KABC 790 AM is an American talk-radio station on the AM frequency. Located in Los Angeles, California, it is a commercial radio station that broadcasts live throughout the greater Los Angeles area. The radio station has been in existence since 1925 when it first aired at 1430kHz. It is owned by Cumulus Media, the third-largest owner of FM and AM radio stations in the United States. As of 2017, Cumulus Media had 446 radio stations of which 790 KABC serves as the first of many radio stations under their ownership on the West Coast region of America.
History of Talk Radio KABC 790 AM:
790 KABC has been known by different names since its existence in 1925. It was called KFXB from 1925-1927, KPLA from 1927-1929, KECA from 1929-1954. Originally from Big Bear Lake when it started, it was called KPLA when it was moved to Los Angeles in 1927. In 1929, KPLA was sold off to Earle C. Anthony, also a radio station owner and Packard automobile dealer. Earle Anthony owned another broadcasting station known as KFI am 640, also in Los Angeles. He changed the KPLA radio station’s name to KECA after he acquired it. In 1939, Earle Anthony earned another radio station (KEHE 780) and shut it down. KECA then moved to 780kHz. However, KECA was moved to 790kHz in 1941 as part of NARBA frequency shifts.
The ownership of KECA was acquired by The Blue Network (formerly NBC, now ABC) in 1944 for the sum of $800,000. The change in ownership of the radio caused a change to the name. In 1954, the name was changed to KABC. ABC Radio sold KABC to Citadel Broadcasting in 2006. Citadel Broadcasting would later join Cumulus Media in a merger that happened in 2011. This merger finally brought KABC under the ownership of Cumulus Media. Cumulus also purchased KABC’s sister station; KLOS in 2011 and sacked some of the station’s prominent presenters. Traffic reporter Jorge Jarrin was fired after working with the station for 26 years. Imaging voice Howard Hoffman and news director/morning newsman Mark Austin Thomas were also let go. Some of them went ahead to join KABC’s rival radio stations.
Major Competitors
KABC became just the second radio in the United States after KMOX to switch to an all-talk broadcasting format in 1960. Major news-talk shows, local news as well as nationally syndicated shows feature as a major part of their lineup. KABC has fallen behind in the ratings for broadcasting stations in the area. They are now rated behind 640 KFI, another prominent talk radio station in the Los Angeles area. In 2015, KABC’s share of the audience pool was at a historic low of 0.3%, falling well behind KRLA (owned by Salem Media). KRLA had directly employed many of KABC’s sacked workers in a major swoop. KRLA was still a point ahead of KABC as of 2018.
Famous Programs
Programs run on Talk Radio KABC 790 AM include local news, talk shows, and some national programs from their sister stations and affiliates. Below are their major weekday programs schedule. These programs run from Monday through Friday every week.
12:00 AM to 3:00 AM: Red Eye Radio; 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM: America in the Morning; 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM: KTLA Morning News; 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM:
The Morning Drive with Jillian Barberie & John Phillips; 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM: The Larry O’Connor Show; 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM: Dr. Drew Midday Live with Leeann Tweeden; 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM: The Ben Shapiro Show; 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM: The Peter Tilden Show; 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM: Our American Stories with Lee Habeeb; 11:00 PM to 12:00 PM: Red Eye Radio. KABC also broadcasts professional hockey games played by the Los Angeles Kings.
Audience
Most of KABC’s shows include local news broadcasts, talk shows focused on the core Los Angeles market and some nationally syndicated broadcasts from affiliate stations across the country. This has reduced their pullover majority of the Los Angeles audience. As stated, they are rated below several rival stations like 640 KFI which focuses more on the Orange County market than the core L.A market.
Famous Personalities
KABC features some illustrious personalities in their lineup. At one time in the past, Michael Jackson hosted a talk show with the station as part of a syndicated broadcast across the country. Jackson’s show attracted a host of famous personalities, celebrities, professionals, and upcoming talents. More recent personalities still associated with the radio include Leeann Tweeden, Ben Shapiro, Peter Tilden, Lee Habeeb, Doug McIntyre, host of the morning show; Drew Pinsky, host of the early afternoon shows; John Phillips and Jillian Barberie, hosts during the afternoon drive.
Leeann Tweeden:
Leeann Tweeden is a radio host, sports commentator, and model. She joined the McIntyre in the Morning show in 2017 as a co-host together with Doug McIntyre. Leeann Tweeden still hosts the show as a news anchor. She was entwined in some scandalous revelations about Al Franken, a US senator at the time. The senator issued a lengthy apology to Leeann after she gave an interview at 790 KABC. She accepted the apology to close that scandalous chapter.
Doug McIntyre:
Doug McIntyre is an American talk-radio host, page columnist with the Los Angeles Daily News. He is active in the local political scene, a lover of jazz and credited TV writer-producer on shows like Full House, Mike Hammer, and Liberty’s Kids; He is the host of the McIntyre in The Morning show.
Jillian Barberie:
Jillian Barberie is a Canadian-American TV hostess, actress, and radio personality currently with 790 KABC. She is a co-host on The Drive Home Show with the radio station.
Contact Details:
Address: 8965 Lindblade Street, 90232 Culver City, California
Phone: +1 800-222-5222
Official Website: http://www.kabc.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KABCRADIO
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kabcradio[/expand]