KBHH

Last updated
KBHH
Forge 95.3 KBHH.png
Broadcast area Fresno, California
Frequency 95.3 MHz
BrandingForge 95.3 FM
Programming
Language(s) English/Spanish
Format Rhythmic contemporary
Ownership
OwnerChavez Radio Group
KUFW
History
First air date
2001
Technical information
Facility ID 82085
Class A
ERP 6,000 watts
HAAT 100 meters (330 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
36°21′21″N120°27′41″W / 36.35583°N 120.46139°W / 36.35583; -120.46139
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website forge953.com

KBHH (95.3 FM, Forge 95.3 FM) 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.

Contents

The station has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 6,000 watts, broadcasting from a tower at 100 meters (328 feet) in height above average terrain (HAAT). The tower is southwest of Fresno, in Cantua Creek, California. [1]

History

Launch (1996–2007)

In May 1996, Farmworker Educational Radio Network, Inc., was among the applicants to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a construction permit for a new radio station in Kernan. After a settlement among the applicants was reached in January 1998, the FCC granted the permit on April 16, 1998, with a scheduled expiration date of April 16, 2001. [2] The new station was assigned call sign "KBHH" on July 17, 1998. [3] After construction and testing were completed in April 2001, the station was granted its broadcast license on June 18, 2001. [4]

Periods of silence (2008–2014)

On November 14, 2008, the station's signal went dark in response to the late-2000s recession. On December 4, 2008, the station applied to the FCC for special temporary authority to remain silent, asserting that it was "unable to operate profitably in the current economic climate". [5] The station reported that it resumed broadcasting on November 12, 2009. This is just one day short of the one year of continuous silence that would have left the station's broadcast license subject to automatic forfeiture and cancellation. [6]

Four days later, on November 16, 2009, KBHH again fell silent. Citing the same conditions in its December 7, 2009, request to remain off the air, the station was granted authorization to remain silent on March 10, 2010, with a scheduled expiration date of September 7, 2010. [7] The station reported to the FCC it resumed operations "at licensed parameters" on November 10, 2010, again just two days before the one-year maximum. Two days later, on November 12, 2010, the station once again went off the air. Again citing the inability to operate profitably in a December 2, 2010, FCC filing, the station was granted authority to remain silent on September 29, 2011, with a firm expiration date of November 12, 2011. [8]

Moving the transmitter

In March 2011, with the station still off the air, KBHH management applied to the FCC to relocate its broadcast transmitter southwest of Fresno to the top of a hill near Cantua Creek. This move would improve signal coverage in the Fresno area without increasing power output. To accommodate the move, KBHH also asked the FCC to relocate under-construction KAAX in Avenal, California, from its originally permitted 95.1 MHz to 106.9 MHz to prevent interference due to short-spacing of the two tower sites. The FCC approved the plan and issued a new construction permit to make these changes on October 17, 2011, with a scheduled expiration of October 17, 2014. [9]

Regional Mexican era (2014–2018)

Michael Nowakowski, the vice-president of the Communications Fund of the Cesar Chavez Foundation led the coalition to re-launch KBHH in the Central Valley. Alongside Bill Barquin, chief operation officer, both helped relaunch the station in October 2014, branded as "La Campesina 95.3 FM" as part of the Radio Campesina Network. ("Campesina" is a Spanish word meaning "peasant" or "farmworker".) Anthony Chavez, president of Farmworker Educational Radio Network, Inc., is the youngest son of American farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist César Chávez. [10] KBHH is one of about a dozen Radio Campesina stations in California, Arizona, Nevada and Washington serving farmworkers.

CHR era (2019–present)

On June 9, 2019, KBHH flipped to CHR, branded as "Forge 95.3". The programs are presented in English, and the playlist features current-based pop music in English and Spanish. The station has opened a request line, where listeners can make music suggestions. KBHH has already begun introducing personalities under the new format. [11] The format change was due to Farmworker Educational acquiring KVPW from the EMF two months later, with the "La Campesina" affiliation moving there after that sale's closure. This makes KBHH the second station under Farmworker Educational's portfolio to air a format other than Regional Mexican, the other being KBDS in the San Joaquin Valley.

Competition

KBHH competes with two other CHR stations in the Fresno area, which include Rhythmic outlets KBOS-FM and KSEQ.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KWMZ-FM</span> Radio station in Empire, Louisiana

KWMZ-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Empire, Louisiana. The station is owned by Michael A. Costello through licensee M.A.C. Broadcasting, LLC.

KBDS is a radio station licensed to serve Taft, California, United States. It is owned by Farmworker Educational Radio, which itself is owned by the Cesar Chavez Foundation. Studios are located in southwest Bakersfield, and its transmitter is located in Taft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNRQ</span> Radio station in Harrisburg–Eugene, Oregon

KNRQ is a commercial radio station, licensed to Harrisburg, Oregon, and serving the Eugene–Springfield radio market. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs an alternative rock radio format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KSEA (FM)</span> Radio station in Greenfield, California

KSEA is an American FM radio station licensed to serve the community of Greenfield, California, since 1998. The station's broadcast license is held by Chavez Radio Group.

KLXY is an American non-commercial educational radio station licensed to serve the community of Woodlake in Tulare County, California. The station is owned and operated by the Educational Media Foundation, and is an affiliate of the Christian contemporary network K-Love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KHEX</span> Radio station in Concow, California

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".

WKLV-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Butler, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation.

KRCW is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Royal City, Washington, since 1999. The station is owned by Bustos Media, through licensee Bustos Media Holdings, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTID (Thomaston, Alabama)</span> Radio station in Thomaston, Alabama

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.

KADQ-FM is a radio station licensed to Evanston, Wyoming, United States. The station is currently owned by Frandsen Media Company, LLC and carries a classic rock format. The station broadcasts from a tower on Medicine Butte, northeast of Evanston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KPKR</span> Radio station in Parker, Arizona

KPKR is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Parker, Arizona. The station, established in 2008, is currently owned by River Rat Radio, LLC. It broadcasts a variety hits music format to the greater Lake Havasu City, Arizona, area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMUZ</span> Community radio station in Turner–Salem, Oregon

KMUZ is an American non-commercial educational radio station licensed to serve the community of Turner, Oregon. The station's broadcast license is held by the Willamette Information, News, and Entertainment Service.

KPBD is a defunct American non-commercial educational radio station that was licensed to serve the community of Big Spring, the county seat of Howard County, Texas. The station's broadcast license was held by Paulino Bernal Evangelism. The station began broadcasting in June 2005 and went dark in May 2009 which led to the cancellation of the station's broadcast license in June 2011.

KTRU is an American non-commercial educational radio station licensed to serve the community of La Harpe, Kansas. Established in 2011, this station's broadcast license is held by the St. Macrina Media and Education Society.

KRFD is an American radio station licensed to serve Fleming, Colorado, United States. The station is owned by Alexander and Christine Creighton, through licensee Northeast Colorado Broadcasting, LLC.

KWTR was an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Big Lake, Texas, United States. Established in 2001, the station's broadcast license was held throughout its 10-year existence by Woodrow Michael Warren. Before going dark for the final time, KWTR broadcast a country music format.

WJPJ is a Spanish radio station licensed to serve Humboldt, Tennessee. The station's broadcast license is held by Palmer Johnson, Inc.

KMAE was an American commercial radio station licensed in 2010 to serve the community of Bruni, Texas. The station's broadcast license was held by accordion player and Christian evangelist Paulino D. Bernal Sr. of McAllen, Texas.

WEER is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Montauk, New York, since 2006. Owned by The WNET Group, it simulcasts WLIW-FM to Montauk and East Hampton, New York.

References

  1. Radio-Locator.com/KBHH
  2. "Application Search Details (BPH-19960520MT)". FCC Media Bureau. April 16, 1998. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  3. "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access Database. FCC Media Bureau. July 17, 1998. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  4. "Application Search Details (BLH-20010413AAO)". FCC Media Bureau. June 18, 2001. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  5. "Application Search Details (BLSTA-20081210ADZ)". FCC Media Bureau. November 16, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  6. "Silent AM and FM Broadcast Station Lists". The FCC Encyclopedia. Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  7. "Application Search Details (BLSTA-20091231ACC)". FCC Media Bureau. March 10, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  8. "Application Search Details (BLSTA-20110106AAD)". FCC Media Bureau. September 29, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  9. "Application Search Details (BPH-20110302ACB)". FCC Media Bureau. October 17, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  10. "Historia" (in Spanish). La Campesina 92.5. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  11. InsideRadio.com "Danny Morrison" June 11, 2019