KESQ (AM)

{{Short description|Radio station in Indio, California (1946–2023)}}

{{Multiple issues|

}}

{{Infobox radio station

| name = KESQ

| above = Former Simulcast of KUNA-FM

| logo =

| city = Indio, California

| area =

| branding = La Poderosa 96.7

| airdate = {{start date|1946}}

| last_airdate = {{end date|2022|8|5}}

| frequency = 1400 (kHz)

| language = Spanish

| format = Defunct (was Mexican music)

| power = 1,000 watts (unlimited)

| class = C

| licensing_authority = FCC

| facility_id = 52181

| coordinates = {{Coord|33|43|37|N|116|15|10|W|display=inline, title}}

| callsign_meaning = Co-owned with KESQ-TV

| former_callsigns = {{ubl|KREO (1946–1976){{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=44227 |title= History Cards for KESQ|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards)|KRCQ (1976–1986)|KUNA (1986–1993)|KBZT (1993–1994)|KUNA (1994–1997)}}

| affiliations =

| owner = News-Press & Gazette Company

| licensee = Gulf-California Broadcast Company

| sister_stations = part of News-Press & Gazette cluster with KESQ-TV

| webcast =

| website = {{URL|https://www.kesq.com/la-poderosa}}

}}

KESQ (1400 AM) was a radio station broadcasting a Spanish music format licensed to Indio, California, United States. The station was a simulcast of KUNA-FM 96.7. KESQ was owned by the News-Press & Gazette Company, through its Gulf-California Broadcast Company subsidiary.

History

The radio station itself began broadcasting in 1946 under the call letters KREO, then changed to KRCQ in 1976 and again in 1984 when it reverted to Spanish language music as KUNA. The radio station was purchased by KESQ-TV in 1992 and changed formats to news/talk, but the station returned to KUNA-FM and the Spanish language music format in 1998, but switched formats in late 2004. Back to being under KUNA-FM but on the AM frequency, before KJOK (KINI-AM named for an earlier radio station in the California Desert in the 1970s) of Yuma, Arizona increased its power in the 2000s and changed dials, KESQ could be heard in Imperial Valley down to Mexicali on occasion, the Morongo Basin closer to Palm Springs, California and partially in the Inland Empire, California region.

KESQ was formerly rented by a Spanish religious radio network by La Iglesia Alfa Y Omega (the Alpha and Omega church), and briefly played Spanish-language religious music. It returned to simulcasting KUNA-FM in 2011.

KESQ went silent on August 5, 2022, after the owner of the station's transmitter site requested the decommissioning of the tower.{{cite web |last1=Spainhour |first1=Elizabeth |title=Re: KESQ(AM), Indio, California (FID No. 52181) Surrender or Request for Cancellation of License |url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=104576 |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=February 23, 2023 |format=PDF}} A deal was soon reached to sell the KESQ license to KGAY PSP, owner of KGAY, for $8,500;{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Station Sales Week of 9/2 |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/240296/station-sales-week-of-9-2/ |access-date=February 23, 2023 |work=RadioInsight |date=September 2, 2022}} the deal was called off in February 2023.{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Station Sales Week Of 2/17 |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/248785/station-sales-week-of-2-17/ |access-date=February 23, 2023 |work=RadioInsight |date=February 17, 2023}} Finding that there was no viable path to resuming operation, on February 13, Gulf-California Broadcast Company returned the license to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which canceled it on February 21.{{cite web|url= https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-391215A1.pdf|title=Cancellation of the KESQ Station License|date=February 21, 2023|accessdate=February 23, 2023}}

References

External links

[https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=52181 Facility details for Facility ID 52181 (KESQ)] in the FCC Licensing and Management System
[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=44227 FCC History Cards for KESQ] (covering 1945-1980 as KREO / KRCQ)

ESQ

Category:News-Press & Gazette Company

ESQ

Category:Radio stations established in 1946

Category:1946 establishments in California

Category:Radio stations disestablished in 2023

Category:2023 disestablishments in California

ESQ (AM)