KZMP (AM) - History

History

This station began as KCUL in 1949, licensed to Fort Worth, Texas. KCUL featured a Variety format through the 1950s. The station was named after investor A. B. Culbertson, although other sources mention a connection with Fort Worth-area optometrist L. H. Luck, because "K-C-U-L" was "Luck" spelled backwards. In the mid 1950s, KCUL switched to a country music format; blocks of Spanish language programming in 1958. On New Year's Day, 1967, KCUL-AM and its FM sister station were sold by East-West Broadcasting to John Walton and was rebranded "Classical Country" KBUY, maintaining its Country format with Western music added. It became the first full-time Country/Western station in the Dallas/Fort Worth area; the format adjustment was described as "an 'uptown' version of its predecessor, KCUL."

In 1976, the station was once again rebranded as KRXV (callsign derived from roman numerals XV {15} and their then-branding "Radio 15"), this time with an All-News format that lasted for only 14 months. The format then changed to beautiful music as "Radio 15," a joint operation between actor James "Jimmy" Stewart and Oklahoma News Network owner William Schuller. In 1978, the callsign was changed to KMZK (calls were an acronym of sorts for "muzik."), but the easy-listening format and branding remained the same.

Between 1979 and 1983, the station was revamped as KTIA with a Spanish format and again as KUQQ, but then the station went dark for almost a year. The callsign KMIA was established on June 25, 1985, but the station didn't sign on until 3 months later. The format from that period until 1986 was Spanish, Tropical, and Caribbean music. Then the format changed to urban contemporary gospel with some Spanish religious programming. The callsign was said to have stood for Ministry In Action) as "Faith 1540".

From 1988 to 1993, formats were bounced from Religious to Spanish as KSVZ (1988), KSGB (1989), and KTNO (1993). Then in 1997, it was rebranded as KPAD with a Motivational format, airing syndicated programming from the Personal Achievement Radio service (the callsign standing for Personal Achievement in Dallas). But the motivation format didn't last long, and the callsign was changed to KZMP as a simulcast of KTCY until 2003. Along the way, KTCY-FM and KZMP-FM swapped calls.

On June 1, 2009, KZMP-AM dropped its FM simulcast ("Radio Salaam Namaste") in favor of ESPN Deportes Radio.

Starting in the 2011 Major League Baseball season, KESN & KZMP has acquired rights to broadcast all Texas Rangers baseball games for the next four years. Its English broadcasts will be airing on KESN while the Spanish-language broadcasts air on this station. This is in addition to the FC Dallas Spanish audio broadcasts.