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KRZY-FM

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Coordinates: 35°46′48″N 106°31′37″W / 35.780°N 106.527°W / 35.780; -106.527
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KRZY-FM
Broadcast areaSanta Fe, Albuquerque and surrounding areas
Frequency105.9 MHz
BrandingLa Suavecita 105.9
Programming
FormatGrupero/Cumbia
Ownership
Owner
  • Entravision Communications Corporation
  • (Entravision Holdings, LLC)
KRZY (AM)
History
First air date
November 1983 (1983-11) (as KNMQ)
Former call signs
  • KNMQ (1983–1990)
  • KOLT-FM (1990–1996)
Call sign meaning
"Krazy" (former country format)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID65475
ClassC
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT585 meters (1,919 ft)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websiteelboton.com/nuevo-mexico/radiolasuavecita

KRZY-FM (105.9 FM) is a Spanish-language Grupero and Cumbia music formatted radio station programmed by satellite, serving the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area. It is branded as "La Suavecita 105.9". It is owned by Entravision which also owns local television stations KLUZ, a Univision affiliate, and KTFQ, an Unimás affiliate. It is licensed to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

History

KNMQ

This station signed on in November 1983 as KNMQ-FM and aired a Top40/CHR format branded as "HitRadio Q-106". The format soon became an instant success when it reached the number two spot in the Spring 1984 Arbitron ratings.[2] The station continued to generate high ratings throughout the mid-1980s. By 1988 the station was facing more competition resulting in a drop in ratings which lead to three layoffs.[3] Program director Steve Stucker also left to program a country station in Tulsa[4] (he would later become a TV personality on KOB-TV).

By summer 1988 Mesa Grande Broadcasting would transfer ownership of the station to Steven Humphries who would make a few programing changes including hiring KKOB-FM personality Phil "The Bean" Sisneros as a new morning host. The owners of KKOB, Fairmont Communications, soon filed a petition requesting that the FCC deny the transfer citing Humphries ownership of Grants-based station KLLT which had been granted a construction permit earlier that year to broadcast a signal off of Mount Taylor which would have violated multiple ownership rules at that time which only allowed for one FM station per market. Humphries claimed the petition was a "sour grapes" attempt over the loss of Sisneros.[5] The FCC would deny the transfer in early 1989.[6] Humphries filed a petition for reconsideration but would withdraw by May 1989 leaving the station under Mesa Grande ownership.[7] On January 30, 1990, the station dropped the CHR format. All airstaff remained except for Sisneros;[8] he would return to KKOB-FM in April.[9]

KOLT

On January 30, 1990, citing CHR fragmentation and decreasing shares, the station changed to a country music format as KOLT-FM ("Kolt 106"). The format was described as "country music with a CHR approach" in an effort to challenge KRST which at that time had risen to the top of the local ratings.[10] In November 1990 Mesa Grande would sell KOLT-FM to Clairmor Broadcasting Inc. for $1 million.[11] By December 1992 Clairmor would sell the station to Commonwealth Broadcasting Co. for $1.3 million.[12] In August 1995 Crescent Communications, which owned competitor KRST. would purchase KOLT for $1.3 million dollars.[13] Now clustered with KRST the station shifted to a classic country format in 1996 called "Krazy 105.9" with the present day KRZY-FM call letters.

In April 1996, Citadel Communications would purchase the Crescent stations for $23 million.[14] However as Citadel had already acquired four other FM stations in the Albuquerque radio market (all of which had transmitters atop Sandia Crest) which put them over the new ownership limit, Citadel would spin off KRZY-FM and KRZY (1450 AM) to Spanish-language broadcaster EXCL Communications the following month.[15]

Spanish-language formats

The 105.9 frequency has broadcast Spanish-language programming since 1996. Initially, it aired a Spanish adult contemporary format called "Radio Romantica" from 1996 to 2002. It changed to a Regional Mexican format station called "Radio Tricolor 105.9" in October 2002. In July 2004, it changed to a Latin pop music format called "Super Estrella", which lasted until November 2008.

Entravision moved adult hits formatted "José" to 105.9 FM in early November 2008. It had previously been on its sister station KRZY (AM) for about three years. The station had returned to the "Tricolor" format in early 2018; however, on January 7, 2019, the station's format was changed from regional Mexican as "La Tricolor" to Grupero and Cumbia music as "La Suavecita".[16]

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KRZY-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico on July 24, 1984 · Page 7". July 24, 1984.
  3. ^ "Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico on February 5, 1988 · Page 90". February 5, 1988.
  4. ^ "Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 8, 1988 · Page 9". April 8, 1988.
  5. ^ "Petition 'Sour Grapes,' Says KNMQ-FM Owner". Albuquerque Journal. September 27, 1988. p. 19.
  6. ^ "City Nears Top-50 TV Market Rating". Albuquerque Journal. March 23, 1989. p. 24.
  7. ^ "Revolving Door of TV Newscasts Exits Huston, Others". Albuquerque Journal. May 20, 1989. p. 31.
  8. ^ "Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico on January 31, 1990 · Page 1". January 31, 1990.
  9. ^ "Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 11, 1990 · Page 19". April 11, 1990.
  10. ^ https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/90/RR-1990-02-16-OCR-Page-0068.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  11. ^ https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1990/BC-1990-11-05.pdf page 44
  12. ^ https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/92-OCR/BC-1992-12-07-OCR-Page-0042.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  13. ^ "Triad Radio Firm Buys Albuquerque Station". August 16, 1995.
  14. ^ https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1996-04.pdf page 22
  15. ^ https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1996-05.pdf page 35
  16. ^ Venta, Lance. "La Suavecita Comes to Albuquerque", Radio Insight. January 9, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019.

35°46′48″N 106°31′37″W / 35.780°N 106.527°W / 35.780; -106.527

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