KHTS-FM
Encyclopedia
KHTS-FM, also known as "Channel 933" or simply "nine-three-three", is a Contemporary Hit Radio
station in San Diego, California
, broadcasting in analog and digital HD Radio
. It is licensed in El Cajon, California
and is owned by Clear Channel Communications
.
and was owned by (and broadcasted) the Family Radio
religious radio network for San Diego. Family Radio decided to put KECR-FM
up for sale, partially due to the fact that all other Top 40 radio stations in the San Diego market at the time actually broadcast from Tijuana. Jacor Communications purchased the license in 1995, which was transferred to Clear Channel three years later, when Jacor was purchased. Today, Family Radio broadcasts on KECR-AM
at 910 kHz.
In March 1996, KHTS began simulcasting the signal from Tampa, Florida
-based WFLZ
-- another Jacor station playing the CHR
format which, coincidentally also operated on the 93.3 frequency. http://www.jockconference.com/holmes/powerpig/contact.html Although no local San Diego programming was produced, WFLZ anchors (Jennifer Jordan, Bubba The Love Sponge, MJ & BJ Morning Show, etc.) referred to their "San Diego listeners," included San Diego temperatures in their weather spots, and used toll-free numbers for studio call-in contests at the time. (One memorable moment during that time, with Bubba The Love Sponge, included a stretch of several hours without a single phone call from San Diego - which Bubba of course alluded to on-air).
Although the format has since diverged somewhat, the logo and color scheme still used today for Channel 933 served as the basis for the current logo of WFLZ.
During August 1996 - in what was presumably a ratings and attention stunt
- the station began broadcasting a non-stop stream of various remixes of the then hugely-popular song Macarena
, by Los del Río
, accompanied by slogans such as "All Macarena, all the time! Twenty four hours a day! Now you never have to wait for what you want!" http://www.ellenjaye.com/wwest/11_sat.htm. On September 1, 1996 93.3 simulcasted the Charger football game from sister XTRA 690 which had been running the Mexican Presidential Address given out every September 1 as XTRA is a Mexican owned and licensed radio station. Then at 4pm the station began broadcasting under the Channel 933 name and format which it retains to this day.
Originally, its Top 40 direction focused on Rhythmic Top 40/Dance
hits and remixes of Mainstream Pop/Rock product (thus making them a Top 40, mostly along the lines of WHTZ
/New York City
), which they used to attract listeners away from Rhythmic Top 40 rival XHITZ (Z90.3), who were also billing themselves as a Dance station at the time. KHTS' response to Z90's slogan at the time ("San Diego's Official Dance Station") was "Move To It!" and was promoted on outdoor ads. KHTS also attacked then-Top 40/CHR rival Q106.5
, and former Adult Top 40 "B-100
," with promises not to play scary music as heard on Z-90, play goofy music as heard on B-100, or playing whatever it is on Q106. http://www.sandiegoradionews.com/news00/0100000905.htm
A few of the first DJ's to appear on Channel 933 included Angel, Cha-Cha, Boomer, Randy "Randman" DeWitt (formerly of XHRM in its 92.5 The Flash days), Geronimo and later included Chio the "Freakin Puerto Rican", Haze, and Butch the Baker.
But by August 1998, KHTS would move away from its Dance-heavy approach to a more mainstream direction (After Q106.5, which had been the Mainstream Top 40 in San Diego, was sold by KHTS' then-owner Jacor), where it has done well ever since. However they still retain a Rhythmic-leaning sound (with occasional alternative music tracks) and continues to air Dance mixes on weekends.
of KHTS Channel 933 San Diego from November 1996 with Cha Cha the DJ
http://airchecked.com/2011/01/22/khts-1996-november/
/ Electropop / Hip hop music
sound at this time. Former sweepers were "San Diego's Hit Music Station" in 2008, San Diego's #1 Hit Music Station and San Diego's Hit Music" before that in 2006, "San Diego's Dance Music" in 2000 and "Move to It" when the station first aired in 1996. Its call letters represent the word "hits," in reference to the station's format.
As of March 9, 2010 KSIQ
"Q96 - San Diego's New Q96" a Top 40 station signed on from Campo, California
as a competitor to Channel 933 but was plagued by poor coverage and technical problems. KSIQ had been silent since October 2010 but resumed broadcast on June 20, 2011.
"104.7 KISS FM" and broadcast to other cities including Tucson
AZ, Fort Collins
CO, Portland
OR, and Colorado Springs
CO. The team consists of Johnjay, Rich, Kyle, and Intern Kassi. But on November 1, 2010 it was announced that KHTS afternoon host Frankie V and Geena would replace JohnJay & Rich starting November 8, 2010, thus bringing a local morning show back to Channel 933's schedule.
Channel 933 was the home of the AJ's Playhouse morning show that on Thursday, August 20, 2009 Clear Channel announced that AJ and his morning team would move to sister Hot AC station KMYI
. AJ's Playhouse is a morning show designed to entertain commuters and early morning workers. The show is hosted by AJ, a bay area native, Hula, the producer, Geena the Latina, and Sonic. The show offers listeners conversations from serious topics such as relationships to funny subjects such as AJ's love for the Con and Geena's despise of cheaters. The show is greatly missed by Boy Toy Jesse who offered very amusing stories of a single father bachelor and the upbringing of a fast growing daughter.
Before AJs playhouse, Nastyman was the previous morning show from 1999 - 2001. "He's the bald man with a tan", though his fans usually don't have the dubious pleasure of a face-to-face unless he's making a personal appearance but when he is—look out! He's the pride of Channel 933. All the way from Guam to you ... his is THE NASTYMAN. He's kicking around with celebrity guests and listeners every weekday starting at 6:00 am. He doesn't read liner cards and he's not told what to say. The Nastyman's on-air persona remains friendly, entertaining, smart and clever; no different from how he is in "real life" because, for him, the two are one. Channel 933 gave The Nastyman the opportunity to create a flexible almost free-form show, so he debuts music that other radio stations are too wimpy to play and welcomes new and unusual talent from other mediums, as well."http://www.davidtanny.com/news99/010099wsr02.htm
Previous to these shows there were a few brief stint morning shows that aired on the station. These included Chio the Hitman Morning Show, now on WRDW-FM
Philadelphia, and the first morning duo Randman and Boomer.
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
station in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, broadcasting in analog and digital HD Radio
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
. It is licensed in El Cajon, California
El Cajon, California
-History:El Cajon is located on the Rancho El Cajon Mexican land grant made in 1845 to María Antonia Estudillo, wife of Miguel Pedrorena. In 1876 Amaziah Lord Knox , a New Englander who had recently moved to California, established a hotel there to serve the growing number of people traveling...
and is owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
.
History
Prior to 1995, KHTS had been known as KECR-FMKECR
KECR or Family Radio is the San Diego Family Radio affiliate. It has been on the AM band since the mid-1990s, at 910 KHz. It previously broadcast on 93.3 FM . The studio and the transmitter site is near Moreno Avenue, north of Lakeside, California by Highway 67.The transmitter site is also the...
and was owned by (and broadcasted) the Family Radio
Family Radio
Family Radio, also known by its licensee name Family Stations Inc., is a Christian radio network based in Oakland, California, USA, founded by Lloyd Lindquist, Richard H. Palmquist and Harold Camping...
religious radio network for San Diego. Family Radio decided to put KECR-FM
KECR
KECR or Family Radio is the San Diego Family Radio affiliate. It has been on the AM band since the mid-1990s, at 910 KHz. It previously broadcast on 93.3 FM . The studio and the transmitter site is near Moreno Avenue, north of Lakeside, California by Highway 67.The transmitter site is also the...
up for sale, partially due to the fact that all other Top 40 radio stations in the San Diego market at the time actually broadcast from Tijuana. Jacor Communications purchased the license in 1995, which was transferred to Clear Channel three years later, when Jacor was purchased. Today, Family Radio broadcasts on KECR-AM
KECR
KECR or Family Radio is the San Diego Family Radio affiliate. It has been on the AM band since the mid-1990s, at 910 KHz. It previously broadcast on 93.3 FM . The studio and the transmitter site is near Moreno Avenue, north of Lakeside, California by Highway 67.The transmitter site is also the...
at 910 kHz.
In March 1996, KHTS began simulcasting the signal from Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
-based WFLZ
WFLZ-FM
WFLZ-FM is a CHR/Pop station broadcasting in the Tampa Bay area, Florida, USA. Before the 1990s, the station played the oldies format before switching to Top 40 to compete against local CHR Q105. The station became 93.3 , and later was re-imaged to 93.3 FLZ...
-- another Jacor station playing the CHR
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
format which, coincidentally also operated on the 93.3 frequency. http://www.jockconference.com/holmes/powerpig/contact.html Although no local San Diego programming was produced, WFLZ anchors (Jennifer Jordan, Bubba The Love Sponge, MJ & BJ Morning Show, etc.) referred to their "San Diego listeners," included San Diego temperatures in their weather spots, and used toll-free numbers for studio call-in contests at the time. (One memorable moment during that time, with Bubba The Love Sponge, included a stretch of several hours without a single phone call from San Diego - which Bubba of course alluded to on-air).
Although the format has since diverged somewhat, the logo and color scheme still used today for Channel 933 served as the basis for the current logo of WFLZ.
During August 1996 - in what was presumably a ratings and attention stunt
Stunting (broadcasting)
In radio broadcasting, stunting occurs when a station abruptly airs programming that is seemingly uncharacteristic compared to what they normally play...
- the station began broadcasting a non-stop stream of various remixes of the then hugely-popular song Macarena
Macarena (song)
"Macarena" is a Spanish dance song by Los del Río about a woman of the same name. Appearing on the 1994 album A mí me gusta, it was an international hit between 1995 and 1996, and continues to have a cult following. It was ranked the "#1 Greatest One-Hit Wonder of all Time" by VH1 in 2002.The song...
, by Los del Río
Los del Río
Los Del Rio, also known as "The Del Rios," was a Spanish Latin dance group formed in 1992 and broke up in mid-2007. They were best known by their smash-hit and hot dance single Macarena originally released in early 1994. The song peaked at the Hot Dance Singles and Billboard 200 by mid-1994. The...
, accompanied by slogans such as "All Macarena, all the time! Twenty four hours a day! Now you never have to wait for what you want!" http://www.ellenjaye.com/wwest/11_sat.htm. On September 1, 1996 93.3 simulcasted the Charger football game from sister XTRA 690 which had been running the Mexican Presidential Address given out every September 1 as XTRA is a Mexican owned and licensed radio station. Then at 4pm the station began broadcasting under the Channel 933 name and format which it retains to this day.
Originally, its Top 40 direction focused on Rhythmic Top 40/Dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
hits and remixes of Mainstream Pop/Rock product (thus making them a Top 40, mostly along the lines of WHTZ
WHTZ
WHTZ — branded Z100 — is a commercial pop/contemporary hit radio radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey serving the New York metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications...
/New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
), which they used to attract listeners away from Rhythmic Top 40 rival XHITZ (Z90.3), who were also billing themselves as a Dance station at the time. KHTS' response to Z90's slogan at the time ("San Diego's Official Dance Station") was "Move To It!" and was promoted on outdoor ads. KHTS also attacked then-Top 40/CHR rival Q106.5
KLNV
KLNV is a Spanish language radio station. It is owned, along with KLQV, by Univision. Its antenna is located at the same site of KSON and KOGO.-History:...
, and former Adult Top 40 "B-100
KFMB-FM
KFMB-FM is a commercial radio station located in San Diego, California, broadcasting on 100.7 FM. KFMB-FM airs an adult hits music format branded as "Jack FM".-History:...
," with promises not to play scary music as heard on Z-90, play goofy music as heard on B-100, or playing whatever it is on Q106. http://www.sandiegoradionews.com/news00/0100000905.htm
A few of the first DJ's to appear on Channel 933 included Angel, Cha-Cha, Boomer, Randy "Randman" DeWitt (formerly of XHRM in its 92.5 The Flash days), Geronimo and later included Chio the "Freakin Puerto Rican", Haze, and Butch the Baker.
But by August 1998, KHTS would move away from its Dance-heavy approach to a more mainstream direction (After Q106.5, which had been the Mainstream Top 40 in San Diego, was sold by KHTS' then-owner Jacor), where it has done well ever since. However they still retain a Rhythmic-leaning sound (with occasional alternative music tracks) and continues to air Dance mixes on weekends.
Aircheck
This is an aircheckAircheck
In the radio industry, an aircheck is generally a demonstration recording, often intended to show off the talent of an announcer or programmer to a prospective employer, but mainly intended for legal archiving purposes...
of KHTS Channel 933 San Diego from November 1996 with Cha Cha the DJ
http://airchecked.com/2011/01/22/khts-1996-november/
Sweepers
The station's current hourly sweeper in 2010 is "All the Hits" and finishes with "Move to It". The latter is a reference to the original slogan from when the station first went on the air in 1996 which now reflects popular music as a whole as the stations format has shifted to a more Dance based CHRContemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
/ Electropop / Hip hop music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
sound at this time. Former sweepers were "San Diego's Hit Music Station" in 2008, San Diego's #1 Hit Music Station and San Diego's Hit Music" before that in 2006, "San Diego's Dance Music" in 2000 and "Move to It" when the station first aired in 1996. Its call letters represent the word "hits," in reference to the station's format.
Current Operations Morning Show and DJ's
Channel 933's DJ's simulcast from other Clear Channel-owned radio stations.- Frankie V (also the Music DirectorMusic directorA music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
) & Geena (local show starting November 8, 2010) - Sisanie (simulcast from KIIS-FM in Los Angeles)
- "Boy Toy" Jesse Lozano (simulcast from KIIS-FM in Los Angeles)
- Sean "Sonic" Leckie
- Nessa
- Various DJs on weekends
As of March 9, 2010 KSIQ
KSIQ
KSIQ is a move-in FM radio station from Brawley to San Diego, California. The station has a main transmitter site in Campo, California, east of San Diego and West of El Centro, with a booster transmitter on Mount San Miguel...
"Q96 - San Diego's New Q96" a Top 40 station signed on from Campo, California
Campo, California
Campo is a census-designated place located in the Mountain Empire area of southeastern San Diego County, California. The population was 2,684 at the 2010 census....
as a competitor to Channel 933 but was plagued by poor coverage and technical problems. KSIQ had been silent since October 2010 but resumed broadcast on June 20, 2011.
Former Morning Shows
On Monday October 19, 2009, Johnjay and Rich premiered on Channel 933 as the new morning show. They are a nationally syndicated team from Phoenix on KZZPKZZP
KZZP, 104.7 KISS-FM, is a Top 40 radio outlet serving the Phoenix, Arizona area. The Clear Channel Communications station broadcasts at 104.7 MHz with an Effective radiated power of 100 kW and is licensed in Mesa, Arizona. Due to its 100 kW tower located atop South Mountain, the station can...
"104.7 KISS FM" and broadcast to other cities including Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
AZ, Fort Collins
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
CO, Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
OR, and Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
CO. The team consists of Johnjay, Rich, Kyle, and Intern Kassi. But on November 1, 2010 it was announced that KHTS afternoon host Frankie V and Geena would replace JohnJay & Rich starting November 8, 2010, thus bringing a local morning show back to Channel 933's schedule.
Channel 933 was the home of the AJ's Playhouse morning show that on Thursday, August 20, 2009 Clear Channel announced that AJ and his morning team would move to sister Hot AC station KMYI
KMYI
KMYI is a commercial radio station in San Diego, California, broadcasting on 94.1 FM and in HD Radio. KMYI airs a hot adult contemporary music format branded as "Star 94.1".-History:...
. AJ's Playhouse is a morning show designed to entertain commuters and early morning workers. The show is hosted by AJ, a bay area native, Hula, the producer, Geena the Latina, and Sonic. The show offers listeners conversations from serious topics such as relationships to funny subjects such as AJ's love for the Con and Geena's despise of cheaters. The show is greatly missed by Boy Toy Jesse who offered very amusing stories of a single father bachelor and the upbringing of a fast growing daughter.
Before AJs playhouse, Nastyman was the previous morning show from 1999 - 2001. "He's the bald man with a tan", though his fans usually don't have the dubious pleasure of a face-to-face unless he's making a personal appearance but when he is—look out! He's the pride of Channel 933. All the way from Guam to you ... his is THE NASTYMAN. He's kicking around with celebrity guests and listeners every weekday starting at 6:00 am. He doesn't read liner cards and he's not told what to say. The Nastyman's on-air persona remains friendly, entertaining, smart and clever; no different from how he is in "real life" because, for him, the two are one. Channel 933 gave The Nastyman the opportunity to create a flexible almost free-form show, so he debuts music that other radio stations are too wimpy to play and welcomes new and unusual talent from other mediums, as well."http://www.davidtanny.com/news99/010099wsr02.htm
Previous to these shows there were a few brief stint morning shows that aired on the station. These included Chio the Hitman Morning Show, now on WRDW-FM
WRDW-FM
WRDW-FM, also known as Wired 96.5, is a Philadelphia radio station owned by Beasley Broadcast Group that plays a Rhythmic Top 40 musical format. Although they lean towards R&B/Hip-Hop, Wired also adds Rhythmic Pop tracks to their playlist...
Philadelphia, and the first morning duo Randman and Boomer.