KFBK-FM

KFBK-FM
Simulcast of KFBK Sacramento
Broadcast areaSacramento metropolitan area
Frequency93.1 MHz
BrandingNews 93.1 KFBK
Programming
FormatNews-talk
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
August 19, 1976; 48 years ago (1976-08-19) (at 92.7 in Susanville, California)
Former call signs
  • Susanville:
  • KSUE-FM (1979–1993)
  • KJDX (1993–2008)
  • KHJQ (2008–2009)
  • Pollock Pines:
  • KHLX (2009–2014)
Former frequencies
  • Susanville:
  • 92.7 MHz (1976–1981)
  • 93.3 MHz (1981–2009)
Call sign meaning
Taken from sister station KFBK
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID60300
ClassB1
ERP20,500 watts
HAAT111 meters (364 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
38°38′10.5″N 120°38′14″W / 38.636250°N 120.63722°W / 38.636250; -120.63722
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitekfbk.iheart.com

KFBK-FM (93.1 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Pollock Pines, California and serving the Sacramento metropolitan area. It simulcasts KFBK 1530 kHz. KFBK-AM-FM air a news-talk radio format and are owned by iHeartMedia. The studios and offices are on River Park Drive in North Sacramento, near the Arden Fair Mall.[2]

KFBK-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 20,500 watts. The transmitter is on Grizzly Flat Road at Mehwald Lane in Sweeneys Crossing, an unincorporated community in El Dorado County.[3] KFBK-FM formerly broadcast in the HD Radio hybrid format.

Programming

iHeart owns three talk stations in the Sacramento metropolitan area, KFBK-AM-FM, which air mostly local shows and news blocks on weekdays, and KSTE 650 AM which carries mostly syndicated conservative talk shows. Weekdays on KFBK-AM-FM begin with "The KFBK Morning News" with Cristina Mendonsa and Sam Shane, followed by "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show," Tom Sullivan (originally local, now syndicated), John McGinness and "The Afternoon News with Kitty O'Neal." At night, three syndicated shows are heard: "The Pat Walsh Show," "Coast to Coast AM with George Noory" and "This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal."

Weekends feature shows on money, health, the outdoors, guns, car repair and travel, some of which are paid brokered programming. Some weekday shows are repeated on weekends. ABC News Radio begins most hours nights and weekends.

History

Early years: 1976-1993

The station signed on the air on August 19, 1976; 48 years ago (1976-08-19).[4] Its original city of license was Susanville as KSUE-FM, broadcasting on 92.7 MHz and with an effective radiated power of 160 watts. The station was co-owned with AM 1240 KSUE. At first it simulcast the AM station but later switched to its own beautiful music format, playing instrumental cover versions of popular songs.

In 1988, the station moved to 93.3 MHz, coupled with a giant increase in power, to 100,000 watts.[5] That made it a potential "move-in" station. If it could be moved closer to Sacramento, it would benefit from being in the more lucrative radio market.

Country: 1993–2009

On August 12, 1993, the call sign was changed to KJDX with a country music format.

In the summer of 2008, the station's transmitter was relocated closer to Sacramento, coupled with a change in its city of license to Pollock Pines. On November 11, 2008, Sierra Broadcasting swapped call signs and formats between KHJQ, which had moved from 92.3 FM in Susanville to the 93.3 FM frequency vacated by the station, and KJDX. This brought KJDX back to the 93.3 FM frequency in Susanville.

Classic hits: 2009–2013

In May 2009, new owners Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia) announced it was moving KHJQ's frequency from 93.3 to 93.1 so it wouldn't interfere with the 93.3 frequency in nearby San Francisco. Because of this frequency move, KOSO in Patterson, California (targeting the Modesto area) moved from 93.1 to 92.9 FM on June 1, 2009. The format became classic hits as "Classic 93.1" under the KHLX call letters. All disc jockeys were voice tracked from other Clear Channel stations around the country.

On November 1, 2013, KHLX ended its classic hits format and began playing Christmas music for the holiday season.[6]

News–talk: 2013–present

On December 19, 2013, Clear Channel announced it would switch its KFBK simulcast from 92.5 to 93.1. The call letters of KFBK-FM and KHLX would be flipped after the latter finished its holiday music programming on December 26, with the KFBK news/talk simulcast moving to 93.1, while KHLX took over the 92.5 frequency with a country music format.[7] KHLX has since switched its call letters to KBEB, first airing country music and now carrying a soft adult contemporary format as "The Breeze."

KFBK-HD2

On February 1, 2011, KHLX added a smooth jazz format to its HD2 digital subchannel, using programming from iHeartRadio. It filled a void left when Smooth Jazz 94.7 KSSJ ended its jazz format and became KKDO. The KFBK-FM subchannel was turned off in 2022.

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KFBK-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "NewsRadio KFBK Contact Info: Number, Address, Advertising & More". NewsRadio KFBK.
  3. ^ "KFBK-FM 93.1 MHz - Pollock Pines, CA". radio-locator.com.
  4. ^ Information from the Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-30
  5. ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2007 page D-100
  6. ^ "Christmas Comes Early Across America" from Radio Insight (November 2, 2013)
  7. ^ B92.5 Launches In Sacramento Following KFBK-FM Move To 93.1 from Radio Insight (January 10, 2014)