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KHTK (1140 AM broadcasting) is a commercial radio radio station licensed to Sacramento, California. KHTK broadcasts a sports radio radio format as "Sactown Sports 1140" and is an affiliate of the Infinity Sports Network. It is owned by Salt Lake City–based Bonneville International, a profit-making subsidiary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The studios and offices are on Commerce Circle in North Sacramento, just north of the American River. PublicFiles.fcc.gov/KHTK
KHTK is powered at 50,000 watts, the maximum for AM radio stations in the United States. Because AM 1140 is a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A stations XEMR-AM in Monterrey, Mexico, and WRVA in Richmond, Virginia, KHTK must broadcast with a directional antenna at all times to avoid interference, using a five-tower array. The transmitter is on Rising Road in Wilton, California. Radio-Locator.com/KHTK
KHTK is the second Sacramento AM station, after KIID, to broadcast using the HD Radio hybrid format. The signal is audible as far north as Redding, as far south as Monterey and into the suburbs of San Francisco. It is also simulcast on the third HD subchannel of sister station
HD Radio Guide for Sacramento
KHTK serves as flagship station for Sacramento Kings basketball (whose team colors are the same as the station’s logos) and UC Davis Aggies football. Also heard are Las Vegas Raiders and San Francisco 49ers football and San Jose Sharks hockey.
Following the establishment of the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), stations were initially issued a series of temporary authorizations starting on May 3, 1927. "List of broadcasting stations issued temporary permits", Radio Service Bulletin, April 30, 1927, pages 6-14. In addition, they were informed that if they wanted to continue operating, they needed to file a formal license application by January 15, 1928, as the first step in determining whether they met the new "public interest, convenience, or necessity" standard. "Extension of Broadcasting Station Licenses", Radio Service Bulletin, December 31, 1927, page 7. On May 25, 1928, the FRC issued General Order 32, which notified 164 stations, including KGDM, that "From an examination of your application for future license it does not find that public interest, convenience, or necessity would be served by granting it." "Appendix F (2): Letter to and list of stations included in General Order No. 32, issued May 25, 1928", Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for the Year Ended June 30, 1928, Together With Supplemental Report for the Period From July 1, 1928 to September 30, 1928, pages 146-149. However, the station successfully convinced the commission that it should remain licensed.
On November 11, 1928, the FRC implemented a major reallocation of station transmitting frequencies, as part of a reorganization resulting from its implementation of General Order 40. KGDM was assigned to 1150 kHz, and restricted to only daytime operation. "Broadcasting Stations", Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission (June 30, 1928), page 173.
The 1941 North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement required the station to move its frequency. KGDM switched to 1140 kHz with 5,000 watts, now authorized to broadcast full-time. In 1957, the station changed call signs to KRAK, increased power to 50,000 watts and flipped to a Top 40 format. The station unsuccessfully competed with KSTN in Stockton, which at that time only ran 1,000 watts. KSTN would continue with Top 40 (later called contemporary hit radio) until 1999 though by the late 1980s had a rhythmic/urban slant to the format.
KRAK continued to broadcast into the 1990s, long after other music stations had switched to the FM band. KRAK-FM would eventually move ahead in the ratings, later becoming KNCI through changes after a purchase by CBS Radio and frequency switching.
KHTK was originally branded as "Sports 1140" before adopting "The Fan" branding in November 2011. On January 1, 2013, KHTK began to identify itself as "CBS Sports 1140". On July 1, 2013, six months after identifying as "CBS Sports 1140", KHTK switched its branding back to "KHTK Sports 1140", then to "Sports 1140 KHTK". One of KHTK's initial sports hosts was Pro Football Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood, who co-hosted with Mike Remy, the station's former program director.
On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with Entercom which locally owned KKDO, KUDL, KSEG, KRXQ, and KIFM. The company formerly owned KDND until it shut the station down and turned in its license to the Federal Communications Commission two days later. CBS Radio to Merge with Entercom On October 10, CBS Radio announced that as part of the process of obtaining regulatory approval of the merger, KHTK would be one of sixteen stations that would be divested by Entercom, along with sister stations KYMX, KZZO, and KNCI; KSFM would be retained by Entercom.
On November 1, Entercom announced that Bonneville International would begin operating KHTK, KYMX, KZZO and KNCI via a local marketing agreement (LMA) when the merger of CBS and Entercom closed on November 17, while their licenses were placed into a divestiture trust pending a sale to a different owner within 180 days. Entercom LMAs Sacramento & San Francisco Stations to Bonneville On August 3, 2018, Bonneville announced it would buy the stations outright in a $141 million deal. The sale was completed on September 21, 2018.
KHTK served as the Sacramento affiliate of Oakland Athletics baseball via the Oakland Athletics Radio Network from 2013 through 2024. Following the temporary move of the Athletics (A's) to West Sacramento as part of their relocation to Las Vegas, on February 14, 2025, the team announced that KSTE would replace KHTK as the team's Sacramento radio outlet.
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