Historic religious station changing to Spanish format. (Up Front).

Radio station KFSG-FM (93.5), which traces its roots nearly 80 years to evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, was to broadcast its last sermon last week.

In its stead, listeners will hear Spanish-language broadcasts from Spanish Broadcasting System Inc., part of an agreement with International Church of the Foursquare Gospel that was founded by McPherson in 1923.

The religious broadcasts on KFSG were scheduled to end on Feb. 28 as a result of Foursquare declining an option to extend its contract to use 93.5 for another 10 months, according to a Spanish Broadcasting tiling with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

"We have come to the decision that we had to cease operations at the end of February' said Brian Glassford, station manager of Redondo Beach-based KFSG. "We have a global radio strategy we are pursuing. Possibly included in that is acquiring another local L.A. station."

The station's call letters were to switch to KZBA, although it will be known as "La Sabrosa 93.5" and feature Central American music, according to Spanish Broadcasting executive vice president Bill Tanner.

Spanish Broadcasting is the nation's second largest owner of Spanish-language radio stations, and the company has been aggressively moving into markets with large Hispanic populations.

KFSG's program line-up featured Christian talk shows and sermons from various ministries. One of the most popular weekday morning shows, "Living Way' is produced by Jack Hayford, a national religious figure and pastor at The Church on The Way in Van Nuys.

All told, Miami-based Spanish Broadcasting will pay $250 million in installments ending in December. In addition, Foresquare will receive warrants exercisable for 100,000 shares of Spanish Broadcasting each month until the purchase closes or is terminated. The warrants would be exercisable at a price equal to the closing price of Spanish Broadcasting shares on the last trading day of the month in which the warrants were granted.

Spanish Broadcasting closed at $6.20 on Feb. 27.

"I'm guessing (they) did this because they needed the money. The prices of stations has escalated, and donations to non-profit stations are down recently," said Mary Beth Garber, president of the Southern California Broadcasters Association.

Known as the "angel of the airwaves," McPherson was the first woman to receive a radio license, and her evangelical sermons, known for both their spectacle and polarizing content, were broadcast worldwide.

In 1923, McPherson built the 5,500-seat Angelus Temple on Glendale Boulevard overlooking Echo Park. Her ministry grew to become the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, which today has more than 3.5 million members at nearly 30,000 places of worship in 123 countries.

McPherson's organization almost came crashing down when she disappeared in 1926 and was discovered living with a married man, a radio engineer and an avowed follower. She died of an overdose of sleeping pills in Oakland in 1944.

"Her impact was enormous. She'd do her broadcasts from her temple downtown, make pitches for donations, and the money would come right in' said Gordon Mason, former president of the Southern California Broadcasters Association.

KFSG's move from Christian broadcasting is seen as a minor boon for Camarillo-based Salem Communications, one of the largest Christian broadcasting companies in the nation. Salem has three stations in Los Angeles, and was seen as a friendly competitor to KFSG.

On Feb. 28, Salem's KKLA-FM (99.5) was to hold a simulcast with Spanish Broadcasting's KXOL-FM to notify listeners of the changes.

"We want to let listeners know that there is another Christian radio station, and that the formats are very similar," said Terry Fahy, vice president of sales at Salem Communictions' Los Angeles studios.