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KTCT

Coordinates: 37°39′2″N 122°9′2″W / 37.65056°N 122.15056°W / 37.65056; -122.15056
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KTCT
Broadcast areaSan Francisco Bay Area
Frequency1050 kHz
BrandingKNBR 1050
Programming
FormatSports
NetworkESPN Radio
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
KNBR, KNBR-FM, KGO, KSAN, KSFO
History
First air date
1946 (as KVSM)[1]
Former call signs
KVSM (1946–1958)[2]
KOFY (1958[2]–1997)[3]
Call sign meaning
Ticket (former branding)
Technical information[4]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID51188
ClassB
Power50,000 watts day
10,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
37°39′2″N 122°9′2″W / 37.65056°N 122.15056°W / 37.65056; -122.15056
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitewww.knbr.com

KTCT (1050 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to San Mateo, California, and serving the San Francisco Bay Area. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a sports radio format as KNBR 1050, a sister station to KNBR and KNBR-FM. In contrast to KNBR-AM-FM having local sports talk and play-by-play most of the day, KTCT emphasizes nationally syndicated programming from ESPN Radio. KTCT is also the radio home for San Jose Earthquakes soccer, Stanford University football, and University of San Francisco men's basketball.

By day, KTCT is powered at 50,000 watts, the maximum for commercial AM stations in the U.S. But because 1050 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A XEG Monterrey, KTCT reduces power at sunset to 10,000 watts. It uses a directional antenna at all times with a five-tower array.[5] The transmitter is off West Winton Avenue in Hayward, near San Francisco Bay.[6]

History

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KVSM

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In 1946, the station first signed on with the call sign KVSM, standing for the "Voice of San Mateo".[2][1][7] The station ran only 250 watts and was a daytimer.[2] The station was a network affiliate of the short lived Progressive Broadcasting System in the early 1950s.[8][9] In 1953, the station's power was increased to 1,000 watts.[2]

KOFY

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In 1958, the station's call sign was changed to KOFY.[2] From the 1960s through the 1980s, KOFY aired a Spanish language format.[1][10][11] In early 1986, the station was sold to James Gabbert for $2,000,000.[12][13] In March 1986, the station began airing an oldies format.[13][14][15] In late 1986, the station added nighttime operations, running 500 watts.[16][17] In 1989, the station's daytime power was increased to 50,000 watts, and its nighttime power was increased to 1,000 watts.[18][19][20] In 1991, the station returned to airing a Spanish language format.[21] In 1992, the station's nighttime power was increased to 10,000 watts.[22][23]

KTCT

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In May 1997, the station adopted a sports format as "The Ticket", and its call sign was changed to KTCT.[24][25][26][3] That same month, KTCT became the new flagship radio station for the Oakland Raiders Radio Network, replacing FM station KYCY.[27] In 2003, the station was rebranded "KNBR 1050".[28] After the 2003 season, KTCT dropped the Raiders, whose games moved to KSFO beginning in 2004.[29]

Since 1999, the station has operated at 35,000 watts at night, but using its daytime antenna system, under a special temporary authority, due to the unauthorized nighttime operations of XED-AM 1050 in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.[30][31]

Ownership

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KNBR and KTCT are owned by Cumulus Media Partners, LLC,[32] a private partnership of Cumulus Media, Bain Capital, The Blackstone Group, and Thomas H. Lee Partners. It was purchased from Susquehanna-Pfaltzgraff Media in 2005 along with other Susquehanna Radio Corporation stations.[33]

Programming

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On KTCT, weekday programming consists of the following blocks when not preempted by sports events. The morning shows have CBS Sports Radio with Barber, Tierney, Jacobsen; The John Feinstein Show, and The Jim Rome Show. The afternoon show is hosted by Ted Ramey and then The Tom Tolbert Show is simulcast with KNBR 680. The evening shows have Scott Ferrall's show Ferrall on the Bench,[34] followed by late-night programming from CBS Sports Radio and then NBC Sports Radio. Weekend programs include Mortgage Makeover and various CBS Sports and NBC Sports Radio programming. On Sunday mornings to fulfill required public affairs programming guidelines, speeches and presentations from the Commonwealth Club of California are carried.[35]

KNBR and KTCT are charter affiliates of CBS Sports Radio, a joint venture between CBS Radio and Cumulus, which started on January 2, 2013.[36] NBC Sports Radio has also been covered on KTCT. Through these affiliates, other games and events from MLB, NBA, NFL, PGA Tour, NASCAR, and NCAA have been broadcast.

Live sports broadcasts

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Sports content has included San Francisco Giants MLB baseball, San Jose SaberCats arena football,[37] San Jose Earthquakes soccer,[38] and Stanford Football.[39] Some AM broadcasts on KNBR may be moved to KTCT due to conflicts with Giants games. Golden State Warriors basketball had also been covered until August 25, 2016, the Warriors announced they have ended their partnership with KNBR and signed with KGMZ-FM; the partnership with KNBR lasted 40 years, including 32 consecutive years.[40]

In 2019, KTCT signed a contract to broadcast University of San Francisco men's basketball.[41]

References

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  1. ^ a b c 1964 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1964. p. B-22. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f History Cards for KTCT, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  4. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KTCT". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  5. ^ FCC.gov/KTCT
  6. ^ Radio-Locator.com/KTCT
  7. ^ Bornstein, Rollye. "San Francisco Market Profile", Billboard. September 3, 1983. p. 27. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  8. ^ "KVSM to be San Fran Area's 'Progressive' Outlet", Billboard. September 16, 1950. p. 8. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  9. ^ Broadcasting - Telecasting Yearbook 1951, Broadcasting - Telecasting, 1951. p. 96. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  10. ^ 1974 Broadcasting Yearbook, Broadcasting, 1974. p. B-29. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  11. ^ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1986, Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1986. p. B-39. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  12. ^ Duncan, James H., Jr. "Station Trading Activity", American Radio. February 1986. p. A1. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  13. ^ a b "Everything old is new again in radio", Broadcasting. July 28, 1986. p. 58. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  14. ^ Freeman, Kim. "Vox Jox", Billboard. August 9, 1986. p. 14. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  15. ^ Unmacht, Robert (1989). The M Street Radio Directory. p. S-42. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  16. ^ Public Notice Comment - BP-19860828AA, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  17. ^ Public Notice Comment - BL-19861126AB, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  18. ^ Public Notice Comment - BMP-19870820AH, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  19. ^ Public Notice Comment - BMP-19870820AH, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  20. ^ Public Notice Comment - BL-19890113AD, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  21. ^ "Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 8, No. 43. October 28, 1991. p. 1. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  22. ^ Public Notice Comment - BP-19920420AD, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  23. ^ Public Notice Comment - BL-19921014AD, fcc.gov. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  24. ^ "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14, No. 19. May 14, 1997. p. 1. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  25. ^ "Call Letter Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 14, No. 31. August 6, 1997. p. 6. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  26. ^ "The Ticket 1050 - Sports Smack". KTCT. Archived from the original on March 4, 2000. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  27. ^ Slusser, Susan (May 8, 1997). "KNBR to Announce Raider Deal". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  28. ^ "KNBR 680/1050: The Sports Leader". KNBR. Archived from the original on September 28, 2003. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  29. ^ Kroner, Steve (March 4, 2005). "KSFO makes 3-year deal as voice of the Raiders". San Francisco Chronicle. p. D-2. Archived from the original on March 5, 2005. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  30. ^ "Special Temporary Authorization", fcc.gov. November 18, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  31. ^ "Request for Extension of Special Temporary Authorization", fcc.gov. July 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  32. ^ Cumulus Media Inc.
  33. ^ SUSQUEHANNA PFALTZGRAFF PLANS TO EXPLORE SALE OF SUSQUEHANNA MEDIA, PFALTZGRAFF SUBSIDIARIES
  34. ^ "Bay Area Sports Guy – 17 years later, Scott Ferrall returns to KNBR". Archived from the original on 2014-02-10. Retrieved 2015-01-16.
  35. ^ "KNBR-AM - KTCT Program Schedule". Archived from the original on 2015-01-14. Retrieved 2015-01-09.
  36. ^ "CBS Creates the Largest Major Market Sports Radio Network in the Nation" (Press release). CBS. June 6, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2013.
  37. ^ "Press Releases: KNBR to Broadcast SaberCats Games in 2013 (San Jose SaberCats press release)". ArenaFan.com. 2013-02-26. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
  38. ^ "NEWS: KNBR 1050, 1370 KZSF to Continue as Home for Quakes Radio Broadcasts | San Jose Earthquakes".
  39. ^ "Stanford Cardinal Extends Football Broadcast Relationship with KNBR 1050 in San Francisco". 21 August 2017.
  40. ^ "Warriors jump from KNBR to 95.7 FM the Game: Why they did it, what this means, what's next for Tom Tolbert?". Talking Points. 25 August 2016.
  41. ^ "Dons and KNBR 1050 Announce New Flagship Radio Partnership". University of San Francisco. October 7, 2019. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
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