KMVP

KMVP (860 AM) is the callsign for a radio station in Phoenix, Arizona. KMVP is owned by Bonneville International Corporation.^[1]

History

The 860 kHz frequency was occupied by several radio stations in Phoenix. The first station signed on the air as early as 1953 with the call letters KIFN. KIFN was Phoenix's first full-time Spanish-language radio station. [1] From the time it signed on until the early 1980s, KIFN operated as a daytime-only station. For many years, KIFN was owned by the Tichenor family, which owned a group of Spanish-language stations that ultimately became the Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation. After being sold in 1982, the call letters became KVVA ("Viva"), and the new owners retained its Spanish-language format. Among the programs aired in this era was a simulcast of KTSP's 10pm news.

In 1996, Pulitzer Broadcasting Company purchased the station out of bankruptcy with intentions on moving play-by-play sports contracts from KTAR (then a news and talk outlet) as KMVP. Eventually, station and team owners found the KMVP nighttime signal too weak to cover the entire Phoenix metropolitan area for play-by-play coverage, and the Suns and Diamondbacks moved back to KTAR with KMVP retaining broadcasts of the Mercury and Rattlers games. Over time, KMVP added more national sports talk (including ESPN Radio) and less local programs.

Since then, ownership has passed from Pulitzer to Hearst-Argyle, Emmis Communications, and now Bonneville.^[2]

KMVP used to simulcast with KTAR at 620 kHz, also owned by Bonneville. The simulcast of KTAR and KMVP ended on April 14, 2007. On August 27, KMVP converted to Spanish language religious programming from Radio Vida Abundante. Is now a gospel music station.

References

External links

• Query the FCC's AM station database for KMVP
• Radio-Locator Information on KMVP
• Query Arbitron's AM station database for KMVP