KYA Radio originated as KYA in 1926, and is noted as having had the most owners of any radio station in the history of California, USA radio. Many owners had the station for less than a year in its early days, but even at its height, a three-year ownership was typical before changing hands once again. KYA 1260 was owned by everyone from Hearst Corporation to AVCO Broadcasting of California, a subsidiary of the jet and aerospace contractor.

Having moved to various locations around the radio dial during the chaotic early days of broadcasting, KYA was assigned permanently to 1260 kilocycles (now kiloHertz) by the Federal Communications Commission in 1941.

KYA was always tuned into the local community. In the mid-1950s, KYA made its mark as a rock and roll station. KYA was, in fact, the leading Top 40 music radio station in the Bay Area, until cross-town KFRC (with a superior signal) switched to top 40 music in 1966. From time to time, up through 1970, KYA would again beat KFRC in the Arbitron ratings, but KYA's dominance was truly over after the late-70's When King Broadcasting took over on November 1, 1977 and changed format to A/C. Ironically, former KYA morning man and legendary radio programmer Bill Drake went on to consult KFRC to its ratings success; in fact, it was at KYA that Drake first made his mark as program director. KYA was also instrumental in the careers of future sportscaster Johnny Holliday, audio and electronics store pitchman Tom Campbell, Hall of Fame disc jockey and underground radio pioneer Tom Donahue (a/k/a "Big Daddy"), and Tommy Saunders, who retired from KYA's descendant, KOIT, in 2006.

KYA, which became KOIT-AM on December 13, 1983 at Midnight, under the ownership of Bonneville International Corp., still transmits from the station's classic Julia Morgan-designed transmitter building on Candlestick Point, with studios at 2nd and Howard in San Francisco. Julia Morgan was on retainer for Hearst, and the building has the trademark Hearst eagle above the front door.

In 2007, KOIT-AM, the former 1260/KYA, became KSFB, a Catholic-oriented station owned by Immaculate Heart Radio. Ironically, KYA's chief Top 40 rival in the 1960s and 1970s, KFRC (610 AM), is now the Christian-oriented KEAR. In 2005 VJ Chris Edwards White took KYA online with KYAradio1.com . He has a copywrited station that many like as it brings back KYA (online at www.kyaradio1.com). Gary Mora has brought back a version as well, online at www.kyaradio.com. Original sounders from the station can be heard.