KUPD

Last updated

KUPD
Broadcast area Phoenix metropolitan area
Frequency 97.9 MHz
Branding98 KUPD
Programming
Format Active rock
Ownership
Owner
KDKB, KDUS, KSLX-FM, KAZG
History
First air date
June 1, 1960
Call sign meaning
Cupid (used during its early years)
Technical information
Facility ID 65166
Class C
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 494 meters (1,621 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 33°19′58″N112°3′53″W / 33.33278°N 112.06472°W / 33.33278; -112.06472
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website 98kupd.com

KUPD (97.9 FM, "98 KUPD") is a commercial active rock radio station. Licensed to Tempe, Arizona, the station serves the Phoenix metropolitan area. The station is owned by Hubbard Radio, a division of Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. of St. Paul, Minnesota. The radio station's studios are located on North 52nd Street west of Papago Park, and its transmitter is on South Mountain Park.

Contents

KUPD has been nominated as the "Major Market Radio Station of the Year" for the Radio Contraband Rock Radio Award in 2011 and 2012. KUPD was inducted into the Rock Radio Hall of Fame in 2014.

History

Phoenix rock metal band Back From Ashes performing at KUPD UFest in September 2011 Back From Ashes UFest Arizona SEP2011.jpg
Phoenix rock metal band Back From Ashes performing at KUPD UFest in September 2011

On July 1, 1960, KUPD first signed on the air as the FM sister station to 1060 KUPD (now KDUS). [1] KUPD-FM simulcast its AM station's MOR popular music format. In the 1970s, the station moved to a Top 40 format, and later easy listening and Adult Contemporary, before becoming a rock station in March 1979. During this time, KUPD-FM's original license was not renewed as the result of a 1988 comparative renewal hearing for KUKQ and KUPD-FM, in which the stations lost their original licenses for lying to the Federal Communications Commission about an alleged secret owner. An additional owner was ruled unfit to hold a license due to a 1982 criminal conviction in Arizona. [2] The stations were instead awarded to former owner Jack Grimm, his wife Jackie, and Ruth Clifford, doing business as Tempe Radio, Inc. In 1992, after years of appeals, Grimm and Clifford took over KUKQ and KUPD-FM on new licenses, retaining the call letters, facilities and formats of the stations by buying them from Tri-State Broadcasting. After a year, Grimm and Clifford sold the duo to Robert Fish.

In the 1990s, KUPD became co-owned with its former competitors, KDKB and KSLX-FM, after being purchased by Sandusky Radio, which also owned stations in Seattle, Washington. In 2013, Sandusky sold its stations in Phoenix and Seattle to Hubbard Broadcasting. [3]

The on-air talent includes John Holmberg and Holmberg's Morning Sickness from 5:30am to 10:00am weekdays. Sunday programs include Go Punk Yourself from 7:00pm to 9:00pm and Into the Pit with Marcus Meng.

Rock concert sponsorship

Along with sponsoring the majority of hard rock concerts in the Phoenix-metro area, the station also holds its own annual concert events such as "UFest", "The End of Summer Scorcher", "The Big Red Night of the Dead" and more. The station has invited notable hard rock acts to play the show each year. In recent years it has been headlined by acts such as Alice In Chains in 2008, Sevendust in 2009, Three Days Grace in 2010 and Papa Roach in 2011. Phoenix will see the return of KUPD's "UFest" on April 24, 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [4] On January 9, 2023 KUPD announced the 2023 "UFEST" at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheater to be held May 6, 2023. The 2023 "UFEST" includes Godsmack, I Prevail, and other bands.

HD Radio

KUPD is also available via HD Radio.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KIXI</span> Adult standards/oldies radio station in Mercer Island/Seattle, Washington

KIXI is a radio station licensed to Mercer Island/Seattle, Washington. It operates 24 hours a day with a daytime power of 50,000 watts and a nighttime power of 10,000 watts from a transmitter in Mercer Slough Nature Park in Bellevue, where studios are also located.

KZON is a commercial radio station licensed to Gilbert, Arizona, and broadcasting to the Phoenix metropolitan area. It simulcasts an adult contemporary radio format with co-owned KMVA 97.5 FM Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona, as "Hot 97.5/103.9." The stations are owned by the Riviera Broadcast Group with studios on 7th Street in Midtown Phoenix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KOMR</span> Radio station in Sun City, Arizona, United States

KOMR is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Sun City, Arizona, and serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is owned by Univision and it airs a Spanish adult contemporary radio format, calling itself "Amor 106.3". The studios are on South 30th Street in Phoenix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KDKB</span> Radio station in Mesa, Arizona, United States

KDKB is a commercial radio station broadcasting to the Phoenix metropolitan area with its city of license in Mesa, Arizona. It is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. with the license held by Phoenix FCC License Sub, LLC. It airs an alternative rock radio format. Its studios are located in Phoenix, while its transmitter is in South Mountain Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KSLX-FM</span> Classic rock radio station in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

KSLX-FM is a classic rock radio station serving the Phoenix, Arizona, area. The Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. outlet broadcasts at 100.7 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW and is licensed to Scottsdale, Arizona. KSLX simulcasts in digital HD Radio. Its studios are located on North 52nd Street west of Papago Park and its transmitter is in South Mountain Park.

WXOS is a commercial radio station affiliated with ESPN Radio and licensed to East St. Louis, Illinois, broadcasting to the Greater St. Louis area. Owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, its studio facilities are located on Olive Boulevard in St. Louis, while its transmitter is located in south St. Louis County near Concord.

KBAQ is a public radio station in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, playing classical music. It is co-owned by the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) and Arizona State University (ASU). The studios are located at MCCCD's Rio Salado College in Tempe, alongside MCCCD-owned KJZZ, while the station broadcasts from a transmitter on South Mountain. In addition to its FM signal, it is broadcast as an audio subchannel (8.5) of ASU-owned KAET television across central, northern, and southwestern Arizona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KQFN</span> Radio station in Tempe, Arizona

KQFN is a commercial radio station licensed to Tempe, Arizona and serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is owned by CRC Broadcasting Company, Inc., and airs an all-sports radio format, primarily emphasizing on sports betting, branded as "The Fanatic." The station has one local afternoon drive-time show, with programming from BetQL Network, Infinity Sports Network, and Vegas Stats & Information Network (VSiN) heard at other times throughout the week when there are no live play-by-play broadcasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KQMV</span> Radio station in Bellevue–Seattle, Washington, United States

KQMV is a commercial radio station licensed to Bellevue, Washington, and serving the Seattle-Tacoma-Puget Sound radio market. The Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. outlet airs a top 40 radio format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KPNW-FM</span> Radio station in Washington, United States

KPNW-FM is a commercial radio station in Seattle, Washington. The station is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting and airs a country music radio format. The station's studios and offices are located at Newport Corporate Center on 131st Avenue SE in Bellevue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRWM</span> Adult contemporary radio station in Bremerton, Washington

KRWM is a commercial radio station licensed to Bremerton, Washington, serving the Seattle/Puget Sound region. It is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, and airs an adult contemporary radio format. The station switches to all-Christmas music from mid-November to December 25.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KDUS</span> Radio station in Tempe, Arizona

KDUS is a commercial radio station licensed to Tempe, Arizona, and serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. It airs a sports radio format and is an affiliate of the Vegas Stats & Information Network, along with some programming from Fox Sports Radio. It is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., with the license held by Phoenix FCC License Sub, LLC. Its studios are on North 52nd Street west of Papago Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KAZG</span> Oldies radio station in Scottsdale, Arizona

KAZG is a radio station broadcasting an oldies format. Licensed to Scottsdale, Arizona, United States, the station covers the Phoenix metropolitan area. KAZG is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. and licensed to Phoenix FCC License Sub, LLC. The station's studios are located in North 52nd Street west of Papago Park and its AM transmitter is in Scottsdale. KAZG can also be heard on 92.7 FM via an FM translator and brands itself as "Oldies 92.7".

KXPA is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Bellevue, Washington, United States, serving the Seattle metropolitan area. It is part of the nationwide Multicultural Radio Broadcasting network, one of 30 stations owned by Arthur Liu, which cater to minority and immigrant communities with programs in their native languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KSWG</span> Radio station in Wickenburg, Arizona

KSWG is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Wickenburg, Arizona. It is owned by Barna Broadcasting Company and airs a classic country radio format, using the moniker "Real Country 96.3." The station is considered a rimshot broadcaster because its transmitter is more than 50 miles from downtown Phoenix, Arizona. KSWG's signal is primarily heard in northwest suburbs of the Phoenix market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKNW</span> Talk radio station in Seattle

KKNW is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Seattle, Washington. The station is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., and features a talk radio format. KKNW mostly airs call-in and discussion shows where the host pays the station for the air time, known in the radio industry as "brokered time". Shows range from personal growth, health, psychology and pet care to Chinese, Italian and Russian language shows. Nationally syndicated hosts are heard overnight, including family financial adviser Clark Howard and progressive talk host Stephanie Miller. Many hours begin with national news from NBC News Radio. It is also the home of Washington Huskies women's basketball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KQMR</span> Radio station in Globe, Arizona

KQMR is a radio station in Globe, Arizona, United States, owned by TelevisaUnivision and licensed to Univision Radio Illinois, Inc. The station was assigned the KQMR call sign by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on September 16, 2005. It airs a Spanish language Latin pop music format.

KKMR is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to Arizona City, Arizona, and serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. It is owned by the Educational Media Foundation and it airs a Christian Contemporary radio format, as part of the K-Love network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan L</span> Radio personality and publisher (born 1946)

Jonathan Leigh Rosen, better known by his radio handle Jonathan L, was an American radio deejay, programmer, and entertainment media publisher. He organized his first large music festival for alternative station KUKQ, Q Fest, in Phoenix, Arizona in 1989, years before the launch of festivals like Lollapalooza and the KROQ Weenie Roasts. For this reason, he is often called the "father of all radio festivals."

John Holmberg is an American radio personality and host of Holmberg's Morning Sickness. The morning show is on FM rock radio station 97.9 KUPD, which is part of Hubbard Broadcasting.

References

  1. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C11
  2. ↑ "Judge Revokes KUKQ & KUPD License" (PDF). Radio & Records. August 18, 1988. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Hubbard Radio buys Seattle, Phoenix radio stations from Sandusky Radio".
  4. ↑ "98KUPD Presents UFEST 2022". Global AZ Media. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
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.