KSNI-FM explained

KSNI-FM
City:Santa Maria, California
Area:Santa Maria, California
Branding:Sunny Country 102.5
Format:Country
Frequency:102.5 MHz
Airdate:1960 (as KSMA-FM)
Erp:13,500 watts
Haat:262m (860feet)
Class:B
Facility Id:4122
Callsign Meaning:K SuNny Country I
Former Callsigns:KSMA-FM (1960–1980)
Owner:American General Media
Licensee:AGM California, LLC
Sister Stations:KBOX, KPAT, KRQK, KSMA
Licensing Authority:FCC

KSNI-FM (102.5 FM, "Sunny Country 102.5") is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Santa Maria, California, United States and serves the Santa Maria—Lompoc, California area. The station is owned by American General Media and broadcasts a country music format.

History

KSMA-FM

The station was first signed on in 1960 as by James M. Hagerman and John I. Groom.[1] It simulcast the full service format of its AM sister station KSMA (1240 AM), airing a mix of news, sports, and middle of the road music.[2] Stereophonic sound broadcasts began in 1970.[3]

In January 1980, Hagerman and Nona M. Groom sold KSMA-AM-FM to Bayliss Broadcasting Company for $1.4 million. The company was owned by John Bayliss, who resigned from his position as president of Gannett Company's radio division to manage the Santa Maria stations.[4] The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the sale on May 12.[5]

KSNI-FM

Upon the change in ownership, Bayliss ended KSMA-FM's simulcast of KSMA after two decades and programmed it separately as a beautiful music outlet.[6] The FM station changed its call sign to KSNI-FM in August 1980.[7] The format lasted only three years as the station flipped to country music in 1983,[8] adopting the branding "Sunny Country".

On March 1, 1989, the transmitters for KSNI-FM and three other stations in Santa Maria were knocked off the air due to acts of vandalism. Around 1 a.m., two males, ages 18 and 15, broke into the transmitters' circuit breakers and switched them off; the signals were restored within an hour. That same day at 9:14 p.m., the towers fell as guy wires supporting the structures had been severed. Total damage was estimated to be $100,000.[9] [10]

In August 1999, Bayliss Broadcasting sold KSNI-FM and KSMA to Fresno, California-based Mondosphere Broadcasting for $3.75 million.[11] [12] The new owner took possession of the combo on September 30.[13]

KSNI-FM changed hands twice in the 2000s. In September 2000, Mondosphere sold 11 stations throughout Central California, including, plus a construction permit for a twelfth station, to Clear Channel Communications for $45 million.[14] In July 2007, KSNI-FM was one of 16 stations in California and Arizona which Clear Channel sold to El Dorado Broadcasters for $40 million.[15]

During the week of January 18, 2010, a storm in the Santa Maria area triggered a power outage that knocked KSNI-FM and several other stations off the air. The station resumed broadcasting under generator power after two hours of silence.[16]

From April 2012 to April 2016, KSNI-FM was simulcast on sister station KSLY-FM (96.1 FM) in the adjacent San Luis Obispo market. The two stations co-branded as "Sunny Country 102.5 & 96.1".[17]

In early 2016, El Dorado began selling off its stations on the Central Coast of California. KSNI-FM and KSMA constituted the first of these divestments as, on February 26, American General Media purchased the pair for $1.5 million.[18] [19] The close of the transaction in April ended the simulcast of Sunny Country on KSLY-FM, which remained with El Dorado and launched a competing country format.[20]

External links

34.836°N -120.403°W

Notes and References

  1. Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S. . 1961-1962 Broadcasting Yearbook . Broadcasting Publications Inc. . B-25 . 1961 . July 25, 2018 .
  2. Where three-dollar spots are top rate . Broadcasting . Broadcasting Publications Inc. . 54–58 . July 14, 1969 . July 25, 2018 .
  3. For the Record . Broadcasting . Broadcasting Publications Inc. . 91 . April 13, 1970 . July 25, 2018 .
  4. Changing Hands . Broadcasting . Broadcasting Publications Inc. . 91 . January 28, 1980 . July 25, 2018 .
  5. For the Record . Broadcasting . Broadcasting Publications Inc. . 64 . June 2, 1980 . July 25, 2018 .
  6. Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada . Broadcasting/Cable Yearbook . Broadcasting Publications Inc. . C-32 . 1981 . July 25, 2018 .
  7. For the Record . Broadcasting . Broadcasting Publications Inc. . 86 . August 18, 1980 . July 25, 2018 .
  8. Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada . Broadcasting/Cable Yearbook . Broadcasting Publications Inc. . B-37 . 1984 . July 25, 2018 .
  9. Tower-Trashing Teens Terrorize Santa Maria . Radio & Records . 1, 34 . March 10, 1989 . July 25, 2018 .
  10. In Brief . Broadcasting . Broadcasting Publications Inc. . 88 . March 6, 1989 . July 25, 2018 .
  11. Station Swaps To Herald Y2K? . Saxe . Frank . Billboard Country Airplay Monitor . BPI Communications Inc. . 8 . September 3, 1999 . July 25, 2018 .
  12. Changing Hands . Broadcasting & Cable . R.R. Bowker . 64 . September 6, 1999 . July 26, 2018 .
  13. Directory of Radio Stations in the U.S. . Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook . R.R. Bowker . New Providence, New Jersey . 0-8352-4111-4 . D-64 . 2001 . July 25, 2018 .
  14. Changing Hands . Broadcasting & Cable . R.R. Bowker . 39 . September 18, 2000 . July 26, 2018 .
  15. News: Price For 16 AZ, CA Clear Channel Stations: $40 Million . All Access . All Access Music Group . July 11, 2007 . May 3, 2018 .
  16. News: Week's stormy weather causes local radio silence . Ramos . Julian J. . . January 23, 2010 . July 22, 2018 .
  17. News: Sunny Country Doubles In California . Venta . Lance . RadioInsight . RadioBB Networks . April 20, 2012 . July 26, 2018 .
  18. News: El Dorado Sells Again In Santa Maria . Venta . Lance . RadioInsight . RadioBB Networks . March 3, 2016 . July 26, 2018 .
  19. News: El Dorado Continues Sell-Off With KXFM Divestment . Venta . Lance . RadioInsight . RadioBB Networks . May 18, 2016 . July 26, 2018 .
  20. News: Ownership Change Leads To Country Split On California Coast . Venta . Lance . RadioInsight . RadioBB Networks . May 1, 2016 . July 26, 2018 .