KCRO

Last updated
KCRO
Frequency 660 kHz
Branding660 AM/106.7 FM KCRO
Programming
Format Christian talk and teaching
Affiliations Salem Radio Network
Ownership
Owner
  • Steve Seline
  • (Hickory Radio, LLC)
KXCB
History
First air date
April 19, 1922
(101 years ago) (1922-04-19)
Former call signs
  • WAAW (1922–1939)
  • KOWH (1939–1960 & 1971–1979)
  • KMEO (1960–1968)
  • KOZN (1968–1971)
Call sign meaning
"Christian Radio Omaha"
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 54902
Class D
Power
  • 1,000  watts (day)
  • 54 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
 41°18′47″N96°0′36″W / 41.31306°N 96.01000°W / 41.31306; -96.01000
Translator(s) 106.7 K294DJ (Lincoln)
Links
Public license information
Website kcro.com

KCRO (660 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Omaha, Nebraska. KCRO is owned by Hickory Radio and airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. The studios are located on Burt Street (near North 120th Street and Dodge Road in West Omaha), while the transmitter is located behind Roncalli Catholic High School near Sorensen Parkway in Northwest Omaha. [2]

Contents

KCRO operates with 1,000 watts power during daytime hours. Because AM 660 is a clear channel frequency (reserved for 50,000-watt Class A WFAN in New York City), KCRO must greatly reduce power to 54 watts at night to avoid interference. It uses a non-directional antenna at all times.

Programming was additionally heard on 60-watt FM translator station K293CJ at 106.5 MHz. The translator has since been moved to Lincoln, and changed frequencies to 106.7 FM. [3]

Programming

KCRO airs national religious leaders such as Jim Daly, Chuck Swindoll and David Jeremiah as well as local preachers. On weekends, KCRO 660 airs southern gospel music. KCRO is a brokered time radio station, where hosts pay Hickory Radio for 15 to 30-minute blocks of time, and may use their shows to seek donations to their ministries. Most hours begin with world and national news from Salem Radio Network.

History

The station signed on the air on April 19, 1922, making it among the oldest radio stations in Nebraska. By the 1930s, it was operating on AM 660 at 500 watts. [4] However, it was originally a daytimer required to go off the air at sunset. The station's call sign was WAAW and it was owned by the Omaha Grain Exchange, broadcasting agricultural reports and crop prices. In 1939, the call sign were switched to KOWH.

In 1946, KOWH put one of the first FM stations on the air in Omaha, KOAD (later KTGL).

By the 1950s, the owner was Mid Continent Broadcasting. [5] In an advertisement in the 1950 edition of Broadcasting Yearbook , KOWH said it was "The Toast of The Midwest." It claimed a broadcast area of 215 miles in diameter, and offered advertisers "more coverage." It touted 660 AM as a "clear channel frequency," but neglected to say that a New York City station owned the clear channel status, and KOWH had to sign off at night.

KOWH played an important role in U.S. radio programming history. In May 1956, the station became what is considered the first Top 40 station. It was owned and operated by radio pioneer Todd Storz, who crafted a radio format that played the top hits every couple of hours, using high-energy disc jockeys, aimed at young listeners. KOWH's success encouraged the spread of Top 40 stations across the country.

As contemporary music listening switched to the FM band, KOWH carried a country music format, and later an urban adult contemporary format. It became a Christian radio station in September 1979, and changed its call sign to KCRO.

In 2005, the station was bought for $3.1 million by the Salem Media Group. [6]

In July 2018, Hickory Radio agreed to purchase KCRO, co-owned talk radio station KOTK, and two translators from Salem Media. [7] The purchase was consummated on October 31, 2018, at a price of $1.375 million.

Former logos

KCRO logo.png

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WDAE</span> Sports radio station in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States

WDAE is a commercial radio station licensed to St. Petersburg, Florida and serving the Tampa Bay area. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a sports radio format. WDAE is one of the oldest radio stations in Florida still broadcasting today, going on the air in 1922. The studios and offices are on West Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa. The transmitter site is located near the Gandy Bridge in St. Petersburg.

KNCO is a commercial AM radio station in Grass Valley, California. It is owned by Nevada County Broadcasters and airs a talk radio format. The studios and offices for KNCO and KNCO-FM are on East Main Street in Grass Valley. The station streams its programming on the iHeartRadio platform and app.

KXCB is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Omaha, Nebraska, the station serves the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area. It is owned and operated by Steven Seline, through licensee Hickory Radio, LLC. The studios and offices are on Burt Street near North 120th Street and Dodge Road in West Omaha.

KBBW is a commercial AM radio station in Waco, Texas. It is owned by American Broadcasting of Texas and airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. KBBW is powered at 10,000 watts by day. But because 1010 AM is a Canadian clear channel frequency, KBBW must reduce power at night to 2,500 watts to avoid interference.

KRKS is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Denver, Colorado. The station is owned and operated by Salem Media Group and it airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. Its studios and offices are located on South Vaughn Way in Aurora, with the AM transmitter located on East 56th Avenue in North Washington. KRKS with co-owned KRKS-FM; together, are known as "The Word," but carry most programs at different times of the day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGUE (AM)</span> Radio station in Turrell, Arkansas, serving Memphis, Tennessee

WGUE is a commercial AM radio station in Turrell, Arkansas, serving the Memphis metropolitan area. WGUE is owned by Butron Media Corporation and airs a Regional Mexican radio format. The transmitter is off Legion Road in West Memphis, Arkansas.

WHNZ is a commercial radio station licensed to Tampa, Florida. The station's broadcast license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia. The station airs a talk/business format. WHNZ is one of the eight stations in the Tampa Bay radio market owned by iHeartMedia. The station's studios are located on West Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa.

KFIA is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a Christian talk and teaching format. Licensed to Carmichael, California, the station serves the Sacramento metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by New Inspiration Broadcasting Company, Inc. which is a part of Salem Media Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KGNW</span> Radio station in Burien, Washington

KGNW is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Burien, Washington, and serving the Seattle metropolitan area. It airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format and is owned by the Salem Media Group. The radio studios and offices are on 5th Avenue South in downtown Seattle.

WDYZ is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Altamonte Springs, Florida, and serving Greater Orlando. The station is owned by JVC Media and airs a sports radio format. The studios and offices are in Maitland, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBRG</span> Radio station in Lynchburg, Virginia

WBRG is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Lynchburg, Virginia. It airs a talk radio format. It is owned and operated by Brent Epperson with the license held by Tri-County Broadcasting, Inc. It is a sister station of another Lynchburg talk outlet, 580 and 94.1 WLVA.

WORL is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Orlando, Florida, United States. It serves Central Florida, including the Greater Orlando radio market. It airs a conservative talk radio format and is known as "AM 950 and FM 94.9 The Answer." WORL is owned by the Salem Media Group with studios and offices on Lake View Drive in Altamonte Springs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KPDQ (AM)</span> Radio station in Portland, Oregon

KPDQ is a commercial AM radio station in Portland, Oregon. It is owned by Salem Media Group and serves the Portland metropolitan area, with a Christian talk and teaching radio format known as "True Talk 800." The studios and offices are on SE Lake Road in Portland. KPDQ is co-owned with KPDQ-FM, also a Christian talk and teaching station. Each station runs its own schedule.

KGOR is a commercial radio station in Omaha, Nebraska, broadcasting a classic hits radio format. It is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., and licensed as iHM Licenses, LLC. The radio studios and offices are at North 50th Street and Underwood Avenue in Midtown Omaha.

WLSS is a commercial radio station in Sarasota, Florida. It is owned by Salem Communications and airs a talk radio format. It is the oldest and most powerful AM station in the Sarasota-Bradenton radio market. The studios are on West Laurel Street in Sarasota.

WCZZ is a daytimer AM radio station licensed to Greenwood, South Carolina, and serving the Lakelands area. It airs an urban adult contemporary format and is owned by Broomfield Broadcasting, Inc. The studios are on Montague Avenue in Greenwood.

WQIK-FM is a commercial radio station in Jacksonville, Florida. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., and airs a country radio format. Overnight, WQIK carries the syndicated CMA After Midnite Show with Cody Alan and the Bobby Bones Show on Sunday evenings. WQIK-FM is unusual in the radio industry as a station that has kept its original call sign and format for more than half a century.

WUPE is a commercial AM radio station in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It is owned by Townsquare Media and it simulcasts the classic hits format of 100.1 WUPE-FM. WUPE serves the Berkshire Mountains area. The station is a daytimer and must sign off the air at sunset, according to Federal Communications Commission rules.

KTIB is a commercial radio station in Thibodaux, Louisiana. It airs a Spanish-language Contemporary Hits radio format and is owned by Gap Broadcasting. With a good radio, the AM station can be heard as far as east as New Orleans, far as north as Baton Rouge, far as west as New Iberia, and as far south as the Gulf of Mexico.

KCRN is an AM radio station licensed to Limon, Colorado, and serving East Central Colorado. The station is owned by Catholic Radio Network, Inc. It airs a catholic radio format, mostly carrying talk and teaching programs from the EWTN Radio Network. Programming is simulcast on KRCN in Longmont, Colorado, serving the Denver metropolitan area.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KCRO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ Radio-Locator.com/KCRO
  3. ↑ Radio-Locator.com/K293CJ
  4. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1935 page 40
  5. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1950 page 199
  6. ↑ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 page D-348
  7. ↑ BusinessWire.com "Salem Media Announces Sale of KGBI-FM Omaha" May 22, 2018 (retrieved January 19, 2019)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.