KDKA (AM), operating at 1020 AM and licensed to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, holds a significant place in the history of American broadcasting. Often referred to as "The Voice of Pittsburgh," this clear-channel station broadcasts with a powerful 50 kW signal. Its origins trace back to 1920, making it one of the oldest radio stations in the United States. KDKA is widely recognized for its pioneering role in commercial radio, having broadcast the Harding-Cox
presidential election results on November 2, 1920, an event many historians consider the true beginning of commercially licensed radio. Today, it continues to operate with a news and talk format, drawing content from CBS Radio News, and its studios are located in the CBS Radio Pittsburgh Facility in Green Tree, with its transmitter in Allison Park.
The Genesis of a Broadcasting Giant
KDKA's establishment was not an isolated event but rather an outgrowth of the post-World War I ambitions of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, based in East Pittsburgh. During the war, Westinghouse had secured government contracts to develop radio transmitters and receivers for military applications, utilizing newly developed vacuum tube equipment capable of audio communication, a significant advancement over previous spark gap transmitters that could only transmit Morse code. Although the government ordered all civilian radio stations off the air during the war, Westinghouse was permitted to operate research transmitters at its East Pittsburgh plant and at the home of its lead engineer, Frank Conrad, in Wilkinsburg.
With the cessation of hostilities, government contracts were canceled, but Westinghouse aggressively pursued establishing itself as a national and international radio communication provider. This effort was spearheaded by company vice president H. P. Davis. Initially, KDKA was conceived as part of a project to create private radiotelegraph links between Westinghouse's East Pittsburgh factory and its other facilities, aiming to reduce the expense of telegraph and telephone lines. A newspaper report from September 1920 noted plans for a new high-power station at the Westinghouse plant to communicate with branch factories in Cleveland, Newark, and Springfield.
From Private Link to Public Broadcast
On October 27, 1920, Westinghouse was issued a Limited Commercial station license, serial No. 174, with the call letters KDKA. Interestingly, neither the original application nor the resulting license mentioned broadcasting; the station was intended for radiotelegraphic communication with other Westinghouse facilities. At this time, radio stations in the U.S. were regulated by the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Navigation. While standard practice assigned "W" call letters to stations in the eastern U.S., KDKA received its "K" assignment during a brief period when land stations were issued sequential "K" call letters previously reserved for ship stations. Despite the policy being restored later, KDKA was allowed to retain its unique call sign.
KDKA's claim as the "Pioneer Broadcasting Station of the World" stems from its broadcast of the 1920 presidential election results. This event, originating from a temporary "special amateur" call sign of 8ZZ, marked a pivotal moment, transitioning radio from a point-to-point communication tool to a mass medium. The station's ability to reach a wide audience with regular programming set a precedent for what commercial radio would become, laying the groundwork for the broadcasting industry.
Evolution Through the Decades
Throughout its history, KDKA has adapted to changing technologies and listener preferences. In the 1930s and 1940s, the station introduced long-running programs like the "Uncle Ed Shaughency show" and the "KDKA Farm Hour," which featured farm reports and music by local country acts like Slim Bryant and his Wildcats. Special programming included extensive coverage of the 1936 St. Patrick's Day flood that inundated Downtown Pittsburgh. A significant frequency change occurred in March 1941, when KDKA's clear channel assignment shifted from 980 to 1020 kHz under the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement.
By the early 1970s, KDKA adopted an adult contemporary format, playing rock and roll hits from the 1960s and soft rock artists. The station also expanded its talk programming, with figures like John Cigna anchoring nighttime shows. The 1980s saw KDKA continue its information and news-intensive adult contemporary music format, earning multiple Associated Press Joe Snyder awards for outstanding overall news service in Pennsylvania. A major shift occurred on April 10, 1992, when KDKA transitioned from a full-service format that included music to an exclusively news/talk format, marking "the day the music died" for the station's regular programming. This change introduced syndicated shows like Rush Limbaugh and expanded all-news blocks during key drive times, solidifying KDKA's identity as a premier news and talk station in the region.
