on April 1, 1951.[6] In 1961, KTAR bought out the remaining shareholders in Yuma Broadcasting Company, owning KYUM outright.

KBLU

Another Yuma radio station signed on September 6, 1959, as a 500-watt, daytime-only station at 1320 AM, with the call sign KBLU.[7] It was owned by the Desert Broadcasting Company, founded by Robert Crites, who served as the first general manager. KBLU began airing a Top 40 format.

In 1963, its co-owned television station, channel 13 KBLU-TV (now KYMA-DT), signed on the air. KBLU-AM-TV were acquired by Eller Telecasting, a division of Karl Eller's outdoor advertising business, in 1967.[8]

Two stations merge

On December 26, 1967, KTAR Broadcasting Company and Eller Outdoor Advertising Company announced their intention to merge to form Combined Communications Corporation.[9] The merger, however, created a complication in Yuma, where Eller owned KBLU-AM-TV and KTAR owned KYUM. The FCC approved the merger in 1969 on the condition that one of the AM stations be divested. Due to a stronger signal and favorable dial position, the parent company chose to keep the 560 AM license, which became KBLU, and to donate the 1320 AM license to Arizona Western College.[10] Arizona Western used the facility to start its own public radio station; AM 1320 took the call letters KAWC.

In 1973, KBLU founder Crites bought back KBLU-AM-TV, in a $550,000 transaction.[11] Crites sold KBLU to Sun Country Broadcasting of Texas for $880,000 in 1983;[12] Sun Country also bought country music station 95.1 KTTI at the same time.[12]:82[13]

KBLU and KTTI were owned by Robert Tezak, the owner of Uno, from 1988 to 1995.[14] That year, they were purchased out of bankruptcy by Commonwealth Broadcasting, owner of KYJT (now KQSR).[15]

Changes in Ownership

In a quick succession of owners, Commonwealth was acquired by Capstar in 1997.[16] Capstar merged with Chancellor Broadcasting to form AMFM in 1998.[17] San Antonio-based Clear Channel Communications acquired AMFM in 1999.[18]

Clear Channel sold its Yuma stations, KBLU, KTTI and KQSR, to current owner El Dorado Broadcasters in 2007.[19]

In 2017, KBLU became one of the few local stations that broadcast its content on line. In 2018, the webcast was restricted to only the Russ Clark Show, which through its Washington DC Bureau Chief, George Braun, features interviews with members of Congress, administration officials and political commentators.

Past Air Personalities
  • Dr. Don Sainte-Johnn
  • Dan Clancey
  • Robert Crites
  • Dick Davis
  • Gary Anderson
  • Lou Dobbs
  • Lee Smith
  • Hank Tester
  • Lee Poole
  • Larry Klein
  • Pat Maestro

References
  1. KBLUam.com/contact
  2. Radio-Locator.com/KBLU-AM
  3. "Broadcasting Yearbook" (PDF). 1941. p. 104. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  4. "KYUM, New Yuma Radio Station, Joins NBC Networks Today". Arizona Republic. March 15, 1940. p. 3. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  5. "Seek New Yuma Station As KUMA Hearing Nears" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 1, 1939. p. 51. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  6. "Station At Yuma Plans Open House". Arizona Republic. April 1, 1951. p. 10. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  7. "KBLU" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1960. p. A-112.
  8. Broadcasting Yearbook 1968 page B-12
  9. "Eller Advertising Merges With KTAR Broadcasting". Arizona Republic. December 27, 1967. p. 55. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  10. "CCC to control Eller Telecasting". Arizona Republic. November 8, 1969. p. 41. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  11. "KBLU-AM-TV sale approved" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 6, 1973. p. 7. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  12. "KBLU(AM) Yuma, Ariz" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 6, 1983. p. 81. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  13. Bob Werley (May 18, 1983). "Two radio stations purchased". The Yuma Daily Sun. p. 1. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  14. "RKO Sells NY & L.A. Properties Separately For $136.6 Million" (PDF). Radio & Records. 1988-09-02. p. 8.
  15. Christie, Joyce (June 11, 1995). "Owner adds two radio stations". The Yuma Daily Sun. p. 24. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  16. Reuters (1997-02-05). "CAPSTAR BROADCASTING IN DEAL FOR 20 RADIO STATIONS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
  17. Bodipo-Memba, Alejandro; Journal, Carlos Tejada Staff Reporters of The Wall Street (1998-08-28). "Hicks Muse Plans to Combine Radio Firms Chancellor, Capstar". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  18. HOFMEISTER, SALLIE (1999-10-05). "Clear Channel to Buy Radio Leader AMFM in $15.9-Billion Deal". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
  19. "Price For 16 AZ, CA Clear Channel Stations: $40 Million". All Access. Retrieved 2016-10-03.

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