KDES
Encyclopedia
KDES-FM 98.5 is an oldies
and 1960s–1970s rock station in the Palm Springs
area and the Coachella Valley
of Southern California
. It is owned by R&R Broadcasting, also the owner of KPSI
AM 920, KPSI-FM
100.5, KPTR
AM 1450 and KWXY AM 1340.
KDES began in 1957 on the AM dial at 920 kHz and was affiliated with ABC Radio. KDES-FM went on-air in 1963, then adopted the top 40/pop music format in 1975. It switched to its current oldies format in 1988. The AM station dropped oldies in 1995, replacing them with news/talk KPSI.
KDES's studio headquarters are in Palm Springs. The station is co-owned with KPTR, a news/talk format station. KDES's signal covers a 40 miles (64.4 km) radius area, from Beaumont
to the Morongo Basin
to the Imperial Valley.
Over the 20th Century, KDES-FM had shifted from conventional oldies (50s-60s) to more of a "classic hits" format by expanding its playlist to include more soul hits as well as 80s hits.
In January 2010, KDES announced plans to move its oldies format to KWXY-FM
's former frequency. This decision brought an end to KWXY-FM's beautiful music
format, which has moved to AM 1340. KDES vacated its original frequency of 104.7 on February 2. The frequency was sold and has been moved out of the market by its new owners.
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
and 1960s–1970s rock station in the Palm Springs
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
area and the Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
of Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. It is owned by R&R Broadcasting, also the owner of KPSI
KPSI (AM)
KPSI is a radio station broadcasting a News/Talk radio format. Licensed to Palm Springs, California, USA, the station serves the Palm Springs area...
AM 920, KPSI-FM
KPSI-FM
KPSI-FM is a commercial radio station located in Palm Springs, California, broadcasting on 100.5 FM. KPSI-FM airs a Hot AC music format branded as "Mix 100.5". It is owned by R&R Broadcasting, which also operates KPSI-AM, KPTR, KDES-FM and KWXY....
100.5, KPTR
KPTR
KPTR is a radio station broadcasting a Talk/Personality format. Licensed to Cathedral City, California, USA, it serves the Palm Springs, California, area...
AM 1450 and KWXY AM 1340.
KDES began in 1957 on the AM dial at 920 kHz and was affiliated with ABC Radio. KDES-FM went on-air in 1963, then adopted the top 40/pop music format in 1975. It switched to its current oldies format in 1988. The AM station dropped oldies in 1995, replacing them with news/talk KPSI.
KDES's studio headquarters are in Palm Springs. The station is co-owned with KPTR, a news/talk format station. KDES's signal covers a 40 miles (64.4 km) radius area, from Beaumont
Beaumont, California
Beaumont is a city in Riverside County, California, United States in the Greater Los Angeles area.Now a growing, community planned city, the population was 36,877 at the 2010 census, and expected to be up to 125,000 projected by 2040, making Beaumont as California's next, newest fastest-growing...
to the Morongo Basin
Morongo Basin
The Morongo Basin is located centrally in the southern portion of the state of California in the United States. The Morongo basin is part of the Inland Empire metropolitan statistical area, the 13th largest in the United States. Joshua Tree National Park lies within the basin. The basin stretches...
to the Imperial Valley.
Over the 20th Century, KDES-FM had shifted from conventional oldies (50s-60s) to more of a "classic hits" format by expanding its playlist to include more soul hits as well as 80s hits.
In January 2010, KDES announced plans to move its oldies format to KWXY-FM
KWXY-FM
KWXY ia a Class C commercial AM radio station licensed to Cathedral City, California, USA. The station was founded in 1964 on 1340 AM and had broadcast on 98.5 MHz FM between 1976 and 2010. It is one of the area's "heritage" stations and is one of the very few remaining beautiful music...
's former frequency. This decision brought an end to KWXY-FM's beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format, which has moved to AM 1340. KDES vacated its original frequency of 104.7 on February 2. The frequency was sold and has been moved out of the market by its new owners.