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XETRA-FM (or 91X) (sometimes identified as XTRA-FM) is an English language, Mexican-owned (border blaster) modern rock music station broadcasting from Tijuana, Baja California on 91.1 MHz. The studios are located in the Kearny Mesa area of San Diego. The station is operated by Finest City Broadcasting, Inc. located in San Diego, with the license and transmission facilities held by XETRA Communicaciones in Tijuana.

[edit] History

91X was formed in 1978 after XETRA-FM switched formats from its Beautiful music playlist (it had moved to its AM companion station) to an AOR format, and there it remained until 1983. 91X broadcast studios were located at the 91X transmitter site on Mount San Antonio in Tijuana, Mexico[1]. Deejays commuted from San Diego to Tijuana each shift. 91X was notorious for having deejays with no personality; they would simply announce the previous song, and the next song. On January 12 1983 at 6PM, 91X followed in the footsteps of KROQ-FM and switched formats to "rock of the 80s" (Alternative rock). 91X played "Stairway to Heaven" (Led Zeppelin) as the final song of the AOR format and went right into Sex (I'm A...) by Berlin. Former 91X on-air personality Jim LaMarca recounts the transition: "The day 91X (XETRA-FM) went Rock of the 80s, almost no one knew it was coming so there was no speculation. An air staff meeting was called for 3pm. These really straight liner-card jocks were sitting around the conference room when in walks wild Rick Carroll with a cardboard box. He dumps it on the table and says, "I'm Rick from Los Angeles and this is your new format." The first song was played at 6pm by Todd Tolkoff who was given the name Mad Max. He said, "This is 91X Rock of the 80s and this is Sex from Berlin. Everyone at the station (remember he is now in Mexico 30 minutes away) thought this song was too weird. It seemed slow and goofy, but hey this was all new to us. It also took forever. Well no wonder, he was playing a long-play version so the LP should have been playing at 45 rpm. Since we had never heard the song no one knew. This happened a lot." [2] During the 1980s and 1990s 91X was one of the top-rated alternative stations in America. [3]

[edit] U.S. Marketing and Operating Rights

In 1996, the U.S. marketing and operating rights to 91X were acquired by Jacor Communications. Jacor was acquired by AMFM and then Clear Channel in 1999.

On December 1, 2005, Clear Channel Communications was forced to spin off the U.S. rights to program and sell advertising time on XETRA-FM, XHITZ-FM (90.3) and XHRM-FM (92.5). This was an effort to satisfy existing consolidation laws. Stations based in Tijuana, Baja California and operated by U.S. broadcasters are now considered as part of the San Diego radio market for ownership limit purposes. The Mexico-based stations put Clear Channel over the FCC limit of eight local broadcast outlets in San Diego. [4] Clear Channel operates seven stations in the San Diego market.

Finest City Broadcasting, a new company under the direction of former Clear Channel/San Diego VP/Market Manager Mike Glickenhaus, took over operations of the three stations. Glickenhaus left FCB in May 2007, and is not involved in radio as of December 2007.

The call letters were also assigned to a Spanish AM talk radio station, XETRA-AM at 690 kHz. Clear Channel formerly owned the U.S. programming and sales rights to that station as well, and spun those rights off to a different operator. The calls on the AM are now XEWW.

[edit] Programming

When Howard Stern was on terrestrial radio, 91X was his original San Diego affiliate, until he moved to KIOZ due to the government of Mexico's disapproval of the racy content on Stern's show, and his presence on a Mexican-licensed station.

On December 27, 2007 Chris Cantore confirmed with SDRadio that he was let go from the alternative rocker. Program Director Phil Manning placed an ad for a morning show in radio trade magazines. The show, "Cantore in the Morning" featured Cantore, and Ruggy. Former co-host Jennifer White moved to Sophie @ 103.7. On April 1st, 2008 "The 91X Morning Show" debuted to mixed, but generally favorable reviews after a month-long marketing campaign that centered around the question "who is Mat Diablo?". This show, the first change in mornings on 91X in over 9 years, is hosted by Mat Diablo, a self-proclaimed "anti-deejay". The show also features Mahoney, Carlos Montoya, and occasionally Ruggy. Both Carlos Montoya and Ruggy were previously part of of the "Cantore in the Morning" program.

According to Arbitron radio ratings, within the first six months of 'The 91X Morning Show" airing on 91X, it has exceeded the previous ratings and audience share of "Cantore in the Morning".

91X carries the syndicated Loveline weeknights, and a flashback show entitled Resurrection Sunday hosted by long time 91X personality Chris Muckley.

Until 2008, 91X aired Reggae Makossa, a program featuring reggae and roots music that now airs on Fusion Radio 102.5. The program was originally hosted by Makeda Dread and Demaja Le. Demaja Le left in 1998 to program Jazz 88.3. Makeda Dread still hosts the show in its new location. Despite the move, 91X still plays occasional reggae music (about one or two songs an hour).

Under the rules and regulations of the Secretary of Communication and Transportation of Mexico, 91X (as well as other Baja California, Mexico-licensed stations) concludes its broadcast week with public affairs and other mandatory programming in the Spanish language Sunday evenings beginning at 10 p.m. Pacific time.

[edit] Former Personalities

• Juan Grande (daily surf report since 1983) died 9/16/2006[5]
• Berger[6] and Prescott (Prescott is semi-retired)[7]
• Billy Bones
• Chris Cantore ([Cantore in the Morning] 91X DJ from 1997 - 2007) Now at X1FM.com[8]
• Diana D'Amato
• Stephen Kallao (now a weekend DJ for Sophie @ 103.7)
• Michael Boss
• Marco Collins
• Sue Delaney
• Reckless Erik Thompson (now a TV network announcer)
• Jim Gelaro
• Mike Halloran (now works at FM 94/9)
• Hilary (now also works at FM 94/9 and has a shift right before Halloran's afternoon shift.)
• Jennifer White (now at Radio Sophie)
• Jeff Hunter
• Bryan Jones (born October 13, 1957, died November 15, 2006[9])
• Kevin "the Dead Dog Kid" Stapleford (Director of Content Development & Programming at Tapioca Mobile)
• Gene Knight (now with KYXY)
• Jim Lamarca [EVP/COO Jones Radio Network] [10]
• Matty (now in Oregon working with the Democratic Party)
• Katy Manor
• Lani Minella
• Bob Montague
• Rusty Nailz [11]
• Jason Riggs (currently Senior Product Manager at Qualcomm [12] and Program Director for the 80s Alternative radio station on Slacker.com [13])
• Lou Niles
• Deirdre O'Donoghue (1946-2001; hostess of 91X's S*N*A*P Judgements radio show)
• Oz
• Tom Perry
• Trev (now works at 101.5 KGB)
• Robin Roth (now works for Rock 105.3)
• Rick Savage (now works for KROQ 106.7)
• Bryan Schock
• Todd "Mad Max" Tolkoff (currently program director of Indie 103 in Los Angeles, California)
• Pam Wolf
• Lindy Scott
• "Rossman" Ross Shields
• Marty Whitney (currently Live Sound Engineer and Imaging Director for Alice@97.3 KLLC in San Francisco)
• Annrae Fitzgerald (currently program director of X1FM Radio Network)

[edit] External links

• The Official Website
• Pictures of the XETRA-FM transmitter site on Mt. San Antonio
• 91X top 91 countdowns plus a searchable archive
• Finest City Broadcasting