KXXM

KXXM
Broadcast areaGreater San Antonio
Frequency96.1 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingMix 96.1
Programming
Language(s)Spanish
FormatLatin pop and adult contemporary music
SubchannelsHD2: Bilingual classic hits "Retro"
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
KAJA, KQXT-FM, KRPT, KTKR, KZEP-FM, WOAI
History
First air date
May 5, 1964; 60 years ago (1964-05-05)
Former call signs
  • KMFM (1964–1983)
  • KSLR (1983–1984)
  • KSAQ (1984–1993)
  • KSJL-FM (1993–1998)
Call sign meaning
"Mix" in reverse
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID28668
ClassC1
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT182 m (597 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
29°38′02″N 98°37′55″W / 29.634°N 98.632°W / 29.634; -98.632
Links
Public license information
Webcast
Websitemix961.iheart.com

KXXM (96.1 FM, "Mix 96.1") is a radio station in San Antonio, Texas. Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., it broadcasts a Spanish-language format focusing on Latin pop and English-language adult contemporary music. Its studios are located in the Stone Oak neighborhood in Far North San Antonio, and the transmitter site is in Frederich Wilderness Park on the city's northwest side.

History

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On May 5, 1964, KMFM signed on 96.1 MHz. It was a classical music station owned by the Pennington family, broadcasting from studios at 134 E. Agarita Ave.

In 1976, Harry Pennington, Jr. died, and his wife Rosa Lee took over the station before selling it to Classic Media in 1977. Classic built a new, 100 kW facility for the station. Six years later, the station was sold to C&W Wireless, which programmed a Contemporary Christian format known as "Son Light Radio FM 96" and changed the callsign to KSLR to match the new moniker.

Inner City Broadcasting, which already owned KSJL 760 AM, bought KSLR in 1986. The two stations began simulcasting as Super Q 96  FM and Super Q 76 AM, with the callsign changed to KSAQ on the FM side. In 1988, the simulcast was split, with 96.1 FM becoming known by the short name Q96 FM. During this time, a long segment of news known as "Cruz News" aired weekday mornings at 7 on Q96.

At midnight on February 3, 1991, the format was changed to album-oriented rock under the "96 Rock" name.[2] The station filled the void left by KISS-FM's flip from AOR to oldies the previous year.[2] It was the only FM rock station in San Antonio until KISS reverted to rock at the end of 1991.

In 1993, Inner City sold 760 AM to Clear Channel Communications and moved its format of urban adult contemporary music to 96.1 FM, with the station changing its calls to KSJL-FM. Unlike KSJL at 760 AM, the new KSJL-FM did not use "The Touch" format from Satellite Music Networks, and it added more mainstream Urban Contemporary tracks as well as "The Mix Show" with Ricco and D-Street, which would air Monday-Saturdays from 7-10p.m.

In 1998, another series of shuffles occurred when Inner City sold KSJL-FM to Clear Channel for $10 million. The Mix show was dropped on July 4 of that year, and the station reverted to an urban contemporary format. The format was simulcast on a leased station, 810 AM KCHG, which would soon change its calls to KSJL itself. In addition, KTXX-FM, a rimshot located in Devine, Texas, increased its power to reach San Antonio proper, becoming KSJL-FM.

All this movement made way for a new format on 96.1; on September 3, 1998, the station flipped to a modern adult contemporary-leaning contemporary hit radio (CHR) format as "Mix 96.1".[3] On June 30, 2017, KXXM rebranded as "96.1 Now", maintaining a CHR format.[4]

Logo as "Now", 2017-2024

On November 1, 2024, KXXM rebranded as "Mix 96.1", this time flipping to a Spanish-language format (modeled after WMIA-FM) featuring Latin pop and English-language adult contemporary hits.[5] The flip also left San Antonio without a Top 40 station in the market, though hot adult contemporary station KSMG would shift to the format itself a few hours later.

KXXM-HD2

[edit]

KXXM-HD2 formerly broadcast the former "Mix" brand that originally aired on 96.1 from 1998 to 2017.

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KXXM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ a b Wynne, Robert (February 4, 1991). "KSAQ-FM changes to hard rock format". San Antonio Light. p. G3.
  3. ^ "Kelly Named 'Mix' PD As KSJL Relocates" (PDF). R&R. September 11, 1998. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  4. ^ "KXXM Rebrands As 96.1 Now". RadioInsight. June 30, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  5. ^ NOW 96.1 San Antonio Flips to Bilingual AC
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