KIQZ

Last updated

KIQZ
Frequency 92.7 MHz
BrandingRawlins Radio
Programming
Format Silent
Ownership
OwnerMt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc.
KRAL
History
First air date
1981;43 years ago (1981)
Former call signs
KIAJ (1981)
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 46737
Class A
ERP 1,200 watts (STA)
HAAT 91 meters
Transmitter coordinates
 41°46′16″N107°14′15″W / 41.77111°N 107.23750°W / 41.77111; -107.23750
Links
Public license information

KIQZ (92.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting, currently Silent. It is licensed to Rawlins, Wyoming, United States. The station is owned by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc. It previously featured programing from AP Radio and Jones Radio Network. [2] KIQZ was simulcasted on sister station KRAL also from Rawlins. KIQZ is currently broadcasting under special temporary authority.

Contents

History

The station was assigned the call letters KIAJ on August 13, 1981. On November 4, 1981, the station changed its call sign to the current KIQZ. [3]

In the late 2000s, the station fell silent citing financial and staffing difficulties. The station filed for resumption of operations twice, once in 2011, and a year later in 2012. Days after the resumption of operations, the stations fell silent again, similar to the situation on AM sister station KRAL. [4] The station had until June 22, 2013, to resume operations. Otherwise its license would be cancelled and penalties would be issued from the FCC. [5]

The station and its sister again requested a special temporary authority (STA) to go silent in early 2013 as a result of employees "unexpectedly" resigning and the difficulty finding new employees at the remote location. [6]

The station and its sister station KRAL AM returned to air status in January 2016, broadcasting a mix of the 90s/2000s/now format programmed by station staff. The stations are currently under new management, but not new ownership, and broadcasting an active rock format under FCC STA authority while transmission facilities are being reconstructed.

Signal

KIQZ covered most of central Carbon County, much like its sister station KRAL. It could only be heard to the Sweetwater County/Carbon County line. The station went silent in the late 2000s, citing technical limitations, but that may not have been the only reason (see next section). It is currently operating at less power from a temporary location near the studio.

FCC fines and penalties

Since the station's change of ownership from "Elk Mountain Broadcasting" to its current owner "Mount Rushmore Broadcasting", KIQZ, and its sister station, KRAL (AM 1240) have been fined by the FCC many times. [7] Past penalties include a $20,000 fine for "failing to maintain the operational readiness of the EAS (Emergency Alert System) equipment (see FCC Rules/11.35(a)), as well as other equipment issues and violations and failure to maintain a complete public records file." [8]

Sources connected to the FCC say that more and significantly higher fines/penalties are probable. They continue by stating that any station owned or operated by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting will "not likely" have their licenses renewed once they expire, due to the history of "past violations and cavalier attitude(s) towards following and maintaining" rules and regulations, and that this and other M.R.B. stations could have their broadcasting rights taken away "at almost any moment". Since this is an all-but-done set of circumstances, Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting's owner, Jan Charles Gray has been operating all of M.R.B.'s stations with little or no staff, whatsoever. On or around July 10, 2010, Gray filed with the FCC documentation that stated KRAL had gone off the air due to "technical" problems. What he failed to do was inform the FCC that the station had been in a non-broadcasting mode for well over 18 months prior to this filing. Several past and current employees of M.R.B. had informed Gray of the station's failing broadcast signal as far back as 2008, with Gray responding "No one listens to A.M. radio anymore, anyway."

Dating to 1998, managers were terminated for failure to maintain EAS equipment, as well as failing to notify the station owner of the problems in hopes it would appease the FCC. The FM transmitter was not operational from 2003 to 2006. At that time, a replacement transmitter was brought in however with a history of non-payment, broadcast contractors were not willing to install it without payment in advance. This payment never materialized and KIQZ stayed running on exciter power only until 2013*. Power was cut at the studio and transmitter site due to non payment. The Bureau of Land Management then reverted control of the land the FM tower site sat on to another owner. The land under the transmitter site for KRAL received a legal filing. This barred any Mount Rushmore Broadcasting employee from accessing the tower. In January 2016, work to restore the facilities to normal operations resumed, however both KIQZ and its AM sister have yet to find suitable locations for permanent facilities. KIQZ is broadcasting from a sign post outside the studios. KRAL is broadcasting from a wire antenna near the studios as well at significantly lower power than licensed.

* An exciter is the piece of equipment at the signal tower that provides low power output to the transmitter itself and determines what frequency is being broadcast.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KWMZ-FM</span> Radio station in Empire, Louisiana

KWMZ-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Empire, Louisiana. The station is owned by Michael A. Costello through licensee M.A.C. Broadcasting, LLC.

WSSV is a commercial radio station licensed to Mechanicville, New York, and serving the Capital District. The station broadcasts a classic hits radio format and is owned by Loud Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPKL</span> Radio station in Uniontown, Pennsylvania

WPKL is a classic hits radio station licensed to Uniontown, Pennsylvania at 99.3 FM. WPKL's programming is simulcast on WKPL in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, at 92.1 FM. Both stations are owned by Forever Media, and each has a power output of 3,000 watts.

WKAR-FM is a non-commercial public radio station in East Lansing, Michigan. It is owned by Michigan State University, along with sister stations WKAR and WKAR-TV. They are owned by Michigan State University, with studios are in the Communication Arts and Sciences Building, at Wilson and Red Cedar Roads on the MSU campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KQLT</span> Radio station in Casper, Wyoming

KQLT is a commercial radio station located in Casper, Wyoming, broadcasting on 103.7 FM. KQLT airs a country music format branded as "Kolt Country". The music programming is syndicated by Dial Global Networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KHOC</span> Radio station in Casper, Wyoming

KHOC is a commercial radio station located in Casper, Wyoming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMLD</span> Radio station in Casper, Wyoming

KMLD is a commercial radio station located in Casper, Wyoming, broadcasting on 94.5 FM. KMLD airs an oldies music format branded as "Melody 94.5". The music programming is syndicated by Cumulus Media and the True Oldies Channel.

KASS is a commercial radio station located in Casper, Wyoming, broadcasting on 106.9 FM. KASS airs a classic rock music format, branded as "Kick 107". The music programming is syndicated by Westwood One. All Mt. Rushmore Casper stations are located at 218 N. Wolcott in downtown Casper.

WVNA is licensed to Tuscumbia, Alabama. The format is mainstream rock, simulcasting WVNA-FM 105.5 Muscle Shoals. The station previously featured talk programming and extensive local/regional news coverage with a local news department on staff. The station is owned by Mike Self and Parker Griffith through licensee Singing River Media Group, LLC.

KRAL is an AM radio station licensed to Rawlins, Wyoming and broadcasting at 1240 kHz. The station is currently silent. Over the years, the station has experienced periods of silence, while its sister FM counterpart remained on air for a short periods of time. The radio stations returned to broadcast status in January 2016 under Federal Communications Commission special temporary authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KVOC</span> Radio station in Casper, Wyoming

KVOC is a commercial radio station licensed to Casper, Wyoming, United States operating on 1230 kHz. KVOC's transmitter is located at the corner of 15th Street and Beverly. The former studios were located near the tower. KVOC's studios are located in downtown Casper, at 218 N Wolcott.

KZMX is a radio station licensed to Hot Springs, South Dakota, United States, the station is owned by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc.

KZMX-FM is a radio station licensed to Hot Springs, South Dakota, United States. The station is owned by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc.

KFCR is a radio station licensed to Custer, South Dakota, United States. The station serves the Rapid City area. The station is currently owned by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc.

KAWK was a radio station licensed to Custer, South Dakota, United States, the station served the Rapid City area. The station was owned by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPDC</span> Radio station in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

WPDC is a commercial AM radio station licensed to serve Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by JVJ Communications, Inc. and airs an Oldies radio format, featuring hits from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The studios and offices are on Dairy Lane in Elizabethtown.

KVHZ is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Wasilla, Alaska. The station began broadcasting under program test authority as KMBQ in December 2008. Currently owned by Aaron Coman and Erin Marie Cruz, through licensee WorthRome, LLC, the station received its broadcast license on January 27, 2012.

KBED is a radio station serving the Beaumont-Port Arthur area with a sports format. It is under ownership of Cumulus Media, and is simulcast with sister station KIKR AM 1450 Beaumont, Texas. Its studios are located on South Eleventh Street in Beaumont and its transmitter is located south of Vidor, Texas.

WBYM is a radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Christian format. licensed to serve Bayamón, Puerto Rico, The station is owned by Pura Palabra Media Group. Now the station has a new, modern and more powerful transmitter to improve the power, the range of the signal and the quality of the sound. The station is shared with translator stations W268BK in San Juan and W251DA in Vega Baja.

KYZS is a terrestrial radio station licensed to Tyler, Texas, paired with an FM translator, and simulcast with sister station 1240 KDOK Kilgore, serving the Tyler-Longview market with a classic hits format. The station, and translator, are owned by Charles Conrad, through licensee Chalk Hill Communications, LLC.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KIQZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "KIQZ Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ↑ "KIQZ Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  4. ↑ "CDBS Correspondence Folder (FCC)".
  5. ↑ "KIQZ request to remain silent".
  6. ↑ "Arizona Noncommercial FM Permit Sold for $700,000".
  7. ↑ "Society of Broadcast Engineers Chapter 67 Inc. April 1998". Archived from the original on October 4, 2000. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
  8. ↑
    • Daily Briefing Federal Communications Commission December 10, 2008
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.