KAJO

The Grants Pass Broadcasting Corporation, a partnership of James O. "Jim" Wilson Jr. and Jim T. Jackson, applied for a construction permit to build a new 1,000-watt, daytime-only radio station in Grants Pass on October 1, 1956; the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted the application on May 1, 1957.{{Cite web|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/169d1211-ea71-1679-f81e-a6b4c5e6a901|title=FCC History Cards for KAJO|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} Wilson had been encouraged to become a station owner while selling ad time on a station in Klamath Falls; a national appliance salesman told him to move to Grants Pass, which at the time only had one station.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kajo.com/history/|title=KAJO's History|website=KAJO|access-date=2023-02-16|archive-date=2023-02-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216071350/https://www.kajo.com/history/|url-status=live}} A third partner, Phil Jackson, was added to the ownership group in 1958, and the station increased its daytime power to 5,000 watts in 1960.{{r|hc}} The Jacksons would remain part-owners until 1973, when Wilson bought them out and made Elzie Parker, a longtime friend, the only other partner in the business.{{r|hc|hist}}

In the 1980s, Jim Wilson's son Carl Wilson and his brother Matt became involved in the management of the station.{{r|hist}} Grants Pass Broadcasting also expanded in 1993 by starting KLDR (98.3 FM).{{r|hist}} Carl Wilson became a state legislator from 1999 to 2003; he left the legislature citing its dysfunction, noting that there were five special sessions in 2002, and returned to focus on KAJO, where he hosts a talk show.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118733940/citizen-panel-to-critique-lawmakers/|date=July 24, 2005|page=1C, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118733929/panel/ 5C]|first=Brad|last=Cain|agency=Associated Press|title=Citizen panel to critique lawmakers|newspaper=Statesman Journal|location=|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=February 16, 2023|archive-date=February 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216071344/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118733940/citizen-panel-to-critique-lawmakers/|url-status=live}} When Wilson returned to the legislature, he stopped hosting his show during election season to avoid a conflict of interest, though he continued to purchase campaign advertising to air on his own stations.{{cite news|page=B1|agency=Grants Pass Daily Courier|work=Medford Mail Tribune|title=State representative says he steers clear of ethical dilemmas - Report: Carl Wilson among legislators who have steered campaign funds to own businesses|date=February 3, 2017}}

Grants Pass Broadcasting acquired KRRM (94.7 FM), then off the air, in 2020, giving it a third station in the area.{{cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/192619/station-sales-week-of-7-24-emf-expands-in-central-kentucky/|work=RadioInsight|date=July 24, 2020|first=Lance|last=Venta|title=Station Sales Week Of 7/24: EMF Expands In Central Kentucky|access-date=February 16, 2023|archive-date=July 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725035550/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/192619/station-sales-week-of-7-24-emf-expands-in-central-kentucky/|url-status=live}}

KAJO also broadcasts on the following FM translator: this improves the coverage and provides high fidelity stereo sound.

{{RadioTranslators

| callsign = KAJO

| call1 = K259AE

| freq1 = 99.7

| watts1 = 250

| class1 = D

| city1 = Williams, Oregon

| fid1 = 24827

}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.kajo.com}}

{{AM station data|24822|KAJO}}

• {{FCC-LMS-Facility|24827|K259AE}}
• {{FXL|K259AE}}

{{Medford-Ashland Radio}}

Category:Grants Pass, Oregon

AJO

Category:Radio stations established in 1957

Category:1957 establishments in Oregon