KINS radio moving to FM
Local Republican talk radio KINS, which often features rants by mega tax-dodger Rob Arkley, is leaving its days of scratchy AM airwaves behind and moving to 106.3 FM. The move will be official just after midnight on November 1st.
“Many listeners haven’t been able to hear KINS after dusk or before sunrise. By moving to 106.3 FM, KINS will be heard in northern Mendocino County and southern Humboldt County as well as having a cleaner signal in northern Humboldt County, Del Norte and Curry County,” said KINS genersl manager Brian Papstein in a press release.
KINS’ format will stay the same and the station will continue to be heard at 980 AM through November.
FM radio is a big step to be sure. But if those old boys really want to blow everyone’s hair back they should broadcast online.
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The Humboldt Herald 
So, I do not listen to them anyhow!
Latest PLF lawsuit goes down in flames
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/10/31/BAKD1LOHGM.DTL
Upon coming to Humboldt County from the Bay Area in 1968, I was shocked to discover the local radio scene which consisted of KINS, KATA and KRED on AM plus a lone station on FM–KINS. KINS-FM was an automated “beautiful” music station. KHSC was a 10 watt campus station that could barely be received beyond the College.
I particularly remember a morning program on KRED called “Freedom Talks” which was a 30 minute right wing show. KINS-AM had a late evening music program sponsored by Duck’s Market “Quack, quack, quack. Look for the truck with the duck on it. Duck’s is open today.” Duck’s was on Harrison Avenue near present-day Ramones.
What about 1480 AM? I listen daily, AM or not. It’s has the only “progressive” programming in the area, that I’m aware of.
1480 was where KRED was found. Bob Barnett was the “morning man” back in the late 60s. Also, the original call letters for KINS were KHUM. KINS had the Giants and 49ers, KRED had the A’s and Raiders. The KRED studio was at 6th and E Street in Eureka. The KATA studio was on South G Street in Arcata, the building is still there.
One more bit of radio trivia. KXGO-FM signed on in the Fall of 1971 from a studio up on Fickle Hill Road. It was a free-form rock station like KMPX or KSAN in San Francisco. The jocks sometimes identified the station as “This is KXGO-FM in Arcata, California. KGO rated X”
And remember KERG-FM in southern Humboldt? It succumbed in 1986 in part due to the massive flooding that winter, KMUD rose from its ashes. KERG had a KFAT alum by the name of Weird Harold in its last years as KFAT bit the dust in 1983. Fat is where it’s at.
Does this mean that there will be some decent programming on 980 in December?
Well this certainly complicates my life. I’ve always gone under the assumption that AM radio was for conservatives and FM for the more liberal. It looks like no place is safe from the rantings of the opposite point of view any longer!
I think they finally realized the grow houses were ruining their signal. Everywhere you drive, Rush is getting static and we can’t have that.
Or it could be we conservatives are taking over the world bit by bit ? Next on our list is FM radio !
Hi Fi, do you think that the United States should declare bankruptcy like your boss Robin Arkley did?
the only territory conservatives occupy anymore is their antiquated sense of the bottom line. Which, like their bottoms is bottoming out.
Yes Tate, I fear we may.
God forbid, if Obama gets another four years bankruptcy is certain.
so,bankruptcy is just one year away. Obama wins and so do Republicans.
High Finance says:
November 1, 2011 at 10:12 am
“God forbid, if Obama gets another four years bankruptcy is certain.”
Yes Hi Colonic, God forbid. Bankrupt like ‘ol Robyn Arkley Junior?
“Gott mit uns (meaning God with us) is a phrase commonly associated with the German military from the German Empire to the end of the Third Reich,…German soldiers had Gott mit uns inscribed on their helmets in the First World War. During the Second World War Wehrmacht soldiers wore this slogan on their belt buckles…”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gott_mit_uns
Jr., while your information is pretty sound, you may want to read this week’s Tri-City Weekly for even more history on broadcasting in Humboldt County. A very good piece written by ace photographer, Jose Quezada.
Let’s not forget KDAN at 790AM in the 1960’s and The Mighty 1090AM KNCR in Fortuna. Plus, KXGO in the 1970’s before being taken over by the Record Plant recording studio people was actually a “beautiful music” station relying on the Bonneville Sound programming out of Salt Lake City.
And, Tom, before your time, remember when 1480AM was a fully-blown country music station KRED-AM, before Rollin and Dana moved over to FM after both spending time at KATA-AM in Arcata. All the while, Charlie Bullet, former KXGO DJ and then KPDJ Morning guy with Bobby Martinez moved to KEKA-FM.
Tom said, “Does this mean that there will be some decent programming on 980 in December?” Uff-Da, that’s a pretty strong statement coming from a competitor. In the topsy-turvy north coast radio world, one never knows who one will be working for next.
The Bonneville Sound phase of KXGO must have come after its original founders created the station as I remember it not as a “beautiful music” station but one with an “underground” format.
This was in the Fall of 1971. I also remember when KXGO was on the Arcata Plaza and aired Paul Harvey which was definitely a switch from its earlier years.
These days AM radio, and many FM stations, just stream Internet signals and insert local commercials. Local programming except for public stations and Lost Coast Communications stations is pretty much dead.
Local programming is worth seeking out. In 1980 there was a strong earthquake in the middle of the night. The only station on the air live at that time was KATA in Arcata. It was obvious the DJ was shaken by the quake but he proceeded to play whatever fit like “All Sjhook Up” and “The Earth Shook Under My Feet”. He managed to insert some levity and help keep us calm. There is nothing like Live Local Radio when responding to disasters. KHUM has picked up this torech several times and done a great job (2010 quake, for example). Support your home town boys and girls!
Sorry, that’s “All Shook Up”, ” The Earth Moved Under My Feet”, and “picked up the TORCH”. My fingers don’t always fit the keys nor does my memory!
Jr., That’s not entirely true about local programming being only inherent at the public radio stations and the Lost Coast Communications group of radio stations.
Bicoastal Radio with KRED 92.3FM, KOOL-105.5FM and KFMI 96.3FM all have local programming in the weekday mornings. Along with sporting events on 1340-AM ESPN Radio.
Eureka Broadcasting’s KEKA-FM 101.5 has local programming from sunrise to sunset, and until today, KEJY, 106FM programmed local high school sporting events during the week. Plus, KINS-AM 980 and now 106FM has local programming through-out the day.
Over at KISS-99.1FM Marcus Mathews has a show at various times throughout the day as does the All-Hits KBAE at 95.5FM Plus, the La Neuava 1090AM KNCR in Fortuna is a local Hispanic station with local radio personalities, as well. And, let’s not forget about Blue Ox Radio at 97.7FM. Programmed mostly by area youth. Cal-Trans also has their wonderful station somewhere in there. Although, their programming does tend to repeat itself like a Top-40 radio station of the 1970’s.
Yes, there is satellite programming coming from far away lands on a great many of the local stations. In fact, it may be more prevalent than listeners are aware.
All-in-all, we should be happy with all of the diverse formats and choices available to listeners in this part of California.
KEJY, 106FM programmed local high school sporting events during the week.
That has moved to 980, the new home of KWSW, we’ll have the volleyball playoffs next week and a full season of local HS basketball as well.
A “cleaner signal” is less likely to make the tin foil hats buzz.
Ross Rowley obviously knows local media. Good information.
Before it was KATA, it was KENL, “Country KENL.” with Oakie Paul. And KDAN had some wild DJ’s, starting around 1957 – Paul “Psycho” Ward and Bud “Rigor” Morris. When radio was often a little rough around the edges.
And there was a wonderful Blues show on KHSU hosted by Good Rockin Derral.
In 1992, after the first quake, KRED continued to play country music and refused to”spread rumors”, AKA reporting on the event and its effects. We had to try to tune in KPOD in Crescent City to get any real news of damages. That was before KHUM.
I’m glad some stations see fit to program in a few hours of “local” broadcasting. Satelite feed and ‘canned’ shows represent the homogenization of our culture rather that the wonderful unique nature of our area. OK, Walmart shoppers, line up alphabetically in a straight line and empty your pockets! Now, march forward toward the Sundries department. Left face. Hut, Hut, Hut!!! Saaalute.
Excellent info, Ross. I’m surprised no one mentioned Buck Buchanan’s morning show. He played some great country music and bitched about the environmentalists. I remember he was playing John Prine’s tune, Paradise, for a couple of weeks, until someone told him it was about a coal company ruining a valley. Pissed Buck off, and he refused to play the song thereafter. Still again, I’d rather have Buck than any of those national talkers on KINS today. Was Buck on KINS or KRED?
Buck Buchanan was the best solo DJ I have ever heard locally.
Chad & Charlie were the best team ever.
Buck Buchanan was on KRED 1480AM up through the late 1980’s. Maybe even into the 1990’s. My favorite line by Buck was, “I don’t make a lot of money, but I get to say my name on the radio”
In the late 50s, I was an AM radio DXer and I can remember listening to Lucky Lager Dance Time on KIEM Eureka, 1480. Here in Vancouver, it came in very well.
The IEM apparently stood for Inland EMpire.
There was a lot of good radio coming out of N. California in those days. KOBY and KYA in SFO come to mind.