KNX/LA, Farewell broadcast from Columbia Square, 2005; some say it was haunted

After 67 years at Columbia Square on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, KNX 1070 Newsradio relocated to their new, state of the art studios along “the Miracle Mile” on Wilshire Boulevard.  The old Columbia Square was eventually converted to an apartment building.

Hosted by Michael Linder, Michael Ambrosini, and Diane Thompson investigating the claim of ghostly entities in the building, this audio presentation compresses nearly seven decades of CBS Radio history into a little over 53 minutes.  If you don’t have time to listen right now, it’s worth coming back when you can.

One of the audio clips heard comes from a live Steve Allen show, which aired nightly at midnight, in front of a live studio audience.  This predated the TV version of “The Tonight Show.”

At the risk of making this post “all about me,” I have a story to tell.  I spent six years as an engineer at the new KNX Miracle Mile studios.  Late one night after responding to some engineering emergency, I was driving home listening to this recording.  I had never heard it before.  As I sat waiting for a red light to change at the corner of Sunset and Gower in Hollywood, I noticed the vacated Columbia Square building was about a half block away.

Just then, the “Steve Allen Show” audio came up on the tape.  I realized that I was right down the street from where this live show took place, live studio audience and all.  I glanced down at my dashboard to check the time.  It was 12 midnight (exactly when the show aired in real time).

As I sat there experiencing a true sense of history, I was reminded of a joke Johnny Carson once told on “The Tonight Show.”  He asked, “What is the shortest amount of time known to man?” The answer, “The time between the light turning green and the guy behind you honking.”

Runtime: 53:46

(Ghostly stuff at around 32 minutes)

Sam Lawson

Student engineer at pioneer Nathan Hale radio station KNH 1210 in 1970 (prior to KNHC). Also attended North Seattle Community College and L.H. Bates in Tacoma (KTOY-FM). Sam’s career began as a KJR request line operator in 1970, with his first on-air job at KRKO in 1972. In 1976 he segued to overnights at KTAC as Cory Landon, then weekends at KING. In 1978 he moved to Lewiston, Idaho for afternoons on KOZE and KRLC. Throughout the ‘80s he was an announcer and/or engineer at "the best mix and biggest variety" of Spokane radio stations; including 97KREM, KZUN, KGA, KKER (The Sam & Pam Show), KZZU, PD of KJRB, 98 KISS-FM, and the voice of KAYU-TV. In 1989 he moved to Los Angeles as Assistant Chief Engineer and weekends at KZLA/KLAC. Also engineered for KBIG, KFI, Premiere Radio Networks, CBS Radio, and others. "After avoiding any actual work for nearly 45 years, now happily retired and very appreciatively back in the great Pacific Northwest!" ---Click here for other Sam Lawson articles ---and here for Sam Lawson airchecks