KCEA

{{for|the airport serving Wichita, Kansas assigned the ICAO code KCEA|Cessna Aircraft Field}}

{{Infobox radio station

| name = KCEA

| logo = KCEA logo 2020.svg

| logo_size = 150px

| city = Atherton, California

| area = San Francisco Peninsula

| branding =

| airdate = {{start date and age|1979|6|2}}

| frequency = {{Frequency|89.1|MHz}}

| format = Big band

| power = 100 Watts

| haat = {{convert|39|m|ft|sp=us}}

| class = A

| facility_id = 41168

| coordinates = {{nowrap|{{coord|37|29|32.0|N|122|16|28.0|W|type:landmark}}}}

| callsign_meaning = play on the word "sea"{{cite web|url=http://kcea.org/about/|title=About|publisher=KCEA|access-date=August 18, 2020}}

| former_callsigns = KMAH (1979–1983)
KWAP (1983–1983)

| owner = Sequoia Union High School District

| licensee =

| sister_stations =

| webcast = [http://streaming.rubinbroadcasting.com/kcea KCEA Webstream]

| website = {{URL|http://www.kcea.org/}}

| affiliations =

| licensing_authority= FCC

}}

KCEA (89.1 FM) is a broadcast radio station licensed to Atherton, California, serving the San Francisco Peninsula. The station broadcasts a music format featuring big band, swing and adult standards in addition to local high school sports.{{cite web|url=http://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=WI14&band=fm&callLetter=KCEA|title=Arbitron Station Information Profiles|access-date=March 30, 2014|work=Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings}} KCEA is owned and operated by Sequoia Union High School District.{{cite web|url=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=KCEA|title=KCEA Facility Record|access-date=March 30, 2014|work=Federal Communications Commission, audio division}}

History

In 1979, Menlo-Atherton High School founded radio station KMAH, which broadcast local music and student programming. During off hours, the station broadcast a live audio feed of the Pacific Ocean from Fort Point, San Francisco. KMAH became KCEA (named after "sea") in 1983 and switched to its present big band music format in order to attract a wider audience and financial support.

KCEA first broadcast local high school sports on January 8, 1999, when the station broadcast a Menlo-Atherton home basketball game. The October 11, 2013 broadcast of a football game between Sequoia and Terra Nova high schools was KCEA's 500th high school sports broadcast.{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2013/10/10/prep-notes-kcea-to-broadcast-500th-game/|title=Prep notes: KCEA to broadcast 500th game|last=Mazeika|first=Vytas|work=San Jose Mercury News|date=October 10, 2013|access-date=August 18, 2020}}

Frank Spinetta, a manager of the KCEA-FM and a Sequoia Union High School District employee from the 1970s through 1995, pleaded no contest in 1997 to embezzling $92,000 from the high school district, was replaced by Mike Isaacs, a College of San Mateo broadcasting instructor.{{cite news |last1=Workman |first1=Bill |title=Big Band Station Back on Air After Probe of Finances |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Big-Band-Station-Back-on-Air-After-Probe-of-3027256.php |access-date=6 August 2024 |work=sfgate.com/ |date=Aug 4, 1995}}{{cite news |last1=Kazak |first1=Don |title=Spinetta charged with sexual assault |url=https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2005/08/26/spinetta-charged-with-sexual-assault/ |access-date=6 August 2024 |work=Palo Alto Online |date=26 August 2005}}

Late in October 2018, the Sequoia Union High School District Board of Trustees discussed converting KCEA into a student run station in order to align the station closer to the district's educational mission.{{cite web|url=https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/officials-favor-keeping-radio-station-operating/article_bcac33c0-d8da-11e8-8429-37598aaf8ea8.html|title= Officials favor keeping radio station operating |last=Walsh|first=Austin|work=San Mateo Daily Journal|date=October 26, 2018|access-date=August 18, 2020}}

The NAMM Oral History Program music historian, Daniel Del Fiorentino, conducted his first interview when he worked for the KCEA radio station in 1983 to 1994. He has since then interviewed thousands of people of who have made an impact on the history of music.

References

External links

[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=69425 FCC History Cards for KCEA]
{{official website|http://www.kcea.org/}}
{{FM station data|41168|KCEA}}

CEA

Category:High school radio stations in the United States

Category:Radio stations established in 1979

Category:1979 establishments in California

Category:Adult standards radio stations in the United States