KKGX

KKGX (920 AM) is a radio station licensed to Palm Springs, California, United States. The station is owned by Louie Comella through licensee IVOX MEDIA, LLC and serves the Coachella Valley area. Both KKGX and sister station KWXY are based in the original KWXY Broadcast Center building in Cathedral City. Under the previous ownership, the original 1964 "KWXY" neon lettering on the building's façade was replaced by smaller, unlit lettering identifying the stations only as "KGX" as opposed to "KKGX." The neon letters are presently undergoing restoration and will be relocated to the façade once completed.

KKGX
CityPalm Springs, California
Broadcast areaCoachella Valley
Frequency920 kHz
Branding"Alternative Talk Radio"
Programming
FormatTalk
Ownership
OwnerLouie Comella
(IVOX MEDIA, LLC)
KWXY
History
First air date
October 29, 1956 (1956-10-29) (as KDES)
Former call signs
KDES (1956–1984)
KKAM (1984–1987)
KDES (1987–1994)
KESQ (1994–1995)
KDES (1995–1997)
KPSI (1997–2017)
Technical information
Facility ID67355
ClassB
Power5,000 watts day
1,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
33°51′29″N 116°29′39″W
Translator(s)99.1 K256CU (Palm Springs)

History
Logo for the station as KPSI

The station was originally issued the call sign KGEC, but took the call sign KDES on September 6, 1956.[1] KDES signed on October 29, 1956. The station was assigned the call letters KKAM on October 15, 1984; on August 17, 1987, the station changed its call sign back to KDES. The station became KESQ on June 1, 1994, but returned to the KDES call sign on November 1, 1995. On September 1, 1997, the call letters were changed to KPSI.[2] The KPSI call letters, which stood for "Keeping Palm Springs Informed", were previously used on 1450 AM (later KCOD).

Until August 12, 2016, the station's lineup included Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Dennis Prager, Mark Levin, Dennis Miller, Michael Savage, and local host Rich Gilgallon. KPSI was also a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Lakers radio networks. On August 12, 2016, KPSI and sister station KWXY went silent.

In October 2016, Desert Broadcasters agreed to acquire KPSI and KWXY from Ric and Rozene Supple's R&R Radio Corporation.[3] The call letters were changed to KKGX on February 2, 2017.[2] On March 14, 2017, both KKGX and KWXY returned to the air stunting. KKGX debuted a conservative talk format branded "Real Talk" on March 16.[4] The purchase by Desert Broadcasters was consummated on March 31, 2017.

Effective June 9, 2021, Desert Broadcasters sold KKGX, KWXY and two translators to Louie Comella's IVOX MEDIA LLC for $105,000 as part of a larger package deal. The sale included the old KDES (AM) tower site in Palm Springs for $2.75M and the original KWXY "Broadcast Center" building for $550,000. The Broadcast Center building on its 28.4 acres (11.36 ha) will be expanded to become the new home of the IVOX+ streaming platform as well as a future independent motion picture studio lot and theater venue. [5]Both stations were off the air for four months beginning in August. At noon on December 12, 2021, they returned to the air with a four-hour special, "Frank Sinatra: Remembering An American Legend," hosted by Wink Martindale. Following the special, both stations began playing Christmas music. On December 27, KKGX had relaunched as "Alternative Talk Radio."[6]

Plans are underway to stream the station worldwide via the IVOX+ platform.

References
  1. "KDES (KKGX) FCC history cards" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  2. "KKGX Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. "Station Sales Week of 10/28 – RadioInsight".
  4. Venta, Lance (March 16, 2017). "920 KGX & 1340 KWXY Palm Springs Unveil New Identities". Radio Insight. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  5. https://www.desertsun.com/story/money/business/2021/09/02/palm-springs-radio-stations-kwxy-kgx-coming-back-air-new-owner/5672854001/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. "Radio stations KWXY, KGX to return with slate of local hosts after monthslong hiatus".


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