KIST-FM
{{short description|Regional Mexican radio station in Carpinteria–Santa Barbara, California, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = KIST-FM
| city = Carpinteria, California
| country = US
| area = Santa Barbara, California
| airdate = {{Start date and age|1998|2|p=y|br=y}}
| frequency = 107.7 MHz
| translator = {{Radio Relay|102.7|K274CJ|Santa Barbara}}
| branding = Radio Bronco 107.7
| format = Regional Mexican
| erp = 930 watts
| haat = {{convert|496|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class = B1
| facility_id = 31434
| callsign_meaning = Derived from former AM counterpart KIST; later used for KISS-FM branding
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|KLDZ (1997–1998)|KLDZ-FM (1998)|KIST (1998–2000)|KIST-FM (2000–2009)|KQIE (2009–2010)|KIST-FM (2010)|KFYZ (2010)}}
| owner = Rincon Broadcasting
| licensee = Rincon License Subsidiary LLC
| sister_stations = KOSJ, KSBL, KSPE, KTMS, KTYD
| webcast = {{URL |1=https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KIST |2=Listen live }}
| website = {{URL |1=https://www.radiobronco.com/ |2=radiobronco.com }}
| licensing_authority = FCC
}}
KIST-FM (107.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Carpinteria, California and broadcasts to the Santa Barbara radio market. The station is owned by Rincon Broadcasting and airs a regional Mexican music format. The KIST-FM studios and offices are on East Cota Street in Santa Barbara.{{cite web |url=https://radiobronco.com/contactos/ |title=Contactos |website=Radio Bronco }} The transmitter is off West Camino Cielo, near other FM and TV towers, in the hills north of Santa Barbara.{{cite web |url=https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=KIST-FM&lat=34.42580&lon=-119.71419&locn=Santa%20Barbara%2C%20California |title=KIST-FM Radio Station Coverage Map |website=Radio-Locator.com }} KIST-FM also uses a 70-watt translator station, K274CJ (102.7 FM) in Santa Barbara.{{cite web |url=https://radio-locator.com/info/K274CJ-FX |title=K274CJ-FM 102.7 MHz |website=Radio-Locator.com }}
History
KIST-FM first signed on in February 1998 as KLDZ-FM with an oldies format{{cite news |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/98/RR-1998-02-13-OCR-Page-0028.pdf |title=Three of Hearts: Radio Celebrates Valentine's Day |work=Radio & Records |date=February 13, 1998 |access-date=February 20, 2018 }} branded "Cool Oldies 107.7". It launched as a simulcast of AM sister station KLDZ (1340 AM) before the latter flipped formats to sports.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/M-Street-Journal-IDX/IDX/M-Street-1998-06-OCR-Page-0005.pdf |title=Format Changes & Updates |magazine=The M Street Journal |publisher=M Street Corporation |location=New York |volume=15 |issue=6 |page=1 |date=February 11, 1998 |access-date=May 23, 2020 }}
In May 1998, Citicasters, Inc., part of Jacor Communications, purchased KIST and KLDZ-FM for $1.5 million.{{cite news |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/98/RR-1998-05-08-OCR-Page-0008.pdf |title=Renda Ends Diamond's Days |work=Radio & Records |date=May 8, 1998 |access-date=February 20, 2018 }} The AM station changed its call sign to KXXT and the FM outlet assumed the KIST call letters.{{cite web |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=31434&Callsign=KIST-FM |title=Call Sign History: KIST-FM |website=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=June 22, 2018 }} In May 1999, Jacor merged with Clear Channel Communications, which would own KIST-FM until 2007.
In March 2000, Cumulus Media-owned KKSB (106.3 FM) in Santa Barbara adopted a contemporary hit radio (CHR) format. In response, Clear Channel flipped KIST-FM to top 40 with the branding "KISS 107 FM"; the station featured on-air personality Rick Dees from sister station KIIS-FM in Los Angeles during morning drive.{{cite news |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/00s/00/RR-2000-03-24-OCR-Page-0030.pdf |title=Rumbles |work=Radio & Records |page=28 |date=March 24, 2000 |access-date=May 5, 2018 }} Clear Channel won the head-to-head CHR battle with Cumulus as KKSB flipped to oldies within two years.{{cite news |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Annuals/Archive-BC-YB-IDX/00s-OCR-YB/2002-YB/2002-03-BC-YB-OCR-Page-0497.pdf |title=Directory of Radio Stations in the United States |work=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2002–2003 |publisher=R.R. Bowker |page=D-45 |date=2002 |access-date=May 5, 2018 }} However, on September 8, 2004, KIST-FM changed to a modern rock format known as "FM 107.7".{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2006/Radio-AL-MT-%20BC-YB-2006.pdf |title=Directory of Radio Stations in the United States |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook |page=D-94 |date=2005 }}
On January 11, 2007, Clear Channel Communications sold all of its radio stations in Santa Barbara, including KIST-FM, to Rincon Broadcasting for $17.3 million.{{cite news |last=Mackie |first=Drew |date=January 11, 2007 |title=Clear Channel Sells Santa Barbara Stations |url=https://independent.com/news/2007/jan/11/clear-channel-sells-santa-barb |work=Santa Barbara Independent |access-date=March 16, 2017 }}{{cite news |date=January 19, 2007 |title=Deal of the Week |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/00s/07/RR-2007-01-19-OCR-Page-0008.pdf |work=R&R |access-date=March 16, 2017 }} Five days later, KIST-FM's format was changed to regional Mexican under the branding of "Radio Bronco".
On December 15, 2009, KIST-FM changed its call letters to KQIE. Two months later, on February 10, 2010, the station reverted to KIST-FM. On July 20, KIST-FM again changed its call letters to KFYZ. That switch was also temporary, as KFYZ restored the KIST-FM call sign on September 10. The KFYZ call letters were transferred to its sister station at 94.5 FM on December 23, 2010 when that station flipped to a top 40 format.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website |https://www.radiobronco.com/ }}
- {{FM station data|31434|KIST-FM}}
- [https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/fm-profile/KIST-FM/contour-maps#browse-by-category FCC Public Inspection File contour map]
{{Santa Barbara Radio}}
{{Spanish Radio Stations in California}}
{{coord|34.503|N|119.850|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC|display=title}}
Category:Regional Mexican radio stations in the United States
Category:Carpinteria, California