KABG

KABG
City Los Alamos, New Mexico
Broadcast area Albuquerque, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Branding Big 98.5
Slogan New Mexico's Greatest Hits
Frequency 98.5 MHz
First air date 1956 (as KRSN)
Format Classic Hits
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 581 meters
Class C
Facility ID 44000
Callsign meaning KA BiG
Former callsigns KRSN (1956-1986)
KKBR (1986-1990)
KRBL (1990-1993)
KTMN (1993-1997)
Owner American General Media
Sister stations KAGM, KDLW, KARS (AM), KHFM, KLVO, KSFE
Webcast Listen Live
Website big985.com

KABG (98.5 MHz) is an American radio station licensed to Los Alamos, New Mexico serving the Santa Fe and Albuquerque radio markets. It is owned by American General Media and has a classic top 40 classic hits format playing hits mostly from the 1960s to the 1980s. Its studios are located in Northeast Albuquerque and the transmitter tower is located west of Los Alamos, New Mexico.

The format launched in Summer 1997 as "Big Oldies 98.5". It then went on to overcome two other long running oldies stations in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe markets, KBOM 106.7 (moved to 94.7 in 2000, both frequencies which AGM had later purchased) in Santa Fe and KZKL (later changed to KQEO) 101.7 in Albuquerque which dropped the format in 2002 making KABG the only FM oldies station in both markets until its format change in 2007.

For many years the station had been known as "Big Oldies" but in 2007 it rebranded to just "Big 98.5" phasing out the word "oldies" as it has followed most other oldies stations across the country in shifting to a more 1970s focused "classic hits" format in order to improve its audience in the 25-54 age range demographic. It has also changed its website. Despite this, the station still played a small amount of 1950s/early 1960s oldies. As of 2015 the format is mostly focused on music from the 1980s with a small amount of music from the 1990s added.

Programming

Local radio veteran Bobby Box had hosted the morning shift from the stations' launch until 2012. Chaz Malibu now hosts mornings on the station. Bobby Box is now featured middays (10a-1p) and Big Benny, afternoons (3p-7p). Tom Kent is featured from 7PM until Midnight. It also airs several syndicated shows during the weekend.

Previous formats

Call Letters Format Name Time Period
KKBR Oldies KKBR 1986–1990
KRBL Rock The Rebel Rocker 1990–1992
KRBL Top 40 Lazer 98.5 1992–1993
KTMN Classic Rock The Mountain 1993–1996
KTMN Adult Album Alternative The Mountain 1996–1997

External links

Coordinates: 35°46′48″N 106°31′41″W / 35.780°N 106.528°W / 35.780; -106.528


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