KFWB NEWS 980 is proud to be celebrating its 40th year of providing Southern California listeners with the latest news, traffic, business and sports reports. Known for its reliable and comprehensive “Traffic On the Ones” –that’s :01, :11, :21, :31, :41 and :51 past every hour – KFWB NEWS 980 is where commuters tune in for the latest traffic information.
On March 25, 1925, KFWB was put on the air with 250 watts of power by Sam Warner, founder of Warner Brothers Studio. Among the many Hollywood stars who launched their careers on KFWB were Ronald Reagan, Roy Rogers, Bing Crosby, Alan Ladd, and Burns and Allen. It’s been suggested the KFWB call letters stood for “Keep Filming Warner Brothers” as the radio station helped finance the Warner Brothers’ films. In the 1930s, KFWB became the first station to cover the Hollywood Santa Claus Lane Parade and pioneered coverage of the Tournament of Roses Parade and the New Year's Day Rose Bowl Game.
In 1958, KFWB producer Chuck Blore invented the Top 40 format, and "Channel 98 Color Radio" was born. KFWB soon became one of the nation's first Top 40 radio stations, quickly shooting to the number one spot in Southern California radio ratings. Blore's DJ's were known as the "Seven Swinging Gentlemen" and over the years included Sam Riddle, Wink Martindale, Gary Owens, Gene Weed, and Lohman & Barkley. The format was copied at stations around the country.
In 1966 Westinghouse purchased KFWB and it became Southern California's first ALL-NEWS radio station on March 11, 1968. People wondered how on earth a radio station could come up with enough news to fill an entire broadcast day. A study showed the average commute time in Los Angeles was 22 minutes, giving birth to the famous slogan "You Give Us 22 Minutes, We'll Give You The World." KFWB quickly became Southern California's news leader during a period of upheaval unparalleled in the region's history.
Southland residents have relied on KFWB for support and guidance to help them through earthquakes, fires, floods, civil unrest and economic recession. For 40 years, KFWB has been the place for "breaking news" that even the other news organizations and reporters listen to. When the ground shakes, when the hillsides slide, when the sky turns to smoke or the freeways turn into parking lots, Southern Californians depend on the “News Authority” – KFWB NEWS 980.
