KQAM

KQAM (1480 kHz) is a commercial AM station in Wichita, Kansas. It carries a talk radio format and is owned by Steckline Communications, along with sports radio KGSO 1410 AM. The studios and offices are on South Maize Road in Wichita.

KQAM
CityWichita, Kansas
Broadcast areaSouth Central Kansas
Frequency1480 kHz
BrandingThe Big Talker
Programming
FormatTalk radio
AffiliationsPremiere Networks
Westwood One
Fox News Radio
Performance Racing Network
Motor Racing Network
CBS Radio News
Ownership
OwnerSteckline Communications
KGSO
History
First air date
1936
Former call signs
KANS (1936-1980)
KWKN (1980-1982)
KLEO (1982-1990)
KZSN (1990-1997)
Technical information
Facility ID61632
ClassB
Power5,000 watts (days)
1,000 watts (nights)
Translator(s)102.5 K273CX (Wichita)
Links
WebsiteKQAMradio.com

By day, KQAM is powered at 5,000 watts. But to protect other stations on 1480 AM, it reduces power to 1,000 watts at night. It uses a directional antenna at all times with a four-tower array. The transmitter is off East 29th Street North in Wichita, near Chisholm Creek.[1] Programming is also heard on 250 watt FM translator K273CX at 102.5 MHz.[2]

Programming

Weekdays on KQAM begin with a news, farm reports and information show, "The Morning News with John Wright." The rest of the weekday line up includes nationally syndicated conservative talk show hosts, including: Brian Kilmeade, Alex Jones, Dave Ramsey, Guy Benson, Joe Pags, Buck Sexton, Jim Bohannon, America in the Morning with John Trout and First Light with Michael Toscano.

Weekends feature shows on home repair, technology, movies, beer, cigars and farm news. Weekend syndicated hosts include Larry Elder, Leo Laporte, Dana Loesch, Kim Komando. Car races also are heard on weekends. World and national news is provided by CBS Radio News.

History

On October 7, 1936, the station signed on the air as KANS, representing the word Kansas. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was owned by Swanco Broadcasting. Its call sign was KLEO, and for many years, was a popular Top 40 station. On September 2, 1980, KLEO flipped to adult contemporary as KWKN.[3] In late 1982, the KLEO call letters returned, though the station flipped to MOR/adult standards on September 24, 1984.[4][5] On October 5, 1989, KLEO flipped to traditional country as KZSN, complementing sister station KZSN-FM's contemporary country format.[6] KZSN would eventually give way to a simulcast with the FM station; this lasted until September 25, 1997, when it assumed KQAM's call letters and flipped to sports talk.[7]

In 2002, the station was sold to The Walt Disney Company from Entercom for $2 million.[8] With the sale, KQAM became Wichita's Radio Disney network affiliate on July 23, 2002.[9][10]

On November 12, 2009, Disney/ABC announced that they would sell KQAM to Steckline Communications. According to Greg Steckline, the owner of the company, he wasn't aiming to purchase but "this one just kind of happened. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time." Steckline paid $350,000 for KQAM. On January 7, 2010, KQAM dropped Radio Disney, unveiling the lineup for its talk format as a companion to its sister station, sports radio KGSO 1410 AM.

Steckline Communications also owns KIUL (Garden City, Kansas), KYUL (Scott City, Kansas), and KGYN (Guymon, Oklahoma).[11]

References
  1. Radio-Locator.com/KQAM
  2. Radio-Locator.com/K273CX
  3. Bob Curtright, "Jack Hicks Resigns as KAKE Anchorman", The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, August 15, 1980.
  4. Bob Curtright, "TV 'Classic' Themes Get the Disco Medley Treatment", The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, November 5, 1982.
  5. Bob Curtright, "'Music of Your Life' Is Going to Return to Our Lives", The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, September 17, 1984.
  6. Bob Curtright, "KLEO has a country air", The Wichita Eagle, October 6, 1989.
  7. Bob Curtright, "Hello, KMYR", The Wichita Eagle, September 27, 1997.
  8. Information from Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2009 page D-233
  9. Jeffrey Parson, "KQAM preparing for format change", The Wichita Eagle, July 16, 2002.
  10. Suzanne Perez Tobias, "Radio Disney to launch Wichita station Tuesday", The Wichita Eagle, July 19, 2002.
  11. McCoy, Daniel (November 16, 2009). "Steckline buys Disney Radio station". Wichita Business Journal. Retrieved December 1, 2013.


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