KYYA

KYYA
Broadcast areaBillings Metropolitan Area
Frequency730 kHz (HD Radio)
Branding98.1 K-Bear
Programming
FormatOldies
AffiliationsABC News Radio
Ownership
Owner
  • Desert Mountain Broadcasting
  • (Desert Mountain Broadcasting Licenses, LLC)
KBLG, KPLN, KRZN, KWMY, KRKX
History
First air date
October 15, 1959 (as KURL)
Former call signs
KURL (1959–2010)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID19216
ClassD
Power5,000 watts day
236 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
45°45′29″N 108°29′53″W / 45.75806°N 108.49806°W / 45.75806; -108.49806
Translator(s)98.1 K251CI (Billings)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Website981kbear.com

KYYA (730 AM) is a radio station licensed to Billings, Montana, United States. The station serves the Billings area. The station is currently owned by Desert Mountain Broadcasting. These call letters previously belonged to 93.3 FM which formerly aired a Top 40/CHR format for many years. The 93.3 FM station last aired an Adult AC format until it went silent and was later sold to another radio broadcaster in the Billings radio market.[2] 730 AM is a Canadian and Mexican clear-channel frequency.

History

KYYA signed on as KURL on October 15, 1959. At the time, the transmitting power was only 500 watts. The transmitter was located north of Garden Avenue between Sugar and Riverside Road in Billings. The station was owned by Yellowstone Broadcasting Corporation. In early 1962, the station was assigned to Christian Enterprises Incorporation, and the station began a long history carrying a religious format. KURL applied to increase power to 5,000 watts on February 10, 1981. [3]

The station was one of several purchased by Harold Erickson in the 1960s to "cover the entire state of Montana with Christian radio". The network included KGLE in Glendive, KGVW in Belgrade (since deleted), as well as others in surrounding states. KURL-FM was brought on the air in 1972, then on 97.1, initially airing elevator music. That station was sold in 1981 and became known as K-Bear. KURL aired national programming in the 1970s. Programs such as Focus on the Family, and Insight for Living, were added to the lineup. In 2010, Connoisseur Media purchased the station, taking the religious programming over to KURL-FM where it continues today. KURL-AM began broadcasting a news/talk format. In 2013, the station celebrated its 50th year of broadcasting. [4]

On May 7, 2019, Connoisseur Media announced that it would sell its Billings cluster to Desert Mountain Broadcasting, an entity formed by Connoisseur Billings general manager Cam Maxwell.[5] The sale closed on July 31, 2019.

On November 27, 2019, KYYA dropped its news/talk format and began stunting with Christmas music as "Billings' Christmas Station" (simulcasting on FM translator K251CI 98.1 FM Billings).[6]

On December 26, 2019, KYYA ended its Christmas music stunt and launched an oldies format, branded as "98.1 K-Bear".[7]

References

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KYYA". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ "KYYA Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  3. ^ "FCC History Cards for KYYA" (PDF). United States Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  4. ^ Susan Olp (January 19, 2013). "Local Christian radio station celebrates 50 years of broadcasting". Billings Gazette.
  5. ^ "Connoisseur Media Sells Billings Cluster To Desert Mountain Broadcasting". RadioInsight. 9 May 2019.
  6. ^ KYYA Adds Translator, Drops News/Talk For Christmas Music Radioinsight - November 27, 2019
  7. ^ K-Bear Returns to Billings Radioinsight - December 26, 2019


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