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KMEE (103.1 FM) is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Palm Desert, California, United States, and serves the Palm Springs—Coachella Valley radio market. The station is owned by Brad Fuhr, through licensee KGAY PSP, with studios on South Belardo Road in Palm Springs. KMEE broadcasts a soft oldies format, provided by MeTV's radio network.

KMEE's transmitter is off Varner Road in Cathedral City, amid other Palm Springs-area FM and TV towers. The station is co-owned with KGAY 1270 AM and 106.5 FM.

History

Classical KCMS

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FM 103.1 first signed on the air on November 27, 1977; 47 years ago (November 27, 1977). Its call sign was KCMS, playing classical music. The station was founded by broadcast engineer Paul Posen under his company, Classic Broadcasting. The original studios were located in Indio, California.

In October 1983, the station changed its call letters to KEZN. By 1987, the studios were moved to a new facility in Palm Desert.

Switch to soft AC

In the early 1990s, the station switched to the nationally syndicated "Format 41" soft adult contemporary service of the Unistar Radio Network. In 1994, KEZN became the only AC station in the Palm Springs market when KPLM flipped to a country music format. Noted Los Angeles broadcaster Russ O'Hara teamed with local personality Kayla Stone for the Russ and Kayla morning drive show, as the station eliminated the Format 41 service to go with local programming.

Another local disc jockey, Debra Kaye Ahlers, occupied the midday shift, while program director Dale Berg, a noted personality from Orange County, handled afternoon drive. Later, former Nashville Network announcer Dan McGrath took over morning drive, while former KCLB personality John O (John Ostrum) assumed the afternoon slot. In 1996, Gary Bell arrived from KCBS-FM in Los Angeles. Ryan Yamanaka also served as an on-air personality from 2000 to 2001 working the overnight shift. He was also the last personality to drive KEZN's "Mr. Frosty". The early personalities helped propel KEZN to be among the top rated stations in Palm Springs.

CBS ownership

In June 1998, Posen sold his interest in the station to CBS Radio (which would later merge with Infinity Broadcasting, and would rename under the Infinity banner). Through the early 2000s, the station's format was moved from soft AC to mainstream adult contemporary. Each year from mid-November to December 25, KEZN switched to all-Christmas music. Infinity would be renamed CBS Radio in December 2005.

On December 26, 2014, after its annual Christmas format wrapped up, KEZN rebranded as "103.1 Sunny FM", with no other changes. During its Sunny FM years, the station aired the syndicated program America's Greatest Hits, hosted by Scott Shannon, on weekends.

Entercom/Audacy ownership

On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with Entercom, the forerunner of Audacy. The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on November 17. Also in 2017, KEZN relocated to the old R&R Broadcast building in Palm Springs, located on Tahquitz Canyon Way.

On November 1, 2018, KEZN flipped to Entercom's LGBTQ-targeted talk/EDM network branded as "Channel Q", marking the first analog FM station adopting the format, which had previously been exclusive to HD Radio subchannels. The next day, KEZN changed its call sign to KQPS. The station was a reporter in Billboard's Dance/Mix Show Airplay panel.

By early 2023, KQPS was one of three terrestrial stations in the "Channel Q" network. In addition to the local Palm Springs signal, Channel Q was heard on a number of Audacy's HD Radio subchannels across the country, as well as on the Audacy internet radio platform and mobile phone application. Network hosts included Jai Rodriguez, John Duran, and Shira Lazar.

Brad Fuhr ownership

In February 2023, Audacy announced that the company would sell KQPS to Brad Fuhr, who also owns KGAY (1270 AM) and the Gay Desert Guide website, for $600,000. In late 2022, Audacy had transferred the station's license into a subsidiary, Audacy Atlas, for assets designated for sale. Fuhr began operating KQPS via a local marketing agreement (LMA) on March 6, which would last until the sale's completion. That same day, KQPS abandoned Channel Q programming and began simulcasting KGAY.

On March 8, 2023, at 6 a.m., KQPS flipped to a soft oldies format, branded as "103.1 MeTV FM." It began using the Me-TV national music service, soft to mid-tempo hits, mostly from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The sale to Fuhr's KGAY PSP was completed on June 1, 2023. The call sign change to KMEE took effect on June 15.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for KMEE". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. Radio-Locator.com/KMEE
3. Broadcasting Yearbook 1979 page C-20
4. "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting. Broadcasting Publications Inc. October 10, 1983. p. 112. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
5. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 page D-54
6. Venta, Lance (December 26, 2014). "KEZN Rebrands as Sunny 103.1". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
7. Venta, Lance (February 2, 2017). "CBS Radio to Merge with Entercom". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
8. "Entercom Receives FCC Approval for Merger with CBS Radio". Entercom (Press release). November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
9. Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017). "Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger". RadioInsight. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
10. KEZN Flips to LGBTQ Talk/Dance “Channel Q”
11. FCC.org/KQPS
12. ^ Audacy Sells KQPS Palm Springs
13. Venta, Lance (February 17, 2023). "What Is Audacy's Atlas? And Are Divestitures Coming?". RadioInsight. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
14. 103.1 MeTV Music Debuts in Palm Springs Radioinsight - March 8, 2023
15. Berman, Laura (June 1, 2023). "Notification of Consummation". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
16. Fuhr, Brad. "Form 380 - Change Request" (June 5, 2023). Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved June 29, 2023.

External links

• Official website
• Facility details for Facility ID 11747 (KMEE) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• KMEE in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

• Radio stations in California
• Radio stations established in 1978
• 1978 establishments in California
• Oldies radio stations in the United States