KKAT (AM)

KKAT (860 kHz) is an AM radio station broadcasting a talk format. KKAT is licensed to Salt Lake City, Utah and is owned by Cumulus Media.[2] The station's studios are located in South Salt Lake (behind the I-15/I-80 interchange).

KKAT
CitySalt Lake City, Utah
Broadcast areaSalt Lake City metropolitan area
SloganUtah's Big Talker
Frequency860 kHz
First air dateNovember 15, 1955
FormatTalk
Power10,000 watts (day)
3,000 watts critical hours
196 watts (night)
ClassD
Facility ID11232
Transmitter coordinates40°42′47″N 111°55′53″W
Former call signsKWHO (1954-1985)[1]
KUTR (1985-1989)
KLZX (1989-1990)
KCNR (1990-1992)
KLZX (1992-1995)
KAPN (1995-1999)
KBEE (1999-2004)
AffiliationsWestwood One Network
Westwood One News
OwnerCumulus Media
(Radio License Holding CBC, LLC)
Sister stationsKBEE, KBER, KENZ, KHTB, KUBL-FM
WebcastListen live
WebsiteWebsite
The radio tower for KKAT (AM), also shared with KBJA.

KKAT broadcasts at 10,000 watts by day but must reduce its power to 196 watts at night because it is on a clear channel frequency reserved for CJBC Toronto, the dominant Class A station on 860 kHz. During critical hours, KKAT is powered at 3,000 watts. It uses a non-directional antenna at all times. The transmitter is off West 2590 South, near the Redwood Nature Area in West Valley City.

Programming

KKAT carries mostly nationally syndicated conservative talk hosts, largely from the co-owned Westwood One Network. Shows include Armstrong & Getty, Ben Shapiro, Michael Savage, Mark Levin, John Batchelor, Dana Loesch, Chad Benson, Red Eye Radio and First Light. On weekends, shows on money, real estate, food and wine are heard, as well as repeats of weekday shows. Westwood One News airs at the beginning of most hours.

History

The station was first licensed on November 15, 1955.[3] It had the call sign KWHO.[1] The station aired a classical music format.[4][5][6] Initially, KWHO operated during daytime hours only with 1,000 watts of power.[1]

In July 1985, the station became KUTR, and it began airing an "LDS Contemporary" format, which consisted of mix of music that was 50% songs by Mormon artists and 50% standard soft adult contemporary.[7][8] On June 21, 1989, the station's callsign was changed to KLZX, and it began simulcasting the classic rock format of its sister station 93.3 KLZX-FM (now KUBL-FM).[9]

On November 15, 1990, the station changed its call letters to KCNR.[10] As KCNR, the station carried programming from CNN Headline News and was branded "News Radio 860 AM."[11] In 1992 KCNR's format and call sign moved to 1320 AM, and the station again simulcast its classic rock sister station 93.3 KLZX-FM "Z-93".[12] On August 11, 1992, the station again changed its call sign to KLZX.[10] On September 6, 1994, the station began airing an all-news format from Associated Press Newsworld,[13] and on January 23, 1995, the station's call sign was changed to KAPN.[10] On August 20, 1996, KCNR's news/talk format moved from 1320 to 860,[14] and on September 20, 1996 the station's call sign was changed back to KCNR.[10]

On November 18, 1996, the station became an affiliate of Radio Disney.[15] On March 3, 1999, the station's callsign was changed to KBEE.[10] In 2003, Radio Disney moved to AM 910,[16] and on May 15, 2003, the station began airing a classic country format from the Jones Radio Network.[17] While a classic country station, the station was branded "The Coyote".[17] On July 5, 2004, the station's callsign was changed to KKAT.[10] In October 2007, the station changed formats from classic country to oldies, carrying Scott Shannon's The True Oldies Channel from Citadel Media.[18][19] While airing an oldies format, the station was branded "The Wolf".[20] On October 5, 2009, the station changed to a talk format branded "Utah's Big Talker".[20]

See also

References
  1. History Cards for KKAT, fcc.gov. Accessed August 22, 2015
  2. "KKAT Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. Broadcasting Yearbook 1977
  4. "Top 50 Markets", Moore Publishing Company, (1968) p. 150
  5. "Classical Music Fills Airwaves of North America", Billboard, September 28, 1974. p. 60
  6. "Across the Dial", Broadcasting Publications, (1983) p. 107. Accessed August 22, 2015
  7. Lynn Arave, "KUTR's Birthday Party a Blast for Utah Families", Deseret News, July 2, 1988. Accessed August 23, 2015
  8. Lynn Arave, "Radio Logs", Deseret News, January 26, 1986. Accessed August 23, 2015
  9. Lynn Arave, "KUTR Radio Signs Off", Deseret News, June 24, 1989. Accessed August 23, 2015
  10. "KKAT Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  11. Lynn Arave, "KCNR Owner Names News Director", Deseret News, September 6, 1991. Accessed August 23, 2015
  12. Lynn Arave, "KCPX Will Retain Format Despite Pact", Deseret News, May 1, 1992. Accessed August 23, 2015
  13. Lynn Arave, "All-News Format Returns to Utah", Deseret News, September 9, 1994. Accessed August 23, 2015
  14. Lynn Arave, "KCNR Set to Switch to All-Sports Format as Early as Wednesday", Deseret News, August 23, 1996. Accessed August 23, 2015
  15. Lynn Arave, "New Format Will Bring Disney to the Airwaves", Deseret News, November 18, 1996. Accessed August 23, 2015
  16. Lynn Arave, "Radio dial: A Utah radio first: separate deals on content, frequency", Deseret News, February 28, 2003. Accessed August 23, 2015
  17. Lynn Arave, "Country's 'The Coyote' premieres on AM-860", Deseret News, May 16, 2003. Accessed August 23, 2015
  18. Lynn Arave, "Radio dial: The year's highs, lows in radio", Deseret News, December 21, 2007. Accessed August 23, 2015
  19. "Radio Stations". Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel. Archived from the original on July 28, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2008.
  20. Lynn Arave, "Radio dial: KKAT changes format from oldies music to 'Utah's Big Talker'", Deseret News, October 9, 2009. Accessed August 23, 2015
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