KDB-FM first signed on in 1971 as the sister station to KDB on 1490 AM. It was Santa Barbara's first 24-hour station, broadcasting on both AM and FM. The station pair was bought in 1971 by the Pacific Broadcasting Company, consisting of Bob Scott, Harvey Pool, and Dick Marsh. After programming American show tunes and beautiful music for nine years, KDB-FM changed its format to classical music in 1980. A competing classical music station appeared in Santa Barbara in 1985. Signing on that year was KQSC, a full-power non-commercial station owned by the University of Southern California that served as a repeater of KUSC in Los Angeles. The KDB-AM-FM combo was split in November 1990 due to an ownership dispute. Pacific Broadcasting sold the AM station, then known as KSPE, to Spectacular Broadcasting for $302,000. Meanwhile, KDB-FM remained with Bob Scott, his son Roby, and Pool. In 2001, Michael Towbes, David Anderson, and Jean and Barry Schuyler bought KDB with the goal of selling the station to a nonprofit organization that would keep the classical format and local orientation. This happened in November 2003, when the Santa Barbara Foundation purchased the station through a generous donation from Towbes. In 2010, KDB embarked on a three-year strategic plan to enhance and grow its service to the community with programming that enriched the lives of those who listen. KDB added a Features Producer who created two to three interviews and features per week on the performing, visual and literary arts, as well as the good work of local nonprofit organizations. In 2011, KDB entered the world of social media, adding a monthly e-newsletter and Facebook page. In October 2013, the Santa Barbara Foundation announced that it had put KDB up for sale. In a statement, the station said that it was unable to attract enough revenue from contributing listeners to support KDB's operations, despite an increase in advertising revenue. The foundation hoped to sell the station at a discount to interests that would retain the classical format, citing the "continuing community benefit" of continuing this programming. However, the organization also considered full-price offers from groups that will program a format of their choosing, in which case the proceeds will go toward an endowment to support classical music in the area. In February 2014, public radio stationKCRW of Santa Monica announced that it would buy KDB for $1 million. In June 2014, the sale price was amended to $1.3 million. The transaction will allow KCRW to begin using KQSC as a repeater for KCRW's programming, while transferring KUSC's classical programming from KQSC to KDB, thus perpetuating KDB's role as Santa Barbara's classical station. On August 28, 2014, the sale was finalized and KDB began simulcasting KUSC's classical format.
