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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Tucson metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 97.1MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Mega 97.1 |
| Programming | |
| Language | Spanish |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio–Latin pop–reggaeton–tropical music |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | October 21, 1990 (35 years ago) (1990-10-21) |
Former call signs |
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| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 24583 |
| Class | C3 |
| ERP | 25,000 watts |
| HAAT | 100 meters (330 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 32°00′11.8″N110°47′51.1″W / 32.003278°N 110.797528°W /32.003278; -110.797528 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaiHeartRadio) |
| Website | megatucson |
KMMA (97.1FM) is a commercial American radio stationlicensed toGreen Valley, Arizona and serving theTucson metropolitan area. It carries aSpanishcontemporary hit radioformat and is owned byiHeartMedia. The studios are on North Oracle Road.
KMMA has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 25,000 watts. Thetransmitter is on Pima Mine Ranch Road, southeast of Tucson, near the Pima County Fairgrounds.[2] Because of the transmitter location, the station is hard to pick up in most northern suburbs of Tucson, but is easy to receive in central and southern communities. KMMA broadcasts usingHD Radio technology. Its HD2digital subchannel formerly carries theiHeartRadio Love Songs format. The HD2 subchannel has since been turned off.
The stationsigned on the air on October 21, 1990 (35 years ago) (1990-10-21).[3] Thecall sign was KGMS, which represented letters in the name of the owner, Good Music, Inc. KGMS was aChristian contemporary station that played Christian pop, rock, and even dance songs in the mix. Even though the station's transmitter was about 30 miles from Tucson, it was marketed to Tucson radio listeners.
In 2001, it became "Cool FM", anoldies station using the call sign KWFM-FM. KWFM originally was on 92.9, but when its owner,Clear Channel Communications switched it tocountry music as "Coyote Country", those call letters and format became available to 97.1. Problems with signal reception across the city were evident. Plans to move the station's license to Tucson and increase its power were never approved by theFederal Communications Commission, leaving poor ratings for Cool FM.
In 2003, KWFM's call sign and oldies format were moved to1450 AM, while 97.1 flipped to KTZR-FM, with a Spanish-language oldies format, "La Preciosa 97.1". It switched again, this time to Spanish AC as "Mia 97.1". Programming 97.1 to Tucson's Latino community did not improve the ratings. KTZR-FM was ranked anywhere from 15th to 20th place inArbitron numbers.
On November 28, 2011, KTZR-FM flipped to asimulcast oftalk radio stationKNST 790 AM. It changed its call letters to KNST-FM.[4][5]
On February 14, 2013, KNST-FM flipped to country music as "Wild Country 97.1".[6] A week later, the call sign changed to KYWD. On December 18, 2015, KYWD rebranded as "97.1 The Bull".
On January 6, 2021, at 9:29 am, KYWD's country format moved toKMIY (92.9 FM) as part of a format swap. KMIY's formerhot adult contemporary format moved to 97.1, now branded as "My 97.1".[7] The KMIY call sign moved to the 97.1 frequency on March 29.
The station's call sign was changed to KMMA on September 16, 2022. On September 23, at 4:58 pm, after playing "Bad Habits" byEd Sheeran, KMMA beganstunting with a jocklessSpanish CHR music playlist, with liners in both English and Spanish advising listeners to get ready for a new radio station and to be "a part of history". The first song under the stunt was "Soy Peor" byBad Bunny.
While at the time of the shift the station had not disclosed any further information as to when the change would take place, radio news websiteRadioInsight had revealed iHeart's potential plans over two months earlier on July 13. iHeart management had registered several domains for the station, which suggested possibilities for the station such as a flip tosports talk as "Wildcat 97.1" or a resurrection of the "My" format's predecessor on 92.9 FM,adult album alternative as "The Mountain". The change came after the format proved unable to recover from the move to 97.1 in local Nielsen ratings, bottoming out with a 0.6 share in the August 2022 books.[8][9]
On September 26, at 7:03 am, the station flipped to a bilingual-presented Spanish CHR format as "Mega 97.1, #1 Para Latino Hits".[8] The first song played on Mega was "Provenza" byKarol G. With the move, the station added formerKZZPPhoenix afternoon host Suzette Rodriguez in mornings from 6am-12pm and Ivan Gonzalez from 12-6pm. Rodriguez, a Tucson native, was previously heard onKRQQ and the syndicated JohnJay & Rich morning show, and had most recently tracked afternoons in the market onKOHT.
31°58′37″N111°6′4″W / 31.97694°N 111.10111°W /31.97694; -111.10111
