KARZ (FM)

KARZ

File:KARZ-99.7.jpg
Marshall, Minnesota
Broadcast area	Marshall-Brookings-Sioux Falls
Frequency	99.7 MHz
Branding	99.7 KARZ
Programming
Format	Classic Hits
Affiliations	ABC News
Ownership
Owner	Linder Radio Group (Subarctic Media, LLC)
Sister stations	KARL, KKCK, KMHL, KNSG
History
First air date	1975 (as KMHL-FM at 100.1)
Former call signs	KMHL-FM (1975–1982) KKCK (1982-2019)
Former frequencies	100.1 MHz (1975-1988)
Technical information
Facility ID	35127
Class	C1
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	282 meters
Transmitter coordinates	44°16′56″N 96°19′5″W
Translator(s)	103.3 K277AI (Russell/Marshall)
Links
Webcast	KARZ Webstream
Website	KARZ Online

KARZ (99.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format licensed to serve Marshall, Minnesota. The station is owned by Linder Radio Group and the signal reaches most of southwestern Minnesota, eastern South Dakota and northwestern Iowa including Marshall, Brookings, Sioux Falls, Watertown, Willmar, Worthington and Spirit Lake.

KARZ also rebroadcasts on FM translator K277AI 103.3 FM in Russell/Marshall.

History

First two decades of KARZ as a Rock format on 107.5

KARZ's origins began as a classic rock station at 107.5 FM in 1997, gradually evolving into a mainstream rock format in the mid 2000's. On October 16, 2017, KARZ changed their call letters to KNSG, On October 30, 2017, KNSG changed their format from mainstream rock to sports, branded as "The Fan", while the KARZ call letters moved to 94.7 FM and shifted to a classic hits format.

Frequency Swap with heritage CHR/Top 40 99.7 KKCK and Classic Hits 94.7

99.7 first signed on in 1975 as KMHL-FM (100.1) with a country music format, before switching to Top 40 (CHR) in the late 1970s or early 1980s. KKCK debuted automated with TM Programming's "Stereo Rock" Top 40 format briefly, then converted to fully local programming in the mid-1980s. After the call letter change to KKCK in 1982, the station changed its slogan to "KK100," also known as "Double K 100." In 1988, it adopted "FM 100 KKCK" as its slogan after upgrading from 3,000 watts at 100.1 FM to 100,000 watts at 99.7 FM. The station repositioned as "99-7 KKCK" with the "Always A Better Music Mix" slogan in 1992. The station had significant listenership in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota market during the 1990s, despite its transmitter tower being located over 50 miles away, as it was the de facto Top 40/CHR for Sioux Falls until KKLS-FM flipped to "Hot 104.7" in 1997. While KKCK continues to be a minor factor in the Sioux Falls market, the station primarily focuses on Marshall, Minnesota, the surrounding southwestern Minnesota region, and the nearby Brookings, South Dakota area.

Unlike most Top 40/CHR formatted stations, KKCK also included genres such as indie, alternative, and modern rock in its music mix. The station also aired The Shag, a long running alternative rock program, on Sunday nights. It shares a local news department with KMHL, and gets national news from ABC. A large amount of the broadcasting day was live.

A winter storm damaged KKCK's transmitter in December 2015, and the station has been broadcasting at reduced power since. In May 2017, KKCK's programming moved to 94.7 KNSG while the transmitter is being rebuilt.

On April 3, 2019 KKCK and its top 40/CHR format moved to the more eastern signal of the Springfield licensed 94.7 FM, swapping frequencies with classic hits-formatted KARZ, which moved to the larger coverage area, and the more western signal, of 99.7 FM Marshall.

Previous logo

File:KKCK.jpg

External links

• Official website
• Marshall Radio
• KKCK in the FCC FM station database
• KKCK in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
• K277AI in the FCC FM station database
• K277AI at FCCdata.org