KPOL Los Angeles Radio History

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KPOL Los Angeles Radio History
by Alex Cosper

see also American Radio History

Introduction 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

Los Angeles Radio History

STATION HISTORY: KABC KBBQ KBIG KBLA KDAY KEZY KFAC KFOX KFWB KGBS KGFJ KGIL KHJ KIEV KIIS KIQQ KKBT KKDJ KLAC KLOS KLSX KMET KMPC KNAC KNX KOST KPOL KPPC KPWR KQLZ KRLA KROQ KRTH KSRF KTNQ KTWV KUTE KWST KZLA XPRS

KPOL had a limited signal on the 1540 AM dial position throughout its history. The station signed on the air in 1952 and went through a series of music formats from adult contemporary to beautiful music to polka. Despite the weak signal, KPOL managed to show up as a top five 5 in the ratings in the late sixties and early seventies. It had been a top 3 station in the market as late as 1967. By the fall of 1972 KPOL had permanently fallen out of the top ten.

During the 60s KPOL mixed in a lot of old music from the 1930s. Throughout the 70s the station evolved from mostly instrumentals to include easy listening vocals. Most of the music reflected softer versions of hits from the 60s and 70s. KPOL's sister FM station at 93.9 was a simulcast of KPOL AM's easy listening programming from the time it signed on in 1958 until the FCC required different programming between sister stations in 1967. Capital Cities bought the combo in 1977, shifting the FM's format to soft rock as "94 FM." KPOL FM flipped to KZLA FM in 1978, but maintained the same format for awhile.

KPOL AM briefly went AC in 1979 under program director Michael O'Shea, playing the softer hits of pop. Later that year call letters changed to KZLA AM, a simulcast of KZLA FM. Both stations went country in 1980. Ownership changed in 1984 when Capital Cities sold the AM to Spanish Broadcasting System, becoming KSKQ while the FM was sold to Malrite Communications. Malrite then merged with Shamrock Broadcasting in 1994. Two years later Chancellor Media bought out Shamrock. After more consolidation, KZLA FM was acquired by Bonneville and then Emmis Communications in 2000. It became KMVN in 2006 as "Movin 93.9."

The format on the AM went Spanish in 1984 as KSKQ then later as KXED then KXMG until shifting to all-sports as KCTD in 1997. In 2000 the call letters became KMPC, which had a history on other LA frequencies. In 2007 the station began billing itself as "Radio Korea."

KPOL Personnel

1955-1962 Lew Irwin
1967-1970 Bob Sharon
1973-1973 Lori Lerner
1973-1974 Steve Fredericks
1974-1975 Roger Aldi
1976-1979 Jack Popejoy
1977-1977 Raechel Donahue

Introduction 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s