KSWG (96.3

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one he ...

) is a commercial FM

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

licensed to Wickenburg, Arizona. It is owned by Barna Broadcasting Company and airs a

classic country Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country and western music hits from past decades. Repertoire The radio format specializes in hits from the 1950s through the early 1980s, and focus primarily on innov ...

radio format A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when Radio broadcasting, ...

, using the moniker "Real Country 96.3." The station is considered a rimshot broadcaster because its

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which i ...

is more than 50 miles from downtown

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

. KSWG's signal is primarily heard in northwest suburbs of the Phoenix

market Market is a term used to describe concepts such as: * Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand * Market economy *Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market Geography *Märket, a ...

. The studios and offices are on West Wickenburg Way in Wickenburg. The transmitter is off South Vulture Mine Road, also in Wickenburg.

History

KFMA, KMEO and KBSZ

Today's KSWG began life in September 1992 on 93.7 MHz as

modern rock Modern rock is an umbrella term used to describe rock music that is found on college rock radio stations. Some radio stations use this term to distinguish themselves from classic rock, which is based in 1960s–1980s rock music. Radio format Mod ...

station KFMA. The station was owned by Harold Shumway alongside KTIM 1250 AM, and as KFMA, it was run by former KUPD/KUKQ general manager Lloyd Melton. However, when KEDJ-FM was born months later, it pushed KFMA, with its partial-market signal, out of the format. Early in 1993 KFMA became KMEO, an easy listening music station using call letters made famous in Phoenix by KMEO-AM-FM (now

KIDR KIDR (740 kHz) is an AM radio station in Phoenix, Arizona. KIDR is owned by En Familia, Inc. and airs a Spanish-language Roman Catholic religious radio format. The station's transmitter is off South 23rd Avenue in Phoenix. The station broadca ...

and KMXP); Melton sued Shumway in Maricopa County Superior Court. On March 24, 1995, KMEO flipped to new age music as KBSZ "The Breeze". Geoff Stirling, a new age enthusiast and Canadian-American media mogul, had an unspecified stake in the station. KBSZ also made moves to increase its coverage; it picked up use of a translator from KEDJ at 96.3 MHz, improving its signal in metro Phoenix. It also moved its main signal to 94.1 with increased power in March 1996; the KBSZ call letters also turned up on the AM station on March 1, 1996, where they remain today (even though the station has moved across the Valley to

Apache Junction Apache Junction is a city in Pinal and Maricopa counties in the state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,499, most of whom lived in Pinal County. It is named for the junction of the Apache Trail and Old West Highway. Th ...

). However, low audience turnout for the last concert the station sponsored and low ad sales prompted Circle S to move in a new direction.

KSWG

In July 1996, KBSZ-FM became KSWG "94 Country" with a

as KSWG. It was one of two new country stations in the Phoenix market that month, alongside KXLL/KBUQ "Young Buck Country". In 2006, KSWG relocated from 94.1 to 96.3. The station was sold to Barna Broadcasting in 2012. In 2017, an interference dispute lodged by KSWG against KXEG translator K241CS (96.1) prompted a counter-filing alleging that the facility on which KSWG was operating was not the one it was licensed for; it was directional toward Phoenix, and the tower was higher than authorized.

References

External links

* {{coord, 33.926, N, 112.795, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title SWG Classic country radio stations in the United States Mass media in Yavapai County, Arizona 1992 establishments in Arizona Radio stations established in 1992