ESNE Radio
| Country | United States, Mexico, Spain |
|---|---|
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | Spanish |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | El Sembrador Ministries |
| History | |
| Launch date | March 1, 2003 |
| Links | |
| Website | [1] |
ESNE Radio is a Spanish-language Catholic radio network based in the United States, owned by El Sembrador Ministries. Headquartered in Chatsworth, California, a Los Angeles neighborhood, ESNE broadcasts on 14 stations in the United States, Mexico and Spain. ESNE also broadcasts a Spanish-language television channel, ESNE TV, launched in 2002.[1]
History
On March 1, 2003, El Sembrador, led by founder Noel Díaz, began programming KHPY (1670 AM) in Moreno Valley, California, under a time brokerage agreement; it purchased that station in 2008.[2] Díaz had previously started a weekly Catholic radio program, Dimensión de Fe (Dimension of Faith), in 1990.[1]
In 2013, the network acquired KRXA, serving Monterey, California;[3] the next year, it began brokering time on KURS in San Diego, later buying that station in 2016.[4] A second southern California signal was acquired in 2015 when it picked up KTYM after Immaculate Heart Radio instead bought another Los Angeles outlet.[5] In 2017, El Sembrador bought the construction permit for a new station in Enterprise, Nevada (near Las Vegas), KENT, for $125,000.[6]
El Sembrador expanded into Utah by buying Ogden's 1430 AM—then KLO—for $260,000 in 2020.[7] A third station in the Central Coast region of California was added later that year when the ministry purchased KKMC (880 AM) in Gonzales, California, from Monterey County Broadcasters.[8] Additionally, in September 2020, El Sembrador filed to buy KDCO (1340 AM) in Denver—though not its associated FM translator—for $420,000.[9]
In January 2021, El Sembrador reached a $725,000 deal to buy KYND in Cypress, Texas (near Houston), from Pro Broadcasting.[10] On February 1, it began programming KWST in El Centro, California, under a time brokerage agreement; this was followed with a $325,000 purchase from Entravision Communications Corporation the following year.[11] El Sembrador acquired 1110 AM in Chicago from the Moody Bible Institute, which had owned that station as WMBI since 1926, for $1.2 million in March 2021; this purchase added the oldest non-commercial Christian radio station in the United States to the network, and replaced a previous part-time time-buy on WNDZ.[12][13]
KAFY in Bakersfield was acquired for $450,000 from AOTS Holdings in March 2023; its associated translator was not included in the deal,[14] but was separately donated to El Sembrador that June.[15] In late 2024, the network acquired KRQZ in Lompoc from Spirit Communications, operator of the Radio U network, for $195,000.[16]
Stations
United States
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| KRXA | 540 AM | Carmel Valley | California |
| KAFY | 1100 AM | Bakersfield | California |
| KWST K229CU |
1430 AM 93.7 FM |
El Centro | California |
| KKMC | 880 AM | Gonzales | California |
| KTYM K268DD |
1460 AM 101.5 FM |
Inglewood Los Angeles |
California |
| KRQZ | 91.5 FM | Lompoc | California |
| KHPY | 1670 AM | Moreno Valley | California |
| KMBX[note 1] | 700 AM | Soledad | California |
| KURS | 1040 AM | San Diego | California |
| KDCO | 1340 AM | Denver | Colorado |
| WXES | 1110 AM | Chicago | Illinois |
| KENT | 1540 AM | Enterprise | Nevada |
| KYND | 1520 AM | Cypress | Texas |
| KMES | 1430 AM | Ogden | Utah |
| KZTR-LP[note 2] | 103.5 FM | Yakima | Washington |
Mexico
- XEBBB-AM 1040, Guadalajara, Jalisco
- XENK-AM 620 Mexico City
Spain
- 88.2 FM, Almonaster La Real
- 104.9 FM, Gibraleón
Notes
- ^ Owned by Entravision Communications Corporation
- ^ Owned by the Corporation of the Catholic Bishop of Yakima
References
- ^ a b Neri-Navarro, Ofelia (August–September 2007). "El Sembrador salió a sembrar". La Palabra (in Spanish). Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ "Deals". Broadcasting & Cable. April 19, 2008. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Venta, Lance (June 9, 2013). "KRXA Monterey To Shift Programming Online". RadioInsight. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Venta, Lance (November 18, 2016). "Station Sales Week Of 11/18". RadioInsight. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Venta, Lance (September 11, 2015). "Station Sales Week Of 9/11". RadioInsight. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Venta, Lance (March 31, 2017). "Station Sales Week Of 3/31". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
- ^ Venta, Lance (July 22, 2020). "El Sembrador Ministries Acquires KLO". RadioInsight. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Venta, Lance (September 18, 2020). "Station Sales Week Of 9/18: Entercom Sells Two Greensboro AMs". RadioInsight. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Venta, Lance (October 5, 2020). "Mile High Sports Radio Signals Sold". RadioInsight. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Venta, Lance (January 22, 2021). "Station Sales Week Of 1/22: Family Life Expands In Pennsylvania". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
- ^ Venta, Lance (March 18, 2022). "Station Sales Week of 3/18". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
- ^ Venta, Lance (March 31, 2021). "El Sembrador Ministries Enters Chicago". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
- ^ Feder, Robert (April 2, 2021). "Moody Bible Institute sells AM radio flagship WMBI after 95 years". robertfeder.dailyherald.com. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
- ^ Venta, Lance (March 31, 2023). "Station Sales Week Of 3/31: Resurrected Honolulu AMs Donated". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
- ^ Venta, Lance (June 23, 2023). "Station Sales Week Of 6/23". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
- ^ Venta, Lance (November 1, 2024). "Station Sales Week Of 11/1: Deal Brings AAA Hawk To Missoula". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
