WKFR-FM
 | |
| Broadcast area | Battle Creek - Kalamazoo metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.3 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 103.3 KFR |
| Programming | |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio |
| Subchannels | HD2: WBXX simulcast (Urban adult contemporary) |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WKMI, WRKR | |
| History | |
First air date | June 11, 1963 |
Former call signs | WELL-FM (1963–1964) |
Call sign meaning | Keener Fourteen |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 14658 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 147 meters |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°21′20.1″N 85°20′28″W / 42.355583°N 85.34111°W |
| Translator(s) | 102.5 W273AR (Paw Paw) (relays HD2) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | wkfr |
WKFR-FM (103.3 MHz 103.3 KFR) is a commercial radio station licensed to Battle Creek, Michigan. It airs a contemporary hit radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. The studios and offices are on Jennings Drive in Kalamazoo.
WKFR-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 50,000 watts, the maximum for most stations in Southern Michigan. The transmitter is on North 44th Street at East E F Avenue in Augusta.[2]
History
[edit]The station signed on the air in June 11, 1963.[3] Its original call sign was WELL-FM and it broadcast at 96.5 MHz. WELL-FM and its sister station, WELL 1400 AM, simulcast their programming for most of the 1960s. In 1964, WELL-AM-FM became WKFR-AM-FM. The AM station became Top 40 outlet "Keener 14". The FM station moved to 103.3 MHz. By the late 1960s, it had broken from the simulcast and was airing an automated beautiful music format, playing quarter hour sweeps of mostly instrumental songs.
In 1972, WKFR changed its call letters to WKNR after that call sign was dropped by the former WKNR in Detroit, but the FM station remained WKFR-FM. By the end of the 1970s, WKFR-FM had evolved from easy listening "good music" to an adult contemporary format. In 1981, WKFR inherited the Top 40 format from 1400 WKNR and has retained it ever since.
On August 30, 2013, a deal was announced in which Townsquare Media would acquire 53 Cumulus Media stations, including WKFR-FM. The price tag was $238 million. The deal was part of Cumulus' acquisition of Dial Global. Both Townsquare and Dial Global were controlled by Oaktree Capital Management.[4][5] The sale was consummated on November 14, 2013.
References
[edit]- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WKFR-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/WKFR
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-102. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
- ^ "Official: Cumulus Buys Dial Global, Spins Some Stations To Townsquare; Peak Stations Sold To Townsquare, Fresno Spun To Cumulus". All Access. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
- ^ "Cumulus Makes Dial Global And Townsquare Deals Official". RadioInsight. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Facility details for Facility ID 14658 (WKFR-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WKFR-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 148903 (W273AR) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- W273AR at FCCdata.org
42°21′22″N 85°20′28″W / 42.356°N 85.341°W
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