- KAZN 1300, KMRB 1430 and KAHZ 1600 produce Chinese programming in Mandarin and Cantonese, according to their owner.
- Radio Korea broadcasts on AM 1540 (KMPC).
- Many language programs air on AM; an AM radio away from electronics works best.
Los Angeles is home to many Asian-American communities, and its airwaves carry programming in several Asian languages. Much of the city’s Asian-language radio is on the AM band. This guide lists what we could confirm from the broadcasters’ own websites and the FCC’s public files.
Chinese-language radio
Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, founded in 1982, owns several Los Angeles AM stations. On its website it says three of them, KAZN 1300, KAHZ 1600 and KMRB 1430, produce the company’s own programming in Chinese, in both Mandarin and Cantonese, for the Chinese-American population. KAZN’s own site is titled KAZN AM1300 Chinese radio station.
| Frequency | Station | FCC license | What we confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1300 AM | KAZN | Pasadena; Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Licensee | Chinese-language programming |
| 1430 AM | KMRB | San Gabriel; Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Licensee | Chinese-language programming |
| 1600 AM | KAHZ | Owned by the same company | Chinese-language programming |
The company also says its other stations around the country sell airtime to independent producers broadcasting in Spanish, Korean, Russian, Vietnamese and other languages.
Korean-language radio
Radio Korea describes itself, in Korean, as the leading Korean-American broadcaster in North America, on AM 1540. The FCC’s public files list AM 1540 as KMPC, licensed to Los Angeles and held by P&Y Broadcasting Corporation. KYPA on AM 1230, licensed to Los Angeles, is held by Woori Media Group; check its own site for its current programming.
Tip: AM reception is sensitive to electronics. For clear AM, place the radio near a window and away from chargers, LED lights and computers, and turn the radio itself, since most AM antennas are inside the case.
Television
On television, language programming often appears on subchannels, and line-ups change frequently. We could not confirm current Asian-language TV programming from the stations’ own websites. The FCC’s public files show, for example, KXLA on channel 44, licensed to Rancho Palos Verdes, and KSCI on channel 18, licensed to Long Beach. After a channel scan, browse the subchannels on these stations to see what is on now. The full channel list is in Los Angeles TV Channels: Every Free Over-the-Air Station.
Streaming
Many language broadcasters stream online and through apps, which helps if you live outside the AM signal or prefer listening on a phone. Check each broadcaster’s own website for its current streams.
Emergency information
Phone alerts reach everyone in an affected area. USGS’s ShakeAlert earthquake warnings come through Wireless Emergency Alerts, Android and iOS built-in alerts and the MyShake app. Language stations and their websites can help with local details after an alert. See Wildfire and Earthquake Alerts in Los Angeles: ShakeAlert, Red Flag Warnings, TV and Radio.
Finding more
- Scan the AM band slowly in the evening; several language stations sit between 1200 and 1600.
- On TV, scan and browse subchannels; language programs often live there.
- Ask local community organizations, which often know the current schedules.
Keep it current
Language programming, especially on time-brokered stations, changes often. Frequencies are stable, so save stations by frequency. For the whole dial, see Los Angeles Radio Stations by Frequency: FM and AM Dial Guide, and for Spanish-language media, Spanish-Language TV and Radio in Los Angeles.
Setting up a radio for language stations
Because most of these stations are on AM, a simple portable radio with a good AM section often works better than a smart speaker or a car parked in a garage. Put the radio near a window, turn it slowly while listening for the clearest sound, and keep it away from chargers, TVs and LED lamps, which add buzz. If a station is clear in the kitchen and noisy in the living room, the difference is usually nearby electronics, not distance.
In the car, save each language station as a preset by frequency. AM signals can behave differently at night, so a station that is clear in the afternoon may sound different after dark; that is normal for the AM band.
For families and older relatives
Language radio is often a lifeline for older relatives who prefer news in their first language. Write the frequencies on a card by the radio, keep spare batteries nearby, and show them how to find the station again if the dial gets bumped. During emergencies, pair the radio with phone alerts, which arrive automatically on WEA-capable phones in the affected area.
Who holds the licenses
The FCC’s public files show who is legally responsible for each station. KAZN and KMRB are held by Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Licensee, KMPC by P&Y Broadcasting Corporation and KYPA by Woori Media Group. If you want to contact a station about its programming or a reception problem, the licensee listed in the FCC’s public file is the official point of contact.
If you know of a station or program we have missed, its own website or the FCC’s Public Inspection File is the best place to confirm what it broadcasts and who runs it.