KECR

KECR (910 AM) is the San Diego, California affiliate for the Family Radio network and airs several Christian ministry broadcasts from noted teachers such as RC Sproul, Alistair Begg, Ken Ham, John F. MacArthur, Adriel Sanchez, Dennis Rainey, John Piper, & others as well as traditional and modern hymns & songs by Keith & Kristyn Getty, The Master's Chorale, Fernando Ortega, Chris Rice, Shane & Shane, Sovereign Grace Music, Sara Groves, & multiple other Christian and Gospel music artists. KECR has been on the AM band since 1955, at 910 kHz. The transmitter site is near Moreno Avenue, north of Lakeside, California by Highway 67. No local programming originates here, as the station is complete wall-to-wall syndication. It does however, have a backup studio at its transmission site, which is mainly used to carry out emergency alerts for the area.

KECR
CityEl Cajon, California
Broadcast areaSan Diego, California
BrandingFamily Radio
SloganThe Sound of the New Life
Frequency910 (kHz)
First air date1955
FormatChristian radio
Power5,000 watts
ClassB
Facility ID20977
Transmitter coordinates32°53′44″N 116°55′32″W
Call sign meaningEl Cajon Radio or disambiguation of sister station KEAR
Former call signsKDEO (1955-1977)
KMJC (1977-1990)
KECH (1990-1995)
AffiliationsFamily Radio
OwnerFamily Radio
(Family Stations, Inc.)
Website

The transmitter site is also the broadcast home of KCBQ. They share the seven-tower site.

History

Early years

KDEO (1955-1970)

This station signed on in 1955. In its early years, it was a Top 40 station with the callsign KDEO, with the moniker "Radio Kay-dee-oh". The station was also the first in the world to broadcast the countdown program American Top 40, on July 3, 1970,;[1] the premiere of the program was perfectly timed for the Independence Day holiday that year.

Magic (1971-1979)

By 1971 the station rebranded as Magic 91 (referencing its AM frequency). With the rebranding came a new callsign, KMJC, though it was not changed until March 1, 1977. The station continued its Top 40 format. The Magic branding would eventually end up on XHRM-FM in nearby Tijuana in 1998.

Religious era

Independent (1980-1990)

As music migrated to FM radio, the owners decided to adopt a new format, In 1980, KMJC ended up flipping to Christian programming as a result of this migration, changing their call letters' meaning to "King and Master, Jesus Christ" to match the new format. It remained independent from any religious network throughout the 1980s.

Acquisition by Family Stations (1990-1994)

On April 6, 1990, the callsign became KECH, as Family Stations began operating it,[2] Subsequently, Family proceeded to acquire the station outright 2 years later. When the sale was consummated in 1992, it began airing programming from Family Radio.

FM station divestiture (1995-2002)

The programs were originally fed from KECR-FM, which was soon put up for sale. Family would later change the AM station's callsign to its present KECR letters when the simulcast ended in 1995. At that point, Jacor Communications acquired the FM station, which subsequently became a CHR station (now KHTS-FM) in 1996.

Recent History (2003-Present)

During the October 2003 Cedar Fires, part of KECR's rural transmitter site was destroyed by flames. Only one tower (out of seven) and an 'electrical doghouse' were completely destroyed. The station has been fully upgraded and repaired.

Family Stations plans to have a translator at 100.1 FM, An application was filed on January 28, 2018, as part of a new spectrum auction. On July 3, 2019, the FCC announced that Family has won the spectrum auction at a grand total of $35,000.[3] In order for its construction permit to be issued, Family must finish paying the mortgage for the proposed translator by August 1. This new translator will be located atop Mount San Miguel.[4]

References
  1. Durkee, Rob. American Top 40: The Countdown of the Century. ISBN 0-02-864895-1. New York City: Schirmer Books, 1999, p. 57. Accessed December 10, 2007.
  2. "Query the REC California AM Station database for KECR". REC Networks. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  3. Venta, Lance (3 July 2019). "FCC Announces Translator Auction 100 Winners". Radio Insight. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  4. "Query the REC California FM Translator database for KECR's new translator". REC Networks. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
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