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KHSL-FM
City of license	Paradise, California
Broadcast area	Chico, California
Branding	103.5 The Blaze
Slogan	"Hit Country"
Frequency	103.5 (MHz)
First air date	1992
Format	Country
ERP	1,600 watts
HAAT	381 meters
Class	B1
Callsign meaning	Harry Smithson/Sidney Lewis
Owner	Deer Creek Broadcasting
Website	1035theblaze.com

KHSL-FM (103.5 FM, "103.5 The Blaze") is a country music formatted radio station based in Chico, California. It is owned and operated by Deer Creek Broadcasting, which also owns NewsTalk 1290 KPAY, ESPN Radio 101.7 KRER-FM ESPN Radio AM 1340 KEWE-AM, Mix 95.1 KMXI-FM, and Spanish station KHHZ-FM 97.7 (known as La Gran X/Radio Mexico). The station's general manager is longtime Chico media personality Dino Corbin, who served as general manager at KHSL-TV for over 20 years. The program director and morning personality is Mike Wessels. The distinction of the longest-tenured on-air talent at the station goes to Moriss Taylor, who has been a fixture at the station for six decades.

History

KHSL Radio began in Chico, CA in 1935 at the request of the Chico Chamber of Commerce. Two people, Harry Smithson and Sidney Lewis, put KHSL AM on the air. The first letters of these gentlemen's first and last names form the call letters (KHSL). Over the years these call letters have become an institution in the Northstate.

In 1936, KHSL was purchased by Hugh and Mickey McClung of the Golden Empire Broadcasting Company. In 1953 the McClungs signed on the first commercial television in the Northstate, KHSL-TV. Golden Empire Broadcasting Company, which included KHSL AM and KHSL-TV, was owned by the McClungs until October 1994, and, until the sale, was one of the last original family-owned broadcast companies in the country. Mickey McClung was noted as one of the first female broadcast pioneers in the industry. (Source: Original KHSL website: no longer exists)

External links

• KHSL-FM Official Website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for KHSL
• Radio Locator information on KHSL
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for KHSL