KIQN (103.3 FM), licensed to Colorado City, is the 100,000-watt country signal that covers Pueblo and reaches into the Colorado Springs area. If you lived in Pueblo in the fall of 2015 and your country station suddenly turned up at a new spot on the dial, this is where it landed. Don’t confuse it with the earlier KIQN-FM on the Pueblo 106.9/107.1 facility, which carried the same calls from 2009 to 2014.
History
This facility was KJQY from 2006 to 2014, then KLEZ (2014–15), and KJQY again briefly in 2015 before becoming KIQN on November 23, 2015. The calls stand for “Kickin’.”
In 2012 the signal ran Rhythmic AC and then Rhythmic Top 40, with evening “Radio Planeta” bilingual dance programming. By December 2014, SoCo Radio was running it under a management agreement.
On September 1, 2015, SoCo flipped it to country as “KIQ’N Country,” bringing the brand over from 94.7 and 93.9.
Call sign timeline
- KJQY (2006–14)
- KLEZ (2014–15)
- KJQY (2015)
- KIQN (November 23, 2015–present)
The signal
- Frequency: 103.3 MHz
- City of license: Colorado City
- Branding: KIQ’N Country
- Format: Country
Related
Sources
- Wikipedia: KIQN (FM)
- RadioInsight: SoCo Resets Its Colorado Holdings (September 1, 2015)
- RadioInsight: SOCO Radio Grows In Pueblo (September 25, 2014)
- The Gazette: SoCo Radio in the new media age (December 7, 2014)
STATION FILE
FROM THE TIMELINE
Moments in KIQN-FM (103.3, Colorado City) History
September 2014: SoCo Radio takes over operations of United States CP’s Pueblo-area stations
SoCo Radio began running a batch of United States CP LLC stations under a lease management agreement: KFVR 94.7 in Beulah, KWRP 690 in Pueblo, translators 93.9 and 100.3, KFEZ 101.3 in Walsenburg, 103.3 in Colorado City, and two Fountain-area AM stations, 780 (KCEG) and 890 (KJME). A side effect: KFVR and KWRP stopped simulcasting two Colorado Springs AMs, 1530 KCMN and 1040 KCBR, which SoCo's deal didn't include. No purchase price was disclosed.
KJQY becomes KLEZ
KJQY becomes KLEZ: the 103.3 FM station in Colorado City changed its call letters from KJQY to KLEZ in 2014 (exact day not yet confirmed).
September 1, 2015: SoCo Radio reshuffles formats across Colorado Springs and Pueblo
Under new general manager "Sports Guy" Mike Luper, SoCo Radio changed nearly everything at once. KCBR and K253AH went from party hits "Tailgate 98" to oldies "Cruisin' 98.5," matching the Pueblo oldies on KWRP 690 and K262BB 100.3. Country "KIQ'N Country" moved to 103.3, while KFVR 94.7 and 93.9 became classic hip-hop "The Beat." KFEZ 101.3 switched from shopping to sports as "ESPN The Rock."
KLEZ becomes KJQY
KLEZ becomes KJQY: the 103.3 FM station in Colorado City changed its call letters from KLEZ to KJQY in 2015 (exact day not yet confirmed).
KJQY becomes KIQN
KJQY becomes KIQN: the 103.3 FM station in Colorado City changed its call letters from KJQY to KIQN on November 23, 2015.
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