KBBL (106.3 FM; "Air1") is a radio station in Cazadero, California, and serving the Santa Rosa area. It airs a contemporary worship music format. The station is currently owned by Redwood Empire Stereocasters.[2] Educational Media Foundation operates the station under a LMA deal from Redwood, and carries its Air 1 network.

KBBL
Broadcast areaSanta Rosa
Frequency106.3 MHz
BrandingAir 1
Programming
FormatContemporary worship music
AffiliationsAir 1
Ownership
OwnerRedwood Empire Stereocasters
OperatorEducational Media Foundation
KJZY
History
First air date
June 28, 2007 (as KGRP)
Former call signs
KGRP (2006–2010)
KTRY (2010–2015)
KBBL (2015–2020)
KJZY (2020–2022)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID166069
ClassA
ERP1,620 watts
HAAT194 meters (636 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
38°29′20″N 123°1′53″W / 38.48889°N 123.03139°W / 38.48889; -123.03139
Links
Public license information

History edit

Origins edit

The Federal Communications Commission held a spectrum auction for the 106.3 FM frequency in Cazadero in the mid-2000s. The construction permit was awarded to the Ace Radio Corporation on May 24, 2006.[3] The station was assigned its original KGRP call letters on May 31 of that year. Construction of the station's transmitter site and setup of the studios took 13 months.

Early years (2007–2009) edit

On June 11, 2007, Ace Radio formally filed the application for its broadcast license. It was granted at the end of the month, and KGRP formally signed on on June 28, 2007. However, later that year, Ace Radio put the station up for sale. Redwood Empire Stereocasters would acquire the station in September 2007. The sale was approved on October 29, and was consummated on November 16.[4]

Country music era (2010–2019) edit

In 2010, The station switched callsigns to KTRY, and adopted a country music format, which resulted in Nielsen Audio, registering the station as such in March of that year.

 
Logo as 106.3 The Bull

On May 1, 2015, at 5:00 p.m., KTRY rebranded as 106.3 The Bull.[5] With this rebranding came another call change to KBBL. KBBL also shifted to a more contemporary presentation to attract younger listeners. 2019 would mark the station's last full year as a country music station.

CHR era (2020–2022) edit

On January 30, 2020, it was announced that KBBL would be flipping to a CHR radio format on February 17.[6] The new station would be branded as "106.3 The Beat". On February 3, 2020, KBBL began stunting with a jockless loop of music, while redirecting listeners to 93.7 FM, and the stations swapped call signs, with KBBL taking on the KJZY call sign. The stunt lasted for two weeks until February 17, at midnight, when the now-KJZY formally flipped to a CHR format. The final song played on "The Beat" was "The Middle" by Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey on March 8, 2022, at 11:57 PM local time.[7]

Air 1 era (2022–present) edit

At midnight on March 9, 2022, KJZY switched to EMF's Air 1 radio service, carrying a contemporary worship radio format. EMF began operating the station under an LMA with station owner Redwood Empire Stereocasters.[8]

On August 1, 2022, the station switched back to its former KBBL call sign.

References edit

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "KBBL Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved 2011-07-01.
  3. ^ "REC California History Grid for KBBL". Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Query the REC California FM Station database for KBBL". Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  5. ^ Venta, Lance (3 May 2015). "KTRY Relaunches As The Bull". Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  6. ^ Venta, Lance (30 January 2020). "Bull And Beat Swapping Spots In Santa Rosa". Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  7. ^ . 9 March 2022 https://1063thebeat.fm/music/playlist-history. Retrieved 9 March 2022. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ Venta, Lance (9 March 2022). "EMF Begins Operating KJZY Under Network Affiliation Agreement". Retrieved 9 March 2022.

External links edit