KABI (AM)

KABI

Abilene, Kansas
Frequency	1560 kHz
Branding	The General 1560 AM
Programming
Format	Classic Hits
Affiliations	ABC Radio, Westwood One
Ownership
Owner	Rocking M Media, LLC
History
Former call signs	KSAJ (1985-1987) (was KABI prior to 1985)
Call sign meaning	Kansas ABIlene
Technical information
Facility ID	18054
Class	D
Power	250 watts daytime 58 watts night
Transmitter coordinates	38°55′46″N 97°14′46″W
Links
Website	kabiabilene.com

KABI (1560 AM) is a radio station licensed to Abilene, Kansas, broadcasting a Classic Hits format. The station first went on the air in 1963, broadcasting from the lowest level of the Sunflower Hotel in downtown Abilene. Wyman Schnepp was the original owner and general manager. His wife Willa was its first engineer. Schnepp only had ownership for 4 years before he sold KABI to Norton, Warner, of Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1967. J.K. Vanier and Jerry Hinrikus (EBC Radio) of Salina, Kansas, bought KABI and its sister FM, KSAJ, in late 1991. Then in January 2004 Morris Communications (MCC Radio) acquired KABI as part of a 6-station group purchase from EBC. Most recently Alpha Media, LLC., bought KABI on September 1, 2015, and, almost immediately, spun it off to Rocking M Media, the current owner.

Among KABI's most famous radio voices were Pug Phillips and Gary Houser. Pug had a daily radio feature in the late 1960's. While Gary was the most enduring employee, hosting the morning show on-and-off from 1963 until his passing in 2014. Veteran radio personality John Anderson is the current Wake Up Call Host.

In the early 1980's the KABI broadcast studios would move to 2nd and Broadway, into the old Citizens Bank building. Briefly, from 1985 to 1987, KABI changed call letters to KSAJ-AM and simulcast programming with KSAJ-FM. Then, in June 1987 it went back to being KABI with separate programming.

External links

• Facility details for Facility ID KABI ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's AM station database