Broadcast area | Bakersfield, California |
---|---|
Frequency | 103.9 MHz |
Branding | Fire 103.9 |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Format | Urban contemporary |
Ownership | |
Owner |
|
KMYX-FM | |
History | |
First air date | 1986 (as KTLM) |
Former call signs | KTLM (1985–1990) KMYX-FM (1990–2000) [1] |
Call sign meaning | "Bakersfield's Dance Station" (former format) |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 456 |
Class | A |
ERP | 6,000 watts |
HAAT | 100 meters (330 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 35°07′04″N119°27′33″W / 35.11778°N 119.45917°W |
Links | |
Website | fire1039.com |
KBDS (103.9 FM) is a radio station licensed to serve Taft, California, United States. It is owned by Farmworker Educational Radio (through licensee Chavez Radio Group), which itself is owned by the Cesar Chavez Foundation. Studios are located in southwest Bakersfield, and its transmitter is located in Taft.
KBDS currently airs an urban contemporary format.
This station was granted its original construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission on January 18, 1985. [2] The new station was assigned the call letters KTLM by the FCC on December 3, 1985. [1] During that time, the station featured a "Big Band" format, playing Swing Era music from the 1930s and 1940s. In March 1988, Louise E. Mann's Mann Broadcasting Company reached an agreement to transfer the permit for this station to The Great Southwest Broadcasting Company. The deal was approved by the FCC on April 27, 1988, and the transaction was consummated on September 13, 1988. [3]
KTLM received its license to cover from the FCC on August 22, 1989. [4] However, in July 1989 Bakersfield Radio Partners L.P. reached an agreement to acquire this station's permit and license. The deal was approved by the FCC on November 1, 1989, and the transaction was consummated on December 19, 1989. [5] The new owners had the FCC change the station's callsign to KMYX-FM on January 8, 1990. [1] By that point, the station was broadcasting a "soft rock" format featuring adult contemporary hits of the 1970s and 1980s.
In July 1993, Bakersfield Radio Partners reached an agreement to sell this station to Adelman Communications, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on September 2, 1993, and the transaction was consummated on October 1, 1993. [6] The format switched once again to country, with the moniker "Thunder Country".
In June 1994, Adelman Communications, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Radio Campesina Bakersfield, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on July 13, 1994, and the transaction was consummated on August 4, 1994. [7] The station was assigned the KBDS call letters by the FCC on March 2, 2000. [1] Radio Campesina Bakersfield would later be acquired by Farmworker Educational Radio.
Prior to its flip to rhythmic top 40 in November 2004, KBDS' previous format was Regional Mexican. During its four-year run "Play 103.9" did well, despite competition from rhythmic rival KISV ("Hot 94.1"), who they decided to take on after KKXX-FM flipped formats three months earlier in August 2004. Indeed, when KBDS went silent in November 2008, they were experiencing their highest 12+ Arbitron ratings to date. [8]
On February 5, 2016, KBDS returned to the air with a rhythmic contemporary format, branded as "103.9 The Beat". [9] During the time it was on and off the air, it had simulcasted sister station KMYX-FM in order to keep the license active. [10]
Out of all the stations owned by Farmworker Educational, KBDS is one of only two stations not airing its Regional Mexican network, the other one is KBHH in nearby Fresno. KBHH is branded as "Forge", which in turn would be introduced in Bakersfield on January 16, 2020, when KBDS rebranded as "Forge 103.9". With the rebranding, the station also shifted to a Latin-leaning CHR format. [11] Forge is the secondary network offered by Farmworker Educational Radio.
On June 28, 2022, The Baka Boyz was added to the station for afternoons. [12]
In April 2024, KBDS changed their format from rhythmic top 40 to urban contemporary, branded as "Fire 103.9". [13]
As a CHR station, KBDS competed heavily with mainstream outlets KLLY and KKXX-FM. It also received competition from rhythmic rival KQKZ until September 2020, when that station shifted to classic hits.
On June 21, 2005, KBDS was sued by contest winner Shannon Castillo, claiming she was misled by the station's promotions to believe she had won a new Hummer H2. [14] In fact, she and another winner were each presented with a remote-control toy model of an H2. [15] The lawsuit seeking $60,000, the approximate cost of a real Hummer H2, further claims that KBDS ran a week's worth of promos mocking her as a victim of the station's April Fool's Day joke (even though the contest itself was a week long and started in March). [15]
On November 14, 2008, citing poor advertising sales and the state of the economy, KBDS let go its entire programming staff and went off the air. [16] The station formally applied to remain off the air for up to 180 days due to being "unable to operate profitably in the current economic climate". [17] The FCC accepted the filing on December 11, 2008, but dismissed the request on November 16, 2009. [18] The station had briefly resumed broadcasting in November 2009 to avoid the FCC rules that allows for automatic forfeiture of a broadcast license when a station is silent for more than one year. However, they fell silent again on November 17, 2009, and applied for new authority to remain silent, again citing financial reasons, on December 31, 2009. [19] The FCC granted this authority on March 10, 2010, with a scheduled expiration of September 7, 2010. [19]
KJYR is a non-profit FM radio station licensed to Newport, Washington, and serving the Spokane metropolitan area. The station is owned by the Growing Christian Foundation, and broadcasts a Christian adult contemporary radio format.
KLOZ is a radio station licensed to serve Eldon, Missouri, United States. The station is owned by Benne Media and the license is held by Benne Broadcasting Company, LLC.
WXFX is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Prattville, Alabama. The station, established in 1977 as WQIM, is currently owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. The WXFX studios are located on the 3rd floor of The Colonial Financial Center in downtown Montgomery, and the transmitter tower is in Montgomery's northeast side.
KRIO-FM is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to serve Roma, Texas, United States. The station, established in 1983, is currently owned by Rio Grande Bible Institute, Inc.
WAVH is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Daphne, Alabama, and serving the Mobile metropolitan area. The station airs a talk radio format and is owned by Bigler Broadcasting, LLC. The studios and offices are located at 900 Western America Circle Suite #106 Interstate 65/Airport Boulevard interchange in Mobile.
WKSJ-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Mobile, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by San Antonio–based iHeartMedia and the broadcast license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC. Its studios are located inside the building of unrelated television station WKRG-TV on Broadcast Drive in Mobile, and the transmitter is near Robertsdale, Alabama.
WDBT is an FM radio station licensed to serve Fort Novosel, Alabama, United States, part of the Dothan market. In addition, the station's digital FM signal transmits an adjacent channel, 103.9 HD2, which is also broadcast in analog on a translator signal on 107.7 FM as "Music 107.7". WDBT-FM began broadcasting in 1974, and is currently owned by Clay Holladay and the broadcast license held by Gulf South Communications, Inc.
WDLT-FM is an American radio station licensed to the community of Saraland, Alabama. The station, founded in 1966, broadcasts to the greater Mobile metropolitan area. The station is owned and operated by Cumulus Media. The WDLT broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC.
WLAY-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Littleville, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Mike Self and Parker Griffith, through licensee Singing River Media Group, LLC
KARO is a radio station licensed to serve Nyssa, Oregon, United States. The station is owned by the Educational Media Foundation.
KHEX is an American commercial radio station broadcasting a classic country format, licensed to serve the community of Concow, California. The signal serves over a quarter of a million listeners in the Sacramento Valley.
WCOC was a radio station licensed to the community of Dora, Alabama, United States, and serving the greater Birmingham, Alabama, area. The station is owned by Azteca Communications of Alabama, Inc. It aired a Regional Mexican music format but as of August 2011 shut down operations due to "financial difficulties".
WMJB is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. Licensed to Valley, Alabama, United States, the station serves the Columbus, Georgia, area. The station is currently owned by Augusta Radio Fellowship Institute, Inc and carries their GNN Radio programming. Its transmitter is located south of Valley.
WKLV-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Butler, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation.
KBHH is a radio station licensed to Kerman, California, originally going on the air in 2001. The station's broadcast license is held by the Chavez Radio Group. It airs an English radio format of Rhythmic Top 40 music, serving Fresno County.
WKXM was an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Winfield, Alabama. The station, established in 1965, was last owned by Ad-Media Management Corp. The station fell permanently silent on August 2, 2012.
WJNZ is a daytime-only American radio station licensed to serve the community of Robertsdale, Alabama. The station, launched in 1985, is owned and operated by Noah Britt, through licensee Tri City Radio, LLC.
WTID was a radio station licensed to serve Thomaston, Alabama. The station was owned by Great South Wireless LLC. The CEO of Great South Wireless LLC, a family owned commercial broadcast group, is Joan Reynolds.
WHQX is a radio station licensed to serve Gary, West Virginia, United States. The station is owned and operated by Charles Spencer and Rick Lambert, through licensee First Media Services, LLC.
KRYL is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Haiku, Hawaii, United States. The station, established in 2008, is currently owned by HHawaii Media and the broadcast license is held by Hochman Hawaii Five, Inc. Mostly off the air during the first 18 months after it debuted, the station began regular broadcast operations as a smooth jazz station in August 2009 before switching to country in March 2010.