KKAA
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Branding | Pure Country 107.1 & 99.9 |
Programming | |
Format | Defunct (was Classic country) |
Ownership | |
Owner |
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History | |
First air date | 1974 |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 15965 |
Class | B |
Power | 10,000 watts (day and night) |
Transmitter coordinates | 45°25′05″N 98°28′36″W / 45.41806°N 98.47667°W |
Translator(s) | 107.1 K296FW (Aberdeen) |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | mypurecountry.com |
KKAA (1560
History
Country music
In the summer of 1974, KKAA's transmitter site was constructed 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Aberdeen, next to the waste treatment plant. The 40-acre (160,000 m2) antenna site's
The FCC signed off for permission to begin normal broadcasting, and the first words heard on KKAA after the station I.D. were by President Gerald Ford welcoming KKAA to the airwaves. The first song played was "Easy Lovin'" by Freddy Hart, followed by "Stand by your man" by Tammy Wynette.
The original on-air format was modern country music, and the station operated 24 hours a day. The staff was from all around the country and the average age was 24 years. The line-up included: David Laustsen, general manager; Jean Laustsen, operations manager; Bard Kallestad, chief engineer & D.J.; Telford Toffelmire, program director,& D.J.; Chuck Timanus, news director; Ray Smith, farm director; Bob Matson, sales director; Jay Jackson, D.J. (morning man); Jeff James, D.J. (drive-time); Jefferson Red (Merle Valness), D.J.(evenings); Lovely-Liz (Elizabeth Epstein), D.J.(grave-yard shift).
Under the mantle of Sunset Broadcasting, the owner of the FCC license was Dakota North Plains Corporation, which owned and operated the Dakota Farmer magazine and other businesses. Local acceptance of the new radio station was overwhelming and commercial sales were very successful. In fact, the price of advertising tripled in just over one year's time. Within three years, the general manager was elected to the South Dakota state legislature and most of the original crew were moving on to other opportunities. One of the people who moved on, was Aberdeen's own Jerry Oster, who migrated to WNAX, where he has held almost every job at the station and is now the news director.
In June 1997, Roberts Radio of Pleasantville, New York, made a deal to acquire KSDN and KSDN-FM to accompany its previous still-pending deal to purchase of KKAA and KQAA-FM.[1] The KKAA/KQAA deal was finalized on July 1, 1997. At the time, KKAA broadcast a country music format and a spokesman for Robert Radio stated they intended to maintain this programming.
In June 2000, Clear Channel purchased Roberts Radio in a deal valued at a reported $65.9 million. Aberdeen radio stations KKAA (1560 AM), KQAA (94.9 FM), KSDN (930 AM), KSDN (94.1 FM) and KBFO (106.7 FM) were part of that deal.[2]
In May 2001, the station added "News and Views with Ed Schultz," a current affairs talk show based at KFGO in Fargo, North Dakota, to its weekday lineup.[3]
News/talk
In early October 2002, Clear Channel juggled the lineups of KKAA and KSDN to give KKAA a current events talk focus and KSDN a sports talk focus.
After the format change, the KKAA schedule as of October 2002 was "Coast to Coast AM" with Art Bell from midnight to 5 a.m., business news show "The Wall Street Journal This Morning," at 5 a.m., current events show "America in the Morning" at 6 a.m., Red River Farm Network news show "Country Morning" at 6:30 a.m., local talk show "Talk of the Town" at 7 a.m., "News and Views" with Fargo-based host Ed Schultz at 9 a.m., and local news show "KSDN Midday Report" at 11:30 a.m. This program included the Paul Harvey news and commentary. Afternoon programming began at 1 p.m. with "The Rush Limbaugh Show", continued at 4 p.m. with consumer advocacy show "Troubleshooter Tom Martino," and wrapped up at 6 p.m. with financial advice guru Bruce Williams. Satirical current events host Phil Hendrie completed the night from 9 p.m. to midnight.[6]
Religious
In August 2004, KKAA was acquired by locally owned Aberdeen Radio Ranch as part of a group sale by
KKAA broadcast Family Radio Ministry programs preparing Aberdeen for the Rapture on May 21, 2011, which predicted that the world would end on October 21, 2011.
Final years
Effective October 31, 2017, Robert Ingstad's KKAA, LLC acquired KKAA and KQKD from Family Stations for $85,000. The stations immediately went silent after that.[8] KKAA was then sold by KKAA, LLC to I3G Radio, LLC effective 31 January 2018 for $60,000.
On January 6, 2020, KKAA returned to the air with a classic country format, branded as "Pure Country 107.1 & 99.9".[9] I3G Media surrendered the station's license on August 10, 2020.[10][11] As a result, K296FW started simulcasting KSDN-FM.
References
- ^ "Changes Ahead for Aberdeen, S.D., Radio Stations". Aberdeen American News. 1997-06-12.
- ^ "Texas Company Continues to Acquire Radio Stations". Aberdeen American News. 2000-07-07.
- ^ Bahr, Jeff (2001-05-12). "Fargo Talk Show Added To Local Lineup". Aberdeen American News. p. 1C.
- ^ a b Waltman, Scott (2002-10-09). "Clear Channel Shakes Up Aberdeen, S.D., AM Radio Lineup". Aberdeen American News.
- ^ a b Bahr, Jeff (2003-01-10). "Radio Moves Were Made With Network In Mind". Aberdeen American News. p. 1B.
- ^ Grossell, Elissa (2002-10-09). "Aberdeen, S.D., Background-Checking Firm Holds Grand Opening". Aberdeen American News.
- ^ Bahr, Jeff (2004-12-01). "Do not adjust your set". Aberdeen American News. p. 1A.
- ^ "Silent AM Broadcast Stations List". 25 May 2016.
- ^ Pure Country Arrives on 4 South Dakota Signals Upper Midwest Broadcasting - January 6, 2020
- ^ Venta, Lance. "FCC Report 8/16: China Owned Operator Seeks Permission To Continue Operating 690 XEWW", Radio Insight. August 16, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
- ^ "KKAA, Aberdeen, SD (FIN: 15965)", fcc.gov. August 10, 2020.
External links
- FCC Station Search Details: DKKAA (Facility ID: 15965)
- FCC History Cards for KKAA (covering 1973-1981)