KSMT is an FM radio station that serves the Sacramento, California metropolitan area. Broadcasting at 98.1 MHz with an ERP of 49.5 kW, it airs a Spanish Hot Adult Contemporary format. Its studios are located in downtown Sacramento with its sisters and its transmitter site is located Northeast of the city. It is owned and operated by Studio Networks.
History[]
KSMT signed on the air on May 20, 1968 at 3PM with the call sign KXAM. It aired an Adult Standards format.
By 1977, it would switch to Mainstream Rock as "Q98" and have KQQK as its new call sign.
After 20 years of airing rock music, KQQK switch its format to News/Talk as "FM News Talk 98.1" in 1997.
FM News Talk (1997-2001)
Beginning of the Spanish Era as "XO"[]
"XO 98.1" logo (2001-2006)
"XO 98.1 y 93.5" logo (2006-2010)
By May 1, 2001, Emmis Communications sold the station to the Rodriguez-Baughman Media (predecessor to Mas Media). The news format was replaced by a Spanish Top 40 format as "XO 98.1". Much of the air staff of the previous news format was let go as a result of the format change, while two hispanics of the air staff, Robin Ayala and Josselyn "Joss" Morales were retained and became the new radio DJs of the new format.
In the 2000's, KQQK gained a widespread popularity, and was featured in the 2004 Bilingual Romantic-Comedy film, Loving Valentina. In 2005, KQQK won the Marconi Radio Award for "Spanish-language Radio station of the year". It won another award in 2006. Between 2006 to 2010, it simulcasted with new sister station KMMX, then known as KDMV. They became "XO 98.1 & 93.5".
"El Norte"[]
El Norte logo (2010-2016)
On January 12, 2010, the nearly 9-year Spanish CHR format was flipped to Regional Mexican as "El Norte 98.1" with the new call sign KNTE. KMMX would break its simulcast with KNTE and the Spanish CHR format would be moved to them. Radio DJ, Robin Ayala, would move to KMMX, while Joss Morales would stay and become one of the new DJ's of "El Norte".
"Tú Musica"[]
First logo (2016-2018)
Second logo (May - September 2018)
Over the years, KNTE's ratings decreased lower than 2.0. In early 2010, its rating was at 2.8, but by November 2016, it received a 0.4 rating, as it was losing competition with KNDA, who held a 4.9 rating in late 2016.
On December 30, 2016, at 12:31 PM, after playing a minute of "Mas Alla del Sol" by Joan Sebastian (which was halted and the words "Mas Alla" were repeated in a continuous loop while static could be heard in the background.), KNTE flipped to its current Spanish Hot Adult Contemporary as "98.1 Tú Musica" (which means "Your Music" in Spanish) and changed its call sign to KSMT. "Tú Musica" launched "Eres Para Mi" by Julieta Venegas as its first song.
The new format primarily plays Spanish Pop and Rock music from the 1990's, 2000's, and 2010's, similar to the English-language Hot AC format, as well as Rhythmic titles, like in sister station KTRQ-FM's playlists. In 2017, the station began to add several English Pop hits to its playlists. The first song in English was "Move Ya Body" by Nina Sky.
Much of the air staff of "Tú Musica" includes former DJs of "El Norte" and sister station KSNG, including former "XO" DJs, Joss Morales and Robyn Ayala.
Movement to 98.1 MHz[]
On September 24, 2018, the station moved its frequency down by one channel to avoid interfearance with recently launched KCLY, who signed on at 98.3 FM the day prior.
HD Radio[]
KSMT signed on HD Radio on January 5, 2017, six days after it flipped its Regional Mexican to Spanish Hot AC. The Regional Mexican format and "El Norte" brand returned to the market on the HD2 channel.