- KLSX
Infobox Radio Station
name = KLSX
area =Los Angeles, California
branding = "97.1Free FM "
slogan = The FM Talk Station
airdate = 1978 (as KHTZ), 1986 (as KLSX)
frequency = 97.1 MHz
HD Radio
97.1 HD-2 forThe Tom Leykis Show andThe Adam Carolla Show
format =Hot Talk
erp = 21,000watt s
haat = 915 meters
class = B
owner =CBS Radio
webcast = [http://cbsplayer.streamtheworld.com/?CALLSIGN=KLSXFM Listen Live]
website = [http://www.971freefm.com/ www.971freefm.com]
callsign_meaning = KLaSsiX (from its previous classic rock format)
sister_stations =KCBS-FM , KFWB, KNX, KROQ,KRTH ,KTWV
"part of CBS Corp. cluster w/ TV stationsKCBS-TV &KCAL-TV "KLSX 97.1,
Free FM , is a talkradio station inLos Angeles . It is theflagship station for the nationally syndicated Adam Carolla Show, Tom Leykis Show, John and Jeff Show andSpeedFreaks . Local shows includeFrosty, Heidi and Frank ,Danny Bonaduce , andThe Tim Conway Jr. Show .The station once broadcasted the long-running
Beatles show "Breakfast with the Beatles " with host Chris Carter on Sunday mornings. TheBeatles show is now on from 9 a.m. tonoon on 95.5 KLOS.Currently, KLSX is the only station that still uses the
Free FM branding, although even they have reduced the usage of the brand.Fact|date=June 2008 The program director for KLSX isJack Silver .History
Early history
In the late 1960s, 97.1 FM became home to KGBS-FM, a country music station owned by
Storer Broadcasting . Since its AM station KGBS 1020 was only authorized to be on the air during daylight hours, this allowed the format to be broadcast 24 hours a day. In the early 1970s, the station experimented withrock 'n' roll andpop music formats before returning to country in 1973, when it adopted the name "Gentle Country". In 1976, KGBS-FM continued with its country music format while its AM sister station switched to atop-40 format. OnAugust 28 ,1978 , the call letters changed to KHTZ while continuing with itscountry music format.On
July 31 ,1979 , Storer, after having sold the AM radio station which was now known asKTNQ 1020 (Ten-Q), moved itsadult contemporary format to 97.1 FM and began broadcasting as KHTZ (K-Hits). For a few hours the two stations simulcasted the signal until KTNQ switched toSpanish language programming at noon.On
November 27 ,1985 , the station changed its call letters toKBZT and was known as "K-Best".On
September 26 ,1986 , the station was renamed KLSX and became aclassic rock radio station. The call letters KLSX were chosen to sound like the word "classics".In 1988, the long-running
Beatles show "Breakfast with the Beatles " with host Deirdre O'Donoghue moved here fromKNX-FM , a show which she began doing on KMET in 1983. After she died in 2001, the show was taken over by Chris Carter. OnSeptember 3 ,2006 , the station broadcasted the last airing of "Breakfast with the Beatles" which is now replaced byinfomercials that has drawn some local protest. [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-weekpop7aug07,1,2203161.story?ctrack=1&cset=true] [http://www.savebreakfastwiththebeatles.com/] Current host Carter has stated that the departure of Howard Stern can be attributed to why the program is being dropped.Paul McCartney ,Ringo Starr , andYoko Ono have all called in to the program. In late November, 2006, local classic rockKLOS picked up the show, and broadcasts it Sundays, from 9 am to noon.On
July 21 ,1991 , the station began to play the syndicatedHoward Stern show, and took on the slogan "Howard Stern all morning, classic rock all day."Real Radio/FM Talk
In August 1995, the station changed to an all-talk format on weekdays and went by the
moniker "Real Radio 97.1", and had hosts such asSusan Olsen andKen Ober ,Scott Ferrall ,Riki Rachtman ,Kato Kaelin ,Mother Love ,Carlos Oscar , and theRegular Guys , the radio duo ofLarry Wachs andEric von Haessler . Howard Stern was critical of this format change and referred to it as "Hindenburg Radio." In 1996, the station dropped the "Real Radio" name and became known as "The FM Talk Station," hired new hosts and in 1997, the station began carrying the syndicatedTom Leykis show, becoming its flagship station. OnApril 1 ,2002 , KLSX temporarily brought back Kato Kaelin and the "Real Radio" slogans and jingles as part of anApril Fool's joke.Tim Conway Jr. and comedy writerDoug Steckler co-hosted the evening show ("The Conway and Steckler Show") until June 2005 when Steckler's contract was not renewed. Funnyman/impressionistBrian Whitman was brought in as Steckler's replacement, and the show was renamed "The Conway and Whitman Show". In addition, two new Free FM stations opened up inCalifornia ,KSCF inSan Diego andKIFR inSan Francisco , both of which carried the Tom Leykis and John and Jeff shows. The Frosty, Heidi, and Frank Show, which until January 2007, was being syndicated to the San Diego station. OnOctober 25 ,2005 , it was announced thatAdam Carolla would take over as the station's morning show host in January 2006 due to Stern's departure tosatellite radio . On that same day, the station also became known on-air as "97.1Free FM ".The year 2007 saw the addition of
Danny Bonaduce toThe Adam Carolla Show (replacing sportscasterDave Dameshek ), marking the beginning of Bonaduce's career at KLSX. In 2008, he was given his own (local) one-hour show followingFrosty, Heidi & Frank , in a timeslot that had been vacant since the departure of entertainment reporterSam Rubin in 2003. Also in 2008, Brian Whitman unexpectedly left the station in March; as of April 2008, Tim Conway, Jr. hosts the evening show alone.Many others have come and gone as hosts on
KLSX , they have included formerKIIS FM disc jockey The Nasty Man [http://home.att.net/~destroyerguy/bio.htm] ,Jonathan Brandmeier aka: Johnny B [http://members.cox.net/rwagoner/columns/2000/sep2200.html] ,KTLA morning host Sam Rubin [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frosty%2C_Heidi_%26_Frank] , Doug Steckler (former partner for Tim Conway Jr.),Edward Tyll otherwise known as simply Ed Tyll [http://www.radioguide.com/magazine/vol3no4/tyldemen/tyldemen.html] , Thom (The) Looney [http://www.radioguide.com/lalist.html] , porn director and starEd Powers , Sheena Metal [http://www.sheena-metal.com/radio.htm] (at one time partnered with former model Sam Phillips), ComedianJeff Duran , Galen Brown and Tina Jordan [http://www.kerrikasem.com/bio.html] (both at one time teamed with Kerri Kasem--daughter ofCasey Kasem , and DangerousDick and Skibba which was on 103.7 Free FM in San Diego [http://www.1037freefm.com/pages/13504.php?contentType=4&contentId=110463] .KLSX also used to be a syndicate of TheKim Komando Computer show until March 2001. [http://members.tripod.com/~chinesecookery/radio-flash/03-01.html]KLSX was owned by
Greater Media until 1997, when Greater Media swapped KLSX and sister station KRLA for three stations:WMMR in Philadelphia, WOAZ in Boston, andWBOS in Boston. The deal enabled Greater Media to operate larger clusters in these two markets while exiting Los Angeles. The swap led KLSX into the ownership ofCBS Radio , where it joined radio stationsKTWV andKCBS-FM .On weekends they continued to play classic rock until 1999 when the talk format was expanded to weekends, leaving only Sunday morning's "Breakfast with the Beatles" as the only program that played music. In 1997 KLSX was also playing a "Triple-A" (
adult album alternative ) rock format blending classic rock, softer new rock and deep retroalternative rock hits on weekends only. During that era and prior to being sold (swapped), KLSX boasted the only late-night L.A. talk shows featuring women as hosts: "Dr. X" and subsequently a short-run of "Shrink Rap." KLSX was also the local home of the syndicated show ofnovelty music hostDr. Demento .Merrill Shindler's show is based around food and restaurants. Callers usually call in to review restaurants and give their opinion. He often features guests from various restaurants from around the southland area. Leo Quinones does a show about movies for the cinematic fan. He takes pride in his non-critic like approach towards movies and often discuss' films at their face value of just being fun. He features A list celebrity interviews weekly- examples include
Will Ferrell ,Jack Black , andOrlando Bloom ."SpeedFreaks" is the nationally syndicated "mod squad of motorsports" programhosted by Kenny Sargent, with his edgy pit crew of Crash Gladys and Scatt Mann Caruthers. Now in its eighth year including radio and TV versions on SPEED, ESPN and MavTV (debuting with one station, KLSX, in 2000, now over 50, including CBS sister station Live 105.3 Dallas) SpeedFreaks is the final weekend destination for all motorsports fans, wrapping up all the key news, results and commentary breaking out of NASCAR, NHRA, IRL, Motocross... with hot off the track celebrity driver interviews (Tony Stewart, Earnhardts, John & Ashley Force, Jeff Gordon, Sam Hornish, Danica Patrick, et. al.) the Sunday night winners, Crash's pit gossip "dirt", fan phoners, as well as crossover entertainment entries from rock music (Static X to Motorhead, Alice Cooper to Gene Simmons, Skynyrd to Thorogood))and broadcast (Carlos Mensia, Chris Jacobs, Jesse James, and Adam Carolla..et.al.) Motto.."no pink shirts"...as SpeedFreaks breaks down all stereotypes & generational barriers with it's rock 'n' irreverant approach to the burgeoning motorsports culture...
Sam Phillips and co-host Chris Leary host "The Single Life."
Sunday Evening Lineup:
* The Tasting Room with Tom Leykis 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
* [http://www.speedfreaks.tv SpeedFreaks] 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
*Linda Salvin 9:00 pm - 11:00 pmKLSX used to broadcast a show hosted by actor
C. Thomas Howell but it was cancelled as of June 18, 2007. Kirk Fox was Howell's cohost.ports
KLSX is the Los Angeles-area radio home of the
Oakland Raiders of theNational Football League . [http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-tvcol10aug10,0,2106220.column?coll=la-headlines-sports] Previously, the station aired games from theJones Radio Network 's Sports USA service andNFL on Westwood One . In 2001, it carried theLos Angeles Xtreme of theXFL . KLSX has also aired a sports year-in-review show fromWestwood One .External links
* [http://www.971freefm.com/ 97.1 Free FM]
* [http://adam.freefm.com/ The Adam Carolla Show]
* [http://www.frostyheidiandfrank.com/ Frosty, Heidi & Frank Show]
* [http://www.conwayandwhitman.com/ Conway & Whitman Show]
* [http://www.johnjeff.com/ John & Jeff Show]
* [http://www.blowmeuptom.com/ Tom Leykis Show]
* [http://www.speedfreaks.tv/ SpeedFreaks]
*FMQ|KLSX
*FML|KLSX
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