KNBR's non-directional 50,000-watt class-A signal can be heard throughout much of the western United States and as far west as the Hawaiian Islands at night.

For several decades, KNBR enjoyed a long history as the flagship station of NBC's West Coast radio operations.

KNBR-FM (104.5 FM) in San Francisco has been a full-time simulcast of KNBR's programming since September 6, 2019.

KNBR began broadcasting on April 17, 1922, as KPO, a 100-watt station owned by the Hale Brothers Department Store.

As NBC's flagship station on the West Coast, KPO had a full-time orchestra, five studios, and produced many live shows.

[11] However, with the network control having been moved to Los Angeles, the San Francisco NBC building was never fully used.

It was at the KPO (RCA) shortwave facility that the message was received that Japanese emperor Hirohito had surrendered, ending World War II.

This change lasted until fifteen years later, when the network decided to move the KNBC identity to its television station in Los Angeles.

NBC had asked the FCC to restore the KPO call letters to the San Francisco radio station[17] but later withdrew that request[18] and 680 AM was renamed KNBR on November 11, 1962.

KNBR evolved into a middle of the road music format mixing in adult standards with soft rock cuts by the early 1960s artists with Ron Fell as program director and LaVerne Drake as music director (1971-early 1975).

Personalities included Frank Dill, Mike Cleary, Les Williams, Dave Niles, and Jack Hayes.

Wednesday nights, Scotty Stirling, Golden State Warriors team executive, hosted a call-in remote from the Carnelian Room at the Bank of America building.

When Ron Reynolds moved to KYUU, NBC's San Francisco FM outlet, Scott Burton came to KNBR as Program Director.

Discussions of actual holiday facts were produced by various air personalities (backed by sounds of a crackling fire as they made cracks about the KNBR fireplace).

In 1979, KNBR was awarded the Billboard Adult Contemporary Station of The Year under GM Bill Dwyer.

Jane Morrison and Gimmy Park Li were the community affairs arm of KNBR.

In November 2024, KNBR announced its move from Battery Street to the studios of Levi's Stadium.

Miller and Flemming are frequently joined by Giants television broadcasters Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper.

A vast array of announcers participated in San Jose SaberCats broadcasts, including Tim Roye, Bob Fitzgerald, Ray Woodson, Keena Turner, George Atkinson, and Troy Clardy.

On KNBR, weekday programming consists of the following blocks, which are preempted or moved to KTCT when there are regularly scheduled sports events.

[29] Late night programming on the weekends is usually filled in by hosts featured on CBS Sports Radio.

Weekend programs include Commonwealth Club, Hooked on Golf, Protect Your Assets with David Hollander, Sports Saloon, At the Track, Gary Allen on Business, and assorted CBS Sports Radio programming.

Interviews for this program often consisted of local individuals in volunteer, charitable, or minor governmental capacities.

Due to its time slot, the program is the quintessential example of the Sunday morning public affairs ghetto.