KMVN-FM (93.9) in Los Angeles to switch from English to Spanish

From the Los Angeles Times:

For the second time in less than three months, a local English-language radio station is switching to Spanish-language programming. KMVN-FM (93.9), the home of deejay Rick Dees, is handing the microphone over to Grupo Radio Centro, which owns 14 stations in Mexico, on April 15.

Grupo Radio Centro's site can be seen here.

The reasons for the switch to Spanish are quite simple: economic reasons. Here's how the deal is going to work:

Emmis, which also owns popular hip-hop outlet KPWR-FM (105.9), said it had entered into a long-term agreement with Grupo Radio Centro under which the Mexican broadcaster will pay $7 million a year for up to seven years -- with Grupo Radio Centro obligated to purchase the station outright for $110 million by the end of that period or find another buyer for it.

So basically it's an agreement that secures the financial well-being of the station and moves any worries about selling it later on to the other group.

Finally, it mentions another radio station that has done the same thing:

In January, Santa Monica-based Entravision Communications Corp. dropped the rock music format at low-rated Indie 103 (heard as a simulcast on both KDLD-FM in Santa Monica and KDLE-FM in Newport Beach) in favor of Spanish-language programming.

I also wrote about another radio station in Florida that made the switch in February.