Static. That’s all you hear on most AM dials these days. But flip over to 1070 AM Los Angeles, and the air changes. You get that crisp, authoritative "Traffic and weather together on the fives" that has basically soundtracked every stressful commute on the 405 for decades. It's weird, right? In an age where everyone has a podcast and a high-speed data plan, a massive transmitter in the middle of a field is still the heartbeat of Southern California.
If you grew up in SoCal, 1070 AM—better known by its call sign, KNX—is more than just a frequency. It's a landmark. It’s as much a part of the city as the Hollywood sign or the smell of street tacos. But there’s a lot going on behind that signal that people don't realize. From its deep-rooted history with CBS to the recent, somewhat controversial move to the FM dial, the story of 1070 AM is basically the story of Los Angeles itself.
The Power of the Clear Channel Signal
Let’s talk technical for a second, but I’ll keep it simple. KNX 1070 is what’s known as a Class A Clear Channel station. Back in the day, the FCC gave a handful of stations "superpowers." They were allowed to broadcast at 50,000 watts, and at night, no other station in the country was allowed to use that frequency.
This means that when the sun goes down and the atmosphere does its "skip" thing, you can sometimes hear 1070 AM in places like Vegas, San Francisco, or even up in Washington state. It’s massive. This wasn't just for entertainment; it was a matter of national security. These stations were designed to keep the public informed during emergencies when everything else failed.
Honestly, that’s why it still matters. When the "Big One" eventually hits and the cell towers are overwhelmed or the fiber lines snap, 1070 AM Los Angeles will likely be the only thing still talking to you. It’s the ultimate backup.
A Legacy of News That Isn't Just Noise
KNX didn't just stumble into being a news giant. It was earned. They’ve been at this since 1920. Think about that. They were broadcasting before the talkies, before the Great Depression, and long before the Dodgers moved west.
For a huge chunk of its life, KNX was the West Coast flagship for CBS. We're talking about the era of Edward R. Murrow and the "Golden Age" of radio. While other stations were playing Top 40 hits, KNX was building a newsroom that functioned like a high-speed engine. They adopted the "all-news" format in 1968, following the lead of stations like WINS in New York.
🔗 Read more: When is the Next Hurricane Coming 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
People think all-news radio is easy. It isn't. It’s a 24-hour beast that has to be fed every minute. You have writers, anchors, field reporters, and editors working in a tight loop. The goal? Make sure that no matter when you tune in, you’re caught up in about twenty minutes. It’s the original "scrollable feed," just for your ears.
The Voices You Know
If you listen long enough, the anchors start to feel like family. Or at least like that one smart uncle who actually knows what’s going on in Sacramento. Names like Dick Helton, Vicky Moore, and Frank Mottek became the voices of our mornings. They have this specific cadence—serious but accessible. It’s a "radio voice" that doesn't feel fake.
The Great FM Migration: What Happened to 1070 AM?
Here’s where things got a little confusing for longtime listeners. A few years ago, Audacy (the company that owns KNX) decided to start simulcasting the signal on 97.1 FM.
Why? Because, frankly, younger people don't know how to find the AM band. Metal buildings and electric vehicle engines create a ton of interference for AM signals. By moving to FM, they were chasing better sound quality and a younger demographic.
But does that mean 1070 AM Los Angeles is dead? Not even close. While the "branding" often pushes 97.1 now, the 1070 transmitter is still the workhorse. It has the reach that FM simply can't touch. If you’re driving through the Cajon Pass or stuck in the deep canyons of Malibu, 97.1 might flicker out. 1070 stays steady.
Why People Still Tune In (It’s Not Just Traffic)
You’d think Google Maps would have killed a station that focuses on traffic. I mean, Waze tells you exactly where the pothole is. But Waze doesn't tell you why the 101 is closed. It doesn't tell you that a brush fire is kicking up in the Sepulveda Pass and which way the wind is blowing.
💡 You might also like: What Really Happened With Trump Revoking Mayorkas Secret Service Protection
There’s a human element to 1070 AM that an algorithm can't replicate. When there's a police pursuit—the unofficial state sport of California—KNX is there. When a local election is tight, they have the reporters at the campaign headquarters.
- Reliability: You know exactly what you’re getting every ten minutes.
- Locality: They aren't talking about national headlines all day; they're talking about your neighborhood.
- The Sound: There’s something comforting about the "teletype" sound effect in the background. It feels urgent.
The Business Reality of Local Radio
It hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows. The radio industry has been through the wringer. Corporate consolidations, layoffs, and the rise of streaming have made it tough to keep a massive newsroom profitable. Audacy, the parent company, actually went through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring recently.
This sparked a lot of fear. People wondered if the newsroom would be gutted. Thankfully, the "Newsradio" brand is one of their crown jewels. It’s hard to sell ads on a station that nobody trusts, and 1070 AM has a massive amount of "brand equity." Advertisers—from local law firms to giant car dealerships—know that the 1070 audience is loyal, affluent, and actually paying attention. They aren't just zoning out to a playlist; they are listening for information.
How to Get the Most Out of 1070 AM Today
If you're new to the area or just rediscovering the dial, here’s how to actually use the station without getting bored.
Most people use it as a "check-in" station. You don't necessarily leave it on for six hours. You pop it on when you leave the house to see if the Grapevine is closed. You check it at the top of the hour to hear the "CBS News Roundoff" for a quick global update.
But if you want the deeper stuff, look for their "In Depth" segments. They usually air these in the midday slots. They’ll take a single topic—like the housing crisis or water rights—and actually talk to experts for more than thirty seconds. It’s surprisingly high-level stuff for "commercial" radio.
📖 Related: Franklin D Roosevelt Civil Rights Record: Why It Is Way More Complicated Than You Think
Misconceptions About AM Radio
A lot of people think AM radio is just for "angry talk" or fringe politics. While that’s true for a lot of the dial (looking at you, 640 or 870), 1070 stays pretty much down the middle. They aren't there to tell you how to vote; they’re there to tell you that the bridge is out. That neutrality is a rare commodity these days.
The Future of the Signal
Will 1070 AM Los Angeles exist in twenty years? That’s the multi-million dollar question. With car manufacturers like Tesla and Ford occasionally threatening to remove AM radios from dashboards to save on shielding costs, the industry is nervous.
However, there’s been a massive pushback from Congress. Lawmakers realize that AM radio is the backbone of the Emergency Alert System. If you take AM out of cars, you’re cutting off a vital lifeline for millions of people during disasters. For now, the signal is safe.
Actually, KNX has done a pretty good job of pivoting. You can stream them on the Audacy app, listen via smart speakers (just say "Play KNX News"), or find their specific segments as podcasts. They’re becoming a "content hub" that just happens to have a giant antenna in the desert.
Actionable Steps for the Modern Listener
If you want to stay informed in LA without losing your mind to social media doom-scrolling, try these three things:
- Program the Preset: Put 1070 AM on your car's first preset. Even if you usually listen to Spotify, you’ll want it there the second you see brake lights.
- Use the "Fives": Remember the rule. Traffic and weather happen at :05, :15, :25, :35, :45, and :55. If you need a quick update, tune in at those specific times.
- Check the App During Emergencies: If there’s a major earthquake or wildfire, don't rely on Twitter/X, which is now flooded with bots and misinformation. The KNX stream will have verified info from local officials much faster than a national TV broadcast.
The reality is that 1070 AM Los Angeles is a survivor. It survived the rise of television, the invention of the internet, and the birth of the smartphone. It persists because it does one thing really well: it tells the story of a messy, beautiful, traffic-congested city in real-time. Whether you listen on a vintage transistor radio or a high-end smartphone, that 50,000-watt signal is still out there, cutting through the noise.