KMGL

Last updated
KMGL
KMGL-Logo-Vector-Final.png
Broadcast area Oklahoma City Metroplex
Frequency 104.1 MHz
BrandingMagic 104.1
Programming
Language(s) English
Format Adult contemporary
Affiliations Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
KEBC, KJKE, KOKC, KOMA, KRXO-FM, KTLR, KTUZ-FM
History
FoundedJuly 1, 1964 [1] (initial CP issued)
First air date
November 25, 1965
(57 years ago) (1965-11-25) [2]
Former call signs
KOFM (1965–1986)
Call sign meaning
MaGic (the station's branding)
Technical information
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 55708
Class C
ERP 92,000 watts
HAAT 472 meters (1,549 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 35°33′36″N97°29′08″W / 35.56000°N 97.48556°W / 35.56000; -97.48556 (KMGL)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website magic104.com

KMGL (104.1 FM, "Magic 104.1") is an adult contemporary music formatted radio station serving the Oklahoma City area and is owned by Tyler Media, a locally-based, family-owned company controlled by brothers Ty and Tony Tyler. The station's studios are located in Northeast Oklahoma City with a transmitter site located a mile east from the studio.

Contents

History

KOFM

Early years

The station at 104.1 FM began life when an initial construction permit was issued on July 1, 1964 to BBC, Inc. [1] (no relation to the British Broadcasting Corporation) was a consortium of local businessmen including Loyd Benefield, Jean Everest, and Leonard Savage. The station signed on for the first time on November 25, 1965 as KOFM with a beautiful music format described by station officials as a "balanced, modern sound". [3] [4] The transmitting antenna was originally located on the KOCO-TV tower, with a new studio building adjacent to the tower at 1200 East Britton Road. Former KOCO account executive Dean Ward was the station's inaugural general manager. Ward stated that the station cost $150,000 to construct. [4] KOFM operated 24 hours a day with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts, providing broad coverage of the entire market. During its early years, KOFM originated the Indian Nations News Network, which broadcast news updates every half-hour, six days per week, to 37 affiliates across Oklahoma. [5]

In June 1974, BBC sold the station to Wichita-based American Radio Corporation (later American Media) for an undisclosed price. [6] American was controlled by a trio of Wichita businessmen including Robert D. Freeman, Lowell D. Dennistron, and Frank L. Carney. [7] The sale to American was approved by the FCC on September 26 of that year. The sale was completed on October 8. [1]

Flip to album rock

During the early 1970s, KOFM adopted a unique format programmed by John Hendrix (formerly of KOCY FM) and Mike Elder (who would later become the VP of Programming for the Fox Talk Radio Network) called "Fresh Air." The format provided a unique progressive rock sound that included rock album cuts and special interrelated song sets, similar to KBCO in Boulder, Colorado. Later, under the ownership of American Media, KOFM flipped to Top 40/CHR programmed by Mike Miller, John Jenkins and Charlie Cooper, and used the positioning statement "Rockin' With The Hits".

On August 3, 1979, Portland, Maine-based Guy Gannett Communications announced that it would be buying KOFM from American for $3.8 million. [8] The FCC approved the sale on March 26, 1980 and it was completed on March 31. [1] [9]

KMGL

Magic 104.1 KMGL logo used from 1990s to 2015. Magic 1041 KMGL Soft Rock.png
Magic 104.1 KMGL logo used from 1990s to 2015.

On June 2, 1986, KOFM became KMGL "Magic 104", and changed formats to adult contemporary, airing programming from Transtar's "Format 41." The station originally intended to change its call letters to KOMJ, but legal action brought by Tulsa-based KQMJ led to the station opting for the now-current call letters instead. [10] Over time, KMGL became a fully live AC-formatted station under the direction of program director and morning personality Steve O'Brien. KMGL has been one of Oklahoma City's top rated stations since the mid 1980s. Today, the KOFM call letters are now used by a station in Enid, Oklahoma.

In January 1988, Guy Gannett sold the station to Renda Broadcasting, marking the company's first expansion outside of its home market of Pittsburgh. [11] The sale was approved by the FCC on March 11, and it was completed on April 7. [12]

On July 15, 2012, Ty and Tony Tyler's Tyler Media entered into an agreement with Renda Broadcasting to purchase that company's Oklahoma City radio cluster (KMGL, KOMA, KRXO and KOKC) for $40 million. In accordance to limits imposed by the Federal Communications Commission on the number of radio stations a single broadcasting entity can own in a single market, Tyler sold KTLR and KKNG to WPA Radio for $1.6 million. [13] [14] Tyler's purchase of KMGL and its sister stations was consummated on November 13, 2012.

The Magic Of Christmas

KMGL used to sprinkle Christmas music in regular rotation; at 12 p.m. on Christmas Eve, they would flip to all Christmas music, branding it the "Magic Of Christmas", playing 36 hours of nonstop Christmas music. In 2004, KYIS flipped to all-Christmas music, and KMGL would only play all-Christmas music on weekends and go back to regular music during the week. In 2006, KMGL would flip to all-Christmas music the following Monday after KQOB started Christmas music the Friday before. Since then, KMGL flips to all-Christmas usually the week before Thanksgiving or the Friday after. In 2020 they started Christmas music on November 1st. In 2021 Christmas music started November 5th. KMGL usually has a good ratings following during this time. Oklahoma City's first radio station to do all-Christmas music was KWHP during the 1960s, followed by KQSR starting on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

HD radio

KMGL, along with its sister FM stations in Oklahoma City including KOMA and KRXO-FM, broadcast on HD Radio for a short time from 2006 through 2008.

In 2005, Tony Renda Jr., the general manager of Renda Broadcasting said his company has signed a deal with iBiquity to convert all of the company's 24 stations in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Oklahoma to HD radio sometime in 2006. [15]

In early 2008, Renda switched off their HD signals on all three of their stations in Oklahoma City including KOMA-FM, KMGL, and KRXO because of a few coverage holes — areas that received a poor signal — at least until the spring 2008 ratings period ended. "It's a temporary problem," Don Pollnow, Renda market manager said. "Our engineer is working on it with the manufacturer."

Renda also has turned off KRXO's HD signal during its University of Oklahoma football broadcasts.

HD requires a delay, generally of at least eight seconds, to allow the signal to be encoded and matched up with the regular analog signal.

University of Oklahoma fans with radios at the stadium had complained that the station's play-by-play was behind the actual game action. [16] [17]

Tyler would turn KRXO's HD signal back on a couple of months before they flipped it to Sports in Fall 2013 in order to move KRXO's Classic Rock format to its HD-2 subchannel. In Winter 2014, KOMA's HD signal was also reactivated. KMGL's HD signals still remain switched off due to the lack of personal interest or need to broadcast an HD subchannel.

Related Research Articles

KWTV-DT is a television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is the flagship broadcast property of locally based Griffin Media, and is co-owned with MyNetworkTV affiliate KSBI. Both stations share studios on West Main Street in downtown Oklahoma City, while KWTV-DT's transmitter is located on the city's northeast side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KOCO-TV</span> ABC affiliate in Oklahoma City

KOCO-TV is a television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Hearst Television. Its studios and transmitter are located on East Britton Road —between North Kelley and North Eastern Avenues—in the McCourry Heights neighborhood of northeast Oklahoma City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMJX</span> Adult contemporary radio station in Boston

WMJX – branded Magic 106.7 – is a commercial adult contemporary radio station licensed to Boston, Massachusetts. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station serves Greater Boston and much of surrounding New England. The WMJX studios are located in Boston's Allston–Brighton neighborhood, while the station transmitter resides on the Prudential Tower in Downtown Boston. Besides a standard analog transmission, WMJX broadcasts over two HD Radio channels, and is available online via Audacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KCMO-FM</span> Radio station in Shawnee, Kansas

KCMO-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Shawnee, Kansas, and serving the Kansas City metropolitan area. The station is owned by Cumulus Broadcasting and airs a classic hits radio format, switching to all-Christmas music from mid-November to December 25. KCMO-FM's studios and offices are located in the Corporate Woods area in Overland Park, Kansas. The transmitter is off Menown Avenue in Independence, Missouri.

WKY is a commercial radio station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, owned by Cumulus Media. It is the oldest radio station in Oklahoma and among the oldest in the nation. WKY airs a sports format which is simulcast with its sister station WWLS-FM. The studios and offices are in northwest Oklahoma City.

KOKC is a commercial AM radio station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is locally owned by the Tyler Media Group and airs a talk radio format. The studios and offices are located on East Britton Road in Northeast Oklahoma City. It is central Oklahoma's primary entry point station for the Emergency Alert System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KOMA (FM)</span> Radio station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

KOMA is a classic hits formatted FM radio station serving the Oklahoma City area owned by Tyler Media, a locally-based, family-owned company controlled by brothers Ty and Tony Tyler. The station's studios are located in Northeast Oklahoma City with a transmitter site located a mile east from the studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTOK</span> Radio station in Oklahoma City

KTOK is a commercial radio station in Oklahoma City and airs a talk radio format. It is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., and licensed as iHM Licenses, LLC. The studios and offices are in the 50 Penn Place Building on the northwest side of Oklahoma City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRXO-FM</span> Radio station in Oklahoma City

KRXO-FM is a commercial radio station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is owned by Ty and Tony Tyler's Tyler Media, L.L.C., and it carries a sports radio format. The studios are on East Britton Road the northeast side of Oklahoma City. KRXO-FM is one of two Tyler Media stations in Oklahoma City that air a sports format, the other being KEBC. KRXO-FM has mostly Oklahoma-based sports shows with SportsMap heard late nights and weekends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KUCO (FM)</span> Radio station in Edmond, Oklahoma

KUCO is a classical music radio station serving the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area, owned by the University of Central Oklahoma. Studios are located at the UCO at Santa Fe Plaza development in downtown Oklahoma City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KEBC</span> Radio station in Del City, Oklahoma

KEBC is a commercial radio station licensed to Del City, Oklahoma, and serving the Oklahoma City Metroplex. It is owned by the Tyler Media Group and airs a sports format. The station's studios are on East Britton Road in Northeast Oklahoma City. Tyler Media owns two sports stations in Oklahoma City. Most programming on KEBC comes from the SportsMap Radio Network, while 107.7 KRXO-FM has mostly Oklahoma-based sports shows.

KQOB is a commercial radio station licensed to Enid, Oklahoma, and serving the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. It is owned by Champlin Broadcasting and calls itself Freedom 96.9. KQOB airs a talk radio format. Most of the schedule is made up of nationally syndicated conservative talk hosts, including Hugh Hewitt, Mike Gallagher, Dave Ramsey. Most hours begin with world and national news from Townhall News.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KISO (FM)</span> Contemporary hit radio station in Omaha, Nebraska

KISO is a Top 40 (CHR) FM radio station in Omaha, Nebraska owned by iHeartMedia. KISO is licensed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast in the HD (hybrid) format. KISO's studios are located near North 50th Street and Underwood Avenue in Midtown Omaha, while its transmitter is located at North 72nd Street and Crown Point at the Omaha master antenna farm.

KTSO is a radio station licensed to Sapulpa, Oklahoma that serves the greater Tulsa area broadcasting a soft oldies format. It is part of the Stephens Media Group and has been on the air since 1977. Its studios are located at the CityPlex Towers in South Tulsa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMTX</span> Radio station in Tampa, Florida

WMTX is a commercial radio station in Tampa, Florida, known as "Mix 100.7". It has an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. It is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., with its studios and offices on Gandy Boulevard in Tampa. WMTX serves as the primary Emergency Alert System station for the Tampa Bay area.

KQCV is a radio station on 800 kHz in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is part of the Bott Radio Network of Christian radio stations and was the second station acquired by the network. Prior to that, it operated as a secular radio station from 1948 to 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KQLA</span> Radio station in Ogden, Kansas

KQLA is a radio station licensed to Ogden, Kansas. It broadcasts to the Junction City-Manhattan-Fort Riley area broadcasting with an ERP of 41,000 watts. The station is owned by Eagle Communications, which also owns stations KJCK and KJCK-FM, as well as 25 radio stations throughout Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri.

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

WLKI is an American FM radio station licensed to and based in Angola, Indiana, and serving portions of northeastern Indiana, northwestern Ohio, and south-central Michigan. Owned by Coldwater, Michigan businessman Stephen Swick, the station airs a hybrid adult contemporary/Hot AC music format branded as FM's Best.

Tyler Media Group, also known as Tyler Broadcasting Corporation or simply Tyler Media, is a family-owned Oklahoma business with Radio, TV and outdoor advertising assets in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Tyler Media owns five television stations and thirteen radio stations. The company also operates an outdoor advertising company, Tyler Outdoor Advertising, and Tyler Media Digital, Tyler Media's newest marketing extension. The company is headquartered at 5101 South Shields Boulevard in Oklahoma City.

KREF-FM is a commercial radio station located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. KREF-FM airs a sports format branded as "94.7 The Ref". Owned by iHeartMedia, its transmitter is located in Northeast Oklahoma City, and studios are located at the 50 Penn Place building on the Northwest side.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 FCC History Cards for KMGL
  2. ↑ "Advertisement announcing station's sign-on". The Daily Oklahoman . November 25, 1965. p. 40. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Advertisement announcing station's sign-on". The Daily Oklahoman . November 25, 1965. p. 40. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "New City FM Radio Station Hopes to Be on Air in Month". The Daily Oklahoman . November 4, 1965. p. 23. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  5. ↑ "State Radio Net Serves 37 Stations". The Daily Oklahoman. October 1, 1967. p. 46. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Kansas Firm Buying City Radio Station". The Daily Oklahoman. June 21, 1974. p. 11. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Radio Shift Approved". The Daily Oklahoman. July 20, 1975. p. 36. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Gannett Buying KOFM-FM Radio". Saturday Oklahoman & Times. August 4, 1979. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  9. ↑ "KOFM Purchase Completed". The Daily Oklahoman. April 18, 1980. p. 40. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Call Letters Debate Settled". The Daily Oklahoman. May 29, 1986. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Public Notice". The Daily Oklahoman. February 17, 1988. p. 75. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Application Search Details". Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved July 25, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ Is Renda Cashing Out? Archived 2013-12-16 at the Wayback Machine , RadioInk, July 16, 2012.
  14. ↑ In Oklahoma City, Tyler spins two so it can buy four from Renda (for $40M) Archived 2012-07-22 at the Wayback Machine , RadioInfo, July 16, 2012.
  15. ↑ New HD radio ready for rapid expansion Archived 2006-10-22 at the Wayback Machine , TribLive News, November 11, 2005.
  16. ↑ Radio broadcasting's future is highly defined for stations, TMCnet.com, April 20, 2008.
  17. ↑ Radio broadcasting's future is highly defined for stations, NewsOK, April 20, 2008.

Coordinates: 35°33′36″N97°29′10″W / 35.560°N 97.486°W / 35.560; -97.486

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.