KQBW

KQBW

City of license	Omaha, Nebraska
Broadcast area	Omaha, Nebraska
Branding	96-1 The Brew
Slogan	The Biggest Variety of Rock Hits
Frequency	96.1 MHz
Format	80s-based classic rock
ERP	82,000 watts
HAAT	331 meters
Class	C0
Facility ID	71411
Owner	Clear Channel Communications
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	www.961thebrew.com

KQBW (96-1 The Brew) is a classic rock radio station in Omaha, Nebraska owned by Clear Channel Communications. They are one of five radio stations that uses "The Brew" branding, alongside its sister stations in Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Columbus and Portland, Oregon. They are the second oulet to use the brand after WQBW/Milwaukee, who was the first to launch it in 2004, but in 2010 flipped to Top 40/CHR as WRNW, thus making KQBW the oldest station with the "Brew" brand.

Station History

KQBW flipped formats from the former AC station KEFM-FM on September 24, 2005. The music centers mostly on 80s rock, with core artists like Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Van Halen and AC/DC, while flavoring the format with 70s bands such as Boston and Lynyrd Skynyrd and 90s music from acts like Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam. They also feature a good helping of 80s pop-rock, such as John Cougar Mellencamp, Bryan Adams, and Pat Benatar.

96-1 The Brew debuted their on-air lineup on October 4, 2005. It consisted of "The Morning Brew with Mookie & Michelle" (5:30-10am), "Crash" Davis (10am-3pm), "Steve-O" (3-7p) and Lucy Chapman (7-11p). The Brew later rounded out their airstaff with weekenders Marty Simpson and "Bam-Bam".

Staples of the Brew include "6-Packs of Brew Music", "The 90s At Noon" and "The Friday Free-For-All".

Evolution of The Brew

In January 2007, the Brew shuffled its lineup, moving Steve-O to middays, Crash Davis to evenings, and adding afternoon driver Ethan Stone and weekend talent Lester St. James, formerly of The Brew's rival, Z-92. St. James departed the station in the summer of 2007.

Also in January 2007, the station changed their positioning statement from "Everything Rock, the 80s and More" to "The Biggest Variety of Rock Hits", as the focus shifted toward a more expanded playlist of 90s and even early 2000s music, like Three Doors Down and Creed.

In February 2008, The Brew executed yet another airstaff change, shifting Ethan Stone to mornings (joining Michelle as "The New Morning Brew"), moving Mookie to middays, and Crash Davis to afternoons. Former middayer Steve-O made an unexplained departure.

External links

• Query the FCC's FM station database for KQBW
• Radio-Locator information on KQBW
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for KQBW