City Mojave, California Branding 97.7 KTPI Frequency 97.7 FM (MHz) | Broadcast area Antelope Valley Slogan The AV's Best Country First air date 1985 | |
KTPI-FM (97.7 FM, "97-7 KTPI") is a country music formatted radio station serving the Antelope Valley region of Southern California.
Contents
History
The 97.7 frequency originally went on the air as KDOL-FM as a simulcast of KDOL (AM) with a country format. In 1984, the simulcast was split and 97.7 began operating an automated Top 40 format. That format continued when, in 1986, Chambers Broadcasting purchased KDOL-AM/FM; since Chambers also owned 103.1 KTPI, and FCC rules at the time prohibited ownership of more than one AM and one FM station per market, 97.7 was spun off to Antelope Broadcasting, which owned KAVL. Antelope changed the call letters to KAVS and adopted the slogan Hot 97 two years later. In 1997, KAVS began simulcasting with newly acquired 105.3 KYHT in Yermo and became known as High Desert Modern Rock 97.7 & 105.3. In 1998, Antelope Broadcasting was bought out by Jacor Communications (which was later bought by Clear Channel Communications) and KAVS/KYHT flipped from its modern rock format to Top 40. They began simulcasting 102.7 KIIS-FM in Los Angeles much of the time and in the early days did many local on air events in the Antelope Valley and Barstow area.
The grouping of 102.7 FM KIIS in Los Angeles, 1220 AM KIIS in Santa Clarita, 97.7 FM KAVS in the Antelope Valley, 105.3 FM KYHT in Barstow/Victor Valley, and 101.9 FM KFMS in Las Vegas created a nearly continuous coverage of KIISFM between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. However, 101.9 in Las Vegas was branded as KISS instead of KIIS.
After the Clear Channel/Jacor merger, the KAVS/KYHT simulcast was broken apart. KYHT's operations were transferred to the Victorville, California office, and continued with the KIISFM format for two years before KYHT went to simulcast KZXY Y102 in Victorville. As a result of KYHT's format flip, 101.9 KISSFM in Las Vegas changed to all local programming for a brief time, but eventually changed formats altogether. KAVS changed its callsign to KVVS and as time progressed, 97.7 became less and less involved in the community, eventually discontinued all local programming and became a full-time simulcast of 102.7 KIIS-FM but with local advertisements. 97.7 KIIS-FM's website eventually just became a redirect to 102.7's website.
On December 21, 2007, the simulcast of KIIS and the KVVS call letters were moved to 105.5 in Rosamond (formerly 105.5 The Oasis). The call letters KOSS from 105.5 FM were moved to 97.7 FM and the country format from 103.1 FM] was moved to 97.7 FM, while 103.1 FM in Tehachapi became a simulcast of Star 98.7 in Los Angeles, California. While 97.7's format is branded as 97-7 KTPI, the KTPI call letters still resided at 103.1 in Tehachapi until January 2, 2008 when the call letters were swapped. The KOSS call letters were moved to 103.1 in Tehachapi for a brief time, until January 10, 2008 when the call letters were changed to KSRY.
Programming
The programming on this station includes the syndicated show Big D and Bubba (syndicated from Nashville, TN) on mornings, program director Shannon Smith is on mid-days. Shannon's show features the "All Request Lunch Hour." Mark Haden is on the during the afternoon, the syndicated show "The Big Time with Whitney Allen" with host Whitney Allen is on Monday-Saturday nights, and After Midnite with Cody Alan" is on overnights. The weekend programming includes Crook and Chase, and Ramblin' Ray.