View source for KRTO

{{Infobox radio station
| name               = KRTO
| logo               =
| logo_size          =
| city               = [[Guadalupe, California]]
| area               = [[Santa Maria, California|Santa Maria]]—[[Lompoc, California]]
| branding           = ''Fuego 97.1''
| frequency          = 97.1 [[Megahertz|MHz]]
| airdate            = 1992 (as KIDI-FM at 105.5)
| format             = [[Hispanic rhythmic]]
| languages          = [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[American English|English]]
| erp                = 360 [[watt]]s
| haat               = {{convert|404|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class              = A
| facility_id        = 7101
| coordinates        = {{nowrap|{{coord|34|53|52|N|120|35|23|W|region:US-CA_type:landmark}}}}
| callsign_meaning   = '''K'''oncie'''RTO'''
| former_callsigns   = KOHD (1990–1992, CP)<br/>KIDI-FM (1992–2007)
| former_frequencies = 105.5 MHz (1992–2007)
| affiliations       =
| owner              = Emerald Wave Media
| licensee           =
| sister_stations    = [[KIDI-FM]], [[KTAP]]
| webcast            =
| website            = {{url |https://www.fuego971.com/ |www.fuego971.com }}
| licensing_authority= [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
}}
'''KRTO''' (97.1 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) is a [[Commercial radio|commercial]] [[radio station]] that is [[City of license|licensed]] to [[Santa Maria, California]], United States and broadcasts to the [[Central Coast (California)|Central Coast of California]] from [[Paso Robles, California|Paso Robles]] to the [[Santa Ynez Valley]]. KRTO's studios are located in Santa Maria and its [[transmitter]] is near [[Point Sal State Beach|Point Sal]] just outside of Guadalupe. The station is owned by Emerald Wave Media and airs a [[Hispanic rhythmic|bilingual English—Spanish rhythmic]] format.
==History==
The station originated in a [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) [[Planning permission#Broadcasting|construction permit]] issued in 1988 to Armando Garcia for a new station in [[Guadalupe, California]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/88-OCR/BC-1988-03-14-OCR-Page-0078.pdf |title=For the Record |magazine=Broadcasting |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=78 |date=March 14, 1988 |access-date=July 8, 2018 }}</ref> Originally holding the [[call letters]] KOHD,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/90-OCR/BC-1990-01-22-OCR-Page-0068.pdf |title=For the Record |magazine=Broadcasting |publisher=Broadcasting Publications Inc. |page=66 |date=January 22, 1990 |access-date=July 8, 2018 }}</ref> it signed on in 1992 as KIDI-FM at the 105.5 [[Hertz|MHz]] frequency with new owner Spanish TV 59.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/92-OCR/BC-1992-11-02-OCR-Page-0092.pdf |title=For the Record |magazine=Broadcasting |publisher=Cahners Publishing Company |location=New York |page=72 |date=November 2, 1992 |access-date=July 8, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Annuals/Archive-BC-YB-IDX/90s-OCR-YB/1996-YB/1996-BC-YB-OCR-Page-0202.pdf |title=Directory of Radio Stations in the U.S. |magazine=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook |publisher=R.R. Bowker |location=New Providence, New Jersey |isbn=0-8352-3725-7 |page=B-42 |date=1996 |access-date=July 8, 2018 }}</ref> The following year, Spanish TV 59 principal Leo Kesselman merged KIDI-FM with [[KTAP]] of Santa Maria into a new entity, Boardwalk Broadcasting Company.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1993/RR-1993-01-15.pdf |title=Colfax Gets Jazzy In Washington To The Tune Of $19.5 Million |magazine=Radio & Records |page=9 |date=January 15, 1993 |access-date=July 8, 2018 }}</ref>
In March 1996, Boardwalk Broadcasting announced a sale of KIDI-FM and KTAP to Hispanic Radio Partners L.P. for $550,000;<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/96/R&R-1996-03-22-OCR-Page-0008.pdf |title=WAXQ: From GAF To Entercom To Viacom |magazine=Radio & Records |page=8 |date=March 22, 1996 |access-date=July 10, 2018 }}</ref> however, just eight months later in November, Boardwalk sold the combo to Emerald Wave Media for $475,000.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/90s/96/R&R-1996-11-22-OCR-Page-0006.pdf |title=Dorsey Goes Downtown In St. Louis |magazine=Radio & Records |page=6 |date=November 22, 1996 |access-date=July 8, 2018 }}</ref> KIDI-FM aired a [[regional Mexican]] format at the time.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-RandR-IDX/IDX/00s/02/RR-2002-02-22-OCR-Page-0008.pdf |title=Emmis Exits Denver With Two Big Sales |magazine=Radio & Records |page=6 |date=February 22, 2002 |access-date=July 8, 2018 }}</ref>
In 2006, the station aired a [[Spanish language|Spanish]] [[Contemporary hit radio|top 40]] format known as "Concierto" (Spanish for "concert"); the call letters were changed to KRTO to reflect this branding.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=38306&Callsign=KIDI-FM |title=Call Sign History: KIDI-FM |website=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=July 10, 2018 }}</ref>
In 2007, Emerald Wave Media relocated La Buena from the 105.5 FM frequency to 105.1 FM. This was done to send a cleaner signal towards the Santa Ynez Valley, avoiding interference with [[Ventura, California|Ventura]]-based [[KFYV]] (also at 105.5 FM). However, the KRTO calls were moved to 97.1 FM.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=7101&Callsign=KRTO |title=Call Sign History: KRTO |website=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=July 10, 2018 }}</ref>
[[File:KRTO-FM_Mega_97.1_logo.png|200px|left|thumb|Logo for KRTO as "Mega 97.1".]]
In mid-2008, Emerald Wave Media flipped the format of 97.1 FM from [[country music]] as "Colt 97.1" to [[rhythmic oldies]] as "Mega 97.1". Mega is a continuation of the format that aired on [[KPAT]] from 1999 to 2004, when it was known as "Mega 95.7" under the ownership of [[American General Media]].
On January 18, 2010, high winds in the [[Point Sal State Beach|Point Sal]] area caused a power outage that knocked the transmitter for KRTO, [[KIDI-FM]] (105.1 FM), and [[KTAP]] (1600 AM) off the air. Power to the transmitter and the signals of the sister stations were restored the same day; however, KRTO remained [[Silent (broadcasting)|silent]] for several days following the outage.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://santamariatimes.com/news/local/week-s-stormy-weather-causes-local-radio-silence/article_2d9a4402-07f5-11df-acd9-001cc4c03286.html |last=Ramos |first=Julian J. |title=Week's stormy weather causes local radio silence |newspaper=Santa Maria Times |date=January 23, 2010 |access-date=July 10, 2018 }}</ref>
In July 2019, KRTO changed their format from rhythmic oldies to [[rhythmic contemporary]], branded as "Mega Hits 97.1".<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/179298/krto-shifts-to-rhythmic-chr/ KRTO Shifys to Rhythmic CHR] RadioInsight - July 30, 2019</ref> On January 4, 2021, KRTO changed their format from rhythmic contemporary to [[Hispanic rhythmic|bilingual rhythmic]], branded as "Fuego 97.1".<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/203872/krto-goes-en-fuego/ KRTO Goes En Fuego] RadioInsight - January 8, 2021</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*{{official website |https://www.fuego971.com/ }}
{{FM station data|7101|KRTO}}
{{Santa Maria-Lompoc Radio}}
{{Rhythmic Contemporary Radio Stations in California}}
[[Category:Radio stations in California|RTO]]
[[Category:Santa Barbara County, California]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1992]]
[[Category:1992 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Rhythmic contemporary radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Spanish-language radio stations in California]]