KKDM
 | |
| City | Des Moines, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Greater Des Moines |
| Branding | 1075 KISS FM |
| Slogan | Des Moines' #1 Hit Music Station |
| Frequency |
107.5 MHz (also on HD Radio) 107.5-2 FM KKDM-HD2 Hip hop The Heat (HD Radio) 107.5-3 FM KKDM-HD3 Christian Contemporary K-Love (HD Radio) |
| Translator(s) | 95.3 K237GC (Des Moines, relays HD3) |
| First air date | 1995 |
| Format | Top 40 (CHR) |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 220 meters |
| Class | C1 |
| Facility ID | 42108 |
| Callsign meaning | Kiss Des Moines |
| Former callsigns | KACX (6/1993-7/1993, CP) |
| Owner |
iHeartMedia, Inc. (Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc.) |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 1075kissfm.com |
KKDM (107.5 FM, "1075 KISS FM" is a Top 40 (CHR) radio station based in Des Moines, Iowa. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.. Its studios are located in Des Moines, while its transmitter is located near Colfax.
History
KKDM was established by local businessman Rich Eychaner as Midwest Radio, Inc. Eychaner, better known in Des Moines as the owner of a local video store chain and a politician, spent several years in a bitter fight with the FCC to win the 107.5 frequency. He then brought longtime local talent J. Michael "Mac" McKoy on as GM and the two of them set out to build a station from scratch.
While searching for talent McKoy stumbled upon Sophia John, who was working for "The Planet" in Lincoln, Nebraska; he heard her on the air while driving through Omaha. After several calls he finally convinced her to come to Des Moines for an interview. To be safe, she brought along her friend Marc Lee Rahn; within 24 hours Midwest Radio had hired both and gone from no employees to two. With the help of John as Program Manager, Liz Janik also came on board as a radio consultant to help start up the new station.
When KKDM signed on the air for the first time, it broadcast from its equipment tower room in the middle of a corn field with roughly 50 songs ranging from country to dance and a few station imaging tags using a Scott Studio computer and 2GB hard drive. The original 50 songs and imaging tags had nothing to do with what the format would actually become, but the goal was to generate interest and confusion amongst the listeners and local radio stations while the new studio was being completed. An additional number of new tags and songs were added prior to the station going live from the studio.
When the station finally flipped the switch and signed on the air from its studio, it became known as "Iowa's New Rock Alternative 107 DOT 5". The format shifted from the original 50 songs that had been playing in a random loop to a dance, pop and alternative rock format. The original 50,000 watt signal soon increased to 100,000 watts in the spring of 1995. By the fall of that year, KKDM became popularly known as "The Dot" and eventually changed its moniker to "107 DOT 5".
The original voice for KKDM was Leon Flood, production director for an Omaha-based radio station group. The original imaging for the initial 50-song launch was created by Marc Lee Rahn a.k.a. Skyy at "The Planet" studios in Lincoln.
KKDM set several firsts in Iowa. It was the first fully digital automated Scott Studio Radio System in the Des Moines area, and was also the first radio station in Iowa to utilize Real Audio software to broadcast live on the internet 24/7.
Rich Eychanner sold Midwest Radio Inc to Clear Channel Communications, Inc. in July 1999. The studios were moved at that time as well.
Clear Channel swapped KKDM's modern rock format and programming with new sister station KCCQ (which had recently moved to a new frequency and increased power) in exchange for that station's CHR format. KKDM was rebranded as "Kiss 1075", then later "1075 KISS FM".
Previous logos
HD Radio subchannels
KKDM operates two HD Radio subchannels on 107.5 - 2 (The Heat) and 107.5 - 3 (K-Love Christian radio) respectively.