KABX-FM
| Broadcast area | California Central Valley |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 97.5 MHz |
| Branding | K 97.5 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Adult Contemporary |
| Affiliations | Jones Radio Network |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KBRE, KHTN, KLOQ-FM, KUBB, KYOS | |
| History | |
First air date | December 18, 1975 (as KMYT) |
Former call signs | KMYT (1975–1989) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 41173 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 8,800 watts |
| HAAT | 354 meters (1,161 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 37°26′44″N 120°8′37″W / 37.44556°N 120.14361°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 975kabx.com |
KABX-FM (97.5 MHz, "K97.5") is a commercial radio station in Merced, California. It is owned by Stephens Media Group, through licensee SMG-Merced, LLC. KABX-FM airs an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for part of November and December. Its studios are on West 19th Street in Merced.
KABX is a Class B FM station. Its transmitter and tower are on Shultz Mountain, off California State Route 140 in Catheys Valley.[2] KABX-FM can be heard over a large part of California's Central Valley, from Modesto to Fresno.
History
[edit]Beautiful Music and Adult Contemporary
[edit]The station signed on the air on December 18, 1975.[3] Its original call sign was KMYT, airing an automated beautiful music format. It was the FM sister station to KYOS 1480 AM. The studios were at the KYOS transmitter site.
The station broadcast in FM stereo and it used the slogan "K-Might, The Mighty Sounds of Stereo." At the end of 1999, the station's tower was relocated to Shultz Mountain in Catheys Valley to improve its signal coverage. Over the years, it added more vocals, eventually making the transition to soft adult contemporary.
On August 27, 2011, KABX-FM adjusted its format and became mainstream adult contemporary as "The New K 97.5--Favorites of Yesterday and Today." Under the guidance of AC programming consultant Gary Berkowitz, the station used JAM jingles and voiceovers from Jim Merkel.[citation needed] It was owned by Mapleton Communications, with stations in California, Oregon and Washington state.
Acquisition by Stephens Media
[edit]On July 1, 2019, Mapleton Communications announced its intent to sell its remaining 37 stations to the Stephens Media Group.[4] Stephens began operating the station that same day under a local marketing agreement (LMA).
The sale was consummated on September 30, 2019. The price tag was $21 million.
References
[edit]- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KABX-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Rdio-Locator.com/KABX-FM
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-22. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2025.
- ^ Venta, Lance (July 1, 2019). "Stephens Media Group Acquires 37 Stations From Mapleton Communications". Radio Insight. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
Previous logo
[edit]
(KABX's logo under previous "Oldies 97.5" branding)
External links
[edit]- Facility details for Facility ID 41173 (KABX-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KABX-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- FCC History Cards for KABX-FM
  | This article about a radio station in California is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |