KGIL was a historic AM radio station in the Los Angeles area, broadcasting on 1260 kHz. It signed on the air on October 19, 1947, originally licensed to the San Fernando Valley Broadcasting Company with studios in Sherman Oaks, and later associated with locations like Mission Hills and Beverly Hills.
In its early decades, KGIL focused on music, news, and traffic reporting, becoming known for innovative airborne traffic reports using its own plane. Notable personalities included Dick Whittington (known as “Sweet Dick”), Wink Martindale, and even Francis Gary Powers (the U-2 pilot) as a traffic reporter in the 1970s. The station gained attention for its coverage of the 1971 San Fernando earthquake.
By the 1980s, it shifted to a talk radio format (starting around 1985), hosting shows with hosts like Carole Hemingway, John Swaney, and earlier figures such as Larry King and Tom Snyder. However, facing competition from giants like KABC and KFI, the talk format ended in late 1992/early 1993 when the station was sold.
1993–1995: Became KJQI, playing adult standards.
1995: Switched to all-news as K-NEWS (KNNS calls), simulcasting with other stations, featuring frequent traffic reports and sports like the LA Clippers.
1997: Reverted to KGIL calls; briefly all-Beatles, then Broadway show tunes, then “Music of Your Life” standards.
2000: Mainstream jazz as KJAZ.
2002–2005: Adult standards as KSUR, then KKGO.
2007: Briefly classical as KMZT (part of a swap with sister station KKGO-FM’s country format moving to FM).
Late 2007: Back to KGIL calls and talk radio (featuring Michael Jackson and others).
2009: Switched to “Retro 1260” oldies/standards mix.
2011: Returned to classical music as KMZT (“K-Mozart”).
