KXTA (AM)

KXTA (970 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock/hits format. Licensed to Rupert, Idaho, United States, the station serves the Twin Falls area. The station is currently owned by Lee Family Broadcasting.[1]

KXTA
CityRupert, Idaho
Broadcast areaTwin Falls, Idaho
Frequency970 kHz
BrandingBalanced Rock 97.5/100.5
SloganMagic Valley's Monumental Rock
Programming
FormatClassic rock/hits
Ownership
OwnerLee Family Broadcasting
Sister stationsKZDX, KART, KKMV, KEDJ, KBAR
History
First air dateOctober 24, 1955 (as KAYT)
Former call signsKAYT (1955-1985)
KBBK (1985-2000)
KFTA (2000-2014)
KZNO (2014-2015)
Technical information
Facility ID67743
ClassB
Power2,500 watts day
900 watts night
Transmitter coordinates42°36′10″N 113°43′21″W
Translator(s)97.5 K248BZ (Kimberly)
100.5 K263BZ (Rupert)
Links
Websitewww.balancedrockradio.com

History

The station was assigned the call letters KAYT on 1955-10-24. They changed to KBBK on 1985-01-01, and on 2000-02-24, the station changed its call sign to KFTA.[2]

The station began its regional Mexican format on November 1, 1999, as "La Fantástica 970", under the direction of Benjamin Reed, a.k.a. "El Chupacabras." Reed is Anglo by birth, but is fluent in Spanish. Reed has also been featured in Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hector Tobar's book, Translation Nation.

On March 1, 2013 the station began broadcasting the Spanish adult hits format "Juan" from Westwood One.

On August 4, 2014 KFTA changed their format to sports, branded as "The Zone", under new call letters, KZNO. The KZNO calls and "Zone" sports format were previously on 103.1 FM KEDJ, which switched to active rock as "The Edge".

On April 13, 2015 the station changed its call sign to the current KXTA. Its Regional Mexican oldies format returned to the air on June 6, 2015 at 7 PM. The station is again programmed by Benjamin Reed, "El Chupacabras".

On August 17, 2020 KXTA changed their format from regional Mexican to classic rock/hits, branded as "Balanced Rock 97.5/100.5".[3]

Previous Use of the KXTA Callsign

From 1997 to 2005, the KXTA call letters resided on 1150 kHz in Los Angeles, California, which at that carried a sports talk format, branded as “Xtra Sports.” That station is now known as KEIB and carries a talk radio format branded as "The Patriot AM 1150".

References
  1. "KXTA Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. "KFTA Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. Balanced Rock Seeks To Steady Twin Falls Radioinsight - August 17, 2020
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