Two formats and over a dozen years ago, the only Country music station in Los Angeles was KZLA. Bonneville still owned the station at that time, and 93.9 used a very Adult Contemporary approach to its Country music format.
Listen and you’ll hear a very pleasant sounding female jock, only goes by the name Wendy on this aircheck (someone out there knows who this is). The imaging is like nothing I’ve ever heard on a Country station. It’s very laid back, yet the voice gets your attention.
KZLA did not use jingles at the time of this recording. If they did use jingles at some point in the station’s evolution, please let us know in the Comment section below.
Courtesy of your Webmaster’s Collection! Recorded on a boombox in the cab of Freightliner sitting in traffic in Santa Monica.
The first of two format changes spelled the end of Country on 93.9. The first one was on August 17, 2006. 93.9 flipped to Rhythmic Urban AC as “Movin’ 93-9” KMVN. Then owner Emmis Communications cited declining Country ratings as the reason for the flip. The second format change occurred on April 3, 2009 when the station flipped again, this time to Spanish AC as “Exitos 93.9” KXOS. The station is operated by Groupo Radio Centro of Mexico as part of a Limited Marketing Agreement.
The jock sounds like Wendi Westbrook who was also at KIIS. As for jingles, I have them down as having a custom package from TM Productions in 1988 and another from TM Century in 1991. Not sure if the station was used for demo purposes only though.
Bonneville was a new owner of KZLA, having bought the station from Chancellor in spring of 1998.
The approach you hear here is the work of former PD John Sebastian (KDWB, KHJ, WCOZ, KUPD, KTWV), who also played a lot of country-flavored rock (Jackson Browne, Eagles, Bob Seger). The only real change on this aircheck is the move back to purely country artists. Sebastian disagreed with Bonneville on that issue and left in June.
I was watching the sitcom “Yes Dear” and one of the characters said something about KZLA. That got me remembering about that radio station. I listen to everything, except oldies. Every now and then I would return to my roots and turn on KZLA. I miss this station. I am sorry that it left the radio air waves of Los Angeles.
it has been brought back by an independent owner who is blind. It bills itselfwith we play everything. It’s an internet only station