KLAX-FM

Last updated
KLAX-FM
KLAX La Raza.png
Broadcast area Greater Los Angeles
Frequency 97.9 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding97.9 La Raza
Programming
Format Regional Mexican
Subchannels HD2: Regional Mexican "La Privada"
Ownership
Owner
KXOL-FM
History
First air date
April 22, 1949 [1]
Former call signs
KNOB (1949–1988)
KSKQ-FM (1988–1992)
Call sign meaning
 LAX, Los Angeles's IATA airport code
or
"La X" (name in the mid-1990s)
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 61638
Class B
ERP 33,000 watts
HAAT 184 meters (604 ft)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website www.lamusica.com/en/stations/klax

KLAX-FM (97.9 MHz) is an American commercial radio station located in East Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area. It is owned by Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS). KLAX-FM airs a regional Mexican music format branded as "La Raza". The station has studios in Los Angeles, and its transmitter is based in Glendale.

Contents

History

KNOB

The station began broadcasting on April 22, 1949, holding the call sign KNOB. [1] [3] It originally broadcast at 103.1 MHz and was licensed to Long Beach, California. [3]

On August 18, 1957, the station switched to an all jazz format, becoming the world's first all-jazz station. [4] [5] It was branded "The Jazz Knob". [6] Its owner was Sleepy Stein, who was able to get permission from the Federal Communications Commission for a power increase by switching the frequency to 97.9 in 1958. [4] [5] It broadcast from a studio at their transmitter site atop Signal Hill, near Long Beach Airport. [3] The building and tower remain to this day, though the station has moved away to Flint Peak near Glendale. The station's original high-power transmitter was a Western Electric 10 kW that had previously been installed at KNX-FM.

In 1966, the station was sold to Jeanette Pennino Banoczi and husband Jack Banoczi, owners of the Pennino Music Company, for $262,850. [7] [8] [3] KNOB's studios were moved to Anaheim, California. [3] Later that year, the station switched to an all-request middle of the road (MOR) format, with ethnic programming on Sundays. [9]

KNOB would later air a beautiful music format. [10] [11] In the early 1980s, the station began airing a syndicated MOR format. [11] In September 1985, it adopted a soft adult contemporary "love songs" format branded "For Lovers Only". [12] [13] [14]

KSKQ-FM

In 1988, KNOB was sold to Spanish Broadcasting System for $15 million and its call sign was changed to KSKQ-FM. [15] [16] [17] [18] The station aired a Spanish-language adult contemporary format. [19] [20]

KLAX-FM

In 1992, under the direction of general manager Alfredo Rodriguez, KSKQ-FM was turned into a Banda music station, KLAX-FM, branded "La Equis". [19] [20] [21] In January 1993, KLAX-FM became the most-listened-to station in the market, the first Spanish-language station in Los Angeles to achieve this. [21]

In 1998, KLAX-FM moved its city of license from Long Beach to East Los Angeles. [22] In 2002, KLAX dropped the contemporary hits and went to a more focused regional format as "La Raza 97.9". In March 2017, KLAX began carrying the morning show hosted by Terry "El Terrible" Cortez, Kristel "La Kristy" Yañez, and Johnny "El Perro" Orta, of WLEY, "La Ley 107.9" in Chicago. [23] The program also airs on KRZZ in San Francisco. [23] Before joining KRZZ in 2014, Cortez and Yañez had been part of Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo's syndicated morning show for 12 years. [23]

Immigration debate

Renán "El Cucuy" Almendárez Coello, the station's morning show host, helped coordinate a demonstration held on the streets of downtown Los Angeles on March 25, 2006. [24] The event drew an estimated 500,000 participants and was a springboard to further similar events held throughout the United States. The protesters marched in opposition to H.R. 4437, a proposal Congressional law that would theoretically make illegal immigration to the U.S. more difficult. Coello received attention in various media following the original protests, including an appearance on Tom Leykis' English-language radio talk show.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLIF</span> Radio station in Maryland, United States

WLIF is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Baltimore, Maryland. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. through licensee Audacy License, LLC and broadcasts an adult contemporary format. Its studios are located on Clarkview Road in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Baltimore, while its broadcast tower is located near Loch Raven Reservoir near Towson. at.

KSCA is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Glendale, California and broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area. KSCA is owned by TelevisaUnivision, and it airs a Regional Mexican radio format. The station has studios and offices on Center Drive in West Los Angeles. KSCA's transmitter is on Mount Wilson.

KMPC is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California. It is owned by P&Y Broadcasting Corporation. Radio Korea is a division of the Radio Korea Media Group. The station airs Korean–language programming, a blend of talk, news, information, and music for the largest Korean–American community in the United States, and the largest Korean community outside Korea. KMPC is one of four radio stations in the greater Los Angeles area that broadcast entirely in Korean. The others are 1190 KGBN Anaheim, 1230 KYPA Los Angeles and 1650 KFOX Torrance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRZZ</span> Regional Mexican radio station in San Francisco

KRZZ is a commercial radio station located in San Francisco, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area. KRZZ airs a regional Mexican music format branded as "La Raza". The station's studios are located in San Jose just north of downtown, and the transmitter is located in the San Bruno Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKLA-FM</span> Radio station in Los Angeles, California

KKLA-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California and serving the Greater Los Angeles area. The station is owned by the Salem Media Group and broadcasts a Christian talk and teaching format. The KKLA-FM studios are located in Glendale and the transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KGNU</span> Radio station in Denver, Colorado

KGNU & KGNU-FM are a pair of community radio stations licensed to Denver and Boulder, Colorado respectively. KGNU is owned by Boulder Community Broadcast Association, Inc.

KWIZ is a commercial radio station licensed to Santa Ana, California, and broadcasting to the Los Angeles-Orange County area. KWIZ airs a Spanish Christian radio format branded as "Vision Latina 96.7 FM". It is currently owned by the Universal Church with studios and offices are on West 5th Street in Santa Ana. The transmitter is off East Glen Albyn Lane in Orange, California.

WKTA is a commercial radio station broadcasting a Russian format weekdays 7am-7pm and a Spanish music format weekdays 7pm-7am and weekends full time. Licensed to Evanston, Illinois, the station serves the Chicago metropolitan area and is owned by Polnet Communications, Ltd.

WYHI is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Park Forest, Illinois, serving the Southland suburbs of Chicago. It is owned and operated by the Bible Broadcasting Network and it carries a Christian talk and teaching radio format. National religious leaders heard on WYHI include Chuck Swindoll, Joni Eareckson Tada, Adrian Rogers and J. Vernon McGee. The station is listener-supported and seeks donations on the air.

KVYB is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Oak View, California, United States, and serves the Oxnard—Ventura, California area. Owned by Cumulus Media, the station airs a contemporary hit radio (CHR) format.

WERV-FM is a commercial radio station, licensed to Aurora, Illinois, and serving the western suburbs of Chicago. It is owned by Alpha Media, through licensee Alpha Media Licensee LLC. WERV-FM has a classic alternative radio format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCKG</span> Radio station in Illinois, United States

WCKG is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Elmhurst, Illinois, and serving the Chicago metropolitan area. It broadcasts a sports radio format and is owned by DuPage Radio, LLC. WCKG is a Fox Sports Radio Network affiliate. It also carries the nationally syndicated Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey and some brokered programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTVL</span> Radio station in Waterville, Maine, United States

WTVL was a commercial AM radio station licensed to serve Waterville, Maine, and serving Kennebec County. The station was owned by Townsquare Media and until December 31, 2022, it broadcast an adult standards radio format, playing softer hits from the 1950s, '60s, '70s, and '80s. The station featured the music of Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Nat King Cole and Dionne Warwick in its playlist.

WCYK-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Staunton, Virginia, and serving Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and Lexington, Virginia. It is owned and operated by Monticello Media and it broadcasts a country music format. The studios and offices are on Hillsdale Drive in Charlottesville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRKS-FM</span> Radio station in Lafayette, Colorado

KRKS-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Lafayette, Colorado, and serving the Denver-Boulder market and the Denver metropolitan area. The station is owned and operated by the Salem Media Group and it airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. Its studios and offices are located on South Vaughn Way in Aurora, and the transmitter is located on Lee Hill, northwest of Boulder. KRKS-FM is co-owned AM 990 KRKS. Together, they are known as "The Word." While both KRKS stations broadcast a Christian Talk/Teaching format, they program each station differently.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KCOD</span> Radio station in Palm Springs, California

KCOD was a radio station licensed to Palm Springs, California, United States. It served the Coachella Valley area. The station was last owned by College of the Desert. Programming was also simulcast on translator station K260DE in Palm Desert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZSR</span> Radio station in Woodstock, Illinois

WZSR is a radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to Woodstock, Illinois, United States, it serves Chicago's northwest suburbs. The station is currently owned by Alpha Media. The station's studios are located behind McHenry County College in Crystal Lake.

WGNR-FM is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Anderson, Indiana, serving part of the Indianapolis metropolitan area. It airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format and is an owned and operated by Moody Radio, based in Chicago. WGNR-FM holds periodic on-air fundraisers to support the station operations.

WMDX is a commercial radio station licensed to Columbus, Wisconsin, and serving the Madison metropolitan area radio market. The station is owned by Sage Weil and Michael Crute, through licensee Civic Media, Inc. Crute is the host of "The Devil's Advocates", a syndicated show for which WMDX serves as the flagship station. Branded as "Mad Radio 92.7", WMDX airs a progressive talk radio format. WMDX carries live locally programmed news and talk programming for most of the day, originating from studios located on State Street in downtown Madison as well the Waukesha studios of sister station WAUK. The station also carries live syndicated programming from Stephanie Miller and Thom Hartmann. WMDX also serves as the flagship station of the Civic Media Network, a statewide news network with affiliates across Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMGM</span> American radio station in Minnesota, US

KMGM is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Montevideo, Minnesota, United States. The station, established in 1982, is owned and operated by the Iowa City Broadcasting Company. KMGM broadcasts a classic rock format to the greater southwestern Minnesota area. This station is unrelated to Los Angeles radio station KMGM launched by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1948.

References

  1. 1 2 1971 Broadcasting Yearbook , Broadcasting, 1971. p. B-21. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KLAX-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 History Cards for KLAX-FM, fcc.gov. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Page, Don (1957-08-18). "Outlook for FM Fans". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  5. 1 2 Los Angeles Times - The Daily Mirror
  6. ↑ Kohlhaase, Bill. "Jazz Party Will Honor Chuck Niles", Los Angeles Times . July 11, 1997. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Changing hands", Broadcasting . January 31, 1966. p. 37. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Ownership changes", Broadcasting . September 21, 1970. p. 74. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  9. ↑ "KNOB-FM Using 'Calling Card'", Billboard . November 12, 1966. p. 32. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  10. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1980 , Broadcasting, 1980. p. C-22. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  11. 1 2 Bornstein, Rollye. "Los Angeles Market Profile", Billboard . August 21, 1982. p. 20. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  12. ↑ McDougal, Dennis. "Radio in the Afternoon", Los Angeles Times . April 6, 1986. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  13. ↑ Freeman, Kim "Vox Jox", Billboard . October 12, 1985. p. 14. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  14. ↑ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1986 , Broadcasting/Cablecasting, 1986. p. B-30. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  15. ↑ "KNOB-FM Turns Latino as KSKQ-FM 98", Los Angeles Times . March 3, 1988. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Changing Hands", Broadcasting . October 26, 1987. p. 104. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  17. ↑ Application Search Details – BALH-19871015HT, fcc.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  18. ↑ Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  19. 1 2 "Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 9, No. 31. August 5, 1992. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  20. 1 2 Simonett, Helena (2011). Banda: Mexican Musical Life Across Borders . Wesleyan University Press. 37. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  21. 1 2 Puig, Claudia. "Latino Radio Surge: A Coming of Age: Ratings: The rise of KLAX-FM to top-dog status in the Arbitron rankings reflects the ascendance of an immigrant population", Los Angeles Times . January 7, 1993. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Construction Permit Activity", The M Street Journal. Vol. 15, No. 3. January 21, 1998. p. 4. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  23. 1 2 3 "SBS Syndicates El Terrible From Chicago To Los Angeles & San Francisco", Radio Insight. March 9, 2017. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  24. ↑ Watanabe, Teresa and Becerra, Hector. "The Immigration Debate." Los Angeles Times Mar 28 2006, page A1.

34°09′50″N118°11′46″W / 34.164°N 118.196°W / 34.164; -118.196

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.