KVTA
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{for-multi|the airport near Newark, Ohio, assigned ICAO code KVTA|Newark-Heath Airport|a history of the 1520 signal in the Ventura-Oxnard metro, on which KVTA broadcast on until March 2013|KVEN}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = KVTA
| city = Ventura, California
| country = US
| area = {{ubl|Ventura County|Santa Barbara County}}
| branding = Fox Sports 1590/97.9
| frequency = {{Frequency|1590|kHz}}
| translator = {{Radio Relay|97.9|K250BV|Ventura}}
| airdate = {{start date and age|1947|6|1}}
| format = Sports
| power = 5,000 watts
| class = B
| facility_id = 7746
| licensing_authority = FCC
| coordinates = {{coord|34|14|13|N|119|12|9|W|region:US-CA_type:landmark}}
| callsign_meaning = Ventura
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|KUDU (1947–1973)|KBBQ (1973–1985)|KOGO (1985–1993)|KBBY (1993–1994)|KAHS (1994–1995)|KXSP (1995–1998)|KXFS (1998)|KUNX (1998–2004)|KKOM (2004)|KKZZ (2004–2008)|KUNX (2008–2013)}}
| affiliations = Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles FC
Ventura County FC
| network = Fox Sports Radio
| owner = Gold Coast Broadcasting
| licensee = Gold Coast Broadcasting LLC
| sister_stations = KCAQ, KFYV, KOCP, KUNX, KVEN
| webcast = [https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KVTA Listen live]
| website = {{URL|https://kvta.com}}
}}
KVTA (1590 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Ventura, California, featuring a sports radio format known as "Fox Sports 1590/97.9". Owned by Gold Coast Broadcasting, KVTA serves Ventura County and southern Santa Barbara County. The station's transmitter is located near the Santa Clara River off of the Ventura Freeway. In addition to a standard analog transmission, KVTA is relayed over low-power Ventura translator K250BV ({{Frequency|97.9|FM}}), and is available online.
History
KUDU took to the air on June 1, 1947, licensed jointly to the cities of Ventura and Oxnard, California.{{cite news |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Annuals/Archive-BC-YB-IDX/60s-OCR-YB/1969-YB/1969-BC-YB-OCR-Page-0191.pdf |title=Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S. |work=Broadcasting Yearbook |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=B-27 |date=1969 |access-date=May 7, 2018 }} The station became KBBQ by January 1973,{{cite news |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/73-OCR/1973-01-22-BC-OCR-Page-0046.pdf |title=For the Record: Existing AM stations |work=Broadcasting |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=46 |date=January 22, 1973 |access-date=May 8, 2018 }} featuring a country format, along with NBC Radio programming.{{cite news |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Annuals/Archive-BC-YB-IDX/70s-OCR-YB/1978-YB/1978-BC-YB-OCR-Page-0277.pdf |title=Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada |work=Broadcasting Yearbook |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=C-31 |date=1978 |access-date=May 7, 2018 }}
On February 1, 1985, the call sign switched to KOGO and the format flipped to adult contemporary music.{{cite web |title=KVTA Call Sign History |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=7746&Callsign=KVTA |work=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database |publisher=Federal Communications Commission}}{{cite news |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/80s/85/RR-1985-01-25-OCR-Page-0047.pdf |title=Street Talk |work=Radio & Records |page=44 |date=January 25, 1985 |access-date=May 7, 2018 }} As KOGO, the station changed hands twice. In July 1986, Forrest Radio sold KOGO and FM sister station KBBY to New York City-based ownership group Ventura Broadcasting Associates for $3 million.{{cite news |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/80s/86/RR-1986-07-25-OCR-Page-0010.pdf |title=Hoker Lands WCRJ, WLLT For $12 Million |work=Radio & Records |page=10 |date=July 25, 1986 |access-date=May 7, 2018 }}
That same group sold the combo three years later to Buena Ventura Inc., headed by George Duncan, for $6.7 million.{{cite news |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/80s/89/RR-1989-09-15-OCR-Page-0015.pdf |title=Ragan Henry Gambles $13 Million In Atlantic City |work=Radio & Records |page=15 |date=September 15, 1989 |access-date=May 7, 2018 }} KOGO renamed itself KBBY after its FM counterpart on September 17, 1993; the heritage KOGO call letters returned to the San Diego station then known as KKLQ the following year.{{cite news |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/99/RR-1999-10-22-OCR-Page-0031.pdf |last=Peterson |first=Al |title=KOGO: Reclaiming San Diego's News/Talk Throne |work=Radio & Records |page=29 |date=October 22, 1999 |access-date=May 7, 2018 }}
In December 1996, Buena Ventura Inc. sold the station, then using the KXSP calls and broadcasting in Spanish, along with KTND, to Gold Coast Broadcasting for $2 million.{{cite news |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/96/R%26R-1996-12-13-OCR-Page-0006.pdf |title=Entravision Eyes El Paso Pair |work=Radio & Records |page=6 |date=December 13, 1996 |access-date=May 7, 2018 }} The transaction split the station from its longtime combo partner KBBY-FM which later would be owned by Cumulus Media.
From 1998 to 2004, the station held the KUNX call letters and aired a Spanish-language talk format under the "Radio Unica" branding. For a brief period in early 2004, it was known as KKOM and broadcast content from The American Comedy Network.{{cite news |url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-07-23.pdf |last=Green |first=Jeff |title=A Poster Cluster For 'Live & Local' Radio |work=Radio & Records |pages=6, 8 |date=July 23, 2004 |access-date=May 7, 2018 }} The former KUNX and KKZZ then exchanged frequencies, with the KKZZ call letters landing on 1590 AM on March 5 and KUNX's Spanish programming resurfacing on 1400 AM.
During the 1590 AM frequency's second stint as KUNX starting in April 2008, it aired programming from Mexico-based news/talk network Radio Fórmula.
In February 2013, the Radio Fórmula programs moved to Gold Coast Broadcasting sister station KKZZ on 1400 AM. That same month, KUNX began simulcasting English-language news/talk outlet KVTA, which at the time was on 1520 AM. On March 6, 2013, KUNX and KVTA swapped frequencies, sending the KUNX call letters to 1520 AM and KVTA to 1590 AM.{{cite news |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/81171/ventura-ams-play-musical-chairs/ |last=Venta |first=Lance |title=Ventura AM's Play Musical Chairs |work=RadioInsight |publisher=RadioBB Networks |date=March 9, 2013 |access-date=May 7, 2018 }}
On April 10, 2025, KVTA changed their format from news/talk to sports, branded as "Fox Sports 1590/97.9".[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/298415/ktms-kvta-drop-talk-for-fox-sports/ KTMS & KVTA Drop Talk For Fox Sports] Radioinsight - April 10, 2025
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=50944 FCC History Cards for KVTA]
- {{official website |url=https://www.kvta.com/ }}
- {{AM station data|7746|KVTA}}
{{Ventura County Radio}}
{{Sports Radio Stations in California}}
Category:Sports radio stations in the United States