KDFO
Encyclopedia
KDFO is a radio station
broadcasting a classic rock
music format. KDFO is licensed to Delano, California
, and serves the Bakersfield, California
, area. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications
.
was a Christian radio
station in Bakersfield started by Richard Palmquist in 1970. The station was known as Uplift 98.5. The station was on the air until he sold it in 1997 to Mondosphere Corporation and went into retirement. Today, the KDNO call letters belong to a station in Wyoming
. KDNO was owned by a California Corporation, Tape Networks INC., founded by Palmquist when he was a broadcast consultant in Glendale, California. After building KDNO for a client, that owner suffered the loss of his bank loan. Palmquist arranged for his friend Chester Newell to purchase the station, and Palmquist became the manager. Later, Newell sold the station to Tape Networks, Inc. Palmquist raised the purchase price by soliciting help from KDNO listeners. The station, however, was devoted to ministry rather than revenue, so Palmquist purchased the Pixley Enterprise Newspaper and later the Terra Bella News. He merged them to form the "Enterprise News," and the newspaper became commercially successful, proving a living for the Palmquist family and helping to support the radio ministry. After two unsuccessful efforts to sell the newspaper, Palmquist closed that business in 1993 to concentrate on improving the radio station's music and Bible teaching ministry. However, income from listener support, though supporting current expenses, could not pay off the half million dollar long term debt on the station. So when Palmquist reached retirement age, he sold the station to honor his obligation to those who had helped purchase and build the station. He now operates www.truthradio.com, www.truthradio.info
site closer to Bakersfield and was known as Star 98.5 KKDJ and was an oldies
station. In 1998, KKDJ moved to 105.3 FM and KSMJ
moved to 98.5 FM and was known as Smooth Jazz 98.5 KSMJ.
and the country music
format were briefly moved from 96.5
FM to 98.5 FM in a frequency swap with KDFO where it was branded as 98-5 KBKO. On June 20, 2008, the two stations were moved back to their previous frequencies after a four month swap.
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...
broadcasting a classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
music format. KDFO is licensed to Delano, California
Delano, California
Delano's climate is characteristic of the San Joaquin Valley. The weather is hot and dry during the summer and cool and damp in winter. Frequent ground fog known regionally as "tule fog" can obscure vision. Record temperatures range between 115°F and 14°F...
, and serves the Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, area. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
.
98.5 KDNO
98.5 KDNOKDNO
KDNO is a classic country radio station in Thermopolis, Wyoming. The station is currently owned by Carjim, LLC and features programing from AP Radio. The majority owner of Carjim, LLC is also the owner of KTRZ and KWYW. The call letters previously belonged to what is now KDFO-FM in Delano,...
was a Christian radio
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
station in Bakersfield started by Richard Palmquist in 1970. The station was known as Uplift 98.5. The station was on the air until he sold it in 1997 to Mondosphere Corporation and went into retirement. Today, the KDNO call letters belong to a station in Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. KDNO was owned by a California Corporation, Tape Networks INC., founded by Palmquist when he was a broadcast consultant in Glendale, California. After building KDNO for a client, that owner suffered the loss of his bank loan. Palmquist arranged for his friend Chester Newell to purchase the station, and Palmquist became the manager. Later, Newell sold the station to Tape Networks, Inc. Palmquist raised the purchase price by soliciting help from KDNO listeners. The station, however, was devoted to ministry rather than revenue, so Palmquist purchased the Pixley Enterprise Newspaper and later the Terra Bella News. He merged them to form the "Enterprise News," and the newspaper became commercially successful, proving a living for the Palmquist family and helping to support the radio ministry. After two unsuccessful efforts to sell the newspaper, Palmquist closed that business in 1993 to concentrate on improving the radio station's music and Bible teaching ministry. However, income from listener support, though supporting current expenses, could not pay off the half million dollar long term debt on the station. So when Palmquist reached retirement age, he sold the station to honor his obligation to those who had helped purchase and build the station. He now operates www.truthradio.com, www.truthradio.info
Star 98.5 KKDJ/Smooth Jazz 98.5 KSMJ
After Mondosphere took over, the station was downgraded from a class B at 50 kW to a class B1 with 8 kW ERP and the transmitter was moved to the 105.3KBFP-FM
KBFP-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish-language Mexican Oldies music format. KBFP-FM is licensed to Delano, California, and broadcasting to the Bakersfield, California, area. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications.-History:105.3 FM signed on in 1981 with the call letters...
site closer to Bakersfield and was known as Star 98.5 KKDJ and was an oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
station. In 1998, KKDJ moved to 105.3 FM and KSMJ
KSMJ
KSMJ is a commercial radio station located in Shafter, California, broadcasting to the Bakersfield, California, area. The station is owned by Buckley Broadcasting and licensed to Buckley Broadcasting of California, LLC...
moved to 98.5 FM and was known as Smooth Jazz 98.5 KSMJ.
98.5 The Fox
On March 24, 2000, the KSMJ format changed to a classic rock format and the call letters were later changed to KDFO and the station branded as 98-5 The Fox. On February 15, 2008, the call letters KBKOKVMX
KXJM is a commercial broadcast radio station located in the Portland, Oregon area and broadcasts at 107.5 FM. The transmitter is located in Portland's west hills; the studio is in downtown Portland, and the license location is in Banks, Oregon...
and the country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format were briefly moved from 96.5
KVMX
KXJM is a commercial broadcast radio station located in the Portland, Oregon area and broadcasts at 107.5 FM. The transmitter is located in Portland's west hills; the studio is in downtown Portland, and the license location is in Banks, Oregon...
FM to 98.5 FM in a frequency swap with KDFO where it was branded as 98-5 KBKO. On June 20, 2008, the two stations were moved back to their previous frequencies after a four month swap.
Airstaff
- The weekday programming on this station features the syndicated Bob and Tom show which is on weekday mornings.
- Rachel is on mid-days. At 10am, she features "The 98 Minute Free Ride!"
- Mike Bell is on during the afternoon with his show "The Road Show with Mike Bell!" He hosts the program from within a hollowed out tree, and is live with regular comedic features "You Can't Make This Sh*t Up!" and "News As it Should Be!" plus "The Drive @FIVE!", an hour long live request program.
- Montana is on during the evenings and hosts "Headbangers Heaven" from 8pm - 10pm Saturday nights.
- Doc Reno is on overnights
- Weekends/Fill-in include Kenn McCloud, Rachel and Mike Bell