Tavis Smiley Celebrates One Year Anniversary of KBLA Talk 1580 Cited as "Most Trusted, Credible, and Reliable"

Media personality and philanthropist Tavis Smiley has a lot to smile about after an independent survey recently found that KBLA Talk 1580 is the "most trusted, credible and reliable source of information" for African Americans in Los Angeles. In a fiercely competitive radio market, the findings are a big win for Smiley, who launched the city's first and only "Unapologetically Progressive" talk radio station for the African American listening audience just one year ago on Juneteenth 2021.


KBLA Talk 1580 serves an audience long ignored by talk radio in LA – namely, people of color and progressives. Interestingly, KBLA 1580 AM is a heritage station and the original home of the iconic Hip-Hop station KDAY.

EVITARUS shared its findings from a survey of 400 Black/African Americans in the Los Angeles media market (June 4-12, 2022) revealing their habits and attitudes toward the media landscape and trusted sources of news and information. The independent survey found that KBLA Talk 1580 fills a void in providing relevant programming and content to the Black community. Furthermore, in comparison to other talk stations in LA, Smiley's KBLA consistently emerged as "the station of choice" for the African American listener. EVITARUS is a widely-respected public opinion research and public policy consulting firm based in LA.  Visit EVITARUS.com.

Interestingly, the survey also found that KBLA Talk 1580's listening audience is not only concerned about the lack of Black-owned talk radio stations nationwide - there are only 5 - but also, the "ideological imbalance of talk radio" – i.e. political and news-oriented coverage that leans conservative.

KBLA Talk 1580 is steadily increasing its market share by offering fresh, diverse voices on the air in contrast to the "all day, all night, all white" right-wing rhetoric found on most talk stations around the country. More importantly, in the male-dominated talk radio space, KBLA Talk 1580 has given a home to more than 17 female radio hosts who amplify their voices on a variety of topics, ranging from headline news, entertainment news and pop culture to relationship and financial advice.

"I am humbled by the response we have received from our target audience in this first year of operation. One never knows how the audience is going to receive a new concept, but I believed then as I do now that Black folk and progressives deserve better from talk radio. The amazing findings of this independent survey confirm our efforts and empower us to stay on the wall and keep building," said Smiley.   

KBLA Talk 1580 is helmed by Smiley of Smiley Audio Media, Inc. Elston Howard Butler runs the day-to-day operations as president and general manager of the station as well as president and COO of the holding company, Smiley Audio Media, Inc. Visit KBLA1580.com.