WVYB
 | |
| City | Santa Barbara, California |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area |
Santa Barbara Ventura Santa Maria San Luis Obispo |
| Branding | 103.3 The Vibe |
| Slogan | The Beat of The Central Coast |
| Frequency | 103.3 MHz |
| First air date | April 18, 1961 (as KMUZ) |
| Format | Rhythmic Top 40 |
| ERP | 105,000 watts |
| HAAT | 905 meters (2,969 ft) |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 8853 |
| Callsign meaning | VYB phonetically is "Vibe" |
| Former callsigns |
KMUZ (1961-1972) KRUZ (1972-2005) |
| Owner |
Cumulus Media (Cumulus Licensing LLC) |
| Sister stations | KBBY, KHAY, KRUZ, KVEN |
| Webcast |
Listen Live Listen Live via iHeartRadio |
| Website | 1033thevibe.com |
KVYB (103.3 MHz, 103.3 The Vibe) is a commercial FM radio station in Santa Barbara, California. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a Rhythmic Top 40 radio format.
Studios and offices are located on Walter Street in Ventura. KVYB is considered a "Superpower" FM station, with one of the largest coverage areas of any FM station in North America.[1] It broadcasts at 105,000 watts, with a tower height above average terrain (HAAT) at 2969 feet (905 meters) in the Santa Ynez Mountains. KVYB does not broadcast a digital HD signal.[2]
History
KMUZ (1961-1972)
The station first began broadcasting on April 18, 1961 as KMUZ.[3] It was owned by Tri-Counties Broadcasters and aired an easy listening format, with the MUZ in the call sign referring to its beautiful music sound. It signed on with its "superpower" signal, with Federal Communications Commission rules limiting the power of FM stations not yet set in 1961.
KRUZ (1972-2005)
In 1971, the station was acquired by The Schuele Group, with Carl Schulele becoming the president and general manager.[4] In 1972, the new owner changed call letters to KRUZ. It remained an easy listening station for three decades.
In the 1990s, as the listeners to easy listening stations were aging, KRUZ began adding more soft vocals to its music mix and decreased the instrumentals. The station gradually transitioned to soft adult contemporary in the mid-1990s. Dorothy Schulele, the daughter of Carl, became the new general manager of the station, one of the few women to head a radio station in those days.[5]
In 1996, the station was bought by Pacific Coast Communications. That year, the new owners switched KRUZ to a Hot Adult Contemporary format.
In December 1999, Pacific Coast Communications sold KRUZ to Cumulus Media for $10 million. This sale, combined with a concurrent purchase of McDonald Media Group’s eight stations, marked Cumulus’ debut on the West Coast.[6]
KVYB (2005-present)
In April 2005, Cumulus Media moved KRUZ’s Hot AC format to the 97.5 frequency, with the KRUZ call letters soon to follow. This paved the way for the launch of KVYB (103.3 The Vibe), the Santa Barbara market's first Hispanic-targeted rhythmic contemporary outlet.[7] KVYB also marked the return of Top 40 radio to the area after 107.7 KIST-FM flipped from contemporary hit radio (CHR) to modern rock in 2003.
Initially, KVYB’s musical direction featured Hispanic Rhythmic artists as well as bilingual DJs. The Vibe’s first slogan "Hip Hop Y Mas" reflected the station’s multicultural flavor.[7]
Since 2008, 103.3 The Vibe has evolved into a conventional Rhythmic Top 40 presentation.
Signal Coverage
KVYB is a Class B station, as are most FM stations in California south of Redding. But KVYB is considered a "Superpower" FM station. Its signal coverage blankets the California coastal counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura. It can also be heard in parts of Los Angeles County and as far north as Kern County. This is due to KVYB’s 105,000 watts of effective radiated power and its tower at 2969 feet (905 meters) in height above average terrain. The transmitter is located between Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez in the Santa Ynez Mountains.
The station signed on the air in 1961 with this unusually high power and antenna height, making it grandfathered when the U.S. Federal Communications Commission established ERP limits in 1962.[8] By comparison, two other Santa Barbara Class B FM stations on towers near KVYB's, 91.9 KCSB and 94.5 KSPE, operate with just under 1,000 watts at similar heights. They both signed on after the ERP limits were set.
Owing to its wide coverage area, KVYB competes in several radio markets. In Ventura County, the station’s main competitor is Rhythmic Top 40 outlet 95.9 KCAQ, while in the Santa Maria-Lompoc market, KVYB competes with similarly formatted 95.7 KPAT.
References
- ↑ "Grandfathered Super-power FM Stations". The Boston Radio Archives. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
- ↑ "Station Search Details". Federal Communications Commission. November 23, 1999. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
- ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1963 page B-26. Retrieved July 8, 2017
- ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1973 page B-28. Retrieved July 8, 2017
- ↑ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1997 page B-62. Retrieved July 8, 2017
- ↑ "Cumulus Hits the West Coast" (PDF). Radio and Records. December 31, 1999. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
- 1 2 "Street Talk" (PDF). Radio and Records. April 15, 2005. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
- ↑ 47 CFR 73.211