KGGO
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| City of license | Des Moines, Iowa |
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| Broadcast area | Des Moines metropolitan area |
| Branding | 95 KGGO |
| Slogan | Classic Rock That Rocks |
| Frequency | 94.9 (MHz) |
| First air date | May 31, 1964 (as KFMG) |
| Format | Classic rock |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 325 meters |
| Class | C0 |
| Facility ID | 12965 |
| Owner | Cumulus Media |
| Sister stations | KBGG, KHKI, KJJY, KWQW |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kggo.com |
KGGO is a classic rock radio station based in Des Moines, Iowa. It is located at 94.9 on the FM band. The station's studios are in Urbandale, Iowa, with Cumulus Media's other Des Moines stations: KJJY, KHKI, KWQW, and KBGG. (Before 2001, KGGO's studios were located in Berwick, a small town north of Des Moines.)
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[edit] History
The first radio station to occupy the 94.9 FM frequency in Des Moines was KNDR (New Directions Radio), which signed on in 1961 but left the air a year later due to financial problems.
On May 31, 1964, KFMG debuted on that frequency with a "fine arts" format. In 1970 KFMG became a free-form station that played a wide variety of music, including alternative rock. KFMG became KGGO in 1975[1], and KGGO played Top 40 music for its first few years as "Go-95" before shifting to an album-oriented rock format on July 19, 1978.[2] In the spring of 1984, KGGO became the first FM station in the Des Moines area to finish in first place in the local Arbitron ratings.[3] KGGO remained the Des Moines area's highest-rated radio station throughout most of the late 1980s and 1990s.[4]
KGGO's rock music format was simulcast on 1460 AM from 1989 to 1994 after the former KSO radio ended its country music format. The AM frequency adopted the KGGO call letters during that time period. The simulcast ended in 1994, when 1460's call letters became KDMI.[5] By the end of the 1990s, KGGO had transitioned into a classic rock station.
KGGO's ownership has changed several times in recent years. AMFM, Inc., owned KGGO in the late 1990s. In 2000, AMFM merged with Clear Channel Communications, but since Clear Channel already owned several stations in the Des Moines market, KGGO and sister station KHKI were sold to Barnstable Broadcasting. (Clear Channel kept KDMI, which later became KXNO.)[6] In May 2001, Barnstable sold its Des Moines cluster of stations to Wilks Broadcasting[7]; two years later, Wilks sold the stations to Citadel Broadcasting.[8] Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.[9]
On September 22, 2005, Citadel Broadcasting purchased the naming rights to the former Buccaneer Arena in Urbandale. The home of the Des Moines Buccaneers was then renamed 95KGGO Arena.[10]. In 2008, the name reverted back to Buccaneer Arena.
[edit] Personalities and programming
KGGO is the home of the former "Lou, Round Guy, & Heather" morning show featuring Lou Sipolt, Steve Pilchen ("the Round Guy"), and Heather Burnside. (2011 marks Lou Sipolt's 26th year at this Heritage Radio Station) It aired weekday mornings from 5:30 AM to 9:30 AM and regularly featured stand-up comedy acts from the local Funny Bone comedy club as guests. In 2001 the trio released a CD, Kiss This CD!!!, which was sold to raise money for local charities. The CD featured bits from the morning show as well as interviews with Sammy Hagar, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, and John G. Brennan of the Jerky Boys; in-studio performances by Shannon Curfman and Kenny Wayne Shepherd; and comedy bits from Roy D. Mercer, Red Peters, and Heywood Banks.
In November 2011, Brian James was laid off from the station and the following week, on December 1, the Round Guy of the "Lou, Round Guy & Heather" morning show was as well.
On December 27, 2011, another change was announced. Starting January 2, 2012, Lou and Heather will do a morning talk show on 98.3 WOW-FM. The syndicated Bob & Tom show are replacing Lou & Heather on KGGO from 5 AM to 9 AM. Lou & Heather's last morning show on KGGO was December 30, 2011. [11]
Current on-air personalities include Jeff "Clutch" Witzke, Joey The Ratt, Doug Bailey, and Shawn T. On Sunday evenings they air "The Rockin' 80s", from 9:00pm - 11:00pm, which plays most of the rock music from the 1980s and also Racing Rocks w/Riki Rachtman, Saturdays from 9:00pm to 11:00pm.
Steve Pilchen, "The Round Guy", represented the state of Iowa in the third season of the NBC television program The Biggest Loser.[12]
Lou Sipolt, Jr can be seen Sunday Mornings at 10am (In EVERY TIME ZONE) on FOX SPORTS NET as one of the HOSTS of the Great American Stockcar Series TV Program. Lou races Locally in the Dirt Truck Racing Association.
Longtime radio hosts Lou and Heather signed off on their final show on 98.3 WOW-FM Friday February 10, 2012.
Hereby Cumulus Media has ultimately destroyed Des Moines top rated morning team and top rated morning show on KGGO in their short time of ownership.
[edit] Other Personalites
- Bob & Tom - Mon-Fri: 5:00am - 9:00am, Saturday: 5:00am - 10:00am
- Doug Bailey - Mon-Fri: 5-9 AM with live weather and traffic, 9am - 2pm, Saturday: 10:00am - 2:00pm
- Clutch - Mon-Fri: 2:00pm-7:00pm
- Joey the Ratt - Mon-Fri: 7:00pm - 12:00am, Saturday: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
- Shawn T - Saturday: 2:00pm - 6:00pm, Sunday: 12:00pm - 4:00pm
[edit] Programming Schedule
- Sunday
12:00 AM - 6:00 AM Classic Rock That Rocks
6:00 AM - 8:00 AM House of Blues
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM The Roadhouse
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Currently Unknown
4:00 PM - 9:00 PM Currently Unknown
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM The Rockin' 80s
11:00 PM - 12:00 AM Currently Unknown
- Monday - Friday
12:00 AM - 5:00 AM Currently Unknown
5:00 AM - 9:00 AM Bob & Tom
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Doug Bailey
2:00 PM - 7:00 PM Clutch
7:00 PM - 12:00 AM Joey the Ratt
- Saturday
12:00 AM - 5:00 AM Currently Unknown
5:00 AM - 10:00 AM Bob & Tom
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Doug Bailey
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM Currently Unknown
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Currently Unknown
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM Racing Rocks
11:00 PM - 12:00 AM Classic Rock That Rocks [13]
[edit] References
- ^ DesMoinesBroadcasting.com. "KFMG History". http://www.desmoinesbroadcasting.com/kggo/kfmg-main.html. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
- ^ Healey, Jim (1978-07-20). "KGGO turns it over; quits top-40 format for albums". The Des Moines Register: p. 7S.
- ^ Rhein, Dave (1984-08-05). "KGGO rocks to top of radio ratings". The Des Moines Register: p. 3-TV.
- ^ Stein, Jeff (2004). Making Waves: The People and Places of Iowa Broadcasting. Cedar Rapids, Iowa: WDG Communications. p. 113. ISBN 0-9718323-1-5.
- ^ DesMoinesBroadcasting.com. "Des Moines Station Timeline". http://www.desmoinesbroadcasting.com/timeline-frameset.html. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
- ^ NorthPine.com. "Broadcasting News-March 2000". http://www.northpine.com/broadcast/archive/news032k.html. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
- ^ NorthPine.com. "Broadcasting News-May 2001". http://www.northpine.com/broadcast/archive/news0501.html. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
- ^ NorthPine.com. "Broadcasting News-May 2003". http://www.northpine.com/broadcast/archive/news0503.html. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
- ^ "Cumulus now owns Citadel Broadcasting". Atlanta Business Journal. September 16, 2011. http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2011/09/16/cumulus-now-owns-citadel-broadcasting.html. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
- ^ Des Moines Buccaneers (press release). "Citadel Broadcasting Co. and the Des Moines Buccaneers Score a Deal". Archived from the original on 2007-02-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20070203062430/http://www.bucshockey.com/05_06/0506press_releases/09_22_05.html. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
- ^ http://www.kggo.com/Article.asp?id=2361777&spid=21862
- ^ Crawford, Erin (2006-09-20). "Round Guy no longer fits his nickname". The Des Moines Register: p. 1E.
- ^ http://www.kggo.com/programschedule.asp
[edit] External links
- KGGO website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for KGGO
- Radio-Locator information on KGGO
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for KGGO
- Des Moines Broadcasting History: KGGO
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