KPSL-FM (96.5
FM) is a
radio station broadcasting a
Regional Mexican
Regional Mexican is a Latin music radio format encompassing the musical genres from the different parts of rural Mexico and the Southwestern United States. Genres include banda, country en español, Duranguense, grupero, mariachi, New Mexico ...
format. Licensed to
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...
, United States, the station serves the Bakersfield area. The station is currently owned by
Lotus Communications.
History
;KIFM (1963–1975):96.5
FM Bakersfield signed on-the-air on August 24, 1963, as KIFM. From 1966 to 1969 the KIFM format was
Top 40. In 1969 the station was purchased by Faith Center, Glendale, California. The format was
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
. Part of the time the station simulcast with KHOF 99.5 Los Angeles. The call letters
KIFM now belong to a radio station in
West Sacramento.
;KHIS/KHIS-FM (1976–1996):In 1975, 96.5 FM was bought by the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. On January 1, 1976, the call letters were changed to KHIS and to KHIS-FM on January 3, 1977 when the church bought 800 AM KUZZ and turned it into KHIS (now
KBFP). KHIS-FM aired a
religious/
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music, also known as CCM, Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christian faith and s ...
format until December 27, 1996.
;KSMJ (1996–1998): On September 30, 1996, Foursquare sold KHIS-AM-FM to Hemisphere Broadcasting of Bakersfield for $2.65 million. On December 27, 1996, the call letters KHIS-FM were changed to KSMJ. KSMJ aired a
smooth jazz music format branded as ''Smooth Jazz 96-5 KSMJ''.
;KKXX (1998–2004): On July 2, 1998, KSMJ moved up the dial to 98.5 FM and radio station KKXX-FM moved from 105.3 FM to 96.5 FM alternating between a
rhythmic top 40 and Top 40 music format until September 3, 2004. The station was branded as ''X96.5'' and at the time was owned by Mondosphere Broadcasting. On August 16, 2000, Mondosphere Broadcasting was sold to
Clear Channel Communications
iHeartMedia, Inc., formerly CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc.), a company fou ...
. Clear Channel relabeled
KKXX-FM from ''X96.5'' to ''96.5 KISS-FM'' which was modeled after its sister station
KIIS-FM in
Los Angeles and also stated that no changes were expected at that time.
;KBKO (2004–2008): On September 3, 2004, the format was changed to country with the call sign changing to KBKO-FM. The station was branded as ''Big 96-5.'' Later, it was rebranded as ''96-5 KBKO.'' On February 15, 2008, the KBKO-FM call letters and the
country music format were briefly moved to
98.5 FM in a frequency swap with
KDFO, a
classic rock station which then became ''96-5 The Fox.'' On Friday, June 20, 2008, the two stations were moved back to their previous frequencies after a four-month, swap.
;KVMX (20082011): On Tuesday, July 29, 2008, KBKO-FM was sold to
Lotus Communications and the station began
stunting before revealing the new format. At noon on August 5, 2008, the station announced a new
classic hits format branded as ''96-5 Max-FM''. The new format was led off with "
Start Me Up
"Start Me Up" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones from their 1981 album ''Tattoo You''. Released as the album's lead single, it reached number one on Australian Kent Music Report, number two in Canada, number two on the ''Bi ...
" by the
Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
. On August 13, 2008, the KBKO-FM call sign was changed to KVMX.
;KPSL-FM (2011present):On September 8, 2011,
Lotus Communications made a frequency change to two of its stations,
KVMX and KPSL-FM which swapped frequencies. KPSL-FM is now at 96.5 FM and is branded as ''Concierto 96.5 FM'' and KVMX is now at 92.1 FM.
On July 31, 2018 KPSL-FM changed their format from Spanish adult hits to regional Mexican, branded as "La Ley 96.5".
La Ley Enters Bakersfield
Radioinsight - July 31, 2018
Programming
Programming on this station includes Alex "El Genio" Lucas on mornings, Rosmar Vega on mid-days, El Fantasma on afternoons, and ''Concierto 96.5 Music'' overnights, and weekends. ''Show De Thalia'' is on Saturday evenings.
Previous logo
References
External links
*
{{Lotus Communications
PSL-FM
Radio stations established in 1963
1963 establishments in California
PSL-FM
Lotus Communications stations
Regional Mexican radio stations in the United States