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KCTR-FM

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Coordinates: 45°45′59″N 108°27′19″W / 45.76639°N 108.45528°W / 45.76639; -108.45528
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KCTR-FM
Broadcast areaBillings Metropolitan Area
Frequency102.9 MHz
BrandingCat Country 102.9
Programming
FormatCountry
AffiliationsCompass Media Networks
Ownership
Owner
KBUL, KCHH, KKBR, KMHK
History
First air date
August 1979 (as KOOK-FM)[1]
Former call signs
KOOK-FM (1979–1984)
KBIT (1984–1985)
KOOK-FM (1985–1988)
Technical information
Facility ID16773
ClassC1
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT152 meters (499 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
45°45′59″N 108°27′19″W / 45.76639°N 108.45528°W / 45.76639; -108.45528
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitecatcountry1029.com

KCTR-FM (102.9 MHz, "Cat Country 103") is a commercial radio station in Billings, Montana. KCTR airs a country music format.[2] Licensed to Billings, Montana, United States, the station serves the Billings area. The station is currently owned by Townsquare License, LLC.[3]

History

[edit]

102.9 FM began broadcasting in August 1979 as KOOK-FM, sister station to KOOK (970 AM). The new outlet used Schulke Radio Productions's automated beautiful music format with just eight commercial units an hour.[1]

KOOK-AM-FM was acquired by "Major" Dan Miller, a 25-year employee of the stations, and the Mesa Broadcasting Company of Chicago in 1983.[4] Citing low support, KOOK-FM flipped to country as KBIT on January 16, 1984.[5] The station returned to KOOK-FM on November 4, 1985, as part of a format and call sign trade between the AM and FM stations that moved country to AM and the former contemporary hit radio format on KOOK to FM.[6] The move failed to generate increased interest in the stations, and Miller left the management group and KOOK.[7]

After the FM station improved in listenership over the course of 1987, KOOK-KBIT was sold again in 1988, to Citadel Associates of Phoenix.[8] Citadel wasted little time changing the format on KOOK-FM back to country; KOOK and KBIT began simulcasting as KCTR-AM-FM, retiring the KOOK call letters from Billings radio after having been used since 1951.[9]

In October 2007, a deal was reached for KCTR-FM to be acquired by GAP Broadcasting II LLC (Samuel Weller, president) from Clear Channel Communications as part of a 57 station deal with a total reported sale price of $74.78 million.[10] What eventually became GapWest Broadcasting was folded into Townsquare Media on August 13, 2010.[11]

Former logo

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Business openings". Billings Gazette. August 26, 1979. p. 3-H. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Spring 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-03-01. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
  3. ^ "KCTR-FM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved 2011-05-26.
  4. ^ "Miller, Chicago group buy KOOK". Billings Gazette. July 9, 1983. p. 14-A. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  5. ^ "Too much western music". Billings Gazette. February 5, 1984. p. 9-D. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  6. ^ Holley, Paul J. (November 1, 1985). "Radio stations trade places". Billings Gazette. p. 1C. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  7. ^ Holley, Paul J. (August 7, 1986). "KGHL gains listeners, keeps top Billings rating". Billings Gazette. p. 9-A. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  8. ^ Holley, Paul J. (January 13, 1988). "KOOK, KBIT under new ownership". Billings Gazette. p. 2-D. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  9. ^ Holley, Paul J. (March 1, 1988). "KOOK, KBIT change call letters, format". Billings Gazette. p. 9-A. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  10. ^ "Deals". Broadcasting & Cable. 2006-06-19.
  11. ^ "Townsquare Media completes roll-up of GAP". Radio Business Report. August 13, 2010. Archived from the original on January 21, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
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