KARN (AM)
Encyclopedia
KARN is a commercial sports and talk radio station
at 920 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas
, owned and operated by Cumulus Media
. Originally known as KARK-AM and later locally owned by Ted Snider, the station has long been the flagship station of the Arkansas Radio Network
.
KARN AM 920 was formerly a news and talk station, that now airs on 102.9 FM with nationally syndicated programming with a conservative political tone like the Rush Limbaugh
show and the Sean Hannity
show. Local talk shows are also notably conservative in tone, with afternoon host Dave Elswick the most well known voice. Generations of Arkansas
broadcasters have worked at KARN, including sportscaster Jim Elder, talk show hosts Pat Lynch, Ray Lincoln, Bob Harrison, Taylor Carr and Sharon Lee, farm broadcasters Bob Buice, Lowell Ruffcorn, John Philpot, Stewart Doan, Janet Adkison and Keith Merckx (who also spent time as a news reporter and anchor) and newscasters Don Corbett, Vern Beachy, Scott Crowder, Michael Hibblen, Scott Charton, Ron Breeding, Don Griffin, Barry Green, David Wallace, Ken Miller, Paula Cooper, Terry Easley, Jayson Rogers, Grant Merrill, Alan Caudle, Patrick Grant, "Ugly" Ed Johnson and Jack Heinritz.
As a news and talk station, KARN's Program Directors have included Rick McGee, Dennis Turner, Chuck Martin, Dennis Kelly, Dale Forbis, Bob Shomper, Greg Foster, Neal Gladner, Bud Ford and Dave Elswick.
In 2007, upon merger of nearly a couple dozen ABC Radio stations, Citadel Broadcasting
relinquished 11 of its radio stations, including KARN-FM, to The Last Bastion Station Trust, LLC
. However, the trust decided it would not simulcast KARN-AM, which had remained with Citadel, on KARN-FM; Citadel then transferred KOKY
to the trust instead, and re-acquired KARN-FM. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.
The station is an affiliate of the Dallas Cowboys
radio network.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
at 920 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, owned and operated by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
. Originally known as KARK-AM and later locally owned by Ted Snider, the station has long been the flagship station of the Arkansas Radio Network
Arkansas Radio Network
Arkansas Radio Network is a state-wide radio network serving radio stations in the state of Arkansas. ARN is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas operating from its flagship station KARN-FM and is under the ownership of Cumulus Media.-History:ARN began their broadcasting activities in 1967 and...
.
KARN AM 920 was formerly a news and talk station, that now airs on 102.9 FM with nationally syndicated programming with a conservative political tone like the Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
show and the Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity is an American radio and television host, author, and conservative political commentator. He is the host of The Sean Hannity Show, a nationally syndicated talk radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks. Hannity also hosts a cable news show, Hannity,...
show. Local talk shows are also notably conservative in tone, with afternoon host Dave Elswick the most well known voice. Generations of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
broadcasters have worked at KARN, including sportscaster Jim Elder, talk show hosts Pat Lynch, Ray Lincoln, Bob Harrison, Taylor Carr and Sharon Lee, farm broadcasters Bob Buice, Lowell Ruffcorn, John Philpot, Stewart Doan, Janet Adkison and Keith Merckx (who also spent time as a news reporter and anchor) and newscasters Don Corbett, Vern Beachy, Scott Crowder, Michael Hibblen, Scott Charton, Ron Breeding, Don Griffin, Barry Green, David Wallace, Ken Miller, Paula Cooper, Terry Easley, Jayson Rogers, Grant Merrill, Alan Caudle, Patrick Grant, "Ugly" Ed Johnson and Jack Heinritz.
As a news and talk station, KARN's Program Directors have included Rick McGee, Dennis Turner, Chuck Martin, Dennis Kelly, Dale Forbis, Bob Shomper, Greg Foster, Neal Gladner, Bud Ford and Dave Elswick.
History
For a number of years, KARN 920 AM simulcast on two low power FM signals, including KVLO 102.5 FM licensed to Cabot, Arkansas, and KPZK 101.7 FM licensed to Humnoke, Arkansas. While both stations attracted substantial listener numbers, neither signal covered the Little Rock market well. In the summer of 2004, the decision was made to simulcast KARN full time on the 102.9 FM frequency, which had previously been a country station, but could not compete with heritage station KSSN.In 2007, upon merger of nearly a couple dozen ABC Radio stations, Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the country...
relinquished 11 of its radio stations, including KARN-FM, to The Last Bastion Station Trust, LLC
The Last Bastion Station Trust, LLC
The Last Bastion Station Trust, LLC is a privately owned trust company that temporarily owns 6 radio stations previously owned by Citadel Broadcasting...
. However, the trust decided it would not simulcast KARN-AM, which had remained with Citadel, on KARN-FM; Citadel then transferred KOKY
KOKY
KOKY is a commercial radio station licensed to Sherwood, Arkansas, broadcasting to the Little Rock area on 102.1 FM. It airs an Urban Adult Contemporary format, and is owned and operated by The Last Bastion Station Trust, LLC....
to the trust instead, and re-acquired KARN-FM. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.
Programming
Notable weekday programming on KARN includes the Delta Farm Show and Farm Focus hosted by Gary DiGiuseppe, First News with Bob Steel, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Mike Huckabee, Dave Elswick, Sportsrap (from ARN), Sean Hannity, and Coast to Coast AM on overnights.The station is an affiliate of the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
radio network.