KWG (AM) facts for kids

KWG is a radio station in Stockton, California. It broadcasts on 1230 AM. The station is owned by Relevant Radio, Inc.. It plays Catholic talk radio programs.

A Look Back: KWG's History

KWG is one of the oldest radio stations in the United States. It officially began broadcasting on December 7, 1921. This made it the second licensed broadcasting station west of the Mississippi River.

How KWG Started

On November 22, 1921, famous singer Ernestine Schumann-Heink sang on the radio from Stockton, California. This was before KWG officially started.

KWG's story actually began with an amateur radio station called 6FI. This station was run by Paul Oard. He was an engineer at Oard Radio Laboratories in Stockton.

In the spring of 1921, Paul Oard showed off his radio skills. He put a receiver in a car and played music from his station, 6FI. Soon, the Stockton Record newspaper decided to work with him. They wanted to have regular broadcasts from 6FI.

The first big broadcast happened on November 22, 1921. A famous singer named Ernestine Schumann-Heink performed. She sang two songs: "At Parting" and "The Rosary." During this show, it was announced that Oard Radio Laboratories had changed its name. It was now called the Portable Wireless Telephone Company.

New Rules for Radio

In late 1921, the government started making rules for radio stations. Before this, many amateur stations like 6FI were broadcasting. To make things fair, new rules came out on December 1, 1921.

These rules said that broadcasting stations needed a special license. They also had to use specific frequencies. One frequency was 360 meters (833 kHz) for "entertainment." Another was 485 meters (619 kHz) for "market and weather reports."

On December 7, 1921, the Portable Wireless Telephone Company got its license. The station was given the call letters KWG. It was set to broadcast on 360 meters. This made KWG one of the first official broadcasting stations in the West.

KWG's Early Years

KWG quickly became known as the "Voice of the San Joaquin Valley." Its first studios were on the third floor of the Record newspaper building. The antenna was built on the roof.

In 1924, the Record newspaper stopped working with KWG. The station then moved to the Hotel Stockton. In 1927, it moved again to the Medico-Dental Building. It stayed there until 1936.

On November 11, 1928, radio frequencies were changed across the country. KWG was then assigned to 1200 kHz.

In 1936, KWG was one of four radio stations in central California owned by the McClatchy Broadcasting Company.

In 1930, George Turner sold KWG. It was bought by the McClatchy system. This company owned many radio stations and newspapers. KWG installed a new antenna in Stockton in 1931. This antenna was used for many years, even into the 1990s.

In December 1936, KWG moved into brand new studios. These studios were located at the top of the Wolf Hotel in San Joaquin City. They were designed with the best sound technology of the time.

On March 29, 1941, another big change happened to radio frequencies. KWG, along with many other stations, moved to 1230 kHz. KWG has been on this frequency ever since.

Recent Changes

In 1956, the station moved to 411 East Market Street. Over the years, KWG had different owners. From 1978 to 1981, it was owned by Barnes Enterprises. This company was led by Johnny Jacobs, a famous announcer.

In February 1981, Best Radio Incorporated bought KWG. At this time, KWG started playing "Delta Country" music. About a year and a half later, KWG became an "oldies" station. It was very popular throughout the 1990s.

On October 18, 1999, IHR Educational Broadcasting bought KWG. The station then began playing "Catholic Talk Radio" programs. By 2013, KWG no longer had local shows. It also did not have an office or studio in Stockton.

On June 30, 2017, KWG joined Relevant Radio. This happened when IHR Educational Broadcasting merged with Starboard Media Foundation. KWG now broadcasts Relevant Radio's programming.

• KWG in the FCC's AM station database
• KWG in Nielsen Audio's AM station database