KSMG
KSMG (105.3 FM, "Magic 105.3") is a Hot AC formatted radio station serving the San Antonio area, licensed to Seguin. The Cox Media Group outlet operates at 105.3 MHz with an ERP of 97.5 kW from a transmitter near Elmendorf in far northwestern Wilson County. Its studios are located in northwest San Antonio near the South Texas Medical Center complex.
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Broadcast area | Greater San Antonio |
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Frequency | 105.3 MHz (HD Radio) |
Branding | Magic 105.3 |
Programming | |
Language(s) | English |
Format | Hot adult contemporary |
Ownership | |
Owner |
|
History | |
First air date | September 9, 1970[1] |
Former call signs | KWED-FM (1970-1985) |
Call sign meaning | San Antonio MaGic |
Technical information | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 34977 |
Class | C0 |
ERP | 97,500 watts |
HAAT | 453 meters (1,486 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 29.275°N 98.265°W |
Repeater(s) | 101.1 KONO-FM-HD3 (Helotes) |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Webcast | Listen live |
Website | magic1053 |
History
Seguin 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.[2] 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.[3]
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.[4]
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.[5] In its first ratings book, KSMG cracked the top five in San Antonio.[6] The station went full into the oldies format in 1988 upon its acquisition by The Rusk Corporation.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9]
At the end of 1995, KSMG shifted to hot adult contemporary.[10] In 1997, Cox Radio acquired KSMG; KISS-FM, which Rusk had bought outright; and KLUP (930 AM) from Rusk in a $30 million transaction.[11] 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.[12]
References
- Riddlebarger, Philip (January 9, 1985). "KWED-FM sale pending with FCC". Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
- 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.
External links
- Official website
- KSMG in the FCC FM station database
- KSMG on Radio-Locator
- KSMG in Nielsen Audio's FM station database