It then went back to top 40 for 60 days in 1962 before flipping to a long-running country music format and was a competitor to KMPS (now KKOL) and KQIN (now KGNW).

[4] KSPL changed call letters to KGNW on September 19, 1984, and became a religious outlet under Salem Communications ownership.

On December 31, 1986, KGNW moved to its current home at 820 AM, while 1150 AM was sold to Park Communications and began simulcasting the adult album alternative format of KEZX-FM (now KPNW-FM) as KEZX.

On June 1, 2001, at 6 a.m., the station flipped to all-news as "NewsChannel 1150", and changed call letters to KKNW, which carried the audio portion of CNN Headline News.

[10] In July 2013, Sandusky announced it would sell its radio holdings in Seattle and Phoenix, Arizona to Hubbard Broadcasting.