SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Less than a year after communications giant iHeartMedia acquired the 107.9 frequency at an FCC auction for $6,146,000, "The New 107.9" began broadcasting in Sacramento as KSTE-FM.
News of the station's return spread through online radio forums on Wednesday, with reports the newly-launched radio station began broadcasting 24-hour loops of Star Wars music and Cinco De mayo-themed music.
"Friday" by Rebecca Black was played on repeat throughout Friday.
The controversial history of 107.9
Then operating as KDND, the owners of 107.9 came under scrutiny after its morning show, the Morning Rave, hosted a contest in 2007 where on-air contestants were asked to drink heavy amounts of water without urinating.
A then-highly coveted Nintendo Wii was the prize for the contestant able to hold their bladder the longest. The contest was billed as "Hold Your Wee for a Wii."
One 28-year-old contestant died of water toxicity as a result of the contest. A jury ruled in 2009 that the contestant's spouse was owed $16.5 million in compensation following a wrongful death lawsuit.
KDND's parent company Entercom announced in 2017 that it would acquire CBS Radio. The radio station's license with the FCC to broadcast was terminated the same year.
Now owned by iHeartMedia, operating as KSTE-FM, programing for "The New 107.9" is still unknown, but a newsletter, contact and advertiser page is live on its website.
