| Broadcast area | Palm Springs—Coachella Valley |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.1MHz (HD radio) |
| Branding | 103.1 MeTV FM |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | soft oldies |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KGAY | |
| History | |
First air date | November 28, 1977 (47 years ago) (1977-11-28) (as KCMS) |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | "MeTV FM" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 11747 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 1,900 watts |
| HAAT | 180 meters (590 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 33°51′58″N116°25′59″W / 33.866°N 116.433°W /33.866; -116.433 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | metv |
KMEE (103.1FM) is acommercialradio station that islicensed toPalm Desert, California, United States, and serves thePalm Springs—Coachella Valleyradio market. The station is owned by Brad Fuhr, through licensee KGAY PSP, withstudios on South Belardo Road in Palm Springs. KMEE broadcasts asoft oldiesformat, provided byMeTV's radio network.
KMEE'stransmitter is off Varner Road inCathedral City, amid other Palm Springs-area FM and TVtowers.[2] The station is co-owned withKGAY1270 AM and106.5 FM.
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FM 103.1 firstsigned on the air on November 27, 1977; 47 years ago (November 27, 1977). Itscall sign was KCMS, playingclassical music.[3] The station was founded by broadcast engineer Paul Posen under his company, Classic Broadcasting. The original studios were located inIndio, California.
In October 1983, the station changed its call letters to KEZN.[4] By 1987, the studios were moved to a new facility inPalm Desert.
In the early 1990s, the station switched to thenationally syndicated "Format 41"soft adult contemporary service of theUnistar Radio Network. In 1994, KEZN became the only AC station in the Palm Springs market whenKPLM flipped to acountry music format. NotedLos Angeles broadcaster Russ O'Hara teamed with local personality Kayla Stone for theRuss and Kaylamorning drive show, as the station eliminated the Format 41 service to go with local programming.
Another localdisc jockey, Debra Kaye Ahlers, occupied the midday shift, while program director Dale Berg, a noted personality fromOrange County, handled afternoon drive. Later, formerNashville Network announcer Dan McGrath took over morning drive, while formerKCLB personality John O (John Ostrum) assumed the afternoon slot. In 1996, Gary Bell arrived fromKCBS-FM in Los Angeles. Ryan Yamanaka also served as an on-air personality from 2000 to 2001 working the overnight shift. He was also the last personality to drive KEZN's "Mr. Frosty". The early personalities helped propel KEZN to be among the top rated stations in Palm Springs.
In June 1998, Posen sold his interest in the station toCBS Radio (which would later merge withInfinity Broadcasting, and would rename under the Infinity banner).[5] Through the early 2000s, the station's format was moved from soft AC to mainstreamadult contemporary. Each year from mid-November to December 25, KEZN switched to all-Christmas music. Infinity would be renamed CBS Radio in December 2005.
On December 26, 2014, after its annual Christmas format wrapped up, KEZN rebranded as "103.1 Sunny FM", with no other changes.[6] During its Sunny FM years, the station aired the syndicated programAmerica's Greatest Hits, hosted byScott Shannon, on weekends.
On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with Entercom, the forerunner of Audacy.[7] The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on November 17.[8][9] Also in 2017, KEZN relocated to the old R&R Broadcast building in Palm Springs, located on Tahquitz Canyon Way.
On November 1, 2018, KEZN flipped to Entercom'sLGBTQ-targetedtalk/EDM network branded as "Channel Q", marking the first analog FM station adopting the format, which had previously been exclusive toHD Radio subchannels. The next day, KEZN changed its call sign to KQPS.[10][11] The station was a reporter inBillboard'sDance/Mix Show Airplay panel.
By early 2023, KQPS was one of three terrestrial stations in the "Channel Q" network. In addition to the local Palm Springs signal, Channel Q was heard on a number of Audacy's HD Radio subchannels across the country, as well as on theAudacy internet radio platform and mobile phone application. Network hosts includedJai Rodriguez,John Duran, andShira Lazar.
In February 2023, Audacy announced that the company would sell KQPS to Brad Fuhr, who also ownsKGAY (1270 AM) and the Gay Desert Guide website, for $600,000.[12] In late 2022, Audacy had transferred the station's license into a subsidiary, Audacy Atlas, for assets designated for sale.[13] Fuhr began operating KQPS via alocal marketing agreement (LMA) on March 6, which would last until the sale's completion. That same day, KQPS abandoned Channel Q programming and begansimulcasting KGAY.[12]
On March 8, 2023, at 6 a.m., KQPS flipped to a soft oldies format, branded as "103.1 MeTV FM." It began using theMe-TV national music service, soft to mid-tempo hits, mostly from the 1960s, 70s and 80s.[14] The sale to Fuhr's KGAY PSP was completed on June 1, 2023.[15] The call sign change to KMEE took effect on June 15. As of January 23,2025 KMEE broadcasts in HD radio.[16]