In March 1979, 1420 AM flipped to an easy listening format and was renamed KESY, again simulcasting with 104.5, which had the KESY-FM call letters.
For a brief two-week period in June 1990, the calls became KLAO before reverting to KESY, though the AM switched to a soft adult contemporary format as well.
Journal Communications purchased KBBX in January 1998, and changed the programming to Regional Mexican music on April 1 of that year.
In April 2005, it was announced that Journal had sold KHLP to Salem Communications, and in December of that year, the station switched to conservative talk as "Newstalk 1420 KOTK".
On September 4, 2008, KOTK flipped to a Spanish Christian radio format with the slogan "La Luz" (The Light).
[8] On March 31, 2019, KOTK flipped to a simulcast of co-owned KOBM (1490 AM), airing an oldies format branded as "Boomer Radio".