KPO -- World Series by Radio Today! -- October 18, 2022

San Francisco Examiner, 04-October-1922

San Francisco radio station KPO began broadcasting 100 years ago today, on 17-April-1922. I remember reading about the 50th anniversary of successor KNBR in the Chronicle. The photos of the early studios caught my attention.

The original KPO studios were in the Hale Brothers department store at Fifth and Market. Hale Brothers owned the station. In 1929, the station moved to the Hale Brothers annex, seen behind the corner store. In 1927, the station became an early affiliate of the NBC Red Network. NBC acquired KPO in the 1930s and changed the call letters to KNBC. Later, they wanted to use the call sign for a Los Angeles station and changed the San Francisco station to KNBR. KNBR currently carries the broadcasts of San Francisco Giants games.

In 1922, KPO carried broadcasts of the World Series between the New York Giants and the New York Yankees.

KPO/KNBR 100 -- April 17, 2022

San Francisco radio station KPO began broadcasting 100 years ago today, on 17-April-1922. I remember reading about the 50th anniversary of successor KNBR in the Chronicle. The photos of the early studios caught my attention. 

The original KPO studios were in the Hale Brothers department store at Fifth and Market. Hale Brothers owned the station. In 1929, the station moved to the Hale Brothers annex, seen behind the corner store. In 1927, the station became an early affiliate of the NBC Red Network. NBC acquired KPO in the 1930s and changed the call letters to KNBC. Later, they wanted to use the call sign for a Los Angeles station and changed the San Francisco station to KNBR.

San Francisco Examiner, 15-April-1922

Notice that the article does not mention call letters. KPO's planned content sounds exciting. 

San Francisco Examiner, 18-April-1922

The radio schedule for the day after KPO went on the air. Notice that no call signs are used, just the names of the owners ("The Emporium") or the location of the station ("Rock Ridge, Oakland"). All stations shared a single frequency. KPO started out with a one-hour slice from 9am to 10am.

KNBR has carried radio broadcasts of San Francisco Giants games since 1979. 

Radio history from John Schneider's wonderful site Voices Out of the Fog:
http://www.sfradiomuseum.com/schneider/articles.shtml

Carter B Smith, RIP -- January 28, 2011

I was sad to learn that Carter B Smith had died. I remember him on KNBR and KFRC. I was too young to remember him on KRE or KSFO with Don Sherwood, and I didn't listen to KABL. His radio career lasted more than 50 years.

Radio Site #4 -- May 31, 2009

I remember the articles in the Chronicle when KNBR celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1971. I liked the photos of the early studios.

KNBR started in 1921 as KPO. The original studios were in the Hale Brothers store at Fifth and Market. In 1929, the station moved to the Hale Brothers annex, seen behind the corner store. NBC acquired KPO in the 1930s and changed the call letters to KNBC. Later, they wanted to use KNBC for a Los Angeles station, and changed the San Francisco station to KNBR.

Radio history from John Schneider's wonderful site Voices Out of the Fog: http://www.sfradiomuseum.com/schneider/articles.shtml

This is my 100th post of the year and my 400th overall.