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Cumulus Media surrenders radio license of KZAC, formally KFSO

August 10, 2026

Radio got hit with a double whammy of bad news last week, affecting both AM and FM bands. First, Inland Empire album rocker KCAL-FM (96.7 FM) fired its entire on-air staff to go fully automated classic rock, and Cumulus Media surrendered the license of KZAC (560 AM), due to the economics of radio today — the property housing the transmitter site being worth more than the station itself.

KZAC was launched in 1925 as KTAB, owned by the Tenth Avenue Baptist Church of Oakland. The idea stemmed from one of the church’s pastors, who was looking for a permanent station to broadcast their “Hour of Prayer” among other programming. According to bayarearadio.org, “KTAB was an instant success with the Bay Area radio audience. Some of the finest musical entertainment in the area was heard on KTAB’s nightly concert programs. In addition, “The Hour of Prayer” was on the air again, this time assured of being able to operate without interruption. Indeed, it continued uninterrupted into the 1970’s, on KTAB and later other stations, one of the oldest programs of its kind in the nation.”

In the early days of broadcasting, there was little interference in the air, and broadcast stations could travel quite far, especially at night. KTAB was among those taking advantage. Again, from bayarearadio.org: “KTAB aired a series of ‘DX’ programs that became widely known and gave KTAB world recognition among early radio fans. The first program was held on Christmas Eve, 1926, at 4:00 a.m. The concept was to broadcast at a time when other stations were off the air so that it could be heard without interference at much greater distances than normal. Amateur radio operators, through the American Radio Relay League, spread the word to radio buffs the world over. The KTAB program, put on in cooperation with the Oakland Post-Enquirer newspaper, was received on the Atlantic Coast, as well as all over the Pacific, notably in Hawaii, China, and Australia. The program dealt with the city of Oakland and the Oakland port. It was such a success that several like it followed in later months.”

All from a station broadcasting, at the time, with a maximum of 1000 watts.

Financial problems arose in part due to the Depression, and eventually KTAB was sold. It became KSFO in 1935 under the new ownership, continuing its service to the Bay Area. During World War II, at the request of President Roosevelt, the station added shortwave transmitters in order to send broadcasts to troops around the world — the precursor to the Voice of America and Armed Forces Radio. Shortwave stations KWID (100,000 watts) and KWIX (50,000 watts) were on the air within five weeks of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Gene Autry and Robert Reynolds’ Golden West Broadcasters — which owned the old KMPC (now KSPN, 710 AM) since 1951 — bought KSFO in 1956, and launched the same full-service music, news, sports, and entertainment format they ran on KMPC. Beginning with the 1958 season, the station became the radio home of the San Francisco Giants. Notable personalities included Don Sherwood, Carter B Smith, Gene Nelson, and “Gentleman” Jim Lange, who went on to great success here locally at KMPC and on television.

KSFO was at one time one of the Bay Area’s most successful stations. As is so typical, programming eventually languished — in 1983 it went to talk, then syndicated talk, and listeners eventually moved to FM. In November of 2024, current owner Cumulus moved the KFSO call letters to 830 AM, formerly known as KGO, and changed 560 to KZAC. The stations simulcast programming until March of 2025 when KZAC went off the air to save money while Cumulus searched for a buyer. None was found, and thus the company surrendered the license to the FCC last week.

KCAL-FM lays off all on-air staff in switch to all-music radio station

The changes at KCAL were already covered fully, but the short version is that the entire airstaff — including some who were with the station for decades — was let go as station ownership looks for ways to become profitable. I asked for comment and received a set of written talking points from Anaheim Broadcasting, which owns the station along with KOLA (99.9 FM).

Corporate blames the current trends in radio, stating, “It came down to the financial reality at KCAL. Like a lot of stations around the country, we’ve felt the pressure from changing listening habits, tougher competition for ad dollars, and rising costs to operate. Bottom line, KCAL wasn’t profitable.”

My own sources state that this is true — KCAL-FM was not profitable. Left unsaid was whether this move will work long-term, as most listeners can find similar music very easily elsewhere … Spotify, Apple Music, or numerous online stations, with no commercials. Why would anyone listen to KCAL-FM?

It may not matter. Tim Sullivan — principal owner since 1986 — passed away in late 2024, so daughter Kelly Sullivan Sanders is in charge now. If the name Tim Sullivan seems familiar, it’s because Sullivan was once at KHJ (930 AM) and K WEST (now KPWR, 105.9 FM) as general manager. He later launched Anaheim Broadcasting with others to buy KEZY AM and FM, eventually selling those to buy KOLA and KCAL-FM, which had the call letters long before television Channel 9 took them on.

For now, sister station KOLA is retaining its air staff; KOLA is one of the most successful stations in the IE. The irony is not lost on me that KOLA was once an automated (top-40 at the time) music station with no air staff; now the situation is reversed.

I hope that the rumor is true, a buyer is found, and a local owner can bring it back. Moves like this are for dying corporate stations, not local stations that should be thriving.

Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist covering radio in Southern California. Email rwagoner@socalradiowaves.com.

Orange County Register

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Cumulus Media surrenders radio license of KZAC, formally KFSO

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