KNBR
Encyclopedia
KNBR, The Sports Leader, is the on-air branding used by two AM
radio stations in the San Francisco, California
, area broadcasting a sports radio
format, owned by Cumulus Media
.
The main station, KNBR (680 kHz), licensed to San Francisco, broadcasts on a clear channel from transmitting facilities in Belmont, California
. KNBR's non-directional 50 kilowatt (or 50,000 watt
) signal can be heard throughout much of the western United States
and as far west as the Hawaiian Islands
at night. Because of its extensive range, it is sometimes called by the nicknames "The 50,000 Watt Flamethrower," "The Blowtorch," and "The Mighty 680." Prior to adopting a sports format, KNBR enjoyed a long history as the flagship of NBC
's West Coast radio operations.
A second station also uses the KNBR brand. KTCT (1050 kHz) is licensed to San Mateo, California
, with a transmitter located in Hayward, California
. KTCT carries a separate sports format known as "The Ticket." The KNBR re-branding took place in 2003.
Between the two stations, games of the San Francisco Giants
, San Francisco 49ers
, Golden State Warriors
, Stanford Cardinal
, and San Jose SaberCats
are broadcast to the San Francisco Bay Area
.
newspaper. Originally located in the Hale store at Market and 5th (now site of Marshall's and other stores), its horizontal wire antenna on the roof was so efficient it immediately attracted the attention of audiences all over the Pacific Coast.
radio network. Eventually, KPO was sold to NBC, where its operation was consolidated into that of its co-owned KGO
at 111 Sutter Street. From there, NBC operated its West Coast network, feeding dozens of stations and operating a news bureau
to serve NBC. As NBC's flagship station on the West Coast, it had a fulltime orchestra, five studios, and produced many live shows. During the rise of Hollywood, NBC's radio operation was moved to Los Angeles.
During World War II
, KPO's news bureau was the major source for NBC of news about the war in the Pacific, and operated shortwave
radio stations (transmitters located in Dixon
) serving the world. It was at the KPO (RCA
) shortwave facility that the message was received that Japanese emperor Hirohito
had surrendered, ending World War II. http://www.eham.net/articles/14253
In 1946, to shore up its reputation as an NBC station (and the only radio station NBC ever owned on the West Coast), the callsign was changed from KPO to KNBC. This change lasted until 1962, when the callsign was applied to NBC's television station in Los Angeles
and the radio station was renamed KNBR.
In November 1949, former NBC television affiliate KRON-TV
went on the air. Only before the TV station's first airdate did NBC fight for the license to own the TV station until it lost the bid to the de Young family, then the owners of the San Francisco Chronicle.
with Soft Rock
cuts by the early 1960s. The station continued to be a news intensive format with personalities in the foreground and music in the background. The station averaged about 12 songs an hour outside of drive times and about 8 songs an hour in afternoon drive and four an hour in morning drive. By the mid 1970s, KNBR evolved musically into a straight ahead adult contemporary music format.
Both stations feature game broadcasts and sports talk, including shows hosted by Bay Area
staples Ralph Barbieri
, Tom Tolbert
, and Damon Bruce. Some shows are simulcast on both 680 and 1050.
KNBR 1050 is the local home of NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series racing, as well as the Sabercats. Some Warriors games and most of the 49ers preseason games are on 1050 AM, as the Giants have priority on 680 AM.
. Giants broadcasters and former Giants Duane Kuiper
and Mike Krukow
, affectionately known as "Kruk and Kuip," usually do the commentary on the TV broadcast. San Francisco native and ESPN
broadcaster Jon Miller
and the most recent addition, Dave Flemming
, do the majority of the radio broadcasts, but the 4 of them interchange fairly frequently. At the end of every game, they all sit together for the "Post-Game Wrap", aired on KNBR and televised on CSN Bay Area
.
Tim Roye
is the radio play-by-play announcer for the Golden State Warriors
, and is joined by Jim Barnett
on non-televised games as Barnett serves as an analyst for TV broadcasts.
A vast array of announcers participate in San Jose SaberCats
broadcasts, including Tim Roye
, Bob Fitzgerald
, Ray Woodson, Dan Dibley, Keena Turner
, George Atkinson, and Troy Clardy.
In 2005
, KNBR became the official radio home of the San Francisco 49ers
. All games are also heard on sister station KSAN "107.7 The Bone"; some AM broadcasts may be moved to KTCT due to conflicts with Giants games. 49ers games were broadcast by Joe Starkey
and Gary Plummer
for four seasons until Starkey's retirement following the 2008 season
. In the 2009 season, former Giants baseball and world-class tennis announcer Ted Robinson
took over for Starkey as the play-by-play announcer.
KNBR 680 is an affiliate of ESPN Radio
, and carries selected content and games from the national network. KNBR 1050 is also an affiliate of ESPN Radio
, but also carries The Jim Rome Show
and Fox Sports Radio
/DirecTV
programs Into the Night with Tony Bruno
and The Dan Patrick Show
.
, 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.
An afternoon show, begun in 1996. The premise of The Razor and Mr. T was the pairing of Ralph Barbieri (promoted from evenings to afternoons) with former NBA
(and Golden State Warriors
) player Tom Tolbert
.
SportsPhone 680 was formerly hosted by Larry Krueger, who was fired after a personal rant against the Giants on the show. During his rant, he criticized the Giants
for "brain-dead Caribbean hitters hacking at slop nightly." Krueger was first suspended for 10 days, then, on August 10, 2005, KNBR announced that it had ceased professional relations with Krueger. Damon Bruce
took over the show in October 2005 and hosted until February 26, 2010, when he started his own Noon-4 p.m. show on KNBR 1050. FP Santangelo took over as SportsPhone680 host. His show lasted from March 1, 2010 to February 19, 2011, after the Washington Nationals
hired him as their color commentator for MASN. Eric Byrnes
took over as SportsPhone680 host, and hosted his 1st show on March 23, 2011.
Marty Lurie, fills in as a weekday host on occasion at KNBR and is the host of SportsPhone 680 Giants Warm-Up and Wrap-Up shows on KNBR every weekend during the baseball season.
Originating as part of the station's statutory requirement of public affairs programming, the station continues to air an hourlong interview show Sunday mornings at 5 a.m.
During the 1990s, the program typically began and ended with the phrase "This is Gimmy Park Li, Your Host". No program title was given. Interviews for this program often consisted of local individuals in volunteer, charitable, or minor governmental capacities.
Due to its time slot, the program is the quintessential example of the "Sunday-morning public affairs ghetto". (Related article: Public affairs) The program has, apparently, never been promoted outside of its timeslot. "Gimmy Park Li" was the station's Public Affairs Director. Her "signature" was her sign off: "This is Gimmy Park Li... Your host. Thank you for spending your time... with us."
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
radio stations in the San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, area broadcasting a sports radio
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
format, owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
.
The main station, KNBR (680 kHz), licensed to San Francisco, broadcasts on a clear channel from transmitting facilities in Belmont, California
Belmont, California
Belmont is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. It is in the San Francisco Bay Area, located half-way down the San Francisco Peninsula between San Mateo and San Carlos. It was originally part of the Rancho de las Pulgas, for which one of its main roads, the Alameda de las Pulgas,...
. KNBR's non-directional 50 kilowatt (or 50,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
) signal can be heard throughout much of the western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
and as far west as the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
at night. Because of its extensive range, it is sometimes called by the nicknames "The 50,000 Watt Flamethrower," "The Blowtorch," and "The Mighty 680." Prior to adopting a sports format, KNBR enjoyed a long history as the flagship of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's West Coast radio operations.
A second station also uses the KNBR brand. KTCT (1050 kHz) is licensed to San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
, with a transmitter located in Hayward, California
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
. KTCT carries a separate sports format known as "The Ticket." The KNBR re-branding took place in 2003.
Between the two stations, games of the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Stanford Cardinal
Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
, and San Jose SaberCats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
are broadcast to the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
.
KNBR history
KNBR began life on April 17, 1922 as KPO, owned by the Hale Brothers department store and the San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
newspaper. Originally located in the Hale store at Market and 5th (now site of Marshall's and other stores), its horizontal wire antenna on the roof was so efficient it immediately attracted the attention of audiences all over the Pacific Coast.
1920s
In 1927, KPO became an affiliate of the new NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
radio network. Eventually, KPO was sold to NBC, where its operation was consolidated into that of its co-owned KGO
KGO (AM)
KGO is a news/talk-format radio station radio with offices and studios in San Francisco, California. Unlike most other American news/talk stations, KGO originates nearly all of its own programming locally. Since 1978, KGO radio has received Arbitron's number-one ranking in the Bay Area...
at 111 Sutter Street. From there, NBC operated its West Coast network, feeding dozens of stations and operating a news bureau
News bureau
A News bureau is an office for gathering or distributing news. Similar terms are used for specialized bureaus, often to indicate geographic location or scope of coverage: a ‘Tokyo bureau’ refers to a given news operation's office in Tokyo; foreign bureau is a generic term for a news office set up...
to serve NBC. As NBC's flagship station on the West Coast, it had a fulltime orchestra, five studios, and produced many live shows. During the rise of Hollywood, NBC's radio operation was moved to Los Angeles.
1940s
In 1941, just before World War II, NBC constructed Radio City at 420 Taylor Street, considered one of the best radio facilities built during radio's golden age. However, with the network control having been moved to Los Angeles, the San Francisco NBC building was never fully utilized. (Later, the building housed KBHK-TV, and now houses the headquarters of a janitorial service.)During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, KPO's news bureau was the major source for NBC of news about the war in the Pacific, and operated shortwave
Shortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
radio stations (transmitters located in Dixon
Dixon, California
Dixon is a city in northern Solano County, California, United States, located from the state capital, Sacramento. The population was 18,351 at the 2010 census. Other nearby cities include Vacaville, Winters and Davis....
) serving the world. It was at the KPO (RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
) shortwave facility that the message was received that Japanese emperor Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
had surrendered, ending World War II. http://www.eham.net/articles/14253
In 1946, to shore up its reputation as an NBC station (and the only radio station NBC ever owned on the West Coast), the callsign was changed from KPO to KNBC. This change lasted until 1962, when the callsign was applied to NBC's television station in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and the radio station was renamed KNBR.
In November 1949, former NBC television affiliate KRON-TV
KRON-TV
KRON-TV, virtual channel 4 , is a television station in San Francisco, California, serving as the Bay Area affiliate of the MyNetworkTV programming service; the station is owned by Young Broadcasting...
went on the air. Only before the TV station's first airdate did NBC fight for the license to own the TV station until it lost the bid to the de Young family, then the owners of the San Francisco Chronicle.
1950s
In the 1950s when NBC scrapped its comedy, drama, variety shows, and serials, the Los Angeles facility was sold and demolished, and KNBC/KNBR once again became the West Coast NBC network control center and West Coast NBC Radio news operation.1960s-1970s
KNBR evolved into a Middle of the road music format mixing in Adult StandardsAdult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
with Soft Rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
cuts by the early 1960s. The station continued to be a news intensive format with personalities in the foreground and music in the background. The station averaged about 12 songs an hour outside of drive times and about 8 songs an hour in afternoon drive and four an hour in morning drive. By the mid 1970s, KNBR evolved musically into a straight ahead adult contemporary music format.
1980s
The station continued with a full service adult contemporary music format with news into the 1980s. In 1987, when NBC got out of the radio business, KNBR was sold to Susquehanna Corporation, a longtime radio station operator. The station added some sports talk in evenings. The station began to cut back on music more. The station took a full-time sports format in 1990."The Ticket 1050"
KNBR has long been linked with 680 AM. In 2003, several years after KNBR's parent company acquired the 1050 AM signal and converted it into KTCT, "The Ticket 1050," the company opted to re-brand that other station as another version of KNBR.Both stations feature game broadcasts and sports talk, including shows hosted by Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
staples Ralph Barbieri
Ralph Barbieri
Ralph Barbieri is a sports radio personality in San Francisco, California. Along with Tom Tolbert, Barbieri hosts the afternoon sports radio show The Razor and Mr. T on KNBR...
, Tom Tolbert
Tom Tolbert
Byron Thomas "Tom" Tolbert is an American retired professional basketball player and sports broadcaster. He played a total of seven seasons in the National Basketball Association...
, and Damon Bruce. Some shows are simulcast on both 680 and 1050.
KNBR 1050 is the local home of NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series racing, as well as the Sabercats. Some Warriors games and most of the 49ers preseason games are on 1050 AM, as the Giants have priority on 680 AM.
Sports content
KNBR is the longtime radio home of the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. Giants broadcasters and former Giants Duane Kuiper
Duane Kuiper
Duane Eugene Kuiper is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, and is currently a five-time Emmy award-winning radio and television sportscaster for the San Francisco Giants...
and Mike Krukow
Mike Krukow
Michael Edward "Mike" Krukow is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently a television color commentator for the San Francisco Giants.-Early life:...
, affectionately known as "Kruk and Kuip," usually do the commentary on the TV broadcast. San Francisco native and ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
broadcaster Jon Miller
Jon Miller
Jon Wallace Miller is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his broadcasts of Major League Baseball. He is currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco Giants. He was also a baseball announcer on ESPN until the network chose not to renew his contract following the...
and the most recent addition, Dave Flemming
Dave Flemming
David Braxton "Dave" Flemming is an American sportscaster and television personality, currently working as a play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball as well as the Stanford Cardinal football and basketball teams.Flemming grew up in Alexandria, Virginia,...
, do the majority of the radio broadcasts, but the 4 of them interchange fairly frequently. At the end of every game, they all sit together for the "Post-Game Wrap", aired on KNBR and televised on CSN Bay Area
CSN Bay Area
Comcast SportsNet Bay Area is a regional sports network that serves cable outlets throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as other parts of Northern California, Central California, Southern Oregon, and Nevada.-History:...
.
Tim Roye
Tim Roye
Tim Roye is a radio play-by-play announcer for the NBA's Golden State Warriors He has been calling Warrior games for KNBR-AM in San Francisco since 1995.-Career:...
is the radio play-by-play announcer for the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, and is joined by Jim Barnett
Jim Barnett (basketball)
James Franklin Barnett is a former professional basketball player. He is in his 25th season as a television analyst for the Golden State Warriors.-Youth and college career:...
on non-televised games as Barnett serves as an analyst for TV broadcasts.
A vast array of announcers participate in San Jose SaberCats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
broadcasts, including Tim Roye
Tim Roye
Tim Roye is a radio play-by-play announcer for the NBA's Golden State Warriors He has been calling Warrior games for KNBR-AM in San Francisco since 1995.-Career:...
, Bob Fitzgerald
Bob Fitzgerald
Bob Fitzgerald is a TV play-by-play voice for the Golden State Warriors and San Jose SaberCats on CSN Bay Area, and is a co-host of the show Fitz and Brooks on KNBR with co-host Rod Brooks.-Education:...
, Ray Woodson, Dan Dibley, Keena Turner
Keena Turner
Keena Turner , is a former American professional football player who was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 2nd round of the 1980 NFL Draft and traded on draft day to the San Francisco 49ers. A 6'2" 237 pound linebacker from Purdue University, Turner played in 11 NFL seasons and spent his entire...
, George Atkinson, and Troy Clardy.
In 2005
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, KNBR became the official radio home of the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. All games are also heard on sister station KSAN "107.7 The Bone"; some AM broadcasts may be moved to KTCT due to conflicts with Giants games. 49ers games were broadcast by Joe Starkey
Joe Starkey
Joe Starkey is an American sportscaster who has served as the radio play-by-play announcer of California Golden Bears football since 1975...
and Gary Plummer
Gary Plummer (American football)
Gary Plummer is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League and the United States Football League. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as a free agent in 1986 after playing three years in the USFL...
for four seasons until Starkey's retirement following the 2008 season
2008 San Francisco 49ers season
The 2008 San Francisco 49ers season was the franchise's 63rd season. Although they failed to reach the playoffs for the straight 6th year, the team improved on their disappointing 5-11 record from the 2007 season, and ended the season on a high note...
. In the 2009 season, former Giants baseball and world-class tennis announcer Ted Robinson
Ted Robinson (sportscaster)
Theodore "Ted" Robinson is an American sportscaster. He is currently the radio play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco 49ers, having taken over for longtime 49ers announcer, Joe Starkey, following Starkey's retirement in 2009.-Early life:Ted Robinson grew up in Rockville Centre, New York and...
took over for Starkey as the play-by-play announcer.
KNBR 680 is an affiliate of ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
, and carries selected content and games from the national network. KNBR 1050 is also an affiliate of ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
, but also carries The Jim Rome Show
The Jim Rome Show
The Jim Rome Show is a sports radio talk show hosted by Jim Rome. It airs live for three hours each weekday from 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. The show is produced in Los Angeles, California, syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, and can be heard on more than 200 affiliate radio stations in the U.S...
and Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
/DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
programs Into the Night with Tony Bruno
Tony Bruno
For Tony Bruno, the musician, see Tony Bruno Tony Bruno is an American sports talk radio personality in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
and The Dan Patrick Show
The Dan Patrick Show
The Dan Patrick Show is a syndicated sports talk show hosted by former ESPN personality Dan Patrick. It is currently produced by DirecTV Sports Group and is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks. The three-hour program broadcasts live every day beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern/6 a.m. Pacific time on Fox...
.
Ownership
KNBR is owned by Cumulus Media Partners, LLC, a private partnership of Cumulus MediaCumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
, 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
Susquehanna Radio Corporation
The Susquehanna Radio Corporation was a media corporation which operated from 1941 to 2006 that was headquartered in York, Pennsylvania. The company was a unit of Susquehanna Pfaltzgraff, a conglomerate more widely known for the Pfaltzgraff kitchenware line than its broadcasting pursuits.Some of...
stations.
Programming
- Murph & Mac: The KNBR Morning Show
- The Gary RadnichGary RadnichGary Radnich is the host of the 9 a.m. to noon slot on KNBR radio in San Francisco, California, and is also the lead sports anchor on KRON television.-Early life:...
Show with Larry Krueger - Fitz and Brooks (returned to air after Rick BarryRick BarryRichard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
resigned from Rick and Rod)- Bob FitzgeraldBob FitzgeraldBob Fitzgerald is a TV play-by-play voice for the Golden State Warriors and San Jose SaberCats on CSN Bay Area, and is a co-host of the show Fitz and Brooks on KNBR with co-host Rod Brooks.-Education:...
, Rod Brooks (hosts)
- Bob Fitzgerald
- The Damon BruceDamon BruceDamon Bruce is a sports talk radio host in San Francisco, CA. He hosts the "Damon Bruce Show" - Monday - Friday on KNBR 1050. He is also the post-game host of the San Francisco 49ers.Bruce joined KNBR in October 2005 as the host of, SportsPhone 680...
Show (KNBR 1050) - The Razor and Mr. T
- Ralph BarbieriRalph BarbieriRalph Barbieri is a sports radio personality in San Francisco, California. Along with Tom Tolbert, Barbieri hosts the afternoon sports radio show The Razor and Mr. T on KNBR...
, Tom TolbertTom TolbertByron Thomas "Tom" Tolbert is an American retired professional basketball player and sports broadcaster. He played a total of seven seasons in the National Basketball Association...
(hosts)
- Ralph Barbieri
An afternoon show, begun in 1996. The premise of The Razor and Mr. T was the pairing of Ralph Barbieri (promoted from evenings to afternoons) with former NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(and Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
) player Tom Tolbert
Tom Tolbert
Byron Thomas "Tom" Tolbert is an American retired professional basketball player and sports broadcaster. He played a total of seven seasons in the National Basketball Association...
.
- SportsPhone 680 with Eric ByrnesEric ByrnesEric James Byrnes , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners...
SportsPhone 680 was formerly hosted by Larry Krueger, who was fired after a personal rant against the Giants on the show. During his rant, he criticized the Giants
2005 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants are an American baseball team.-Opening Day starters:*Edgardo Alfonzo*Moises Alou*Ray Durham*Pedro Feliz*Marquis Grissom*Mike Matheny*Jason Schmidt*J.T. Snow*Omar Vizquel-Transactions:...
for "brain-dead Caribbean hitters hacking at slop nightly." Krueger was first suspended for 10 days, then, on August 10, 2005, KNBR announced that it had ceased professional relations with Krueger. Damon Bruce
Damon Bruce
Damon Bruce is a sports talk radio host in San Francisco, CA. He hosts the "Damon Bruce Show" - Monday - Friday on KNBR 1050. He is also the post-game host of the San Francisco 49ers.Bruce joined KNBR in October 2005 as the host of, SportsPhone 680...
took over the show in October 2005 and hosted until February 26, 2010, when he started his own Noon-4 p.m. show on KNBR 1050. FP Santangelo took over as SportsPhone680 host. His show lasted from March 1, 2010 to February 19, 2011, after the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
hired him as their color commentator for MASN. Eric Byrnes
Eric Byrnes
Eric James Byrnes , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners...
took over as SportsPhone680 host, and hosted his 1st show on March 23, 2011.
- Fill-in Hosts
Marty Lurie, fills in as a weekday host on occasion at KNBR and is the host of SportsPhone 680 Giants Warm-Up and Wrap-Up shows on KNBR every weekend during the baseball season.
- Untitled (Public Affairs)
Originating as part of the station's statutory requirement of public affairs programming, the station continues to air an hourlong interview show Sunday mornings at 5 a.m.
During the 1990s, the program typically began and ended with the phrase "This is Gimmy Park Li, Your Host". No program title was given. Interviews for this program often consisted of local individuals in volunteer, charitable, or minor governmental capacities.
Due to its time slot, the program is the quintessential example of the "Sunday-morning public affairs ghetto". (Related article: Public affairs) The program has, apparently, never been promoted outside of its timeslot. "Gimmy Park Li" was the station's Public Affairs Director. Her "signature" was her sign off: "This is Gimmy Park Li... Your host. Thank you for spending your time... with us."
Past programs
- "Frank And Mike in the Morning"
- "C.J. Bronson"
- "Carter B. Smith"
- "The Steve Jamison Couch"
- Steve Jamison (host)
- "The Leo LaporteLeo LaporteLéo Gordon Laporte is an Emmy Award winning, American technology broadcaster, author, and entrepreneur. A former resident of Providence, Rhode Island, he now lives in Petaluma, California with his wife Jennifer and two children, Abby and Henry....
Show" - "Joel A. Spivak, Speaking"
- "The Peter B. CollinsPeter B. CollinsPeter B. Collins is an American talk radio host, voiceover talent, entrepreneur, and media consultant based near San Francisco, California. Until March 20, 2009, he hosted The Peter B...
Show" - "SportsPhone 68"
- Hank GreenwaldHank GreenwaldHoward "Hank" Greenwald is a former Major League Baseball announcer, known best for being a play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco Giants.-Early career:...
(host) - Ken Dito (host)
- Dave Newhouse (host)
- Ralph BarbieriRalph BarbieriRalph Barbieri is a sports radio personality in San Francisco, California. Along with Tom Tolbert, Barbieri hosts the afternoon sports radio show The Razor and Mr. T on KNBR...
(host)
- Hank Greenwald
- "California Weekend"
- "Hollywood Calling"
- Jan Wahl (host)
- "Costas Coast to Coast" (syndicated)
- Bob CostasBob CostasRobert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
(host)
- Bob Costas
- "Instant Replay" (syndicated); later "Pat Summerall's Sports in America"
- Pat SummerallPat SummerallGeorge Allen "Pat" Summerall is a former American football player and television sportscaster, having worked at CBS, Fox, and ESPN.Summerall is best known for his work with John Madden on NFL telecasts for CBS and Fox.-High school:...
(host)
- Pat Summerall
- "The Rush Limbaugh ShowThe Rush Limbaugh ShowThe Rush Limbaugh Show is an American talk radio show hosted by Rush Limbaugh on Premiere Radio Networks...
" - "The Morning Show"
- Steve McPartlin (host)
- Kevin RadichKevin RadichKevin "The Rat" Radich is now the weekday afternoon sports reporter on KGO AM 810, in San Francisco. He joined KGO in early 2007, after a year of work as a weekend sports anchor for KCBS 740 AM radio. His wife, Kim Wonderley works at KCBS, as the morning traffic anchor...
and Kim Wonderley (hosts)
- "The Pete Franklin Show"
- Pete FranklinPete FranklinPete Franklin , nicknamed "The King" and "Pigskin Pete", was an American sports talk radio host who worked in Cleveland, New York and San Francisco...
(host)
- Pete Franklin
- "Rick and Rod"
- Rick BarryRick BarryRichard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
, Rod Brooks (hosts)
- Rick Barry
- "Ferrall On The Bench"
- "Mike Cleary's Food and Travel Enthusiast"
- "The Extreme SceneThe Extreme SceneThe Extreme Scene is the first radio talk show dedicated specifically to extreme sports and action sports. The program is hosted by surf journalist Cyrus Saatsaz and pro surfer Omar Etcheverry...
"- Cyrus SaatsazCyrus SaatsazCyrus Saatsaz is the author of Dogwild & Board: Stories, Interviews and Musings from a Surf Journalist, is the founder of San Francisco Surf Company, and is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle's official website, SFGate.com, The Huffington Post and USA Today. Saatsaz is also the host and...
(host) - Steve Blankenship (host)
- Omar Etcheverry (host)
- Cyrus Saatsaz
- "The John London Not Just Sports Show"
- John LondonJohn LondonJohn Carl Kuehne , better known as John London, was an American musician and songwriter, and was involved in several Hollywood television and movie productions...
(host) - Dennis Cruz
- Chris TownsendChris TownsendChris Townsend is a passionate hillwalker and author of 15 books.Townsend was the first person to climb all of the Munros and Tops in a continuous walk involving 1700 miles and 575,000 feet of ascent over all 517 of the 3000 ft Scottish summits listed in Munro's Tables...
- Renee Brinkley
- Cyrus SaatsazCyrus SaatsazCyrus Saatsaz is the author of Dogwild & Board: Stories, Interviews and Musings from a Surf Journalist, is the founder of San Francisco Surf Company, and is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle's official website, SFGate.com, The Huffington Post and USA Today. Saatsaz is also the host and...
(producer)
- John London