KCLS (defunct)

:"For other uses, see KCLS".

KCLS was the first radio station to broadcast in Northern Arizona. Licensed to Flagstaff, Charles J. Saunders put it on the air in 1950.

History

KCLS signed on the air in 1950 and was owned by Saunders Broadcasting. The call letters were based upon the name of the owner's daughter "Cheryl Lynn Saunders." KCLS operated at 600 kHz with 5,000 watts of power in the daytime and 500 watts directional at night. This made it the most powerful AM radio station in Flagstaff. The KCLS studios were originally a television studio.

Throughout most of its history, KCLS broadcast "middle-of-the-road" or "adult contemporary" music. It was also an early communications link for members of the nearby Navajo tribe, broadcasting in Navajo for two hours a day until the mid-1970s. The station had a long tradition of local news, with several radio journalists moving on to to news positions in larger markets and with networks. The station partnered with the National Weather Service to have their meteorologists deliver the weather from the National Weather Service offices. KCLS was also well known for broadcasting Northern Arizona University sports. Charles Saunders also owned stations KUPI and KID in Idaho Falls, Idaho at different times in the 1960s,'70s and '80s. Saunders, who was known as "C-J the D-J", eventually served as mayor of Flagstaff.

KCLA went dark in 1986. In the late 1990s the ownwers of KVNA AM obtained the license for the 600 AM and moved their station from the 690 kHz frequency. KVNA (then KZKZ) had originally been on the 1290 AM frequency.