[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 155 (Wednesday, September 27, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1275-E1276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF KSRO

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 27, 2017

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague 
Congressman Mike Thompson, to recognize the 80th anniversary of Sonoma 
County's KSRO radio station.
  When the station first began broadcasting in 1937, KSRO was 
California's largest radio station north of the Golden Gate Bridge. 
Originally located in an old Navy Air Station, KSRO provided homecare, 
music, and news programs throughout the 1940s and 1950s. The station 
adopted several formats over the years to match the interests of the 
day, leaning more heavily into music programming by the 1960s before 
transitioning into a talk and news centered station in 1987, a format 
the station continues to maintain to this day.

[[Page E1276]]

  As KSRO continued to grow in listeners and programming, so too did 
the station's broadcasting talent. Some of the region's most popular 
broadcasters built their careers at the station, including Jim Grady, 
Merle Ross, Reg Lester, David Wesley Page, Curtiss Kim, and Steve 
Jaxon, to name a few. Some of the station's current broadcasters have 
been radio mainstays across the region for over 30 years.
  During KSRO's 80 years of broadcasting, the station has played a 
critical role in keeping the region informed of the most pressing local 
and national news. By providing a platform for debate and discussion 
the station has also been instrumental in shaping public discourse year 
after year. The station's weather reports and emergency broadcasts have 
helped to save lives in a region prone to flooding, wildfires, and 
sudden storms.
  Today, KSRO serves as more than just a drive-time distraction during 
a morning commute, but rather a familiar voice to a diverse community 
of people from all walks of life. And at a time when our sources of 
information are increasingly fragmented and tailored for individual 
needs and tastes, stations like KSRO are that much money important for 
creating and maintaining a shared sense of community.
  Mr. Speaker, KSRO has been a critical provider of pressing news and 
information to the public, while facilitating public discourse in the 
North Bay. It is therefore fitting to congratulate the employees, 
owners, and management of KSRO on their 80-year anniversary.

                          ____________________