KDGE
FCC | |
| Facility ID | 9620 |
|---|---|
| Class | C |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 1,788 feet (545 m) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (via iHeartRadio) |
| Website | star1021 |
KDGE (102.1
The station's studios are located along
History
Easy listening format
The station was authorized by the
Move to album rock
In 1966, KJIM-FM changed their
Switch to Q102
In October 1978, new general manager Bud Stiker led the change of the call sign to KTXQ and the branding to "Q102" (to launder the station of a Fort Worth image, and to lessen confusion with then-
In early 1997, CBS sold the station to New York City-based SFX Broadcasting. By August of that year, however, Austin-based Capstar merged with SFX. Six months later, locally based Chancellor Media acquired KTXQ through a series of trades with Capstar.[3]
Magic 102
At Noon on August 27, 1998, on the same day that Chancellor announced that they would merge with Capstar to form AMFM, Inc., KTXQ discontinued its long-running rock format and began
102.1 The Edge
In 2000, as a condition of
KDGE history
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Created by Founder and original owner Steve Allison in 1989 (Allison Broadcast Group, Inc.), the EDGE was basically an evolution of Allison's Phoenix radio station, KEYX "KEY 100.3" an alternative station which he founded in 1986. Allison bought then-KZRK for $3.6 million cash. KZRK programmed the syndicated heavy metal format ZRock. Soon after debuting KDGE, Allison then immediately took on the construction of a 2,000-foot tower in Collinsville, Texas to improve the station's signal. Steve Allison chose the name "The EDGE" and changed the call letters to KDGE. He also designed the station's logo and chose and developed its format. Larry Neilson, the former program director of KEYX in Phoenix was chosen as the original EDGE Program Director. Wendy Naylor, who had worked for Allison at his various stations in Phoenix since 1982, was chosen as the music director and morning show co-host along with KEYX alumni Roger King. Also relocating to Dallas from Phoenix was Tom Duran as the Sales Manager and a major player in helping create The EDGE's promotion and concerts. Months before The EDGE debut in June 1989, the KEYX Phoenix crew was formulating the station's format, promotions, etc. from a temporary suite while the EDGE studios were being built out next door. Two weeks before the EDGE debut, program director Larry Neilson was contacted by Dallas local George Gimarc about possibly doing a speciality show on The EDGE. Neilson was impressed by Gimarc's music knowledge, consulted with owner and general manager Steve Allison, and made the decision to put Gimarc on as the afternoon drive air personality. Gimarc proved to be a good hire and his influence on the station over time was invaluable, but he had nothing whatsoever to do with the "founding" of "The Edge". "The Edge" became an important force in the local music scene in Dallas, is the only station to play local and national "alternative" styles. (KEGL had switched to a more modern format around 1982 but by 1989, that station was largely playing hits from national playlists.)
Coinciding with the KDGE start-up, Steve Allison and Tom Duran formed a separate event promotion company called "Cutting Edge Events", which was the promotion force behind the station. They along with the station's Promotion Director, Tara Allison (Steve Allison's wife) created unusual events and promotions from 1989 through 1992. A collaborative effort by the Allisons, Duran, Neilson, Wendy Naylor and George Gimarc was the driving force in making The Edge a player in the Dallas market. From "Take the Edge on Vacation", to "Dinner on the Mayflower", the group kept the Edge on the cutting force of promotions in Dallas.
Important contributions were made by Gimarc, Naylor, and almost all staff members. Gimarc also assembled a series of 11 compilation CDs of local bands under the name Tales from the Edge. Released between 1990 and 1996, each CD featured between 15 and 20 bands, mostly from
The station featured an annual music festival called
There were also seven editions of The Edge Home Movie, a free rental - full hour of music videos hosted by Edge DJs. One was filmed at Edgefest in 1994, and another at Lollapalooza that same year. Other notable jocks during this time include Alex Luke, Brian the Butler, Jerry Lentz, Roger King, Ernie Mills, Jeff K, Josh Venable, DJ Merritt, and Valerie Knight.
In 1994, Steve Allison sold KDGE for $16 million to the broadcast-arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which also owned classic rock station KZPS. After that ownership change, Gimarc, Naylor, and the entire Phoenix contingent were shown the door and the station changed direction dramatically, now being "corporate" programmed. A year later, Clear Channel Communications bought all of the Mormon broadcasting company's stations nationally. Clear Channel later changed their name to IHeart Radio.
The station's 'unofficial' 20th Anniversary party was on July 3, 2009, at the Lakewood Theatre with performances from Zac Malloy of the Nixons, John Easdale of Dramarama, Deep Blue Something, Pop Poppins, and the Bat Mastersons.
Specialty programming included the Saturday night electronic/dance music show called "Edgeclub" with DJ Merritt (nation's longest-running and highest-rated mixshow), and Sunday shows "The Old School Edge" with Jeff K, "The Adventure Club" with Josh, and "The Local Show" with Mark, which features music made in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Edgeclub was taken off the air in 2010. Josh Venable became the program director in 2011.
In January 2013, KDGE was briefly re-branded as "102-1 KDGE"; it later returned to the "Edge" moniker.
Star 102.1
On November 16, 2016, at 3 pm, after playing "
. KVIL has since flipped to Alternative as "Alt 103.7", picking up the same format one year after KDGE dropped the format.On January 4, 2022, it was announced that KDGE will be adding Delilah's nightly show to their schedule starting January 10. This makes Delilah's return to the Dallas/Fort Worth market since being dropped by longtime affiliate KVIL in January 2014 during its gradual evolution to CHR/Top 40.[14]
KDGE-HD2
KDGE's HD2 channel originally broadcast "The Cutting Edge" a version of the station's alternative rock format with reduced commercials and some tracks never before played on the radio. In July 2012, KDGE-HD2 switched formats and began airing a classic alternative format, renamed as "Old School Edge", with the playlist leaning toward adult alternative.
In October 2013, it flipped to airing recent episodes of "
In late December 2023, "The Edge" branding and format were once again jettisoned, this time in favor of a Bilingual English/Spanish AC format known as "Magic".
External links
- Official website
- KDGE in the FCC FM station database
- KDGE in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- DFW Radio Archives
- DFW Radio/TV History
- EdgeClub w/ DJ Merritt
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KDGE". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-204
- Dallas Morning News. February 24, 1998.
- Dallas Morning News. August 28, 1998.
- Dallas Morning News. August 30, 1998.
- Dallas Morning News. September 5, 1998.
- ^ American Radio History [dead link]
- Dallas Morning News. September 1, 1998.
- ^ Wilonsky, Robert. "Souled out". Dallas Observer. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- Dallas Morning News. November 12, 2000.
- ^ "KDGE Dallas Drops Alternative After 27 Years; Flips To AC Star 102.1 - RadioInsight". November 17, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ "102.1 The Edge Signs-Off". November 17, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ "Star 102.1 Debuts". November 18, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ Star 102.1 Dallas Adds Delilah - RadioInsight (January 4, 2021)
- ^ http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=5 Archived February 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine HD Radio Guide for Dallas-Ft. Worth