Happy Birthday To KCAA Radio

I am the co founder and CEO of KCAA and I'm asking you for a moment of personal privilege to explain the significance of June 24th in the history of KCAA Radio, a station I co-founded many years ago

Today is June 24th 2022. This day marks the beginning of KCAA’s 20th year of Broadcasting from the Inland Empire of Southern California.

There would be no anniversary to celebrate if not for Linda, my partner in life. Her continuous sacrifices made a pivotal difference in the survival and growth of the station. Our love for each other and our vision for the station has anchored our work for 1/3 of our lives.

Our journey reminds me of a story about Bill and Hillary, who drove by her former boyfriend’s modest home. Bill said, “Take a look at his place. If you had married him, that’s where you would be today.” She said, “No way, if I had married him, he would be President of the United States and you would be living in his house”.         

KCAA’s move from Big Bear Lake was difficult, to say the least. It required six long years of hard work. The station, then known as KBBV was off the air and it was scheduled for license deletion.

From February, 2nd 1997 until June 24th, 2003, we operated the station at 30 watts of power from Big Bear Lake, using a TV mast that was bolted to the side of the previously abandoned studio.

Several stations tried to stop us from moving to the IE. A San Diego station even filed false affidavits with the FCC, claiming we were not on the air. Ironically, they filed their complaint on the same day that we met with the Big Bear newspaper editor who wrote a glowing article about the station while listening to it on the air. Never the less, the complaint delayed our move to the IE for four long years.

It took a village to create KCAA and today, it takes a much larger village to operate it.
These days, KCAA operates on three terrestrial frequencies and over more than a dozen online platforms, including three video systems.  

With the hard work and dedication of GM Mark Westwood and his excellent staff, KCAA produces and distributes dozens of programs for a wide range of talented broadcasters.

As the station grew to maturity, it became known for its inclusiveness. We gave it the moniker of “The Station That Leaves No Listener behind”.
Now, KCAA is known as the Vox Populi of the IE, (the voice of the people).

I was 48 years old when a group of us began the unlikely journey that created KCAA. Now, as I approach my mid 70s, the journey continues. My fervent hope is that it will continue long into the future, long after our work as founders, become an echo from the distant past.

During that distant past, KCAA’s original anchor hosts and producers were known IE radio talents who could spontaneously create SNL type bits with little efforts.
Daren Lane, who now lives in our memories, was the original GM. He allowed the crew to have fun on the air. The bit that follows is a prime example.  

I suppose it could be called “Oh KCAA, how unlikely was your birth.
The first voice is that of Dennis Baxter, our original morning man and news director, who later became the GM. The female voice is Lacey Kendall, our first Director of Operations. All other voices are from our first program director, Ray Peyton.