KGRE 1450 is “El Tigre,” Greeley’s regional Mexican station, and the 1984-and-later identity of the frequency that started as KYOU in 1948. KYOU signed on August 24, 1948, owned by Meroco Broadcasting with 250 watts from downtown Greeley. By 1961 it had a new transmitter site and 1,000 watts by day, running a full-service format with ABC and Intermountain Network news.
O’Kieffe Broadcasting bought it in 1978 for $770,000. Then came a fast run of owners: Kenneth Greenwood in 1983, Swab-Fox Services four months later, and in May 1984 the AM and FM swapped call letters, making the AM KGRE. Surrey Broadcasting bought both stations in 1986 for $1.7 million and renamed the AM KATR. Robert and Marjorie Zellmer bought it in 1988 for $230,000 and brought back KGRE on January 1, 1989. Keith Ashton paid $275,000 in 1991, a 1992 resale fell apart in bankruptcy and litigation, and Hispanic Broadcasting picked it up in 1994 for $170,000. By then it was only on 10 hours a day and losing $5,000 to $10,000 a month.
In 1997 Ricardo Salazar bought it for $150,000 with his life savings and seven maxed-out credit cards, and turned it into regional Mexican “El Tigre.” It was profitable by the end of the year, and by 2006 it was bringing in more than $600,000 a year. Salazar later added KGRE-FM 102.1 and KFCS in Colorado Springs. He died in 2018, and his daughter Lindsay runs the station.
Station information
- Frequency: 1450 kHz.
- City of license: Greeley.
- Signed on: August 24, 1948 (as KYOU).
- Branding: El Tigre.
- Call history: KYOU (1948–1984), KGRE (1984–1986), KATR (1986–1989), KGRE (1989–present).
- Owner: Greeley Broadcasting Corporation (Salazar family).
- FCC facility ID: 33821.
References
STATION FILE
FROM THE TIMELINE
Moments in KGRE-AM History
Ricardo Salazar buys KGRE and launches “El Tigre”
1997 — Ricardo Salazar bought Greeley's struggling KGRE 1450 for $150,000, using his life savings and seven maxed-out credit cards, and relaunched it as regional Mexican “El Tigre.” It was in the black by the end of the year.
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