KWG (AM)

KWG (1230 AM) is an AM radio station in Stockton, California. KWG is one of the oldest broadcasting stations in the United States. It was licensed on December 7, 1921. It is considered the first commercially licensed radio station west of the Mississippi River although not the first radio station to be founded on the West Coast — see KCBS (AM).

One of the more notable owners of KWG was Barnes Enterprises, led by Johnny Jacobs, the off-screen announcer for Chuck Barris Productions' various game shows for many years. Barnes Enterprises owned KWG between 1978 and early 1981. In February 1981, Best Radio Incorporated of San Bernardino purchased KWG, along with then-KSRT 100.9 mHz (now KMIX), licensed to Tracy, California. KWG then began its "Delta Country" format. While KWG had a myriad of formats over the years, on June 21, 1982, after nearly 18 months of country music, KWG became an "oldies" station, and was very successful well into the 1990s.

Until 1988, KWG used a T-antenna type transmitting antenna mounted on two 60-meter tall wooden poles, making KWG one of the last broadcast stations to use this type of antenna. The KWG transmitter has been located at Weber and E Streets in Stockton for many years.

In the 2000s, newest owner IHR Educational Broadcasting has replicated its inspirational "Catholic Talk Radio" programming on KWG. IHR Educational Broadcasting purchased KWG from The (Susan) Carson Group Inc. on October 18, 1999, reportedly for $300,000.

External links

• FCC History Cards for KWG
• Immaculate Heart Radio website

• Query the FCC's AM station database for KWG
• Radio-Locator Information on KWG
• Query Nielsen Audio's AM station database for KWG
• Wooden radio towers of KWG
• Fybush.com: The Historic AMs of Stockton, California
• Recordnet.com date of first transmission