KPSL-FM (96.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish Contemporary format. Licensed to Bakersfield, California, United States, the station serves the Bakersfield area. The station is currently owned by Lotus Bakersfield Corp.
KIFM (1966–1969)
96.5 FM Bakersfield signed on-the-air on August 24, 1963, as
KIFM. From 1966 to 1969 the KIFM format was Top 40 Rock & Roll. The call letters KIFM now belong to a radio station in West Sacramento.
KHIS/KHIS-FM (1975–1996)
In September 1975, the call letters were changed to
KHIS-FM. 96.5 FM was bought by The Church of the Foursquare Gospel which also operated KHIS (800 AM) in Bakersfield. Format was Religious/Contemporary Christian music on KHIS-FM. KHIS-FM signed on the air on November 17, 1980, airing as a contemporary Christian radio station until December 27, 1996.
KSMJ (1996–1998)
On December 27, 1996, the call letters KHIS-FM were changed to
KSMJ. KSMJ aired a smooth jazz music format branded as
Smooth Jazz 96-5 KSMJ.
KKXX (1998–2004)
On July 2, 1998, KSMJ moved up the dial to 98.5 FM and radio station
KKXX-FM moved from 105.3 FM to 96.5 FM alternating between a rhythmic top 40 and Top 40 music format until September 3, 2004. The station was branded as
X96.5 and at the time was owned by Mondosphere Broadcasting. On August 16, 2000, Mondosphere Broadcasting was sold to Clear Channel Communications. Clear Channel relabeled KKXX-FM from
X96.5 to
96.5 KISS-FM and also stated that no changes were expected at that time.
KBKO (2004–2008)
On September 3, 2004, the format was changed to country with the call sign changing to
KBKO-FM. The station was branded as
Big 96-5. Later, it was rebranded as
96-5 KBKO. On February 15, 2008, the KBKO-FM call letters and the country music format were briefly moved to 98.5 FM in a frequency swap with
KDFO, a classic rock station which then became
96-5 The Fox. On Friday, June 20, 2008, the two stations were moved back to their previous frequencies after a four-month, swap.
KVMX (2008-2011)
On Tuesday, July 29, 2008, KBKO-FM was sold to Lotus Communications and the station began stunting before revealing the new format. At noon on August 5, 2008, the station announced a new classic hits format branded as
96-5 Max-FM. The new format was led off with "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones. On August 13, 2008, the KBKO-FM call sign was changed to
KVMX.
KPSL-FM (Present)
On September 8, 2011, Lotus Communications made a frequency change to two of its stations, KVMX and
KPSL-FM which swapped frequencies.
KPSL-FM is now at 96.5 FM and is branded as
Concierto 96.5 FM and KVMX is now at 92.1 FM.
Programming on this station includes Alex "El Genio" Lucas on mornings, Rosmar Vega on mid-days, El Fantasma on afternoons, and Concierto 96.5 Music overnights, and weekends. Show De Thalia is on Saturday evenings.
