KECH-FM

KECH-FM (95.3 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Sun Valley, Idaho, United States, the station serves the Twin Falls (Sun Valley) area. The station is currently owned by Rich Broadcasting, LLC, through licensee RP Broadcasting LS, LLC.[1]

KECH-FM
CitySun Valley, Idaho
Broadcast areaTwin Falls (Sun Valley) area
Branding"KECH 95.3 FM"
SloganSun Valley's Classic Rock
Frequency95.3 MHz
First air dateNovember 21, 1988
FormatClassic rock
ERP100 watts
HAAT661 meters
ClassA
Facility ID1163
Transmitter coordinates
Call sign meaningKEtCHum
Former call signsKWRU (1988, CP)
AffiliationsWestwood One
OwnerRich Broadcasting, LLC
(RP Broadcasting LS, LLC)
WebcastListen Live
WebsiteOfficial Website

History

The station was originally assigned the KWRU call sign by the FCC on February 16, 1988; it was to be a not-for-profit community radio station. When funding for the venture failed, it was acquired by Ketchum Radio, which built it out as commercial station KECH-FM and signed it on November 21, 1988.[2][3] Ketchum Radio was a partnership headed by local resident Chris Haugh, and staff members including Larry Mott, Michael Hess (aka Dallas Dobro), and others, with Gary Stivers handling the news duties.[2] Disc jockeys included Rob Hunter, Sadie Word, and other local talent. The call letters were chosen as a result of a contest, where listeners were asked to pick the call sign for the station. One listener chose KECH (short for the neighboring town of Ketchum). The listener won an all-expenses-paid trip to Belize.

In 1994, Ketchum Radio sold the station to another local operator, Scott Parker's Alpine Broadcasting, Ltd., who owned/operated the station for ten years as its flagship (first) station. Alpine, also based in Ketchum, went on to grow to a-ten station group, then sold most of its stations to Chaparral Broadcasting, Inc.

Chaparral sold KECH-FM and seven other stations to Rich Broadcasting for $3.7 million; the transaction was consummated on April 1, 2013.

"KECH-95", (as it is known locally) continues to be the leading station in the Wood River Valley (Blaine County, ID) with local personalities and its service to community affairs.

References
  1. "KECH-FM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. Neiwert, Barbara (November 20, 1988). "KECH hits the airwaves Monday in the Magic Valley". Times-News. p. B1. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  3. "KECH Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.


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