KSFN

KSFN (1510 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a Spanish sports radio format. Licensed to Piedmont, California, the station serves the San Francisco Bay Area. The station is currently owned by Alfredo Plascencia's Lazer Broadcasting, through licensee Lazer Licenses, LLC. KSFN's transmitter is in an industrial section of West Oakland, California.[7]

KSFN
CityPiedmont, California
Broadcast areaSan Francisco Bay Area
Frequency1510 kHz
BrandingUnanimo Deportes San Francisco
Programming
Language(s)Spanish
FormatSports
Ownership
OwnerRadio Lazer
(Lazer Licenses, LLC)
History
First air date
1947 (as KTIM)[1]
Former call signs
KTIM (1947[1]-1988)[2]
KCAF (1988[2]-1989)[3]
KTID (1989[3]-1990)[4]
KAPX (1990[4]-1992)[5]
KTID (1992-1994)[6]
KKHI (1994-1995)[6]
KNOB (1995-1997)[6]
KKHI (1997-1998)[6]
KJQI (1998-2000)[6]
KMZT (2000-2001)[6]
KJQI (2001-2002)[6]
KJAZ (3/2002-8/2002)[6]
KTIM (2002-2003)[6]
KMZT (2003-2005)[6]
KPIG (2005-2010)[6]
Technical information
Facility ID40137
ClassB
Power8,000 watts day
2,400 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
37°49′02″N 122°17′10″W
Links
WebcastListen live
Websiteunanimodeportes.com

History

The station was first licensed June 4, 1947 to San Rafael, California, with its transmitter in Kentfield, California, and was owned by Marin Broadcasting Co.[1] The station was originally licensed to broadcast 1,000 watts during daytime hours only.[1] In the station's early years, it aired a full service format, with an hour of jazz weekday afternoons.[8] By 1957, the station aired popular music from the 1930s and 1940s, and an hour of classical music in the morning and afternoon, along with local news and other local programming.[9] The station's transmitter was moved to San Rafael, California in 1960.[1]

In 1961, the station began to be simulcast on 100.9 KTIM-FM.[10] In the mid 1970s, the station switched from a MOR format to an album-oriented rock format.[11][12] The album-oriented rock format continued through the rest of the 1970s[13][11] and into the early 1980s.[14] In 1980, the station was sold to Platt Communications.[1] The station would end its simulcast with KTIM-FM, and in 1982, the station began airing a big band format.[15] In 1983 the station was sold to Arthur Astor.[16]

In 1988, the station's call sign was changed to KCAF,[17] and the station adopted a country music format as "Calf Country".[2] In 1989, the station's call sign was changed to KTID.[3] In 1990, the station's call sign was changed to KAPX,[4] and the station adopted an adult standards format.[18][19] In 1992, the station's call sign was changed to KTID,[5] and the station simulcast the adult contemporary programming of its sister station KTID-FM.[18]

In 1993, the station was bought by Mount Wilson FM Broadcasters Inc.[20] In Spring 1994, KTID (AM) ended its simulcast of adult contemporary KTID-FM and began airing Mt. Wilson FM Broadcasters syndicated adult standards format.[21] On October 12, 1994, the station's call sign was changed to KKHI.[6] As KKHI, it simulcasted the classical programming of KKHI-FM 100.9.[22] In April 1995, the station began broadcasting Big Band Jazz, as KNOB.[22] This occurred after America's last commercial jazz station KJAZ stopped broadcasting in August of the previous year.[22] On February 16, 1997, the station's call sign was changed to KKHI,[6] and the station again simulcast the classical music programming of KKHI-FM.[23]

On December 5, 1998, the station's call sign was changed to KJQI,[6] and the station began airing an adult standards format as "the Joy of San Francisco".[23][24] On February 28, 2000, the station's call sign was changed to KMZT,[6] and the station aired a classical music format as K-Mozart.[24][25] On March 19, 2001, the station's call sign was changed to KJQI,[6] and the station aired a Christian format as "K-Joy".[26] On March 25, 2002, the station's call sign was changed to KJAZ, and on August 15, 2002, the station's call sign was changed to KTIM.[6] As KTIM the station aired a country music format.[27][28] On June 28, 2003, the station's call sign was changed to KMZT,[6] and the station again aired a classical music format as K-Mozart.[29][30]

In 2003, Mt. Wilson Broadcasters moved the transmitter from Marin to Oakland so as to improve its signal into San Francisco. The station is unique in that its entire directional antenna array is located on the rooftop of a large warehouse.[31][32] By 2005, the station was airing an oldies format.[33][34]

In 2005, Mapleton Communications purchased the station for $5.1 million, and began simulcasting the programming of KPIG-FM Santa Cruz on the station on July 1, 2005.[33] KPIG-FM carried a progressive rock and alternative country format. AM 1510's call sign was changed to KPIG on August 4, 2005.[6]

To help KPIG, Mapleton purchased co-channel KGA Spokane, a 50,000 watt Class A station. In 2008, Mapleton reduced the nighttime power of KGA to afford KSFN more power at night to better cover the Bay Area.[35] KGA kept its 50,000 watt daytime signal but drops to 15,000 watts at night.

On August 25, 2010, AM 1510's call sign was changed to KSFN.[6] The station adopted a Chinese language format, targeting the Bay Area Chinese and Taiwanese communities. In 2019, Mapleton agreed to sell KSFN to Lazer Broadcasting. In anticipation of the sale, it switched KSFM to a Regional Mexican music format. Lazer specializes in Spanish-language formats. The sale to Lazer Broadcasting, at a price of $200,000, was consummated on December 31, 2019. It marked the exit of Mapleton from the radio business, as it was the final sale from their portfolio of stations.

On February 3, 2020, KSFN changed their format from regional Mexican to Spanish sports, with programming from Unanimo Deportes Radio.[36]

References
  1. History Cards for KSFN, fcc.gov. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  2. Ross, Sean; Olson, Yvonne. "Vox Jox", Billboard, August 20, 1988. p. 11. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  3. "Call Letters", Broadcasting, May 29, 1989. p. 66. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  4. "Call Letters", Broadcasting, December 10, 1990. p. 122. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  5. "Call Letters", Broadcasting, December 7, 1992. p. 62. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  6. Call Sign History, fcc.gov. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  7. Radio-Locator.com/KSFN
  8. "KTIM", Independent Journal, May 13, 1950. p. M13.
  9. "KTIM Celebrates Its 10th Birthday", Independent Journal, April 20, 1957. pp. M 8-9.
  10. History Cards for KVVZ, fcc.gov. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  11. "It's Rock Around the Clock for KTIM", Independent Journal, March 4, 1977. p. 22.
  12. McDonough, Jack. "LP-Oriented KTIM Scores ARB Upset", Billboard, February 11, 1978. p. 22. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  13. Hamilton, Bob. "San Francisco-Oakland, CA", Radio Quarterly Report '76, Jan. 1-June 30, 1976. p. 391. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  14. "National Radio Station Listings", Fred Directory of Radio, 1980. p. 58. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  15. "Format Turntable", Billboard, August 21, 1982. pp. 24 & 30. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  16. "Changing Hands 1983", Broadcasting, January 9, 1984. p. 90. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  17. "Call Letters", Broadcasting, August 1, 1988. p. 72. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  18. "Format Changes", The M Street Journal. Vol. 9, No. 46. November 18, 1992. p. 1. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  19. Duncan, James H., Jr. (1993) Duncan's Radio Group Directory, 1993-1994 Edition, p. 38. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  20. "Financial Briefs", Variety, November 28, 1993. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  21. Stark, Phyllis (January 15, 1994). "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 106 no. 3. p. 64.
  22. Hamlin, Jesse. "Jazz Is Bustin' Out All Over / KJAZ goes cable, other stations fill airwaves", San Francisco Chronicle, April 11, 1995. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  23. Kosman, Joshua. "KKHI to End Classical Format / Switch blamed on $3 million in losses", San Francisco Chronicle, November 26, 1998. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  24. "Format Changes & Updates", The M Street Journal. Vol. 17, No. 10. March 8, 2000. p. 1. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  25. Kosman, Joshua. "Upstart Takes On KDFC / New KMZT to carry live Met broadcasts", San Francisco Chronicle, March 1, 2000. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  26. Kosman, Joshua. "KMZT Switches From Classical to Christian / Station reverts to call letters KJQI", San Francisco Chronicle, March 29, 2001. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  27. Devine, Cathy (2003-2004). The M Street Radio Directory, 12th Edition. p. 101. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  28. "The Bay Area's New Home for Country Music", KTIM. Internet Archive. Archived May 24, 2003. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  29. Devine, Cathy (2004-2005). The M Street Radio Directory, Thirteenth Edition. p. 94. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  30. K-Mozart 1510 - A New Sound in San Francisco, kmozart.com. Internet Archive. Archived April 6, 2004. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  31. Fybush, Scott. "KTNQ/KTLK, City of Industry, CA", fybush.com. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  32. Transmitter Site Plat Radio Station KTIM, fcc.gov. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  33. Fong-Torres, Ben. "Radio Waves", San Francisco Chronicle, May 1, 2005. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  34. Devine, Cathy (2005-2006). The M Street Radio Directory. p. 92. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  35. https://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?633890-KGA-1510
  36. Unanimo Deportes Debuts in San Francisco Radioinsight - February 4, 2020
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