KWAV [SEP] licensed to broadcast to
KWAV
KWAV is a commercial radio station in Monterey, California, broadcasting to the Santa Cruz-Monterey-Salinas, California, area on 96.9 FM. Its studios are in Monterey while its transmitter is located on Mount Toro, south of Salinas. KWAV is a Class B FM radio station with a higher power than would be granted under the present U.S. Federal Communications Commission rules; it is often referred as a "Superpower" Grandfathered Class B.
KWAV airs an adult contemporary music format branded as "K-Wave 96.9
and The Beegees. The branding remains "Soft Rock Favorites."
In 2007, the station began to broadcast in HD Radio. Its HD3 digital subchannel rebroadcasts the Internet radio station "smoothjazz.com".
In 2014, owner Buckley Broadcasting sold KWAV to Mapleton Communications. The deal, at a purchase price of $2.15 million, was completed on September 5, 2014.
On July 1, 2019, Mapleton Communications announced its intent to sell its remaining 37 stations to Stephens Media Group. Stephens began operating the station