KFFN
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| City | Tucson, Arizona |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Tucson, Arizona |
| Branding | ESPN Tucson |
| Slogan | The Fan |
| Frequency | 1490 (kHz) |
| Translator(s) | 104.9 K285DL (Tucson) |
| First air date | 1949 |
| Format | Sports |
| Power | 1,000 watts |
| Class | C |
| Facility ID | 2433 |
| Affiliations | ESPN Radio |
| Owner |
E.W. Scripps Company (Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC) |
| Sister stations | KGUN-TV, KWBA-TV, KTGV, KMXZ-FM, KQTH |
| Website | ESPN Tucson Website |
KFFN (1490 AM) is a commercial radio station located in Tucson, Arizona. KFFN airs all sports programming syndicated by ESPN Radio. The station originates a local sports program from 3-6 p.m. weekdays, The Zach Clark Show.
The broadcast frequency 1490AM in Tucson Arizona began in 1949 as KTKT, owned and operated by Thomas J. Wallace Sr, Tom Breneman Sr. and Art Linkletter (the two “T’s” were for the two Toms). Having departed from NBC’s Chicago radio studios for Los Angeles and the newly blooming television industry, they formed a limited partnership in this sideline investment.
Mr. Brenemen was to be the station manager leaving Mr. Wallace and Mr. Linkletter as silent investors. After Mr. Brenemens’ untimely death Mr. Wallace moved to Tucson from Los Angeles to run the station.
Mr. Wallace was born and raised in Bisbee Arizona and graduated from the University of Arizona in Tucson. At the close of World War two Mr. Wallace’s sons joined him in operating the station.
Tom Wallace Sr. started his radio career with NBC in Chicago where he was Uncle Walter in the 1940s radio classic 'Uncle Walter's Dog House". He went on to produce other classic radio shows including ‘Blind Date’ with Arlene Francis, ‘Kukla, Fran, and Ollie” with Fran Allison, and The Red Skelton Show.
In December 1949, Tucson heard its fifth station, KTKT (at AM 1490). Because all the existing networks were taken, KTKT became an independent, and its programming was mostly music. For a short time they were an affiliate of the short-lived Liberty Broadcasting System formed around the play-by-play sportscasts of "The Old Scotsman" Gordon McLendon.
With the advent of TV a few years later KTKT was positioned to provide the growing music and news service which still characterizes radio. Wallace built his station on Elm, just west of Miracle Mile, in two war surplus military buildings which were moved onto the site.
In the early 1950s Chuck Blore (spelled Blower then) became one of Tucson's most popular personalities on KTKT, with his six-hour afternoon program called, "Let's Play Records." Blore was a very creative radio personality, and went on to become one of radio's top programmers, starting Los Angeles' first "Top 40" station, the legendary KFWB in 1958. He later owned one of the top commercial production companies in Hollywood.
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Wikipedia