|
KMVN-FM, Movin' 93.9, is a rhythmic/pop contemporary station serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area. The station is owned by Emmis Broadcasting, which also owns KPWR (Power 106). Most of the songs played on Movin' 93.9 consists of Rhythmic Pop and Dance hits from the 1980s and 1990s to the present day, along with classic Disco and Freestyle tracks thrown in for balance. With the unique combination of both KPWR and KMVN, the move gives Emmis and Los Angeles its first Rhythmic duopoly, as well as the second duopoly in California with this arrangement, the other being Clear Channel Communications siblings KMEL and KYLD in San Francisco. They are also the second station in the United States to adopt the "Movin'" concept, the first being KQMV/Seattle, Washington. KQMV is not owned by Emmis; however they did acquire the rights to use the moniker from consultant Alan Burns, who helped launched KQMV's format. Burns will also team up with fellow consultant Guy Zapoleon (whose partnership with Burns dates back to the launch of KHMX/Houston in 1991) on the new upstart. KMVN plays a wide variety of danceable hit songs from the 1970s to the present day. Sample artists include Madonna, Janet Jackson, Mark Wahlberg (a/k/a Marky Mark), Black Eyed Peas, and Gorillaz. There is little rap music, in deferrence to both the target audience and to sister station KPWR.
History For 26 years 93.9 was Country formatted KZLA and for years was owned by Malrite. In the 1970s they had an adult contemporary format of some sort. They also had an AM simulcast station. 710 KMPC radio owned by Gene Autry was the country music station for years and in the late 70's they flipped to Big Bands and Standards. By 1980 several stations picked up country music formats such as 570 KLAC owned by Metromedia at the time and KHJ 930 owned by RKO at the time in 1980. At that point KZLA AM and FM also went country. The three country music outlets struggled including KZLA. In 1983 KHJ dropped country and returned to an adult contemporary format of some type. KLAC though held its own. At this point KZLA began to grow in the ratings as Los Angeles' only FM country station, up until its abrupt format flip in August 2006. On its website, it claimed to be the United States' most-listened-to country radio station, even though they never managed to dent the top 15 in the Los Angeles Arbitron ratings during its 26-year run. Metromedia sold KLAC in 1987 to Malrite, which had sold its AM station to an ethnic broadcaster. KLAC then moved to a classic country format. By 1990 though, KLAC went to an Easy Listening/Standards format from Westwood One. KZLA now established itself as LA's only Country Music station. In 1994 Shamrock acquired KZLA and KLAC in a group deal. In 1996 Chancellor would acquire the two stations. The following year, Chancellor and Evergreen merged. Evergreen already had KKBT (then on 92.3) and KOST 103.5. Chancellor would acquire Viacom's KYSR 98.7 and 100.3 KXEZ. This gave Chancellor 5 FM stations. Later that year Bonneville made a corporate deal to swap several stations. Under that deal, Chancellor would have 6 FM stations, including KOST, KBIG, KYSR, KKBT, and KXEZ 100.3(which would change formats and calls), plus two AM radio stations: KFI 640, and KLAC 570. Bonneville, in return, would acquire KZLA. As a result, KLAC and KZLA were under different owners. KZLA over the years mixed in a few non-country pop songs in their format, and also plays more classic country than most country stations. Bonneville eventually exited Los Angeles and sold KZLA in 2000 to Emmis, the station's current owners. Under Emmis' ownership, most of the country songs they played during its tenure in the format were from 1987 to the present day, with some classic cuts mixed in. In 2006, KZLA began to carry NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races as the local affiliate of the Motor Racing Network. The first broadcast was the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Format change On August 17, 2006 at 10:20 a.m. Pacific time, KZLA's format was changed to rhythmic adult contemporary music. After the station played "Tonight I Wanna Cry" by Keith Urban to end the old format, KZLA played "Let's Get It Started" by the Black Eyed Peas to start the new one. Jimmy Steal, Emmis' vice president of programming, cited declining ratings of the country format as well as an opportunity to increase overall station and corporate revenue.* Both KZLA.com and the HD2 feed on 93.9 FM will continue to play country songs. The FM station became KMVN on September 1. Emmis also signed legendary DJ Rick Dees to host the morning drivetime show. Dees was host at another area station, KIIS-FM, from 1983 to 2004. Dees returned to the airwaves on September 25 and also picked up his "Rick Dees' Weekly Top 40" program on Sunday mornings, which started October 1. It should be noted that KMVN airs Weekly Top 40 with most of the non-Rhythmic hits (mostly Rock/Pop) edited from the show because of KMVN's format. Also taking advantage of KZLA's demise is XM Satellite Radio, which is the new sponsor of the former stations' annual Country Bash. The event, its first ever for XM, was held October 14, 2006 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. The displaced listeners are also taking notice, prompting a campaign to bring the format back to the Los Angeles airwaves, as well as a response from the Country Music Association, which vows to work with a broadcaster in the area to help fill the void, as evidenced in this article from R&R. The change leaves the two largest media markets in the United States and three of the top four without a full-time country music station. The New York area hasn't had such a station since WYNY signed off in 2003, and the San Francisco Bay Area's last such outlet, KZBR, also changed format in 2006. However, KFRG (K-Frog), based in San Bernardino, CA, can be received in certain areas of Los Angeles and Orange Counties. There is also Cumulus Media's KHAY based of Ventura, CA that can be received in certain areas of the San Fernando Valley, and the recently launched KKGO in San Diego/Tijuana. The largest market with a country outlet is number-three Chicago, which has WUSN-FM. A similar situation occured in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex of Texas where CBS-owned Smooth Jazz station KOAI (once branded as "The Oasis") has changed to KMVK "MOViN 107.5" on October 2, 2006, since then, much heartbreak and criticism was seen on The Oasis blog. The only jazz station in that area is KNTU-FM, but many listeners aren't able to get that station, because the broadcast reception was not as strong as former KOAI. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
| |