KNUV

KNUV (1190 AM) is a Spanish-language station broadcasting from studios located in midtown Phoenix; the station is licensed to Tolleson, Arizona. It is owned by New Radio Venture (now in bankruptcy).

History

The station was originally signed on by E. O. Smith as KZON, before trying a Spanish format and becoming KRDS by the 1960s. The station operated as "Cards Country" with a moderately popular country music format prior to adopting a news/talk format in the early 1970s. It changed to a Christian talk and music format in 1975.

It was simulcast on KRDS-FM 105.3 Wickenburg in the 1990s. This station is now KHOV-FM.^[1][2]

In 1997, the station changed call letters to KMYL. KMYL aired the Music of Your Life format, and later changed to "NBC 1190", as a variety talk station (later an infomercial and brokered talk station) which ran NBC Radio News at the top of the hour.

The format was changed by mid-2005 when the station was acquired by a startup group which brought a Spanish-language news/talk format targeting the large Spanish-speaking immigrant population in the Phoenix area.^[3]

KNUV was recently granted an increase for its nighttime power from 250 to 400 watts. KNUV's transmitter is located south of I-10 in Tolleson, a suburban area west of downtown Phoenix.

Controversy

1190 KNUV La Buena Onda logo used until July 31, 2008 sign off

November 9, 2007 KNUV protested the police description of the “Chandler Rapist” as a “Hispanic,” claiming it amounts to racial profiling. The man, believed to be responsible for six attacks on teenage girls starting in June 2006 was described as Hispanic, 28 to 40 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, muscular, with a mustache and black hair. Radio station 1190AM refused to use the word “Hispanic” when it broadcast the description.^[4]

La Buena Onda signs off

KNUV-AM (1190), also known as La Buena Onda (The Good Wave), signed off July 31, 2008. According to a reporter for the Arizona Republic, the station was shut down due to "a faltering economy, ongoing crackdowns on undocumented immigrants and a tough market for Spanish talk radio".^[5]

Progressive talk format

1480 KPHX Nova M logo used by KNUV during simulcast of KPHX, used from October 9, 2008 - January 1, 2009

1190 KNUV Nova M logo used from January 1, 2009 - March 5, 2009

After being silent for two months, KNUV began simulcasting crosstown station KPHX on October 9, 2008. KPHX's progressive talk radio programming, consisting of programming from Nova M Radio and Air America Radio, was moved to KNUV in January 2009 as Nova M's licensing agreement with KPHX came to an end. KNUV assumed the flagship station designation for Nova M, which later became On Second Thought before ceasing operations entirely by the spring of 2009. KPHX adopted The Lounge Sound music radio format at that time, which itself lasted only until July 2009, when KPHX re-adopted the progressive talk format, with significant involvement from Dr. Mike Newcomb, a key player in that format on each of the stations on which it has been broadcast in the Phoenix market dating back to 2004.

Spanish radio returns

According to the Phoenix New Times paper KNUV's doors were padlocked shut on March 2, 2009.^[6] On the morning of March 5, 2009, KNUV stopped broadcasting progressive talk and switched back to a Spanish-language format later that afternoon.

In April 2009, the station went off the air due to station owner New Radio Venture's bankruptcy.

On July 13, 2009, the station returned to the air again, airing paid programming in Spanish and a news program from Mexico.^[7]

References

External links

• http://www.onda1190am.com/
• Query the FCC's AM station database for KNUV
• Radio-Locator Information on KNUV
• Query Nielsen Audio's AM station database for KNUV