KLLI (FM)
KLLI (93.9 MHz, "Cali 93.9") is an FM radio station in Los Angeles, California. Owned by the Meruelo Group, it broadcasts a bilingual Latin pop/rhythmic contemporary format. The station has studios located in Burbank, while its transmitter is based on Mount Wilson, and broadcasts in the HD Radio format.[1]
For the radio station in Dallas, Texas that formerly held the KLLI call letters from 2003 until 2008, see KRLD-FM.Cali 93.9
HD2: Same as HD1
- Meruelo Group
- (Meruelo Radio Holdings, LLC)
1958 (as KPOL-FM)
KPOL-FM (1958–1978)
KZLA (1978–1979)
KZLA-FM (1979–1984)
KZLA (1984–2006)
KMVN (2006–2009)
KXOS (2009–2019)
KaLLIfornia
59987
B
18,500 watts horizontal
16,000 watts vertical
917 meters (3,009 ft)
History[edit]
Early years[edit]
93.9 FM signed on in 1958 as KPOL-FM, a simulcast of KPOL (1540 AM) with an easy listening format. In 1977, under the ownership of Capital Cities Communications, KPOL-FM broke away from the simulcast and adopted a soft rock format similar to crosstown KNX-FM using the on-air identity "94 FM". They changed call letters to KZLA in 1978 (one year later, KPOL rejoined the simulcast and also adopted the KZLA call letters).
Country era[edit]
Metromedia's KLAC (570 AM) had adopted a country format in 1970, initially competing with two stations with much weaker signals. In 1980, KHJ, owned by RKO General, changed formats to country. Around the same time, KZLA AM and FM dropped their soft rock format for country.
The three country music outlets struggled, including KZLA. In 1983, KHJ dropped country and returned to an adult contemporary format, while KLAC held its own. At this point, KZLA began to grow in the ratings as Los Angeles' only FM country station. On its website, it claimed to be the United States' most-listened-to country radio station by virtue of the market's size, though the station was never among the top fifteen stations in the Los Angeles Arbitron ratings during its 26-year run.
In 1984, Capital Cities sold KZLA (AM) to Spanish Broadcasting System (which rechristened it KSKQ) and KZLA-FM to Malrite Communications Group. Metromedia sold KLAC in 1987 to Malrite, which moved it to a classic country format. By 1994, Malrite had changed KLAC to an adult standards format from Westwood One, leaving KZLA as the established country music station in the market.
In 1994, Shamrock Broadcasting acquired KZLA and KLAC in a merger with Malrite; in 1996, Chancellor Media acquired all of Shamrock's stations, including KZLA and KLAC. The following year, Chancellor merged with Evergreen Media. Evergreen already had KKBT (then at 92.3 FM) and KOST; Chancellor subsequently acquired Viacom's KYSR and KXEZ, giving Chancellor six FM stations. In 1998, Bonneville Broadcasting made a corporate deal to swap several stations with Chancellor, giving the latter six stations, including KBIG, KYSR, KKBT, and KXEZ (which would change formats and call letters), as well as KLAC and KZLA. Bonneville, in return, would acquire KZLA.
Emmis ownership[edit]
KZLA modified the country format over the years, at times mixing in a few non-country pop songs and also playing more classic country. Bonneville exited Los Angeles in 2000 by selling KZLA to Emmis Communications. 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.