NBC continued to own KOA until June 1953 when it sold the station to Metropolitan Television Company, whose principal stockholder was Bob Hope.

That same year on Christmas Eve, KOA started a sister TV station, KOA-TV on channel 4; like its radio cousin, it was affiliated with the NBC Television Network.

GE repurchased the stations in 1968 and continued to own them until 1983 (keeping the aforementioned channel 4, which was subsequently rechristened as KCNC-TV), when it sold KOA and KOAQ to Belo Corporation.

Rosen's philosophy is reflected in his recommended reading list which includes Ayn Rand, Adam Smith, Paul Johnson and Thomas Sowell.

Other well-known local voices previously heard on KOA include Bob Martin, Don Zimmer, Gus Mircos, and Alex Stone.

Consumer advocate Tom Martino and former FEMA official Michael D. Brown were KOA hosts until they switched to sister station KHOW.

Radio host Alan Berg broadcast his talk show from the station, but was shot and killed by members of the white supremacist group The Order on June 18, 1984.

Hastings resumed sports radio broadcasting on KKFN in January 2006 alongside former Denver Broncos lineman Alfred Williams.

Also in the 1980s, during the weekend evening hours on KOA, Larry Cox, and his dog Wilbur, would host the radio program The National Recovery Act, a listener-friendly call-in show.

KOA was named "Large Market Station of the Year" at the 2008 National Association of Broadcasters' Marconi Radio Awards.