Previous logos
| Broadcast area | Billings metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 97.1 MHz |
| Branding | Mix 97.1 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Hot adult contemporary |
| Affiliations | Compass Media Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KBUL, KCHH, KCTR-FM, KMHK | |
| History | |
First air date | December 17, 1963 (as KURL-FM) |
Former call signs | KURL-FM (1963–1979) KKOZ (1979–1981) KZLS (1981–1993) |
Call sign meaning | Kome Kiss Billings Radio (K is a substitute for a C) K-BeaR (former branding) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 16774 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 28,000 watts |
| HAAT | 122 meters (400 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 45°45′59″N108°27′19″W / 45.76639°N 108.45528°W |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | billingsmix.com |
KKBR (97.1 FM) - branded as Mix 97.1 - is a commercial radio station in Billings, Montana. Licensed to Billings, Montana, United States, the station serves the Billings area. The station is currently owned by Townsquare License, LLC. The station has obtained a construction permit from the FCC for a power increase to 100,000 watts. [1]
Notable former personalities on the station on weekdays included:
Notable former personalities on the station on Saturdays included:
Notable former personalities on the station on Sundays included:
The station started life on December 17, 1963, under the call sign KURL-FM. It aired a beautiful music format, and KURL-FM became KKOZ in 1979 retaining the format. In September 1981, the station dropped its format and became "KZLS 97 FM" with a Top 40 format, and began a longtime competition against longtime CHR powerhouse KYYA-FM known as "Y-93". Both Top 40 stations continued throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. When KYYA-FM upgraded its format towards Adult Top 40 in 1991, KZLS retained its regular Top 40 format until KZLS dropped the format in mid-1993 for oldies under the call sign KKBR-FM. Throughout time, it was later upgraded to a classic hits format, focusing on the hits from 1968 to 1988, as "97.1 K-Bear".
On July 3, 2013, after stunting with Christmas music as "97.1 Santa FM", the station relaunched its former Top 40/CHR format as "PopCrush 97.1" with a weekend of commercial-free music, including a contest to be the first person to call the station at the first commercial break. [2] The first 3 songs as PopCrush 97.1 were Pitbull's "Feel This Moment" featuring Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors", and Rihanna's "Umbrella" featuring Jay-Z. On July 25, 2016 KKBR rebranded as "97.1 Kiss FM". [3]
On August 29, 2022, it was announced that big changes were coming to this station. [4]
On September 16, 2022, KKBR shifted from Top 40/CHR to hot adult contemporary and rebranded as "Mix 97.1". [4]
In October 2007, a deal was reached for KKBR to be acquired by GAP Broadcasting II LLC (Samuel Weller, president) from Clear Channel Communications as part of a 57-station deal with a total reported sale price of $74.78 million. [5] What eventually became GapWest Broadcasting was folded into Townsquare Media on August 13, 2010. [6]
CIDR-FM is a commercial radio station in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, targeting the Detroit–Windsor radio market. It is owned and operated by Bell Media and airs a Top 40/CHR format. The studios and offices are located on Ouellette Avenue in Windsor.
WCZX is a radio station licensed to Hyde Park, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts at 300 watts ERP from the Illinois Mountain master tower in Marlborough, New York with studios on Pendell Road in the Town of Poughkeepsie.
KCTR-FM is a commercial radio station in Billings, Montana. KCTR airs a country music format. Licensed to Billings, Montana, United States, the station serves the Billings area. The station is currently owned by Townsquare License, LLC.
KURL is a Christian radio station licensed to Billings, Montana, United States. The station is currently owned by Elenbaas Media, Inc. On May 24, 2010 it was announced that the station, then known as KYYA FM 93.3 was to be sold to Elenbaas Media, Inc after FCC approval.
KQHT is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format serving Grand Forks, North Dakota, that is licensed to Crookston, Minnesota. It began broadcasting in 1985. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. KQHT primarily competes with Leighton Broadcasting's classic rock 1590 KGFK/95.7 K239BG/97.5 K248DH "Rock 95."
WPYA is an American radio station licensed to Gardendale, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It is owned by SummitMedia. It airs a Top 40 (CHR) format. It shares studios with six other sister stations in the Cahaba neighborhood in far southeast Birmingham, and the transmitter is based atop Red Mountain.
KKCT, known as Hot 97.5, is a Top 40 (CHR) radio station licensed to Bismarck, North Dakota.
WJBQ is a commercial radio station in Portland, Maine. It is owned by Townsquare Media and it airs a Top 40 (CHR) format. The studios and offices are at One City Center in Downtown Portland.
WQBK-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Malta, New York, and serving the Capital District of New York. The station is owned by Townsquare Media, and airs a classic rock radio format.
KZII-FM, known as "102-5 Kiss FM" is a Top 40 (CHR) formatted radio station serving Lubbock, Texas. The station is owned by Townsquare Media. Its studios and transmitter are located in south Lubbock.
WKFR-FM, also known as KFR, is a Top 40 (CHR) outlet serving the Kalamazoo, Michigan radio market. It broadcasts with an ERP of 50 kW in Battle Creek, Michigan and is owned by Townsquare Media.
WZPW is a radio station in Central Illinois with a Rhythmic Top 40 music format, licensed to Peoria, Illinois and broadcasting with an Effective radiated power (ERP) of 19,200 watts. The station is owned by Cumulus Media, which purchased the station from Townsquare Media.
KYYA is a radio station licensed to Billings, Montana, United States. The station serves the Billings area. The station is currently owned by Desert Mountain Broadcasting. These call letters previously belonged to 93.3 FM which formerly aired a Top 40/CHR format for many years. The 93.3 FM station last aired an Adult AC format until it went silent and was later sold to another radio broadcaster in the Billings radio market. 730 AM is a Canadian and Mexican clear-channel frequency.
KCHH is a radio station licensed to Worden, Montana, and serving the Billings, Montana metropolitan area. The station airs an adult contemporary format. KCHH is owned by Townsquare Media. KCHH also offers a translator at 95.1 (MHz) K236AB broadcasting off the Crown Plaza in Downtown Billings.
KTFM is a commercial radio station licensed to Floresville, Texas, and serving Greater San Antonio. It broadcasts a sports radio format and is owned by Alpha Media. On weekdays it has local personalities hosting sports shows, with ESPN Radio heard nights and weekends. The studios are on Eisenhauer Road in San Antonio.
KEGX is a radio station broadcasting a Classic rock format. Licensed to Richland, Washington, United States, the station serves the Tri-Cities area. In 2018, KEGX became part of Stephens Media Group.
KALE is a radio station licensed to Richland, Washington, United States, the station serves the Tri-Cities, Washington area. The station is owned by Stephens Media Group.
KISN is a radio station licensed to serve Belgrade, Montana. The station is owned by Townsquare Media, licensed to Townsquare License, LLC. It airs a Top 40 (CHR) music format.
KTYL-FM is a Townsquare Media radio station, licensed to Tyler, Texas, serving the Tyler-Longview-Jacksonville area, with a Top 40 (CHR) format. KTYL operates with an ERP of 82 kW from a transmitter site near Overton in western Rusk County. Studios are located on Brookside Drive in south Tyler in a building shared with Townsquare's other Tyler stations.
KOTM-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format serving Ottumwa, Iowa. The station is currently owned by Greg List, through licensee O-Town Communications, Inc.
  | This article about a radio station in Montana is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |