KTSA

Infobox Radio station
name = KTSA-AM


city = San Antonio, Texas
area = San Antonio, Texas
branding = "550 AM KTSA"
slogan =
airdate = 1922
frequency = 550 kHz HD Radio
format = News/Talk
power = 5,000 watts
erp =
class = B
callsign_meaning = Talk San Antonio
former_callsigns = WCAR
owner = BMP Radio
webcast =
website = [http://www.ktsa.com KTSA.com]
affiliations =

KTSA is a News-Talk AM radio station in San Antonio, Texas. It began as radio station WCAR, founded by John C. Rodriguez of the Alamo Radio & Electric Company in September 1922. WCAR was the second radio station in San Antonio, taking the airwaves shortly after WJAE which only lasted a few months.

KTSA once aired the Rush Limbaugh radio show before Clear Channel Communications bought the syndicator and moved the show to WOAI. Today, most of its lineup is local, although Dave Ramsey, Clark Howard, Bill O'Reilly, and Jim Bohannon also have programs there.

Most recently, KTSA was owned by CBS Radio, but was sold in August 2006 to BMP Radio.

Radio experts believe the call letters KTSA stand for Come to San Antonio.fact|date=August 2008 For a time the Express News Corporation owned the station. In the 1950s rock and roll radio Pioneer Gordon McLendon bought KTSA and made it one of the first Top 40 stations in America. KTSA became an overnight sensation because of the music and outrageous for the time promotions including a "Flagpole" sitter in the O. R. Mitchell Dodge Used Car lot on Broadway, and the KTSA Easter Egg Hunt which swamped San Pedro Park with thousands of listeners searching for a $1000 KTSA Golden Egg. IN 1957 KTSA got competition from KONO radio which changed to the top 40 format and hired several of KTSA's disk jockeys. By this time McLendon had successful stations in El Paso (KELP) Dallas (KLIF) and Houston (KILT) and used the El Paso and San Antonio stations as farm teams for the larger markets. McCLendon sold KTSA in the 1960s but the station remained one of San Antonio's most listened to stations until the advent of FM stereo radio.

KTSA obtained FCC permission to change its call letters from KTSA to KAKI, reportedly to honor San Antonio's military personnel. After KAKI letterhead and promotional materials were printed, management learned that their new call letters were slang in Spanish for baby feces. The call letter change was reconsidered and the station reverted to KTSA.

History of past personalities

George Milton Johnston, known as the "Blue Jay" in the 60's. One of the first "shock jocks". Contiuned his radio work throughout Texas. Last known to live in the Rio Grand valley.

Early 1950s and 60's rock and roll star disk jockeys include Don Keys, Ricci Ware, Bruce Hathaway, Pat Tallman, and Charlie Vann.

External links

* [http://www.ktsa.com/ KTSA official website]
*AMQ|KTSA
*AML|KTSA
*AMARB|KTSA