KLSB

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox radio station

| name = KLSB

| logo = KLOVE 2014.svg

| city = Goleta, California

| area = Santa Barbara, California
OxnardVentura, California

| branding = Positive, Encouraging 97.5

| frequency = 97.5 MHz {{HD Radio}}

| translator = {{Radio Relay|103.9|K280FV|Santa Barbara|HD2}}
{{Radio Relay|93.3|K227BI|Santa Barbara|HD3}}

| airdate = September 1, 1957 (as KRCW)

| format = FM/HD1: Christian adult contemporary
HD2: Contemporary worship music
HD3: K-LOVE 2000s

| erp = 17,500 watts with beam tilt

| haat = {{convert|890|m|ft|0|sp=us}}

| class = B

| facility_id = 3159

| coordinates = {{coord|34.5253|N|119.9590|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC}}

| callsign_meaning =K Love Santa Barbara

| former_callsigns = KRCW (1957–1965)
KTMS-FM (1965–1984)
KKOO-FM (1984–1985)
KHTY (1985–1998)
KMGQ (1998–2005)
KRUZ (2005–2012)
KRUZ-FM (2012)
KYGA (2012–2017)

| affiliations = FM/HD1: K-Love
HD2: Air1

| owner = Educational Media Foundation

| licensee =

| sister_stations =

| webcast = {{URL |https://listen.klove.com/ |Listen Live }}
{{URL |http://listen.air1.com/ |Listen Live (HD2) }}
{{URL |https://listen.klove.com/2000s |Listen Live (HD3) }}

| website = {{URL |https://www.klove.com/ |klove.com }}
{{URL |http://www.air1.com/ |air1.com (HD2) }}

| licensing_authority= FCC

}}

KLSB (97.5 FM) is a non-commercial radio station that is licensed to Goleta, California and serves the Santa Barbara and OxnardVentura areas. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation and airs the contemporary Christian music format of its nationally syndicated K-Love network.

KLSB broadcasts in HD Radio.{{cite web |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=3159 |title=Station Search Details: KLSB |website=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=May 31, 2018 }}

History

=Early years (1957–1985)=

The station first signed on September 1, 1957 with the call letters KRCW.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Annuals/Archive-BC-YB-IDX/50s-OCR-YB/1959-YB/1959-BC-YB-OCR-Page-0220.pdf |title=Directory of AM and FM Stations and Market Data for the United States |magazine=Broadcasting Yearbook |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=B-119 |date=1959 |access-date=May 31, 2015 }}

In May 1965, original owner Richard W. Johnston sold the station to News-Press Publishing Company, owner of the Santa Barbara News-Press and AM station KTMS, for $51,000.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/65-OCR/1965-05-24-BC-OCR-Page-0094.pdf |title=For The Record |magazine=Broadcasting |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=96 |date=May 24, 1965 |access-date=May 31, 2018 }} KRCW's call sign changed to KTMS-FM in July to match that of its new sister station.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/65-OCR/1965-07-19-BC-OCR-Page-0086.pdf |title=For The Record |magazine=Broadcasting |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=86 |date=July 19, 1965 |access-date=May 31, 2018 }} News-Press Publishing's cross-ownership of the combo predated the Federal Communications Commission's 1975 rules prohibiting a person or entity from owning both a newspaper and a radio or television station in the same media market,{{cite web |url=https://www.fcc.gov/file/15345/download|title=Consumer Guide: FCC Broadcast Ownership Rules |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |date=January 17, 2020 |access-date=October 10, 2022 }} so the company's mix of media outlets was allowed to remain in place. Nonetheless, the stations' common ownership with the News-Press ended on July 12, 1985, when News-Press Publishing sold the FM station, then known as KKOO-FM, and KTMS to F&M Broadcasting for $2 million.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-07-22-OCR-Page-0098.pdf |title=For The Record |magazine=Broadcasting |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=98 |date=July 22, 1985 |access-date=May 31, 2018 }}

=KHTY (1985–1998)=

In September 1985, the station changed its call letters to KHTY and adopted a top 40 format branded as "Y97".{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/80s/85/RR-1985-10-11-OCR-Page-0028.pdf |title=Street Talk |magazine=Radio & Records |page=28 |date=October 11, 1985 |access-date=May 21, 2018 }} In July 1987, Harry McMurray and Jimmie Lee Wilkinson sold their 50 percent interest in KHTY and KTMS to Christian Larson for $1.75 million.{{cite news |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/80s/87/RR-1987-07-10-OCR-Page-0010.pdf |title=Heritage Radio Management LBO Moves Along |work=Radio & Records |page=10 |date=July 10, 1987 |access-date=December 10, 2018 }} (F. Robert Fenton owned the other 50 percent of the station combo.) The company became known as Pinnacle Communications.

On October 27, 1989, Geffen Records sued Pinnacle for copyright infringement over an unauthorized broadcast of the Whitesnake album Slip of the Tongue on KHTY prior to its release. The incident in question occurred on the evening of October 20, when the station's disc jockey encouraged listeners to get ready to record the broadcast, then played the album in its entirety. According to KHTY general manager William H. Johnson Jr., an anonymous source mailed the station an advance copy of the album, and acting program director Darren Stone was unaware of any issues that may arise from playing it early. Geffen sought more than $500,000 in punitive damages.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Billboard-IDX/IDX/80s/1989/BB-1989-11-18-OCR-Page-0130.pdf |title=Geffen Goaded By KHTY 'Snake 'Slip' |magazine=Billboard |page=98 |date=November 18, 1989 |access-date=June 22, 2019 }} (Slip of the Tongue was released November 7, 1989.){{cite web |url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Whitesnake#search_section |title=Whitesnake |website=RIAA Gold & Platinum |publisher=Recording Industry Association of America |access-date=June 22, 2019 }}

In August 1993, Pinnacle Communications sold KHTY and KTMS to Atmor Properties to satisfy a debt owed to a finance company principally owned by AT&T. The outstanding amount, including interest and late charges, totaled approximately $4.5 million.{{cite news |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/93/RR-1993-08-20-OCR-Page-0006.pdf |title=NewTex Goes Hawaiian With $7.5 Million Deal For KSSK Combo |work=Radio & Records |page=6 |date=August 20, 1993 |access-date=December 10, 2018 }}

In February 1995, the station dropped the Y97 moniker and adjusted its format to modern rock, identifying simply as "97.5 KHTY".{{cite news

|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/95/RR-1995-02-24-OCR-Page-0014.pdf |title=Newsbreakers |work=Radio & Records |page=14 |date=February 24, 1995 |access-date=February 24, 2018 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/95/RR-1995-09-22-OCR-Page-0024.pdf |title='N.Y. Times' Runs Triathlon Down! |work=Radio & Records |date=September 22, 1995 |access-date=February 24, 2018 }} A year later, in January 1996, Engles Enterprises, Inc. purchased KHTY and KTMS for $2 million.{{cite news |date=January 26, 1996 |title=Remaining Douglas Stations Go To ... Douglas |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/96/RR-1996-01-26-OCR-Page-0008.pdf |work=Radio & Records |access-date=April 24, 2018 }}

=KMGQ/KRUZ (1998–2012)=

KHTY and its modern rock format came to an end in September 1998 when sister station KMGQ moved its call letters and smooth jazz programming from the 106.3 FM frequency to 97.5 FM.{{cite news |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/M-Street-Journal-IDX/IDX/M-Street-1998-09-OCR-Page-0019.pdf |title=Format Changes & Updates |work=The M Street Journal |publisher=M Street Corporation |location=New York |page=1 |date=September 16, 1998 |access-date=April 28, 2020 }}

In December 1999, Cumulus Media purchased McDonald Media Group's eight stations, including KMGQ, for $41 million. This transaction marked Cumulus' entry into the Pacific states.{{cite news |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/99/RR-1999-12-31-OCR-Page-0008.pdf |title=Cumulus Hits the West Coast |work=Radio & Records |date=December 31, 1999 |access-date=February 24, 2018 }}

File:KRUZ.jpg

In March 2005, Cumulus executed a format shuffle within its Santa Barbara cluster. KMGQ's smooth jazz format and call letters were transferred back to 106.3 FM, while the modern adult contemporary format on KRUZ (103.3 FM) moved to 97.5 FM. As a result, the station at 97.5 FM changed its call letters to KRUZ.{{cite news |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/00s/05/RR-2005-04-15-OCR-Page-0027.pdf |title=Street Talk |work=Radio & Records |date=April 15, 2005 |access-date=March 20, 2018 }}

On February 19, 2011 at 5:03 a.m., KRUZ's transmitter went off the air due to heavy rain storms. The station resumed service February 23, 2011 at 6 a.m.

=Educational Media Foundation era (2012–present)=

In August 2012, Cumulus sold KRUZ to Educational Media Foundation (EMF) for $1.25 million.{{cite news |url=https://www.rbr.com/another-radio-swapfest-for-cumulus-salem/ |title=Another radio swapfest for Cumulus & Salem |work=Radio and Television Business Report |date=September 24, 2012 |access-date=April 25, 2018 }} Cumulus retained the KRUZ call sign, moving it to an AM station in Van Buren, Arkansas on November 15; the FM station temporarily added an -FM suffix to become KRUZ-FM. EMF took control of the station on December 1, 2012 at midnight, switching to the Christian contemporary hit radio format of its Air1 network{{cite news |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/79817/kruz-shifts-to-air1/ |last=Venta |first=Lance |title=KRUZ Shifts To Air1 |work=RadioInsight |publisher=RadioBB Networks |date=December 2, 2012 |access-date=August 10, 2017 }} with new call letters KYGA.

On December 14, 2017, KYGA flipped to Air1's sister network K-Love, which airs Christian adult contemporary music, and changed its call letters to KLSB.{{cite web |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=3159&Callsign=KLSB |title=Call Sign History: KLSB |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=May 31, 2018 }} The Air1 feed moved to KLSB's HD2 subchannel.

HD Radio

KLSB broadcasts in HD Radio with three subchannels:

  • KLSB-HD1 is a digital simulcast of the analog signal.
  • KLSB-HD2 broadcasts Air1, a sister network of K-Love carrying a contemporary worship music format with some contemporary Christian music (CCM) mixed in. Prior to January 1, 2019, Air1 broadcast a broad-based Christian contemporary hit radio (Christian CHR) format.{{cite news |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/173290/air-1-moves-to-worship-music/ |last=Venta |first=Lance |title=Air 1 Moves to Worship Music |website=RadioInsight |publisher=RadioBB Networks |date=January 1, 2019 |access-date=January 1, 2019 }}
  • KLSB-HD3 airs K-Love Classics, a Christian classic hits network owned by EMF. This programming was added to the HD3 subchannel in late 2018.

References

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