KSLY

KSLY

San Luis Obispo, California
Broadcast area	San Luis Obispo, California
Frequency	96.1 MHz
Branding	K-Love
Programming
Format	Contemporary Christian
Affiliations	K-Love
Ownership
Owner	Educational Media Foundation
History
First air date	December 1959 (as KATY-FM)
Former call signs	KATY-FM (1959–1973) KUNA (1973–1979) KUNA-FM (1979–1980) KUNA (1980–1984) KSLY-FM (1984–2016)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	58894
Class	B
ERP	4,500 watts
HAAT	443 meters (1,453 ft)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Website	klove.com

KSLY (96.1 FM, "K-Love") is a non-commercial radio station that is licensed to San Luis Obispo, California. Owned by Educational Media Foundation, the station carries a contemporary Christian music format from the nationally syndicated K-Love network as of October 16, 2016.

History

Early years

The station first signed on in December 1959 as KATY-FM, simulcasting then-sister station KATY.[2] It adopted the call sign KUNA in 1973.

In January 1976, KSLY Broadcasting Company sold KUNA and AM counterpart KSLY to a Chicago-based group for $535,000.[3] KUNA, which aired a beautiful music format, changed its call letters to KUNA-FM on January 15, 1979, then back to KUNA the following year.[4]

KSLY-FM

In February 1984, KUNA switched call signs and formats with KSLY, which aired a top 40 format.[5] The FM station, using new call letters KSLY-FM,[4] adopted the branding "SLY 96-FM".[6]

In September 2000, Mondosphere Broadcasting Inc. sold 11 stations throughout Central California, including KSLY-FM, plus a construction permit for a twelfth station, to Clear Channel Communications for $45 million.[7] KSLY-FM dropped its longtime top 40 format in October 2005, flipping to country music and rebranding as "Cat Country 96.1".[8]

In July 2007, KSLY-FM was one of 16 stations in California and Arizona that Clear Channel sold to El Dorado Broadcasters for $40 million.[9]

On April 20, 2012, KSLY-FM dropped its Cat Country moniker and began simulcasting sister station KSNI-FM in Santa Maria. Both stations co-branded as "Sunny Country 102.5 & 96.1".[10]

In May 2016, upon closing of KSNI-FM's sale to American General Media, KSLY-FM dropped its simulcast of Sunny Country and rebranded as "96.1 SLO Country".[11] This format lasted only two months as the station went silent at the end of June.[12]

On July 15, 2016, El Dorado Broadcasters sold KSLY-FM to Educational Media Foundation for $350,000; the transaction closed in October.[13][14] EMF then flipped the station to its Christian adult contemporary-formatted K-Love network.[12] KSLY-FM changed its callsign to simply KSLY on December 15, 2016.[4]

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for KSLY". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. "Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S." (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. Broadcasting Publications Inc. 1960. p. A-121. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
3. "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. January 5, 1976. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
4. "Call Sign History: KSLY". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
5. Denver, Joel (December 14, 1984). "1984: CHR Is Back And Stronger Than Ever" (PDF). Radio and Records. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
6. Mitchell, Gail (December 14, 1984). "Fighting For A Piece Of The Action" (PDF). Radio & Records. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
7. "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. R.R. Bowker. September 18, 2000. p. 39. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
8. "Street Talk" (PDF). Radio & Records. October 7, 2005. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
9. "Price For 16 AZ, CA Clear Channel Stations: $40 Million". All Access. All Access Music Group. July 11, 2007. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
10. Venta, Lance (April 20, 2012). "Sunny Country Doubles In California". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
11. Venta, Lance (May 1, 2016). "Ownership Change Leads To Country Split On California Coast". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
12. Venta, Lance (July 22, 2016). "EMF Acquires KSLY-FM San Luis Obispo". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
13. "Price For EMF's Purchase Of KSLY/San Luis Obispo: $350,000". All Access. All Access Music Group. July 22, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
14. "KFWB-A/Los Angeles Sold Again, This Time To Lotus". All Access. All Access Music Group. October 4, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2018.

External links

• Official website (K-Love)
• Facility details for Facility ID 58894 (KSLY) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• KSLY in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

35.360°N 120.656°W / 35.360; -120.656