KXTZ (95.3

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

, "95.3 The Beach") is a

commercial Commercial may refer to: * (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services ** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money * a dose of advertising ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

that is licensed to and serves

San Luis Obispo, California ; ; ; Chumashan languages, Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Located on the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly halfway betwee ...

. The station is owned by Dimes Media Corporation and broadcasts an Adult Hits music format with a focus on

rock music Rock is a Music genre, genre of popular music that originated in the United States as "rock and roll" in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of styles from the mid-1960s, primarily in the United States and the United Kingdo ...

from the 1980s. KXTZ is simulcast on

sister station In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio or television stations operated by the same company, either by direct ownership or through a management agreement. Radio sister stations will often have different formats, and somet ...

KXDZ in

Templeton, California Templeton is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Luis Obispo County, California, San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. The population was 8,368 at the 2020 census, up from 7,674 at the 2010 census. Geography and climate Geogra ...

at 100.5 FM.

History

The station first signed on December 7, 1974 as KPGA and broadcast a middle of the road music format. In 1975, original owner James M. Strain sold KPGA to Jack and Lois Gale for $70,000; the deal was approved by the U.S.

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...

on October 17. In May 1978, owing to his declining health, Jack Gale sold his share in KPGA to his business partners Charles A. and Patricia Kent, doing business as KPGA Inc., for $6,000. The Kents sold the

adult contemporary music Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, sou ...

-formatted station to Five Cities Broadcasting Corporation for $500,000 in April 1985. In September 1989, U.S. Media Company, who took possession of KPGA's license after Five Cities defaulted on a loan in 1986, sold the station to James H. Elison for $1.05 million. On March 2, 1990, KPGA changed its

call letters In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a Identifier, unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be fo ...

to KWBR. Elison's Maverick Broadcasting Company had reached an agreement to sell KWBR to

American General Media American General Media is a media company specializing in radio. It was founded by Lawrence Brandon and is operated by sons Anthony and Rogers. American General Media is headquartered in Bakersfield, California. Lawrence Brandon owned and op ...

for $500,000 in December 1996; however, the deal fell through. Instead, the following March, the rock-formatted station was purchased for $350,000 by Winsome Media LLC, based in

Cambria, California Cambria () is a seaside village in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along California State Route 1 (Highway 1). The name Cambria, chosen in 1869, is the Latin name for Wales (Welsh, ...

and owned by Walter D. Howard and Delbert E. Cleft, Jr. On April 17, 1998, the station adopted the KXTZ call sign. In April 2002, Howard Broadcasting, Inc. sold KXTZ to

Mapleton Communications Mapleton Communications (MC) was a media company. It was formed in May 2001 to acquire and operate radio stations in mid-sized markets in the western United States. Mapleton owned and operated 41 radio stations (11 AM and 30 FM) in California ...

as part of a three-station deal valued at $1.5 million. The deal was approved by the FCC on May 23, 2002 and the transaction was consummated on July 19. In late 2014, Mapleton Communications sold KXTZ and sister stations KPYG, KWWV, KXDZ, and

KYNS KYNS (1340 AM broadcasting, AM) is a commercial radio station that is City of license, licensed to San Luis Obispo, California, United States and serves the San Luis Obispo area. The station is owned by Martha Fahnoe, through licensee Dimes Media ...

to Martha Fahnoe's Dimes Media Corporation for $1 million. The sale closed on January 15, 2015.

References

External links

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FCC History Cards for KXTZ
{{Classic Hits Radio Stations in California XTZ Classic hits radio stations in the United States