iHeartMedia Sacramento’s KFBK News Radio, Sacramento’s radio station for local news, traffic, weather, and talk, recently celebrated 100 years since its first on-air broadcast on September 17, 1922 with the Centennial Celebration.
Hosted by sister iHeartMedia station Talk 650 KSTE Morning Show and former KFBK staff Armstrong and Getty, KFBK’s Centennial Celebration featured appearances by many former staff along with current personalities Cristina Mendonsa and Sam Shane of the KFBK Morning News, nationally syndicated and 12-3 p.m. host Tom Sullivan, John McGinness, Kitty O’Neal of the KFBK Afternoon News and Night Host Pat Walsh. Kitty O’Neal hosted the live broadcast of the event and was joined by special guests to celebrate the station’s 100th anniversary.
Former staff that attended included Laura Ingle (Fox News), Vicky Moore (KNX), Mike Simpson (KNX), Dave Williams (KLIF), Jennifer Jones Lee (KFI) and well as many others who took their experiences at KFBK to other media and opportunities.
The event was not only a celebration of 100 Years of KFBK, but also a fundraiser for the Women’s Veteran Alliance of Sacramento raising $1,500 for the local non-profit.
Signing on less than two years after the very first U.S. radio station, KFBK News Radio was first licensed to the Kimball-Upson department store located at 607 K St., which sold radios. The station’s first broadcast that Sunday evening began at 8 p.m. with “Song of the East,” played on the piano by a local musician. Additional songs and local news announcements followed to complete the evening’s first-ever radio broadcast. That inaugural day began Carlos McClatchy’s mission for KFBK to serve the Sacramento Valley and Northern California with local news, information, and entertainment. KFBK News Radio has been a springboard for talent who would go on to become nationally famous, including Rush Limbaugh and Tom Sullivan.
All summer long, KFBK News Radio featured rare historic audio highlights and published timeline of the station’s history, rare photos, audio, video, and special podcasts, from the last 100 years. Listeners and fans can visit KFBK100Years.com to see the published timeline.
“One hundred consecutive years of informing Northern California is a remarkable accomplishment, part of the enduring legacy that is KFBK,” said Sara McClure, Market President for iHeartMedia Sacramento. “I’m proud to be part of this organization at this point in time and grateful to be sharing it with the talented team of people who make KFBK News Radio what it is today!”
“The founding principle of KFBK News Radio remains the same today as it did in 1922, to provide relevant local news and information,” said KFBK News Radio Program Director Bill White “Through the generations, KFBK’s team of talented news anchors, reporters, and talk hosts continues to proudly uphold that mission, to serve the listeners of Sacramento and Northern California.”
Here is a link to photos from the event, please use the following captions here.