KROF

Last updated
KROF
KROF TalkRadio960am logo.png
Broadcast area Lafayette, Louisiana
Frequency 960 kHz
BrandingTalk Radio 960am
Programming
Format Talk
Affiliations Fox News Radio
Westwood One
Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
  • Townsquare Media
  • (Townsquare Media of Lafayette, LLC)
KFTE, KHXT, KMDL, KPEL, KPEL-FM, KTDY
History
First air date
July 9, 1948(75 years ago) (1948-07-09) [1]
Call sign meaning
Rice, Oil, and Furs, the three main exports of Vermilion Parish [2]
Technical information
Facility ID 275
Class D
Power 1,000 watts day
95 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
 30°00′40″N92°07′21″W / 30.01111°N 92.12250°W / 30.01111; -92.12250
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website talkradio960.com

KROF (960 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a talk format. Licensed to Abbeville, Louisiana, United States, the station serves the Lafayette area. The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media. [3] Its studios are located on Bertrand Road in Lafayette, and its transmitter is located north of Abbeville.

Contents

History

KROF made its official debut on July 9, 1948. [1] It broadcast as a daytime-only station on 960 with 1,000 watts [4] and was the first radio station in Abbeville. [2] The station was owned by Abbeville Broadcasting Service, [4] a local corporation in which residents of Vermilion Parish invested $50,000. [5] The station affiliated with the short-lived Progressive Broadcasting System in 1950. [6]

In October 1970, interests from Crowley began a bid to take over KROF. William C. Broadhurst, an attorney, sent letters to the shareholders in Abbeville Broadcasting Service, offering $400 per share. [7] However, Broadhurst was only able to acquire 176 of the 187 shares necessary to gather a controlling interest in the licensee. Local groups, including the Abbeville city council, [8] passed resolutions asking the Federal Communications Commission to disapprove of any sale of KROF to out-of-town parties, fearful that with the recent sale of the Abbeville Meridional newspaper to other Crowley-based investors, there would be no locally owned source of news and information in Vermilion Parish. [7]

Abbeville Broadcasting Service filed to build an FM counterpart for KROF in 1973. [9] KROF-FM debuted May 25, 1974, allowing Abbeville Broadcasting Service to broadcast after dark; during the day, it simulcast its AM counterpart. [10] The AM and FM sides began to air more separate programming as the 1970s went on, with 960 AM continuing in its Top 40 format [11] while 104.9 FM became a country outlet, [12] changing its call letters on November 1, 1980 to KASC, for "Acadiana/Stereo Country". [13]

In 1984, KROF became known as "Boss 96". [14] Two years later, however, 104.9 became KROF-FM and the two stations resumed a simulcast of what had been the FM's country format. [15] When KROF-FM moved to 105.1 MHz in 1991 as part of a power increase, the two stations flipped to oldies. [16]

The AM and FM frequencies split again in 1993, but this time, it was the AM's turn to make the change. On March 1, KROF AM began broadcasting entirely in French, including Cajun music and commercials. [17] It was the only all-French station in Louisiana. [18] The effort ended after seven months on September 30, [19] when the station resumed simulcasting the FM due to lack of support for the French-language format. In January 1994, KROF AM rolled out a new "Cajun Country Gold" format. [20] Local Vermilion Parish sports broadcasts remained on AM until they moved to the FM frequency in 1996. [21]

Larger changes came in 1999 when a majority stake in KROF-AM-FM was sold to Galloway Consulting Services, owners of multiple stations in the Lafayette market, for $787,500. [22] Galloway, which became known as ComCorp of Lafayette, sold the entire cluster to Regent Communications—predecessor to Townsquare Media—in 2001 for $39.6 million, marking its exit from radio while continuing to own television stations. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acadiana</span> Region in Louisiana, United States

Acadiana, also known as the Cajun Country, is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that has historically contained much of the state's Francophone population.

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.

WERC is a commercial radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. It is owned by iHeartMedia and it simulcasts a talk radio format with sister station WERC-FM. The studios and offices are in Beacon Ridge Tower on First Avenue South in Birmingham, off Interstate 65.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKDV</span> Country music radio station in Walnut Creek, California

KKDV is a commercial radio station licensed to Walnut Creek, California, and serving central Contra Costa County. It is owned by Alpha Media and it simulcasts the country music radio format of sister station 94.5 KBAY. KKDV targets listeners in the Diablo Valley who cannot get good reception from KBAY's transmitter in the South Bay. KBAY and KKDV carry The Bobby Bones Show in morning drive time, syndicated from Nashville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBFB</span> Radio station in Bangor, Maine

WBFB is a commercial FM radio station in Bangor, Maine. The station is owned by Blueberry Broadcasting and airs a country music radio format, simulcast on sister stations WBFE in Bar Harbor and WMCM in Rockland.

WSJO is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Egg Harbor City, New Jersey. The station is owned by Townsquare Media, through licensee Townsquare License, LLC, and broadcasts a Top 40 (CHR) format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WEAV</span> Radio station in New York, United States

WEAV is an English-language American radio station in Plattsburgh, New York, with studios in Colchester, Vermont. The station broadcasts a sports format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTDY</span> Radio station in Lafayette, Louisiana

KTDY is an adult contemporary music formatted radio station in the Lafayette/Acadiana market in Louisiana, United States, owned by Townsquare Media. Its studios are located on Bertrand Road in Lafayette, and its transmitter, shared with KHXT and KXKC, is located north of St. Martinville, Louisiana. The station's 100,000-watt signal allows it to be picked up clearly 24/7 in Baton Rouge, 55 miles to the east, and Lake Charles, 70 miles to the west. In Baton Rouge, the station competes against 96.1 The River.

WJZN was a radio station licensed to serve Augusta, Maine, United States. The station, established in 1932 as WRDO, was owned by Townsquare Media; it broadcast an alternative rock format simulcast from WCYY in Portland prior to going silent in May 2023. WJZN's programming was also heard on W240DH in Augusta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFTE</span> Radio station in Abbeville, Louisiana

KFTE is a commercial radio station in Abbeville, Louisiana, broadcasting to the Lafayette, Louisiana, area. KFTE airs a classic rock music format, and is owned by Townsquare Media. Its studios are located on Bertrand Road in Lafayette, and its transmitter is located north of Abbeville, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSHY</span> Radio station in Lafayette, Indiana

WSHY is a commercial radio station in Lafayette, Indiana. It broadcasts a conservative talk radio format. WSHY is owned by William Fielder, III's Coastal Television, through licensee CTI License LLC, as part of a cluster with Fox/NBC affiliate WPBI-LD, ABC affiliate WPBY-LD, and sister radio stations WBPE, WYCM and WAZY-FM. All six stations share studios and offices at 3824 South 18th Street in Lafayette, with WSHY's transmitter also located at the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNEK (AM)</span> Radio station in Louisiana, United States

KNEK was a radio station in Washington, Louisiana, United States, under ownership of Cumulus Media. The station simulcast sister station KNEK-FM, which broadcasts on the frequency of 104.7 FM. Its studios were located on Galbert Road in Lafayette, and its transmitter was located south of Washington, Louisiana. Because it shared the same frequency as clear-channel station XEWK-AM at Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, KNEK only operated during the daytime hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRVS</span> Public radio station in Lafayette, Louisiana

KRVS is a radio station broadcasting a public radio format. Licensed to Lafayette, Louisiana, United States, it is currently owned by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and features programming from American Public Media, NPR and Public Radio International.

WQVD is a radio station licensed to serve Orange–Athol, Massachusetts, United States. The station is owned by Kurt Jackson's Hampden Communications Co. It simulcasts the classic hits format of commonly-owned WQVR in Webster.

KPEL-FM is a radio station licensed to the community of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, and serving the Lafayette, Louisiana area. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and licensed to Townsquare Media of Lafayette, LLC. It airs a news/talk format. Its studios are located on Bertrand Road in Lafayette, and its transmitter is located in Abbeville, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KLAD-FM</span> Radio station in Klamath Falls, Oregon

KLAD-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Klamath Falls, Oregon, United States. The station, established in 1974, is currently owned by Basin Mediactive, LLC.

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

KPCZ-FM is a radio station licensed to Rayne, Louisiana. It broadcasts to the central Acadiana area, including Lafayette. The station is owned by Broadcast Partners Inc. Its studios are in Crowley and the transmitter is located north of Crowley.

WKMY is a radio station broadcasting a contemporary Christian music format. Licensed to Athol, Massachusetts, United States, it serves the North County and Pioneer Valley areas. The signal for WKMY can be heard in north central Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, and southern Vermont. It first began broadcasting in 1989 under the call sign WCAT-FM. The station is owned by the Educational Media Foundation.

KSIG is an AM radio station broadcasting a classic country format. Licensed to Crowley, Louisiana, United States, the station serves the Crowley and Lafayette areas. The station is currently owned by Acadia Broadcast Partners, Inc. Both the studios and transmitter for the station are located separately in Crowley.

Louisiana State Newspapers, Inc. is a privately held chain of 23 local newspapers in the U.S. state of Louisiana, mostly in the Acadiana region. It is based in Lafayette and is the largest newspaper chain by number of publications in the state.

References

  1. 1 2 "KROF". Vermilion Post. July 9, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Greetings to Radio Station KROF, Vermilion's Own Radio Station". Abbeville Meridional. July 17, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  3. ↑ "KROF Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  4. 1 2 FCC History Cards for KROF
  5. ↑ "Vermilion's Own 1,000 Watt Radio Station To Open Soon". The Gueydan News. June 19, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Progressive Step Taken Sunday By Station KROF". Vermilion Post. November 24, 1950. p. 10. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Heavy Opposition: Crowley Group Gives Up On KROF Control". Crowley Post-Signal. February 5, 1971. pp. 1, 2 . Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Resolution". Abbeville Meridional. December 10, 1970. p. 26. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Legals". Abbeville Meridional. May 7, 1973. p. 10. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  10. ↑ "KROF To Begin FM Broadcasting". Abbeville Meridional. May 23, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  11. ↑ "KROF(AM)" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1978. p. C-90 (332). Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Grab A Tiger By The Tail!". Daily Advertiser. September 22, 1979. p. 7. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  13. ↑ "24 Hours Acadiana/Stereo Country KASC-FM 105". Daily Advertiser. August 30, 1981. p. 76. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  14. ↑ "The Boss Has Arrived: KROF "Boss" 96". Daily Advertiser. January 14, 1984. p. 30. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Country Is Twice As Good on KROF". Abbeville Meridional. July 2, 1986. p. 2A. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Everybody Is Switching To KROF 105.1". Advertiser. August 25, 1991. p. D-3. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  17. ↑ Fuselier, Pascal (March 18, 1993). "Big plus: All-French radio format very unique". Ville Platte Gazette. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  18. ↑ "KROF first all-French radio station". Abbeville Meridional. April 27, 1993. p. 11C. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  19. ↑ Guillory, Del (October 10, 1993). "Save our French music". Daily Advertiser. p. D-5. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  20. ↑ Fuselier, Herman (March 31, 1994). "KNEK moves to all-zydeco format". Daily World. p. TV 1, 20 . Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  21. ↑ "KROF: Same wonderful music, just a new name". Abbeville Meridional. September 6, 1996. p. 4. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Transactions" (PDF). Radio & Records. January 1, 1999. pp. 6, 8. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  23. ↑ Bradshaw, Jim (August 30, 2001). "Regent taps radio". Daily Advertiser. pp. 1D, 6D . Retrieved January 28, 2020.
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.