KRXV

KRXV / KHWY / KHYZ
City KRXV: Yermo, California
KHWY: Essex, California
KHYZ: Mountain Pass, California
Broadcast area Mojave Desert
Branding Highway Vibe
Slogan Your Vibe of Vegas
Frequency KRXV: 98.1 MHz
KHWY: 98.9 MHz
KHYZ: 99.7 MHz
Repeater(s) 99.7 KHYZ-2 Las Vegas, Nevada
First air date KRXV: February 5, 1980
KHWY: 1991
KHYZ: 1980
Format Hot AC
ERP KRXV: 1,550 watts
KHWY: 9,000 watts
KHYZ: 8,400 watts
HAAT KRXV: 695 meters
KHWY: 348 meters
KHYZ: 551 meters
Class KRXV: B
KHWY: B
KHYZ: B
Facility ID KRXV: 34554
KHWY: 34556
KHYZ: 34555
Transmitter coordinates KRXV:34°59′43″N 116°50′15″W / 34.99528°N 116.83750°W / 34.99528; -116.83750
KHWY:34°52′50″N 115°4′6″W / 34.88056°N 115.06833°W / 34.88056; -115.06833
KHYZ:35°29′27″N 115°33′27″W / 35.49083°N 115.55750°W / 35.49083; -115.55750
Callsign meaning KRXV: named after Interstate 15 (XV in Roman Numerals)[1]
KHWY: HighWaY
KHYZ: HighwaYZ(s)
Owner KHWY, Inc.
Website http://highwayradio.com

Highway Vibe is a group of FM radio stations broadcasting primarily along Interstate 15 and Interstate 40 between the Cajon Pass in California, and the California-Nevada state line. Its programming keeps travelers driving between Southern California and Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada, informed and entertained with a Hot AC music format. Highway Vibe features hourly news, and half-hourly traffic, and weather updates. The station also provides information on events in and around Las Vegas and Laughlin, and most advertising focuses on casinos, nightclubs, and other businesses around Southern Nevada as well as businesses in the Barstow area.

The station is owned by Highway Radio, with studios in Barstow, California. Highway Radio also operates Highway Country, and The Drive/Highway Rock, which is geared toward young adult travelers with a modern rock music format.

History

History of The Highway Stations

In 1980, KRXV 98.1 FM on Calico Peak near Yermo and KXVR 99.5 FM on Clark Mountain near Mountain Pass launched an Adult Contemporary format offering music, news and traffic throughout the High Desert region, as well as providing an advertising medium for casinos in Las Vegas, who couldn't afford to advertise on stations in Los Angeles.

In December 1984, KXVR 99.5 FM increased its power from 2200 Watts to 10,000 Watts.

In April 1988, translator K252CQ 98.3 FM was added to provide supplementary coverage to the Victor Valley area.

In March 1991, KHWY 98.9 FM in Essex was added to provide coverage to Laughlin and along I-40.[2]

In June 1992, KXVR 99.5 FM changed callsigns to KHYZ.

In June 2002, KHYZ 99.5 FM changed frequencies to 99.7 FM and decreased in power to 8,400 watts.

In June 2009, KHYZ 99.7 FM new signal repeater added crucial coverage within the Las Vegas area, since the primary coverage area did not reach into Las Vegas. KHYZ later relocated their main transmitter and increased the power to 50,000 Watts.

In August 2009, The Highway Stations laid off 10 employees, including the 4 on air personalities in favor of a fully automated format, due to budget cuts. The station was then rebranded as The Highway.[3]

In September 2010, Highway Radio merged with "What's On", a company which produces "What's On Magazine". Highway Radio's Vice President/General Manager was let go along with another employee from the Los Angeles office. The Los Angeles office was then closed down.[4]

On September 11, 2011 at 11:59pm; the Adult Contemporary format as The Highway came to an end after 31 years.

History of The Vibe

The Vibe originally launched at 6pm on May 7, 2008 on Aurora Media's KVBE 94.5 FM (now KXLI), after stunting as KMOA-Rehab Radio (which was named after the Rehab Pool Party at the Hard Rock Hotel). The Vibe was under guidance by Rob Walker, and imaged by Mitch Craig and IQ Beats. The launch was co-consulted by Dance radio veterans Trevor Simpson from the now defunct KNGY-Energy 92.7 in San Francisco, California, Joel Salkowitz from the now defunct WNYZ-Pulse 87.7 in New York City, New York, and Mark "Tic Tak" Allen of KUPL-98.7 FM in Portland, Oregon.[5] Mixshows by local DJs Vegas Vibe, Maze, Dave Onex, Beaux Tech, and Jordan Stevens aired on weekends. The transmitter was located near Mesquite, Nevada and was barely audible in most parts of Las Vegas.

In July 2009, Stationality Media took over operations of Vibe 94.5 via LMA (Leased Management Agreement), and the format was programmed by Dave Michaels. The music format was revamped to be more of a Club/Electro focused Dance Hits format. In November 2009, KVBE's signal repeater added crucial coverage within the Las Vegas area, since the primary coverage area did not clearly reach the city of Las Vegas in most places.[6] Stationality's LMA expired in February 2010, and Aurora Media would not renew it.

In March 2010, the station's operations were taken over by D2 Media, LLC via LMA, and began reimaging itself on air with St. John. Mixshows were added by many DJs including: John Digweed, Carl Cox, Roger Sanchez, Manufactured Superstars, Eddie Halliwell, Markus Schulz, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Oakenfold, and Matt Darey.

Shortly after, a new website and a new logo were unveiled. The website was moved from vibevegas.com to 945thevibe.com. The old site vibevegas.com was taken down and only a blank page remains, still to this day.[7] The V on the new logo was symbolic of an index finger and middle finger, because in the former Vibe 94.5 nightclub events, the MC would tell everybody to "Throw up your V" and everybody would hold their hand in the air with their index and middle finger raised. On air liners also said "Show your V to everyone you see!".

The station operated without a Program Director, and the same music was in rotation for 5 months with no playlist updates, until Mark "Tic Tak" Allen and Michael Oaks took over in July 2010. The playlist was completely revamped into a Dance leaning Rhythmic Top 40 with few Dance tracks in rotation, but over time The Vibe began incorporating more Dance Hits into the format. The refocused format received mixed positive and negative feedback from listeners. The station was completely reimaged on air again in December 2010 by Rich Van Slyke. In February 2011, Joel Salkowitz became involved with programming on The Vibe, and slightly refocused the format to sound more like Pulse 87, and even reimaged The Vibe in April 2011 with Alison Priestley, the voice of Pulse 87.

On May 5, 2011, it was announced that 94.5 The Vibe will cease broadcasting, and would be replaced by a new format called Jelli. Aurora Media had signed a multi-year agreement in which the Jelli format will be on full-time. KYLI (then KHIJ), which operates from the same tower as KVBE, would also be part in the deal. KVBE would become the rock formatted version, while KYLI would be the pop format.[8]

At midnight on July 1, 2011; 94.5 The Vibe signed off and transitioned to an internet only radio station, under ownership by D2 Media, reverting to imaging by Rich Van Slyke, while Alison Priestley became the voice of Jelli 96.7. Michael Oaks completely took over programming and music of The Vibe.

The Highway Vibe

On July 2, 2011 The Vibe began broadcasting 12am-4am nightly on The Highway as Highway Vibe, continuing the Dance Hits format formerly on 94.5. Highway Vibe announced that The Vibe's time on The Highway Stations could be expanded by one hour with every 1000 likes to their Facebook page, and after achieving 1000 likes on Facebook, the time was expanded to 12am-5am on July 25, 2011.

On September 12, 2011 at 5am, after The Highway traffic update, an announcement came on the air intertwined with phone messages of people voicing concerns over the shut down of Vibe 94.5 and wanting their Vibe back. The announcement said "Since July, you've been asking for your Vibe back on the radio 24/7. We've been listening to you... and listening... and listening... and listening... The time has come for the return of The Vibe, now with a signal that covers more area than any other Las Vegas radio station. Welcome to a bigger Vibe! Playing Today's Real Dance 24 hours a day. This is Las Vegas, the new Highway Vibe is on!" and launched with the song Feel The Vibe by Axwell. The Highway Vibe continues to feature news, traffic, and visitor information to travelers and to listeners in the High Desert area.[9]

Highway Vibe was programmed by Michael Oaks (Mike O.), owner of Energy 98, former KVBE-Vibe 94.5 Assistant Program Director & Music Director, and 2004-2005 program director of now defunct KNRJ-Energy 92.7 & 101.1 in Phoenix, Arizona.

On November 21, 2011, it was announced that Michael Oaks was let go from Highway Vibe. Michael Oaks made an announcement on Facebook that the Highway Vibe was over, which triggered several phone calls to Highway Radio management. During those phone calls, Jodie Rocco told callers that Highway Vibe would remain with the Dance format, but the format would be adjusted to incorporate more songs from their previous Adult Contemporary format during the daytime. The nighttime format will remain as Pure Dance, and live DJs would be coming soon. The change would happen at midnight.

On November 22, 2011, the format was reverted to Adult Contemporary, playing many Rock/Pop songs and only 1 Dance track per hour during the day, and 2 at night. The name Highway Vibe remained, but the station was reimaged with the voice of Jodie Rocco.

As Vibe fans made it clear that they had no interest in listening to their new format with so few Dance tracks in rotation, Dance music was almost entirely phased out of the format except for a few tracks still in rotation at night on weekends and a small segment on the VIP n Vegas show Friday nights at Midnight called "The EDM Top 7".

The newly launched Facebook page of Highway Vibe, while under Michael Oaks, gained 1500+ followers after only 5 months. That Facebook page then became used for the original Vibe, and now has 2600+ followers. The current Facebook page for the Highway Vibe only grew to 1200 followers after 4 years.

The original station, known as "The Vibe", programmed by Michael Oaks, continues to stream as an internet station at myvibelv.com

As of August 2014 The station hired morning team Booker & Jamie in the morning. They are joined hourly by entertainment reporter Lisa DeAngelo. Booker & Jamie also feature National Enquirer psychic Maria Shaw who calls in weekly to the show. Locally Booker & Jamie have partnered with Las Vegas-based animal rescue group A Home 4 Spot. The Highway Vibe launched a new website at www.highwayvibe.fm

Coverage

Programming is distributed across four transmitters covering the Mojave Desert:

Broadcasts can normally be heard beginning as far south as Rosamond, California, on State Route 14 to the State Route 58 turn off in Mojave, California. The broadcast is audible on State Route 58 from Mojave through Barstow, California, where State Route 58 ends into Interstate 15. From Barstow north on the 15 broadcast can be heard normally past the Nevada state line and in the Las Vegas Valley itself. Audible broadcast can normally be picked up on the majority of State Route 138 to its junction with Interstate 15 and also Interstate 40 from Barstow to around Kingman, Arizona.

See also

References

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