Monday, June 15, 2009

KBZI? KJML? KCAR?

I was hoping to make a quick and easy post today but picked a really confusing sticker.
The Rock 107.1 website says this is from KJML although radio-locator.com doesn't have an entry for a station with those call letters. Wikipedia says KJML is licensed to Baxter Springs, Kansas but another website says the only station with that city of license is KCAR located at 104.3. KBZI-Deerfield, Missouri was supposed to move frequencies from 100.7 to 107.1 but it's unclear if that ever happened or if the calls would travel with them. I'm too lazy and tired to figure this one out.....picked a bad week to let my always-accurate 100000watts.com subscription to lapse.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rock 107 is now KBZI and recently changed its COL to Columbus, KS. It was previously KJML and licensed to Baxter Springs. It also had the KMOQ calls for a long time, first as an oldies station (and it went through several different oldies incarnations), before swapping formats with sister KBGZ (now KCAR 104.3) in 2000. I lived in Kansas City at the time, and I remember hearing the satellite fed "Jammin' Oldies" on 107.1 when going down to Tulsa to visit my parents for Thanksgiving. I heard "Power Hits Q-107" on my way back up to KC. So, I know the change happened within a week of Thanksgiving 2000.

The KMOQ calls ended up on 105.3 after an ice storm took down 105.3's tower. The theory was to move the much more highly rated rock format of KJML 105.3 to 107.1.

105.3, by the way, was a country station until, I think, 1989, and it was located at 98.3 on the FM dial. It became classic rock KOCD "CD-98.3" in either '89 or '90, and it moved to 105.3 in, I think, 1993 so the 98.3 licensed to Bentonville, AR could upgrade to 100,000 watts. CD-105.3 lasted until June 1997, when it switched to country. It was first known as K-105.3, but that name only lasted a few weeks. Then, it became "K-Mule 105.3" and "105.3 The Mule," hence KJML. As the market was oversaturated with country, it only lasted a year or so before flipping to the rock format it still has today, but, like I said, on 107.1 after the ice storm brought the tower down.

The KBZI calls came to 107.1 because Gene Bicknell, who owns KKOW AM/FM and the former KBZI, bought FFD Media and was going to move the KBZI format to 107.1 and turn in the license to 100.7. He turned the license to 100.7 in and moved the hot AC format of 100.7 BZI to 107.1 only to dump the format a few days later and bring Rock 107 back from the dead due to listener outcry and the similar formatics of CHR sister Q-105.3.

Anonymous said...

Well everyone forgets that 107.1 was orginally K-107 or KBLT until October 10, 1988. And I miss KBLT.

Anonymous said...

KBTL was a Country station too. I should add.

Anonymous said...

KBLT was a Country Station too. I should add. I made a typo and said KBTL. It is KBLT. So KBLT 107.1 was a Country station until October 10, 1988. And it was also owned by Gary Cooper and Kevin Welch was a DJ there too. And also Steve Shannon was on there. I also remember a Chuck Foster on there. Yes
K-107 KBLT was a good Country station and I miss 107.1 as KBLT. Also the studios were located in Riverton / Lowell KS. I wish 107.1 would come back as 107.1 KBLT and play Country once again. I hope Gene Bicknell will see this and consider it too.

Anonymous said...

Yes. There was a KS 98 at 98.3. It was also called Kickin Country. Good station. But 93.9 which was know as 94KIX switched to a live format and became KIX 94 in 1989. And then I guess it chewed up KS 98 in the ratings. Maybe why that is no longer. What a shame too. Then in 1992 Z-103 which was 102.5 changed to Country. It was known as WMBH 102.5FM. Until 1994. Then Chuck Dunnaway bought it and changed the call letters to KJKT Country KAT 102.5. A year later KIX 94FM bought 97.9FM and made it BIG DOG which was Country too. They has both BIG DOG and KIX 94. Then in 1996 Chuck Dunnaway bought out all the KIX 94 and BIG DOG. Immedaitely they changed BIG DOG to classic rock. Then on December 24, 2996 at 2:00PM he changed KIX 94 to KIX 102.5 and 93.9 went to lite rock. In May of 1997 105.3 wet to K-105. Good station too. In June it went to K-Mule 105.3 and played 10-IN-A-ROW every hour. Lasted until June 9. 1998 and it went back to rock. There is the Country history.

Anonymous said...

I think MIKE LANG is the worset DJ Joplin ever had. I am glad he is fired from all the stations FINALLY. I am glad he is gone.

Anonymous said...

I am glad that MIKE LANG is out of radio. He got fired from every station in Joplin. He was bad.

Anonymous said...

I like the fact the 1420 KBTN-AM and 99.7 KBTN-FM are now the same. Classic Country on KBTN AM/FM

Anonymous said...

I wish they would say SMURF on KIX.

Anonymous said...

WELL I WITH THEY WOULD MAKE KIX A CLASSIC COUNTRY STATION TOO!!!! THAT STUFF THEY PLAY ON KIX 102.5 IS FAR FROM COUNTRY. MAYBE SOMEONE WILL READ THIS AND CHANGE KIX 102.5 TO CLASSIC COUNTRY.............

Anonymous said...

I THINK THEY SHOULD SAY SMURF ON KBTN ALL THE TIME!!! OPEN BOTH THE 1420 MIC AND THE 99.7 MIC AND JUST GO " SMURF, SMURF, SMURF, SMURF, SMURF!!!!! AND THEN CALL DAVE WINEGARDNER BACK AND MAKE HI SAY SMURF ON THE AIR TOO!!

Anonymous said...

GOOD IDEA. DAVE WINEGARDNER REPEATING SMURF SEVERAL TIMES!!! AND THEN CALL THE STATION SMURF 99.7 KBTN SMURF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!