KASA (AM)

{{short description|Regional Mexican radio station in Phoenix, Arizona}}

{{Infobox radio station

| name = KASA

| logo =

| city = Phoenix, Arizona

| country = US

| area = Phoenix metropolitan area

| branding = La Indiscreta FM

| frequency = 1540 kHz

| translator = {{Radio Relay|106.7|K294CW|Phoenix}}

| airdate = {{Start date|1966|1|6}}

| last_airdate = {{End date|2024|5|8}} ({{age in years and days|1966|1|6|2024|5|8}})

| format = Defunct, was classic regional Mexican

| language = Spanish

| power = {{ubl|10,000 watts (day)|19 watts (night)}}

| class = D

| facility_id = 33451

| licensing_authority = FCC

| coordinates = {{coord|33|22|36.16|N|112|5|27.53|W|region:US-AZ_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| callsign_meaning = Derived from "casa" ("house" in Spanish)

| former_callsigns =

| owner = KASA Radio Hogar, Inc.

| licensee =

| sister_stations =

| webcast =

| website = {{URL|https://www.laindiscretafm.com/}}

| affiliations =

}}

KASA (1540 kHz) was a commercial radio station broadcasting a classic regional Mexican radio format. It was licensed to Phoenix, Arizona, and was owned by KASA Radio Hogar, Inc.{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?call=KASA |title=KASA Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }} The studios are on West Baseline Road in Phoenix.

By day, KASA transmitted with 10,000 watts. Because 1540 AM is a clear channel frequency, KASA reduced power at night to 19 watts to avoid interference to other stations. It used a directional antenna at all times. The transmitter was on West Baseline Road in Phoenix at South 15th Avenue.[https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=KASA&nav=home Radio-Locator.com/KASA] Programming was also heard on 150-watt FM translator K294CW at 106.7 MHz in Phoenix.[https://radio-locator.com/info/K294CW-FX Radio-Locator.com/K294CW]

History

KASA signed on January 6, 1966. It originally was a daytimer station, powered at 10,000 watts but required to go off the air at night. The call sign KASA had once been assigned to a radio station in Elk City, Oklahoma.{{cite news|title=New Okla. Network|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Daily/RA-1937/RA-1937-Feb.pdf|access-date=May 19, 2016|work=Radio Daily|date=February 9, 1937|page=1}} It was a Christian radio station, the second in Phoenix behind KHEP at 1280 kHz, and was built by Seattle-based Eastside Broadcasting, which also owned four religious radio stations in Washington state.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28919479/|work=Arizona Republic|first=Dudley|last=Lynch|date=January 3, 1967|title=Religious Radio}} George T. Wilson served as President and General Manager.

In April 1980, it built and signed on an FM sister station, 107.9 KMLE, which broadcast a mix of religious programs and easy listening music.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28919366/|work=Arizona Republic|date=April 10, 1980|title='Over-radioed' Valley soon to have another station on crowded dial|first=Bud|last=Wilkinson}} On October 24, 1988, Shamrock Broadcasting purchased the FM station.

After airing Christian programming for much of its history, in 2018, KASA made a change. It relaunched as "La Indiscreta 106.7 FM" with a classic regional Mexican format. The dial position came from the frequency of its FM translator.

On May 8, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ordered KASA and K294CW off the air after finding that KASA had not operated from an authorized facility for over a year, resulting in the expiration of its license. K294CW had also been found to be interfering with KFUE.{{cite news |title=An Indiscretion Leads To Phoenix AM Station's License Revocation |url=https://radioink.com/2024/05/08/an-indiscretion-leads-to-phoenix-am-stations-license-revocation/ |access-date=May 9, 2024 |work=Radio Ink |date=May 8, 2024}}

The Federal Communications Commission cancelled the station’s license on May 8, 2024.{{cite web|url= https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=33451|title=License Cancelled|work=Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System|date=May 8, 2024|access-date=May 10, 2024}}