History
This station was granted its original construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission on January 18, 1985. [3] 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. [4]
KTLM received its license to cover from the FCC on August 22, 1989. [5] 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. [6] 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. [7] 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. [8] 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. [9]
On February 5, 2016, KBDS returned to the air with a rhythmic contemporary format, branded as "103.9 The Beat". [10] During the time it was on and off the air, it had simulcasted sister station KMYX-FM in order to keep the license active. [11]
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. [12] Forge is the secondary network offered by Farmworker Educational Radio.
On June 28, 2022, The Baka Boyz was added to the station for afternoons. [13]
In April 2024, KBDS changed their format from rhythmic top 40 to urban contemporary, branded as "Fire 103.9". [14]
