KOND

Radio station in Hanford, California
36°38′12″N 118°56′34″W / 36.63667°N 118.94278°W / 36.63667; -118.94278LinksWebcastListen live (via iHeartRadio)

KOND (107.5 FM, "La Jefa 107.5") is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Hanford, California, United States and serves the Fresno area. The station is owned by Latino Media Network;[1] under a local marketing agreement, it was programmed by former owner TelevisaUnivision's Uforia Audio Network until 2024. KOND broadcasts a Regional Mexican format.

History

Early years

The station at 107.5 FM first signed on in September 1976 as KKYS. It was owned by Kings Broadcasters and broadcast a middle of the road music format.[2] In October 1983, Kings sold KKYS and its AM sister station KNGS to Sunrise Communications for $1.75 million.[3] The new owner changed the FM station's call sign to KLTK the following year. In August 1986, Sunrise sold the combo to Liggett Broadcasting Group for $2.8 million; at the time, KLTK aired a contemporary hit radio format.[4] Liggett then flipped the FM outlet to classic rock (then known as "classic hits", a term now referring to a broad-based format featuring 1970s—1990s music).[5] The call letters became KCLQ on October 27,[6] later adjusted to KCLQ-FM in September 1987 when KNGS took on the KCLQ call sign.[7]

In early 1990, the station became the first FM affiliate of ABC Radio's Z Rock network, airing a syndicated format featuring hard rock and heavy metal music.[8] KCLQ-FM changed its call letters to KZRZ shortly after the flip. This new call sign prompted a restraining order from the similarly named KRZR, a competing rock station. KZRZ subsequently chose the KFRZ call sign; however, that selection triggered threats of legal action from another station, KFRE. The Z Rock affiliate settled on KZZF.[9]

On April 1, 1991, KZZF dropped Z Rock in favor of adult contemporary, adopting new call letters KMMA[10] on April 22. Six months later, in October 1991, the station became KCML, a country music outlet branded "Camel Country".[11]

In June 1992, Liggett Broadcasting sold KCML to Pappas Telecasting, owner of KMPH-TV in Visalia, for $550,000.[12] The new owner installed a news/talk format the following year, using reporters from its TV sister station;[13] new call letters KMPH-FM followed on February 22, 1993. In April 2005, KMPH-FM flipped to rhythmic adult contemporary as KVBE, "Vibe 107.5".[14]

Univision/Uforia era (2005–present)

In October 2005, Pappas Telecasting Cos. sold KVBE to Univision Radio for $10 million. Univision began programming the station immediately via a time brokerage agreement and changed its call letters to KRDA on January 31, 2006.[15]

On August 2, 2016, KRDA exchanged frequencies with KOND, sending the Spanish adult hits format to 92.1 FM. The station at 107.5 FM became KOND, a regional Mexican outlet branded "La Jefa 107.5".[16][17]

KOND was one of eighteen radio stations that TelevisaUnivision sold to Latino Media Network in a $60 million deal announced in June 2022, approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that November,[18] and completed on December 30, 2022.[19] Under the terms of the deal, Univision agreed to continue programming the station for up to one year under a local marketing agreement.[18]

References

  1. ^ "KOND Facility Record". FCC CDBS Public Access Database. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". Broadcasting Yearbook 1978. Broadcasting Publications Inc. 1978. p. C-20.
  3. ^ "Sunrise Buys KNGS & KKYS For $1.75 Million". Radio & Records. October 7, 1983. p. 22.
  4. ^ "Holder Ropes El Paso, Lubbock Combos For $10.5 Million". Radio & Records. August 15, 1986. p. 8.
  5. ^ "News in Brief". Radio amp; Records. October 24, 1986. p. 8.
  6. ^ "Call Sign Changes". Radio amp; Records. November 14, 1986. p. 15.
  7. ^ "For the Record". Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. September 7, 1987. p. 114.
  8. ^ Maxwell, Cyndee (May 19, 1995). "Teamwork Essential For Financial Success". Radio & Records. p. 65.
  9. ^ "Isgro Claims Miscarriage Of 'Justice'". Radio & Records. April 20, 1990. p. 37.
  10. ^ "Mojo Radio Vs. Z100". Radio & Records. April 5, 1991. p. 26.
  11. ^ "FCC To Probe WHFS?". Radio & Records. October 18, 1991. p. 34.
  12. ^ "Tribune Expands Into Rocky Mountain Radio For $19.9 Million". Radio & Records. June 5, 1992. p. 8.
  13. ^ "It's All Happening At The Zoo". Radio & Records. January 22, 1993. p. 24.
  14. ^ "Sleeping Your Way To The Top". Radio & Records. April 8, 2005. p. 18.
  15. ^ "Transactions at a Glance". Radio & Records. October 7, 2005. p. 6.
  16. ^ Venta, Lance (August 3, 2016). "Univision Shuffles Fresno Formats". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  17. ^ "KOND Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Federal Communications Commission.
  18. ^ a b Venta, Lance (November 22, 2022). "FCC Approves Latino Media Network Purchase Of 18 Univision Stations". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  19. ^ "Latino Media Network Completes Purchase Of 18 Radio Stations From Univision". Inside Radio. January 5, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.

External links

  • KOND in the FCC FM station database
  • KOND in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
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