KUHL (1440 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 ...

that is

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 ...

Santa Maria, California Santa Maria (Spanish language, Spanish for "Mary, mother of Jesus, St. Mary") is a city near the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California in northern Santa Barbara County, California, Santa Barbara County. It is approximately no ...

and serves the Santa Maria—

Lompoc, California Lompoc ( ; Chumash: ''Lum Poc'') is a city in Santa Barbara County, California. Located on the Central Coast, Lompoc has a population of 43,834 as of July 2021. Lompoc has been inhabited for thousands of years by the Chumash people, who called ...

area. The station is owned by Knight Broadcasting Inc. and broadcasts 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.

History

The station first signed on January 17, 1947 as KCOY at the 1400 kHz frequency. It was launched by News-Press Publishing Company, owner of

KTMS KTMS (990 AM, "News Talk AM 990") is a commercial radio station in Santa Barbara, California. It is owned by Rincon Broadcasting and airs a talk radio format. KTMS is simulcast on FM translator station K250BS at 97.9 MHz, licensed to Solimar B ...

in Santa Barbara and the ''

Santa Barbara News-Press The ''Santa Barbara News-Press'' is a broadsheet newspaper based in Santa Barbara, California. History The oldest predecessor (the weekly Santa Barbara ''Post'') of the ''News-Press'' started publishing on May 30, 1868. The Santa Barbara ''Pos ...

''. On April 5, 1955, KCOY was sold to Arenze Broadcasters, headed by James H. Ranger, for $34,000. It moved to 1440 kHz in 1960. In its early years, KCOY was a

full service Full service or Full Service may refer to: * Full-service radio, a wide range of programming * Full Service Network, a communications company Entertainment * "Full Service", a song by the New Kids on the Block from their album ''The Block'' * F ...

station, broadcasting a variety of news, sports, and

rock music Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...

programming. In April 1969, Ranger bought out his Arenze Broadcasters partners for $250,000, taking full ownership of KCOY. The station then changed its

call letters In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assigne ...

to KUHL. In 1986, Ranger sold KUHL and FM sister station

KXFM KXFM (99.1 FM, "Old School 99.1") is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Santa Maria, California and serves the Santa Maria-Lompoc area. Owned by Point Broadcasting (through licensee Point Ten), the station broadcasts a rhythmic oldie ...

in Santa Maria to Great Electric Communications Inc. for $2.25 million. On March 1, 1989, the transmitters for four stations in Santa Maria, including KUHL, were knocked off the air due to acts of vandalism. That evening, the towers fell as guy wires supporting the structures had been cut. Two males, ages 18 and 15, were suspected of inflicting the damage which was estimated to be $100,000. Great Electric sold KUHL and KXFM in 1991 to Roger Blaemire's Blackhawk Communications Inc. for $1.15 million. On September 19, 2006, KUHL switched call signs to KINF. Three years later, on January 27, 2009, the station reverted to the KUHL call letters. On January 20, 2010, lightning struck the KUHL transmitter, knocking the station off the air temporarily. It was one of 11 stations in the Santa Maria area affected by storm-related power outages and equipment damage.

References

External links

FCC History Cards for KUHL
* * {{News/Talk Radio Stations in California UHL News and talk radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1947 Santa Maria, California 1946 establishments in California