KUGN (590
AM) is a commercial
radio station
Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...
, owned by
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is an American broadcasting company and is the third largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States behind Audacy and iHeartMedia. As of June 2019, Cumulus lists ownership of 428 stations in 87 ...
and broadcasting a
news/talk
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often featur ...
format
Format may refer to:
Printing and visual media
* Text formatting, the typesetting of text elements
* Paper formats, or paper size standards
* Newspaper format, the size of the paper page
Computing
* File format, particular way that informatio ...
.
Licensed
A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).
A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...
to the city of
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.
As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...
, it serves the Eugene-
Springfield
Springfield may refer to:
* Springfield (toponym), the place name in general
Places and locations Australia
* Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast)
* Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council)
* Springfield, Queenslan ...
media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area (DMA), television market area, or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same (or similar) television and radio station offerings, and may also incl ...
. KUGN partners with local
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
television
affiliate KVAL Channel 13 for breaking news and weather coverage. National news is supplied by
Westwood One News
Westwood One News was a radio news network launched on January 1, 2015, and operated by Westwood One through its parent company Cumulus Media. Using audio from CNN reports and correspondents, and anchored by Cumulus employees, it provided radio ...
, a
subsidiary
A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a s ...
of Cumulus Media.
KUGN broadcasts with 5000
watt
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...
s, around the clock. By day, the signal is non-directional. But at night, KUGN uses a
directional antenna
A directional antenna or beam antenna is an antenna which radiates or receives greater power in specific directions allowing increased performance and reduced interference from unwanted sources. Directional antennas provide increased performance ...
to protect other stations on 590 kHz. The
transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which i ...
is located in Eugene off North Game Farm Road and KUGN's studios and offices are on Executive Parkway.
Listeners in the Springfield area can also receive KUGN programming on 98.1
MHz
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one he ...
over K251CY, an
FM translator
Translation is the communication of the Meaning (linguistic), meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The ...
.
Programming
On weekdays, KUGN carries
nationally syndicated radio shows. The day begins with
America in The Morning followed by
Armstrong & Getty
''Armstrong & Getty'' are the hosts of ''The Armstrong & Getty Show,'' a nationally syndicated morning drive radio show hosted by Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty. The talk show format is a mixture of libertarian political commentary, observations on ...
based at
KSTE
KSTE (650 AM) is a commercial radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Rancho Cordova, California, the station serves the Sacramento metropolitan area. The station is owned by iHeartMedia and features shows from Westwood One ...
in
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
. At 10 a.m. KUGN carries
Chris Plante
Chris Plante (born December 12, 1959) is a syndicated radio talk show host, based at WMAL Radio in Washington D.C., and heard on the Westwood One Network. He is also a frequent guest on both Fox News and Fox Business.
Chris Plante is the st ...
, followed by
Michael Savage
Michael Alan Weiner (born March 31, 1942), known by his professional name Michael Savage, is a far-right author, conspiracy theorist, political commentator, activist, and former radio host. Savage is best known as the host of '' The Savage Na ...
,
Ben Shapiro
Benjamin Aaron Shapiro (born January 15, 1984) is an American attorney, businessman, columnist, conservative political commentator, and media personality. At age 17, he became the youngest nationally syndicated columnist in the United States. ...
,
Mark Levin
Mark Reed Levin (; born September 21, 1957) is an American lawyer, author, and radio personality. He is the host of syndicated radio show
Broadcast syndication is the practice of leasing the right to broadcasting television shows and rad ...
and
John Batchelor
John Calvin Batchelor (born April 29, 1948) is an American author and host of ''Eye on the World'' on the CBS Audio Network. His flagship station is New York's 710 WOR. The show is a hard-news-analysis radio program on current events, world his ...
. At 8 p.m. KUGN airs
Sean Hannity
Sean Patrick Hannity (born December 30, 1961) is an American talk show host, conservative political commentator, and author. He is the host of ''The Sean Hannity Show'', a nationally syndicated talk radio show, and has also hosted a commentar ...
followed by
Clark Howard
Clark Brian Howard (born June 20, 1955) is a popular consumer expert and podcast host of ''The Clark Howard Show''.
Life and career
Howard grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. His parents, Bernard and Joy Garson Howard, were prominent members of Atl ...
. Overnight, KUGN carries
Doug Stephan
Doug Stephan is an American radio talk show personality who independently syndicates and hosts several national syndicated radio shows for Radio America.
Radio Programs
Doug Stephan's "DJV Show" is a morning talkradio program airing live Mond ...
.
Weekends feature shows on investing, money, home repair and law. Syndicated weekend programming includes computer expert
Kim Komando
Kimberly Ann Komando (born 1967) is the host of two daily radio shows and one weekend radio show about consumer technology. On her weekly call-in show, she provides advice about technology gadgets, websites, smartphone apps, and internet security. ...
and
Bill Handel
William Wolf Handel (born August 25, 1951) is a Brazilian-born American radio host and attorney.
Handel currently hosts two radio programs on KFI in Los Angeles, California. First is KFI's local morning drive time show, in which he comments on ...
on law. Some weekday shows are repeated and some weekend hours are paid
brokered programming
Brokered programming (also known as time-buy and blocktime) is a form of broadcast content in which the show's producer pays a radio or television station for air time, rather than exchanging programming for pay or the opportunity to play spot comm ...
.
Sports
KUGN is the
flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
radio station of the
Oregon Sports Network
Oregon Sports Properties is a division of Learfield which handles the sports broadcasting, accommodation, and billboard rights for the teams of the University of Oregon's athletic programs and its venues. Until 2012, it was known as the Oregon S ...
, and broadcasts
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
and
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
games, which are
simulcast
Simulcast (a portmanteau of simultaneous broadcast) is the broadcasting of programmes/programs or events across more than one resolution, bitrate or medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time (that is, simultane ...
on co-owned
sports radio
Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A widespread programming genre that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often- boisterous on-ai ...
station
KUJZ
KUJZ (95.3 MHz, "Sports Radio, 95.3 The Score") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Creswell, Oregon and broadcasting to the Eugene-Springfield, Oregon media market. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is h ...
95.3 FM.
History
KUGN first
signed on
Signing may refer to:
* Using sign language
* Signature
A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on do ...
the air on July 4, 1946, as the second radio station in Eugene, after
KORE
Kore may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*Kore (comics), a comic-book series by Josh Blaylock and Tim Seeley
*Kore (producer), French-Algerian music producer, also part of duo Kore & Skalp
*Kore (sculpture), a type of ancient Greek sculpture dep ...
. KUGN was originally affiliated with the
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
radio network, but switched to
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
in December 1952. The station dropped the longtime NBC affiliation for
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
in December 1977. In 1953, KUGN raised its power to 5,000 watts, to become the most powerful radio station in Oregon, outside the
Portland metropolitan area
The Portland metropolitan area is a metro area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered on the principal city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) identifies it as the Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, ...
. In 1979, KUGN began airing some
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System (commonly referred to simply as Mutual; sometimes referred to as MBS, Mutual Radio or the Mutual Radio Network) was an American commercial radio network in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the Old-time radio, golden ...
programming, including
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, AB ...
and
Larry King
Larry King (born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger; November 19, 1933 – January 23, 2021) was an American television and radio host, whose awards included 2 Peabodys
The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program ...
's popular late night talk show.
During its first four decades, KUGN was best known for its eclectic, personable announcers. The careers of such veterans as Duke Young, Dick Cross, Dave Miller, Russ Doran, Skip Hathaway, Webb Russell, Wendy Ray and Dale "Uncle Fuzzy" Reed spanned the period from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. The station had the first traffic reports in the market in 1976 when Ken Strobeck did morning and afternoon drive-time reports in the "KUGN Traffic Rabbit," a Volkswagen Rabbit equipped with a radio telephone and portable transmitter. Tom Lichty ("Major Tom") took over the job in late 1976 when traffic reporting took flight, serving both as traffic reporter and pilot.
The "old" KUGN, which Ray called "the best radio station in the world," is remembered for its popular "Morning Show." Reed teamed with Ray and news director Fred Webb for a popular program that was a "must hear" in the Eugene area throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. "The Morning Show" entertained listeners with such lighthearted features such as Ray's "Ball Score Boogie," the "Poet's Nook" starring Webb as the high-buttoned poetry devotee "Charles," Lichty's traffic reports, and "Gridpute," a
tongue-in-cheek
The idiom tongue-in-cheek refers to a humorous or sarcastic statement expressed in a serious manner.
History
The phrase originally expressed contempt, but by 1842 had acquired its modern meaning. Early users of the phrase include Sir Walter Scott ...
Friday morning football preview featuring Ray and a clanking, cantankerous "computer." Ray and Webb also teamed up on the morning newscasts, twice hourly between 5:30 and 10 a.m. D.J.-anchor "Uncle Fuzzy" knit it all together with his wry commentary and savvy music choices (
adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...
with a fair amount of
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
).
Ray retired from radio in March 1992. Reed and Webb continued until that November, but management chose not to renew their contracts. The station experimented with a few replacements, before settling on a morning news team of Ralph Steadman and Rick Little. Steadman exited in 1995 to make way for
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
sportscaster Jerry Allen. Then in 2016, KUGN began carrying Armstrong & Getty, based at
KSTE
KSTE (650 AM) is a commercial radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Rancho Cordova, California, the station serves the Sacramento metropolitan area. The station is owned by iHeartMedia and features shows from Westwood One ...
in
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
.
Ownership
KUGN-AM was founded in 1946 by C.H. Fisher of Portland. After some years, his children - Carl Fisher, Jane Whitbread, and Nancy Harrison - assumed daily operations of the station. In 1972 Obie Advertising bought KUGN from the Fishers. Obie was headed by Brian Obie, a future mayor of Eugene. Obie Advertising sold KUGN to Dallas-based Media Corp. of America in 1987. Then in mid-1989, long-time employees Jim Torrey (also a future mayor of Eugene) and Chuck Chackel purchased KUGN for $4.2 million. The new company was called Combined Communications. Torrey sold his interest in the company in 1991.
In 1996, the
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...
changed radio station ownership rules to allow companies to own up to six stations in a market (see
Telecommunications Act of 1996
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is a United States federal law enacted by the 104th United States Congress on January 3, 1996, and signed into law on February 8, 1996, by President Bill Clinton. It primarily amended Chapter 5 of Title 47 of t ...
). Prior to 1996, companies could only own two FM and two AM stations per market. Combined Communications took advantage of the new ownership rules and sold the station in 1996 to Deschutes Broadcasting for $7 million. Over the next three years, the station passed hands from Deschutes to Citadel Broadcasting to Marathon Media, and finally, to Cumulus Broadcasting. Cumulus also purchased five other stations in the Eugene area.
"Home of the Ducks"
In 1959, KUGN became the first flagship station of the newly-created University of Oregon sports radio network, with play-by-play announcer John Tasnady starting a three-season run as the football "Voice of the Ducks." Previously, KUGN was one of four Eugene stations to carry Oregon and Oregon State football games on the Tidewater Associated Oil Co. network.
KUGN news- and sportscaster Wendy Ray, already a veteran sportscaster, took the microphone in 1960 as the Ducks' basketball announcer, when KUGN got the broadcast rights to that sport from local rival KASH. When Tasnady retired from broadcasting prior to the 1962 football season, Ray stepped in as football announcer, and called both sports up through the 1969 Oregon-Oregon State "Civil War" football game. Color commentator Mike Guldager stepped in as play-by-play announcer for the season finale at Hawaii, and then announced Ducks basketball and football until 1973.
Ray returned to Oregon Ducks play-by-play for one season (1974–75) as football and basketball announcer. He also served as color commentator for new play-by-play announcer Warren Swain in the 1980 football season. Outside radio, Ray was the longtime public address announcer for Oregon track and field meets at Hayward Field. Other KUGN "voices" of University of Oregon sports were Bud Sobel (1973–74), Ralph Petti (football, 1975), Mike Stone (1975–80), Swain (1980–82), Portland sportscaster Bill Johnson (1982–84) and Hal Ramey (1984–87).
KUGN lost the broadcast rights to Duck sports in 1987, when the University of Oregon athletic department set up its own in-house radio network. The university put the network's flagship status up for bidding, and local rival
KPNW
KPNW (1120 AM broadcasting, AM) is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio, news/talk format. Licensed to Eugene, Oregon, United States, the station serves the Eugene-Springfield area, and calls itself "Newsradio 1120 and 93.7". The station is ...
won out over KUGN. During that time, KUGN became the flagship station for the
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference. Jonathan Smith has been the he ...
radio network, outbidding Portland station
KEX-AM
KEX (1190 kHz) is a clear channel AM radio station licensed to Portland, Oregon. It is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., and airs a news/talk format known as ''NewsRadio 1190''. The station's studios and offices are on SW 68th Parkway, off Interst ...
.
[Register Guard, May 3, 1987] Eight years later, KUGN regained the broadcast rights to Duck sports. Play-by-play announcer Jerry Allen moved from KPNW to KUGN at that time. Today Ducks' broadcasts are shared with co-owned
sports radio
Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A widespread programming genre that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often- boisterous on-ai ...
station
KUJZ
KUJZ (95.3 MHz, "Sports Radio, 95.3 The Score") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Creswell, Oregon and broadcasting to the Eugene-Springfield, Oregon media market. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is h ...
95.3 FM.
References
External links
FCC History Cards for KUGNKUGN official website
*
*
{{coord, 44, 06, 03, N, 123, 03, 06, W, type:landmark_region:US, display=title
UGN
News and talk radio stations in the United States
Radio stations established in 1946
1946 establishments in Oregon
Cumulus Media radio stations