| Broadcast area | Phoenix Metropolitan Area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 107.1 MHz ( HD Radio) |
| Branding | La Suavecita 107.1 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Spanish Adult Hits |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KBMB, KDVA, KLNZ | |
| History | |
First air date | July 1, 1973 |
Former call signs | KSTM (1973–1987) |
| Technical information [1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 1331 |
| Class | C3 |
| ERP | 17,000 watts |
| HAAT | 124 meters (407 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 33°26′44″N 111°37′21″W / 33.44556°N 111.62250°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | radiolasuavecita.com/phoenix |
KVVA-FM (107.1 MHz, "La Suavecita 107.1") is a commercial radio station licensed to Apache Junction, Arizona. It simulcasts a Spanish Adult Hits radio format with KDVA 106.7 FM in Buckeye, serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. The stations are owned by Entravision Communications, with studios near Sky Harbor Airport.
KVVA-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 17,000 watts as a Class C3 station. The transmitter is off North Crismon Road in Mesa. [2]
History
KSTM and KVVA-FM
The station signed on the air on July 1, 1973. [3] Its call sign was KSTM. It was built by engineer Harold Harkins who also served as its first general manager and it had a variety format. Harkings sold KSTM to Beta Communications in 1980. [4] Under Beta, it broadcast an album rock format known as "The Storm". [5]
Two years after buying KSTM, Beta acquired KIFN 860 AM, Phoenix's heritage Spanish-language station, and relaunched it as KVVA. Five years later, Beta opted to jettison the rock format for Spanish-language adult contemporary as KVVA-FM 107.1. It was the first Spanish-language FM station in Phoenix since 99.9 KNNN had exited the format in 1984. [6]
Romántica, Estrella, Jose, Suavecita
Beta went bankrupt in 1996, and the AM and FM stations were auctioned separately. KVVA-FM was sold to Z-Spanish Radio Network. [7] Four years later, Entravision acquired KVVA-FM and KMJK (now KDVA) and combined the two into a simulcast for its " Radio Romántica" format. In 2005, the stations were changed to " Super Estrella," as part of the Super Estrella Network programmed by Edgar Pineda from Los Angeles. In September 2008, the simulcast switched to "Jose FM," a Spanish adult hits format. The current "La Suavecita" format was instituted in 2018.
In July 2020, after years of filings involving a nearby FM allotment to Aguila, Entravision was approved to move KVVA-FM's city of license from Apache Junction to Sun Lakes, in order to relocate the transmitter from Apache Junction to South Mountain and become a market-wide signal. Its simulcast partner, 106.9 KDVA, moved to 106.7 MHz in late October of 2023.
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KVVA-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/KVVA
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1975 page C-8, Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ FCC History Cards for KVVA-FM
- ^ Wilkinson, Bud. "FM rock station raises KDKB's ire". The Arizona Republic. p. B12. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
- ^ Wilkinson, Bud (15 June 1987). "Rock outlet KSTM replaced with bilingual KVVA-FM". The Arizona Republic. p. B12. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ^ Van Dyke, Charlie (August 10, 1996). "'Class' morning guys lose jobs as KNIX sends in a new team". Arizona Republic. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
External links
- KVVA in the FCC FM station database
- KVVA in Nielsen Audio's FM station database