PRESERVING RADIO HISTORY ACROSS COLORADO

Archives: Stations

  • KSNN-FM

    KSNN (103.7 FM) is “The River,” a Top 40 station licensed to Ridgway and serving the Montrose area. If you listen to Top 40 on the Western Slope, you may know it from its Sunny 103 days.

    History

    It got its construction permit on March 24, 1999, as KBNG, and its license to cover on August 19, 2002. It was sold in 2003 for $300,000, and in 2004 it was sold again as part of a three-station, $2.65 million package to Cherry Creek Radio.

    On May 16, 2012, it became KSNN and the next day switched to soft AC as “Sunny 103.” In July 2018, it went Top 40 as “103.7 The River.” Townsquare Media bought it on June 17, 2022, as part of a 42-station, $18.75 million deal with Cherry Creek.

    Call sign timeline

    • KBNG: 1999 to 2012
    • KSNN: 2012 to present

    The signal

    • 103.7 MHz, licensed to Ridgway, Colorado
    • Branding: 103.7 The River (since 2018); Sunny 103 (2012 to 2018)
    • Licensed August 19, 2002
    • FCC facility ID 89280

    Ownership history

    • 1999 to 2003: the construction permit holders and first owners haven’t been identified here yet
    • 2003: sold, for a few hundred thousand dollars
    • 2004: sold again in a three-station package to Cherry Creek Radio
    • June 17, 2022 to today: Townsquare Media, in its purchase of Cherry Creek’s stations

    Where the studios have been

    We haven’t found studio addresses for KSNN yet. If you know them, we’d love to hear from you.

    Sources

  • KRKV-FM

    KRKV (107.3 FM) is “Variety Rock 107,” a classic rock station licensed to Las Animas and serving the Lamar area. If you want classic rock on the Eastern Plains, this is the signal.

    History

    KRKV signed on in 2008 and runs 80,000 watts. It’s owned by Alleycat Communications.

    The signal

    • 107.3 MHz, licensed to Las Animas, Colorado
    • Branding: Variety Rock 107
    • Format: classic rock
    • FCC facility ID 164092

    Ownership history

    • 2008 to today: Alleycat Communications

    Where the studios have been

    Today Variety Rock 107 is listed at 520 West Third Street in La Junta, even though the station is licensed to Las Animas. Earlier studio addresses haven’t turned up yet, so if you know them, we’d love to hear from you.

    Sources

  • KTHN-FM

    KTHN (92.1 FM) has been La Junta’s country station since it signed on August 28, 1974. If you grew up in the Lower Arkansas Valley, you probably have a Thunder Country memory.

    History

    On June 1, 2022, the station rebranded as “Thunder Country 92.1.” It’s owned by Thunder Media, which also owns La Junta’s 1400 AM, today’s KBLJ.

    The signal

    • 92.1 MHz, licensed to La Junta, Colorado
    • Branding: Thunder Country 92.1 (since 2022)
    • Format: country
    • FCC facility ID 7046

    Related

    KOKO and KBZZ are earlier names of La Junta’s 1400 AM, now KBLJ.

    Ownership history

    • 1974: signs on; the founders and earlier owners haven’t been identified here yet
    • Today: Thunder Media, which also owns La Junta’s 1400 AM, now KBLJ

    Where the studios have been

    Today Thunder Country 92.1 is listed at 116 Dalton Avenue in La Junta. Earlier studio addresses haven’t turned up yet, so if you know them, we’d love to hear from you.

    Sources

  • KHNC-AM

    KHNC (1360 AM) is a conservative talk station licensed to Johnstown, between Greeley and Loveland. If you listen to talk radio in northern Colorado, you may know it as “1360 KHNC: The Lion.”

    History

    The permit was first issued in the late 1980s as KZOI, and the station signed on as KHNC in January 1993, running talk from the start. In its early years it called itself the “USA Patriot Network” and carried programming from the political fringe. It made national news in 1996 when the Montana Freemen called in during their standoff with the FBI. After the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, it rebranded as the “American Freedom Network,” with some shows also carried on shortwave station WWCR.

    On November 29, 1997, a fire started by a faulty hot plate destroyed the studio building. The transmitter was not damaged. The station was sold in 2019 for $250,000, and in 2020 the license moved to Excursion Broadcasting Network.

    Call sign timeline

    • KZOI: 1986 to 1989 (construction permit)
    • KHNC: 1993 to present

    The signal

    • 1360 kHz AM, licensed to Johnstown, Colorado
    • Format: conservative talk
    • FCC facility ID 17183

    Ownership history

    • Late 1980s: the construction permit was first issued as KZOI; the permit holders haven’t been identified here yet
    • 1993 to 2019: the station’s owners during the “USA Patriot Network” and “American Freedom Network” years haven’t been identified here yet
    • 2019: sold
    • 2020 to today: licensed to Excursion Broadcasting Network

    Where the studios have been

    • Until November 29, 1997: a studio building near the transmitter, destroyed by a fire that started with a faulty hot plate
    • Today: 2 S. Parish Avenue, Johnstown

    Sources

  • KCFC-AM

    KCFC (1490 AM) carries CPR News in Boulder, and it’s the same frequency that was Boulder’s hometown station KBOL for almost 50 years. If you grew up in Boulder, you may remember it by its old calls.

    History

    It signed on February 15, 1947, as KBOL. After KBOL, the station cycled through KBKS (1994), KBVI (1995) and KWAB (1999), when Working Assets Broadcasting ran progressive talk as “Radio for Change.” It became KCFC in 2001 under Colorado Public Radio, carrying NPR programs and CPR’s Colorado Matters.

    Call sign timeline

    • KBOL: 1947 to 1994
    • KBKS: 1994 to 1995
    • KBVI: 1995 to 1999
    • KWAB: 1999 to 2001
    • KCFC: 2001 to present

    The signal

    • 1490 kHz AM, licensed to Boulder, Colorado
    • Branding: CPR News
    • Owner: Colorado Public Radio
    • FCC facility ID 70405

    Related

    KCFR-FM is the CPR News flagship.

    Ownership history

    • 1946 to 1947: Herb Hollister, the founder, puts the new station together, and Russ Shaffer moves to Boulder in 1946 to be its commercial manager
    • 1948: Boulder Radio KBOL Inc., with Hollister as president and Russ Shaffer as vice president and general manager
    • 1953: Shaffer takes the majority
    • 1994: Visual Radio Productions buys KBOL from Acorn Broadcasting for $200,000
    • 1999 to 2001: Working Assets Broadcasting (as KWAB)
    • 2001 to today: Colorado Public Radio

    Where the studios have been

    We haven’t found studio addresses for KCFC yet. If you know them, we’d love to hear from you.

    Sources

  • KGRE-AM

    KGRE (1450 AM) is “El Tigre,” Greeley’s regional Mexican station, and the 1984-and-later identity of the frequency that started as KYOU in 1948. If your family has tuned in to Spanish-language music and news in Weld County, this is the one.

    The KYOU years

    KYOU signed on August 24, 1948, 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.

    Changing hands

    O’Kieffe Broadcasting bought the station in 1978 for $770,000, and a fast run of owners followed. In May 1984, the AM and FM swapped call letters, making the AM KGRE. In 1986, Surrey Broadcasting bought both stations for $1.7 million and renamed the AM KATR. KGRE came back on January 1, 1989. Hispanic Broadcasting picked it up in 1994 for $170,000, by which point it was only on 10 hours a day and losing money.

    El Tigre

    In 1997, Ricardo Salazar bought the station for $150,000 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.

    Call sign timeline

    • KYOU: 1948 to 1984
    • KGRE: 1984 to 1986
    • KATR: 1986 to 1989
    • KGRE: 1989 to present

    The signal

    • 1450 kHz AM, licensed to Greeley, Colorado
    • Branding: El Tigre
    • FCC facility ID 33821

    Ownership history

    • 1948: signs on as KYOU; the founders haven’t been identified here yet
    • 1978: O’Kieffe Broadcasting buys the station, followed by a quick run of owners
    • 1986: Surrey Broadcasting buys the AM and FM together
    • 1994: Hispanic Broadcasting buys it
    • 1997 to today: Ricardo Salazar buys it and turns it into “El Tigre”

    Where the studios have been

    • 1948: downtown Greeley
    • Today: listed at 800 8th Avenue, Greeley

    Sources

  • KVAY-FM

    KVAY (105.7 FM) is “Your Valley Country,” a 100,000-watt country station licensed to Lamar. If you live in the Arkansas Valley of southeastern Colorado, this is your country station.

    History

    It got its first call letters, KNIC, on September 18, 1986, and became KVAY on August 9, 1991. Beacon Broadcasting owns it today and covers the Arkansas Valley.

    Call sign timeline

    • KNIC: 1986 to 1991
    • KVAY: 1991 to present

    The signal

    • 105.7 MHz, licensed to Lamar, Colorado
    • Branding: Your Valley Country 105.7
    • FCC facility ID 31531

    Related

    KLMR 920 and KLMR-FM 93.5 are other Lamar stations.

    Ownership history

    • 1986: the first owners of the KNIC signal haven’t been identified here yet
    • Today: Beacon Broadcasting

    Where the studios have been

    Today KVAY is listed at 7 Forest Street in Lamar. Earlier studio addresses haven’t turned up yet, so if you know them, we’d love to hear from you.

    Sources

  • KUBC-AM

    KUBC (580 AM) has been Montrose’s hometown AM station since 1947. If you’ve listened to Montrose radio for news and talk, then classic hits and now classic rock, you’ve been through the station’s whole run.

    History

    It started on 1240 kHz, moved to 1260 in 1951 and settled on 580 in 1957, running 5,000 watts by day and 1,000 at night. For years it was news and talk. In February 2020, it switched to classic hits as “KUBC Gold,” and on April 3, 2023, it became classic rock “KUBC The Canyon,” also heard on 104.5 FM in Montrose. It’s owned by Townsquare Media.

    Frequency history

    • 1947 to 1951: 1240 kHz
    • 1951 to 1957: 1260 kHz
    • 1957 to present: 580 kHz

    The signal

    • 580 kHz AM, licensed to Montrose, Colorado; FM translator at 104.5
    • Branding: KUBC The Canyon (since 2023); KUBC Gold (2020 to 2023)
    • FCC facility ID 73626

    Ownership history

    • 1947: signs on in Montrose; the founders and earlier owners haven’t been identified here yet
    • Today: Townsquare Media

    Where the studios have been

    KUBC’s studios today are at 106 Rose Lane in Montrose. Earlier studio addresses haven’t turned up yet, so if you know them, we’d love to hear from you.

    Sources

  • KSNO-FM

    KSNO (103.9 FM) is a Roaring Fork Valley station licensed to Snowmass Village, with roots going back to an AM station founded in 1964. If you’ve driven from Glenwood Springs to Aspen with classic rock on, this may be the signal you had.

    History

    The station started as an AM in 1964 and got its FM license in the 1980s. The call letters point to either the Snowmass tower site or the snowy weather. It now plays classic rock under names like “Ute City Radio” and “The Mammoth,” and reaches from Glenwood Springs to Aspen, up Snowmass Creek and over to Redstone with help from several translators.

    The signal

    • 103.9 MHz, licensed to Snowmass Village, Colorado
    • Format: classic rock
    • FCC facility ID 57337

    Ownership history

    The founders of the 1964 AM station and the owners since haven’t been identified here yet.

    Where the studios have been

    We haven’t found studio addresses for KSNO yet. If you know them, we’d love to hear from you.

    Sources

  • KGLN-AM

    KGLN (980 AM) is Glenwood Springs’ talk station, on the air since 1950. The call letters stand for “Glenwood.” If you’ve lived in the Roaring Fork or Colorado River valleys, you’ve likely heard local news and talk here.

    History

    KGLN signed on in 1950. Colorado West Broadcasting sold it to MBC Grand Broadcasting for $250,000 on November 27, 2007. It runs 2,000 watts by day and 225 at night, with an FM translator at 101.3 to fill in around town.

    The signal

    • 980 kHz AM, licensed to Glenwood Springs, Colorado
    • FM translator K267CH at 101.3
    • Format: talk
    • FCC facility ID 12373

    Ownership history

    • 1950 to 2007: Colorado West Broadcasting (earlier owners haven’t been identified here yet)
    • November 27, 2007 to today: MBC Grand Broadcasting, which bought it for a quarter of a million dollars

    Where the studios have been

    We haven’t found studio addresses for KGLN yet. If you know them, we’d love to hear from you.

    Sources