KXSN

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KXSN
San Diego, California
  • United States
    • Broadcast areaSan Diego Metropolitan Area
    Frequency98.1 MHz (HD Radio)
    BrandingSunny 98.1
    Programming
    Language(s)English
    FormatClassic hits
    Subchannels
    Ownership
    Owner
    History
    First air date
    		February 4, 1960 (1960-02-04)
    Former call signs
    • KJLM (1960–67)
    • KDIG (1967–78)
    • KIFM (1978–2016)
    Call sign meaning
    		"Sunny"
    Technical information[1]
    Licensing authority
    		FCC
    Facility ID34589
    ClassB
    ERP26,500 watts
    HAAT209 meters (686 ft)
    Transmitter coordinates
    		32°50′17″N 117°15′00″W / 32.838°N 117.250°W / 32.838; -117.250
    Links
    Public license information
    Webcast
    Websitewww.audacy.com/sunny981sd

    KXSN (98.1

    San Diego, California, branded as Sunny 98.1. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station airs a classic hits radio format. The studios and offices are located in San Diego's Stonecrest area, off Granite Ridge Drive, across the street from rival station KMYI. The transmitter is off La Jolla Scenic Drive South in La Jolla, amid towers for several other San Diego FM and TV stations.[2]

    KXSN broadcasts in the

    LGBTQ-oriented talk and EDM dance music
    .

    History

    Middle of the road (1960-1974)

    The station first

    signed on the air on February 4, 1960, as KJLM.[3] It was owned by E. Edward Jacobson and it operated at only 4,500 watts, a fraction of its current power. The station aired what it described as a "good music" format, a mix of middle of the road (MOR) and easy listening
    music.

    In 1968, Jacobson changed the station's call sign to KDIG but remained as owner and president, and continued the MOR format.

    The station changed hands in 1971, getting sold to West Coast Media.[4]

    Soft rock (1974-1987)

    In 1974, the call letters were switched to KIFM and the format moved to what West Coast described as "mellow music", a mix of

    soft adult contemporary. In the 1980s, KIFM experimented with a contemporary jazz
    program at night, called "Lights Out San Diego".

    Smooth jazz (1987-2011)

    In September 1987, as Lights Out San Diego gained in popularity, KIFM went with smooth jazz around the clock as "Smooth Jazz 98.1".[5]

    In 1996, KIFM was bought by Jefferson-Pilot Broadcasting for $28.75 million.

    Lincoln Financial Group
    . The media division became Lincoln Financial Media.

    During smooth jazz's popularity, KIFM was one of the top rated stations in San Diego and was the 2005 winner of the

    Marconi Award
    .

    Rhythmic adult contemporary (2011-2013)

    In the Summer of 2011, as the smooth jazz format began to age, KIFM shifted its format to smooth

    Madonna and Anita Baker
    , with only an occasional Smooth Jazz instrumental, and rebranded as "98.1 Smooth FM".

    By the fall of that year, the station shifted to

    R&B hits and classic soul tracks. When the HD Radio
    transmitter went on air, the original smooth jazz format moved to KIFM's HD2 subchannel.

    Soft adult contemporary (2013-2016)

    Without warning on August 19, 2013, at 10 a.m., KIFM flipped to

    Hot AC
    format to attract younger listeners.

    On December 8, 2014,

    Lincoln Financial Group's entire 15-station lineupwhich included KIFM, in a deal worth $106.5 million. As part of the agreement, Entercom would operate the stations under a Local Marketing Agreement (LMA) until the sale received approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).[8]
    The FCC approved the merger on July 14, 2015, and the sale was officially completed on July 17, allowing Entercom to assume ownership of the stations.

    Adult contemporary (2016-2017)

    On April 21, 2016, at 5 p.m., after playing "

    KCTC
    . Despite the call letter switch, the KXSN HD2 subchannel is referred to as "Smooth Jazz KIFM" as a tribute to the classic Smooth Jazz station.

    Classic hits (2017-present)

    On July 24, 2017, KXSN switched to

    share in the June 2017 Nielsen Audio ratings. The change came because of the merger between station owner Entercom and CBS Radio, then-owner of soon-to-be sister station KYXY, as it would eliminate playlist overlap between the two stations.[10] Entercom completed the acquisition of KYXY on November 17.[11][12]
    In January 2018, KXSN's studios relocated from Mission Valley to Murphy Canyon.

    In November 2018, KXSN-HD3 began carrying the LGBTQ-targeted "Channel Q" network featuring a talk/dance music format originating from sister station KQPS in Palm Springs.

    In September 2020, Entercom began restructuring radio formats and regionalizing its programming offerings.[13] As part of this plan, on January 20, 2021, KXSN began voice-tracking talent from KRTH in Los Angeles. Greg Simms hosts the station's morning show, while KRTH midday personality Lara Scott and evening host Larry Morgan will assume those same time slots on KXSN. Simms has previously worked in the San Diego market on KFMB-FM in the 1990s and 2000s.[14]

    References

    1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KXSN". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
    2. ^ Radio-Locator.com/KXSN
    3. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1961-1962 page B-23
    4. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1979 page C-27
    5. Radio and Records
      issue number 703. September 11, 1987. p. 1. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
    6. ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 page D-103
    7. ^ Venta, Lance (August 19, 2013). "KIFM San Diego Goes Easy". RadioInsight. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
    8. ^ Venta, Lance (December 22, 2014). "Entercom Acquires Lincoln Financial Media". RadioInsight. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
    9. ^ Venta, Lance (April 21, 2016). "Sun Sets For San Diego's Easy 98.1". RadioInsight. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
    10. ^ Venta, Lance (July 31, 2017). "Sunny 98.1 San Diego Shifts to Classic Hits". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks.
    11. ^ "Entercom Receives FCC Approval for Merger with CBS Radio". November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
    12. ^ Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017). "Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
    13. ^ Venta, Lance. "Entercom Makes Cuts At Alternative & Country Stations In Move Towards Regionalizing Operations". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
    14. ^ Venta, Lance (January 20, 2021). "Sunny 98.1 San Diego Revamps Lineup With Trio Of KRTH Hosts; Rob & Joss Move Back To KYXY". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved January 21, 2021.

    External links

    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=KXSN&oldid=1211561150"
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