Legendary SoCal Radio Station To End FM Broadcast

LOS ANGELES, CA — Southland radio station KNX will stop broadcasting news on its FM frequency to make way for a new all-sports station, its owner announced Tuesday.

KNX News will continue to broadcast on AM 1070. But on Wednesday, it will no longer be simulcast on 97.1 FM, according to Audacity.

Audacity plans to launch a brand-new sports station on 97.1 FM, dubbed The Fan. That channel will begin its broadcast on May 11 at 6 a.m., according to the company.

The Fan will focus on Southern California sports. Audacity described its format as an all-live, local weekday lineup.

"Los Angeles is the epicenter of the sports world, and 97.1 The Fan is its new voice," Jeff Federman, regional president of Audacy West, said in a statement. "With legendary franchises and global events like the FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics on the horizon, the time was right to bring our industry-leading sports programming to this market."

The station will launch without live play-by-play coverage, although the company said it will pursue rights agreements with local teams as they become available.

Audacity's exiting AM sports station, KLAC, has the audio rights to the Dodgers, Clippers, Chargers and UCLA football, the Los Angeles Times reported.

KNX has broadcast on its AM station for over 100 years. It began simulcasting on 97.1 FM in 2021.

The Times reported KNX has benefited from the simulcast: Its share of the audience increased more than 25% since beginning the FM broadcast.

KNX News will also continue to be available through an online stream. It will also be available on the HD2 station of FM 97.1.

City News Service contributed to this report.