KSMG (105.3 FM, "Hits 105.3") is a commercial radio station serving the San Antonio area, licensed to Seguin. It is owned by Cox Media Group and broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format. Its transmitter is in near Elmendorf in far northwestern Wilson County. Its studios are located in northwest San Antonio near the South Texas Medical Center complex.
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Greater San Antonio |
| Frequency | 105.3 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Hits 105.3 |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | CHR |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | September 9, 1970[1] |
Former call signs | KWED-FM (1970–1985) |
Call sign meaning | San Antonio MaGic (prior branding) |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 34977 |
| Class | C0 |
| ERP | 97,500 watts |
| HAAT | 453 meters (1,486 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 29°16′30″N 98°15′54″W / 29.275°N 98.265°W |
| Repeater(s) | 101.1 KONO-HD3 (Helotes) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | hits1053sanantonio |
KSMG has an ERP of 97.5 kW. The station broadcasts in the HD radio format.
History
editSeguin Broadcasting Company, Inc., owners of KWED (1580 AM), filed a construction permit for a new radio station to broadcast on 105.3 MHz on September 15, 1969, which was granted by the FCC on December 31.[3] The station began broadcasting September 9, 1970;[1] like the AM station, it aired a middle of the road format, and it simulcast the AM station 40 percent of the time.[4]
FCC regulatory changes made in 1984 would have required KWED-FM to increase its power, which would have given the station a significant signal over San Antonio. Seguin Broadcasting Company, headed by Stan McKenzie, had no desire to run a major-market station. In late 1984, McKenzie reached a deal to sell KWED to American Media, Inc., which owned stations in Baltimore and on Long Island.[1] The divestiture of the FM prompted programming changes at the AM, including the end of afternoon Spanish-language shows that had aired since 1948.[5]
In March 1985, after the signal upgrade was completed, American Media's programming debuted and the station relaunched as "Magic 105", a gold-based adult contemporary format.[6] In its first ratings book, KSMG cracked the top five in San Antonio.[7] The station went full into the oldies format in 1988 upon its acquisition by The Rusk Corporation.[8] Jacor filed to buy the station in 1989 in a deal that ultimately never closed; it was part of a package deal with KTRH and KLOL in Houston, and the company was forced to take the San Antonio-market station in order to purchase the Houston outlets.[9] Rusk consolidated its position in the classic hits format in San Antonio when it entered into a local marketing agreement to take over the operations of a struggling KISS-FM in November 1991; KISS simulcasted KSMG until it returned to its heritage rock format on December 31, 1991.[10]
At the end of 1995, KSMG shifted to hot adult contemporary.[11] In 1997, Cox Radio acquired KSMG; KISS-FM, which Rusk had bought outright; and KLUP (930 AM) from Rusk in a $30 million transaction.[12] The station later shifted to mainstream adult contemporary; in 2014, as the station shifted back toward hot AC, Mediabase added KSMG to its Hot AC panel.[13]
On December 26, 2023 at Midnight, following its annual Christmas music period, the station rebranded as "Hits 105.3", with no other changes to the format or airstaff. The first song as "Hits" was "Enemy" by Imagine Dragons.[14][15]
When KXXM flipped from its long-running Top 40 format to a bilingual adult contemporary on November 1, 2024, KSMG shifted to Top 40/CHR. A few days later on November 7, longtime morning hosts Jenny Lee & Tony Cortez left the station.[16]
References
edit- ^ a b c Riddlebarger, Philip (January 9, 1985). "KWED-FM sale pending with FCC". Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KSMG". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ FCC History Cards for KSMG
- ^ "KWED-FM" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1973. p. B-201. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Barbee, Mike (March 6, 1985). "Local Hispanic listeners miss Ornelas: Sale of FM station causes KWED to cancel Rosita". Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. p. 12A. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "KSMG Kicks Off Gold A/C Approach" (PDF). Radio & Records. March 8, 1985. p. 6. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "Ratings" (PDF). Radio & Records. August 2, 1985. p. 20. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "Drops AC for Gold: KSMG Names Devine GM, McCann PD" (PDF). Radio & Records. August 12, 1988. p. 3. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Gibeau, Richard (April 7, 1990). "Jacor selling four stations in drive to bigger markets". Cincinnati Post. p. 7B.
Although San Antonio is a smaller market, Jon M. Berry, Jacor senior vice president, said, "To get the two (Houston stations), we had to take all three."
- ^ Kojan, Harvey (May 22, 1992). "A KISS After Dying: LMA gives San Antonio rocker new lease on life" (PDF). Radio & Records. pp. 40, 42. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ "Changes" (PDF). Radio & Records. December 15, 1995. p. 14. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- ^ Fohn, Joe (June 12, 1997). "Cox Radio doubles its S.A. presence: Atlanta company pays $30 million for 3 stations". San Antonio Express-News. p. 1E.
- ^ "Mediabase Announces Panel Changes". All Access. April 22, 2014.
- ^ No More Magic; KSMG Brings Hits to San Antonio
- ^ YouTube: "105.3 KSMG - "Magic 105.3" Becomes "Hits 105.3" - Legal ID and First Hour Aircheck, 12/26/2023"
- ^ "Jenny Lee & Tony Cortez Exit Mornings At KSMG". RadioInsight. 2024-11-07. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
External links
edit- Official website
- Facility details for Facility ID 34977 (KSMG) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KSMG in Nielsen Audio's FM station database