The Los Angeles Clippers have been on a winning streak lately, a welcome relief for fans concerned about the team’s spotty showing late last year.
But the team may have been thrown for a loss with the surprise sale of KFWB-AM 980, the radio home of the Clippers and the site of “The Beast,” a fast-paced, irreverent format featuring popular sports personalities such as Jim Rome and KNBC-TV’s Fred Roggin.
The sale of KFWB, disclosed Wednesday, does more than raise questions about the future of Clippers broadcasts. It also highlights the travails afflicting the once-mighty AM industry in the nation’s No. 2 market. The development also marks yet another upheaval in the history of one of the city’s most well-known radio stations, which in the last 90 years has undergone several format changes ranging from rock ‘n’ roll to 24-hour news.
KFWB’s owner CBS Corp., which has managed the outlet through a trust since 2011 after being forced to sell it because of government ownership rules, is selling the 5,000-watt station to San Jose-based Universal Media Access, which specializes in Asian, Indian and other ethnic radio, according to station chief Diane Sutter.
Universal — affiliated with veteran Buffalo, N.Y.-based media investor Charles Banta — is expected to turn KFWB into a foreign-language niche broadcaster, possibly as early as mid-February.
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Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) tries to get past Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard during the second half.
(Steve Dykes / Associated Press)
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Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum sits on the bench during the second half. McCollum was inadvertently left off the roster and did not play in the game.
(Steve Dykes / Associated Press)
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Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) has some words with referee Ken Mauer (41) after being called for a foul during the first half of a game against the Clippers.
(Steve Dykes / Associated Press)
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Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts reacts to an official’s call during the second half of a game against the Clippers.
(Steve Dykes / Associated Press)
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Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) fouls Clippers point guard Chris Paul (3) as he goes up for a shot during the first half.
(Steve Dykes / Associated Press)
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Clippers Coach Doc Rivers has some words with the officials during the first half.
(Steve Dykes / Associated Press)
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The sale ends the decades-long legacy of KFWB as an English-language programmer, dating back to when studio founders Sam and Jack Warner started the station to help promote their movies. During the 1950s and ‘60s, KFWB — amid numerous ownership changes — became one of the most influential and popular stations in the U.S. But its ratings and fortunes have tumbled amid a rapidly changing media market.
“KFWB was once a major radio station in Los Angeles. It was gigantic,” said Michael Harrison, publisher of the radio trade magazine Talkers. “And now, it’s a property that was in trust, being let go — I hesitate to use the word ‘dumped’ — to serve a specialty format.”
Terms were not disclosed, although sources close to the situation pegged the purchase price as less than $20 million. Dozens of current KFWB staffers are expected to be out of work if the Federal Communications Commission, which has jurisdiction over the public airwaves, approves the transaction as expected in the next few weeks. News of the sale was first reported in the L.A. Daily News.
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The most uncertain question surrounds future broadcasts for the Clippers, the NBA franchise controlled by billionaire and former Microsoft chief Steve Ballmer. The team is in the first year of a five-year broadcast deal with KFWB, and now faces the prospect of having its games air on a station that otherwise will not broadcast in English.
A Clippers spokesman said the team had no comment. But details of the sale appeared to surprise club officials, who according to a source close to the team had assumed that if the station were sold, the programming would still hew to a sports format.
“It is their option whether they choose to stay on that station through the end of the season or whether they choose to change,”
Sutter, who manages the station as a trustee for CBS, said of the Clippers. She declined to discuss the purchase price. A spokeswoman for Banta referred a call back to Sutter.
Whatever happens, the switch reveals the stark challenges facing AM radio as the 21st century moves on. Said Harrison: “Foreign-language and specialty might be the future of AM radio.”
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Recording artists Beyonce, left, and Jay-Z watch the Clippers play the Brooklyn Nets at Staples Center on Jan. 22, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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John Legend and Chrissy Teigen sit courtside for the final Kobe Bryant-LeBron James matchup on March 10, 2016, at Staples Center.
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Cam Newton takes in the Cavaliers-Lakers game on March 10, 2016, when Kobe Bryant and LeBron James played against each other for the final time.
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Beyonce and Jay Z take in the Clippers’ 103-98 comeback victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 2, 2016.
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Clippers guard Chris Paul, left, is congratulated by Billy Crystal after a 97-83 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 9.
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Jay Z watches the Clippers pick up their 10th consecutive winy with a 104-90 victory over the Miami Heat on Jan. 13.
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Freida Pinto and polo player Ronnie Bacardi watch the Lakers play the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 15, 2015.
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Olivia Wilde talks to Will Forte during a Clippers game against the Orlando Magic on Dec. 5, 2015.
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Drake attends the game between the Lakers and his hometown Toronto Raptors on Nov. 20, 2015.
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Will Ferrell has food delivered to his courtside seat during a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons on Nov. 15.
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Kendall Jenner watches the Lakers take on the Dallas Mavericks during a game Nov. 1, 2015.
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Arsenio Hall and George Lopez check out a season-opening game between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 28, 2015.
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Television personalities Khloe Kardashian, left, and Kendall Jenner, center, attend a playoff game between the Clippers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on May 8, 2015.
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Brazilian model Wanessa Milhomem, left, and Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers sit courtside during a game between the Lakers and Atlanta Hawks on March 15, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Recording artist Snoop Dogg attends a playoff game between the Clippers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on May 8, 2015.
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Actors Billy Crystal, left, and Timothy Olyphant attend a playoff game between the Clippers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on May 8, 2015.
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Actor Eddie Murphy and girlfriend Paige Butcher attend the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Lakers at Staples Center on April 12, 2015.
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Actress Mindy Kaling attends a game between the Lakers and Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on April 12, 2015.
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Actor Denzel Washington laughs as he sits courtside during a game between the Lakers and New York Knicks at Staples Center on March 12, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Paul Wesley, left, and actress Phoebe Tonkin, right, sit courtside during a game between the Lakers and Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center on March 15, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Hayden Christensen attends a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on March 10, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actress Dyan Cannon, center, sits courtside during a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on March 10, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Casey Affleck attends a game between the Lakers and Boston Celtics at Staples Center on Feb. 22, 2015. (Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
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Actor Mark Wahlberg listens to Lakers trainer Gary Vitti during a game between the Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center on Feb. 27, 2015. (Stephen Dunn / Getty Images)
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Broadcasting entrepreneur Norman Pattiz, left, talks with recording artist Tom Petty during a game between the Lakers and Houston Rockets at Staples Center on Jan. 25, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actor Andy Garcia walks from his seat during a game between the Lakers and Detroit Pistons at Staples Center on March 10, 2015. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Liev Schreiber sits with his son, Sasha, during a game between the Lakers and Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on March 8, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Television personality Bill Maher watches the Lakers play the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on March 8, 2015. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Cameron Diaz, center, and her husband Benji Maddien watch the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers game. (MICHAEL NELSON / EPA)
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Denzel Washington chats with former Lakers star Norm Nixon during the Lakers-Rockets game. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Recording artists Jay-Z, left, and Beyonce sit courtside during a game between the Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center on Jan. 16, 2015. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Actress Jennifer Garner attends a game between the Clippers and Boston Celtics at Staples Center on Jan. 19, 2015. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)
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Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. watches the Clippers play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 16. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Model Kendall Jenner, center, sits with her half-sister Khloe Kardashian, left, during the Clippers’ 114-89 victory over the Lakers at Staples Center on Jan. 7. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Kevin Hart and fiancee Eniko Parrish sit courtside for the Clippers-Warriors game on Christmas. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Australian recording artist Iggy Azalea sits courtside at a game between the Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center on Dec. 7, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Skrillex spent his Christmas evening checking out the Clippers-Warriors game at Staples Center. (Victor Decolongon / Getty Images)
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Former NBA All-Star Baron Davis enjoys the Warriors-Clippers game on Christmas evening. (Victor Decolongon / Getty Images)
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New parents Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher take a break from parenthood to enjoy the Lakers-Thunder game. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Athony Kiedis and his son, Everly Bear Kiedis, attend the Lakers game against the New Orleans Pelicans. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Sylvester Stallone spends a moment chatting courtside at the Lakers-Pelicans game. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Drake, a well-known Toronto fans, takes in the Lakers’ games against the Raptors. That’d be the Lakers’ 127-122 victory in overtime. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
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Recording artist Rhianna smiles while attending a playoff game between the Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Chris Brown and Rihanna sit side by side at the Lakers-Knicks game on Christmas Day. (Robyn Beck / AFP / Getty Images)
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Australian recording artist Iggy Azalea sits courtside during a game between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on Nov. 28, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Recording artist and actor LL Cool J attends a game between the Clippers and Utah Jazz on Nov. 3, 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Jack Black plays it cool as he watches the Lakers get their first victory of the 2014-15 season against the Charlotte Hornets. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Kim Kardashian, left, and her husband, recording artist Kanye West, watch the Lakers play the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on Oct. 28, 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Recording artist Adam Levine, left, and his wife, Behati Prinsloo, watch the Lakers play the Houston Rockets at Staples Center on Oct. 28, 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actress Emmy Rossum attends a Lakers-Portland Trail Blazers game in 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Fergie sings the national anthem before the Clippers opened the 2014-15 season against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Paul Buck / EPA)
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Actor David Hasselhoff cheers on the Clippers during a playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actress Chloe Grace Moretz cheers on the Clippers during a playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actor Owen Wilson attends a game between the Clippers and Phoenix Suns at Staples Center on Nov. 15, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Television and film producer James L. Brooks, left, and Jack Nicholson watch a playoff game between the Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, left, hugs actor Jet Li before a game against the Houston Rockets on Oct. 28, 2014. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)
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Clippers owner Steve Ballmer poses for photos with recording artist Fergie during the Clippers’ 2014 season opener at Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Recording artist Beyonce sits courtside during a game between the Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers at Staples Center on Jan. 16, 2015. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Recording artist Justin Bieber, left, greets boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. during a Clippers playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
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Actor Mark Wahlberg sits with his wife, model Rhea Durham during a playoff game between the Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
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Actor Billy Crystal celebrates as he watches the Clippers play the Oklahoma City Thunder in a playoff game at Staples Center. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt watches a Lakers-Phoenix Suns game in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
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Actor Dylan McDermott and his daughter, Colette Rose McDermott, watch the Lakers play the Phoenix Suns in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
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Recording artist Rihanna watches the Clippers play the Oklahoma City Thunder in a playoff game at Staples Center. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Recording artist Justin Bieber takes a photo while sitting courtside during a Clippers playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Actors Kristen Dunst, left, and Garrett Hedlund watch the Lakers play the New Orleans Pelicans in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
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Actors David Hornsby and Emily Deschanel watch the Lakers play the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Zach Galifianakis watches the Lakers play the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2013. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Actor Christopher Meloni and his daughter, Sophia, left, attend a Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans game in 2014. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
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Actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis attend a Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans game in 2014. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
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Actor Will Farrell reacts while watching himself on the big screen during a game between the Lakers and Sacramento Kings in 2014. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Australian recording artist Iggy Azalea walks to her seat before a game between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on Nov. 28, 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Actor Simon Baker takes in a Lakers-Orlando Magic game in 2009. (Noah Graham / Getty Images)
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Actor Zac Efron, center, attends a Lakers-Dallas Mavericks game in 2014. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
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Reality star Nicole Richie, left, and musician Joel Madden attend a Lakers-Portland Trail Blazers game in 2014. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Rihanna chats with the son of agent Ari Emanuel during a game between the Lakers and Golden State Warriors. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Former Laker Rick Fox watches the Clippers play the Brooklyn Nets. (Michael Nelson / EPA)
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Jack Nicholson, left, and Adam Sandler sit courtside as the Lakers host the Thunder. (Paul Buck / EPA)
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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who are expecting their first child, take in a Lakers-Nuggets playoff game last spring. (Noel Vasquez / Getty Images)
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Vanessa Bryant and George Lopez react to a play during the Lakers-Knicks game on Christmas Day. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)
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Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis swing into action as they’re featured on the Staples Center Kiss Cam during a game between the Lakers and Utah Jazz. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers point guard Steve Nash greets George Lopez before the Christmas Day game against the Knicks. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Denzel Washington, left, and soccer star David Beckham sit next to one another at a game in 2010. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Christina Aguilera catches a Lakers-Thunder game with a friend. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Eddie Murphy and Australian model Paige Butcher arrive for a Lakers-Suns game. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
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Galaxy stars David Beckham and Landon Donovan flank Beckham’s son Brooklyn before a Lakers-Heat playoff game. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Dustin Hoffman, center, his wife Lisa Gottsegen, left, and producer Jeffrey Katzenberg attend a Lakers-Orlando Magic game in 2010. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)
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Model Cindy Crawford, left, baseball player Alex Rodriguez and former pro wrestler Torrie Wilson attend the Houston Rockets at Los Angeles LakersNBA basketball game. (Paul Buck / EPA)
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Actor Will Farrell attends a Lakers-Cleveland Cavaliers game in 2011. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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Actors Kevin Connolly, left, and Toby Maguire, center, attend a Lakes-Utah Jazz game in 2008. (Andrew Gombert / EPA)
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Model Heidi Klum sits with her three children during Lakers-New Orleans Hornets game in 2011. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Joseph Gordon-Leavitt, center, watches a Lakers-Minnesota Timberwolves game in 2010. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Television producer Larry David, left and film director Spike Lee sit courtside before a Lakers-Denver Nuggets game in 2009. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Jaden Smith, left, and pop star Justin Bieber attend a Lakers-Houston Rockets game in 2010. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
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First Lady Michelle Obama sits in a booth at Staples Center to watch Game 6 of the Lakers-Celtics Finals series. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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Comedian Dane Cook and TV host Maria Menounos watch the Lakers-Celtics Game 6 from the stands at Staples. (CJ Gunther / EPA)
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Christina Aguilera checks her cellphone after singing the national anthem at the beginning of Game 6 of the NBA Finals series between the Celtics and the Lakers. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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Red Hot Chili Pepper Anthony Kiedis hopes to fire up the Lakers in Game 6 at Staples versus the Celtics. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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Rock star Lenny Kravitz brings some celebrity to the Staples stands during Game 6 against the Celtics. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
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Actors Diane Lane and Josh Brolin cozy up courtside during the Lakers-Celtics Finals Game 6. (For the record: A an earlier version of the headline above this caption misidentified Josh Brolin as John Brolin.)(CJ Gunther / EPA)
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At its peak, KFWB was indeed a fixture for Angelenos. During the early years of the rock era — after Warner Bros. sold the station to a group led by its general manager — KFWB battled for the No. 1 spot against KRLA-1110 and KHJ-930. DJs such as Bill Ballance and Wink Martindale became local celebrities.
As FM became more popular with rock fans in the late 1960s, KFWB — then owned by Group W, the broadcasting entity controlled by Westinghouse — moved away from music and switched to an all-news format. For decades its slogan “You give us 22 minutes, we’ll give you the world” was heard in traffic jams all over the area.
But news radio has been dealt a harsh blow by the Internet, where a much richer array of updates and information is available. Smartphone GPS apps have obviated the need for real-time traffic bulletins on news radio.
In 2009, CBS tried to boost KFWB ratings by adding syndicated talk shows to the mix. Then in 2014 it swung to sports, with Rome, Roggin and Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke connecting with fans.
But nationwide, AM radio has watched its one-time dominance dwindle. In the December ratings from Nielsen Audio, nine of the top 10 Los Angeles radio stations were FM (the lone exception was KFI-AM); three were Spanish-language. KFWB ranked near the very bottom, tied with religious programmer KKLA-FM. Harrison believes the most recent format change was a last-ditch gamble.
As Harrison put it, “We’re going through an incredible transition in terms of the media paradigm.”
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Staff writer Greg Braxton contributed to this report.
Scott Collins is a former staff reporter for the Calendar section of the Los Angeles Times. He joined the staff in 2004 after previous stints at the Hollywood Reporter and Inside.com. Author of the book “Crazy Like a Fox: The Inside Story of How Fox News Beat CNN,” he is a frequent pop-culture expert on national TV, radio shows and industry panels. He left The Times in 2016.
