KIIX-FM
 | |
| City | Opportunity, Washington |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Spokane, Washington |
| Branding | Kix 96.1 |
| Slogan | Today's Country for Spokane |
| Frequency | 96.1 MHz (also on HD Radio) |
| First air date | April 1, 1961 (as KZUN-FM) |
| Format | Country |
| ERP | 60,000 watts |
| HAAT | 744 meters |
| Class | C |
| Facility ID | 60422 |
| Callsign meaning | KIIX = Kix |
| Former callsigns |
KZUN-FM (1961–1982) KKPL (1982–1985) KKPL-FM (1985–1992) KNFR (1992–2001) KIXZ-FM (2001–2013) KPXR-FM (2013–2014) |
| Owner |
iHeartMedia, Inc. (Capstar TX LLC) |
| Sister stations | KCDA, KISC, KKZX, KZFS, KQNT, KIIX (AM) (Colorado Springs, Colorado) |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kix961.com |
KIIX-FM, also known as "Kix 96.1" is a country music radio station serving the Spokane area of Washington, United States. It broadcasts at 96.1 MHz with an ERP of 60,000 watts and is licensed to Opportunity, Washington. It is owned by iHeartMedia.
KIIX-FM also broadcasts in HD, and is streaming live online and through Clear Channel's iHeartRadio mobile phone application.
Notable former staff
- Jeremy McComb (2003-2004). Currently a country singer, best known for his hit singles "Wagon Wheel", "This Town Needs A Bar", and "Cold One".
History
The station signed on the air in 1961 as KZUN-FM. The station entered the Spokane Country radio wars in 1992 as KNFR. It has also been through a couple of slogans during the 1990s, which included "K-Frog" and "Kicks" before its call letter change to KIXZ-FM and its modifying of its slogan to "Kix 96" in 2001.
On March 24, 2012, the station suddenly switched to Top 40.[1] This caused outrage on the station's Facebook page, where the page owners responded by saying an announcement would be released on the 26th at Noon. The announcement turned out to be a move of the format to KPTQ, located at 1280 AM. The flip of KIXZ from Country to Top 40 placed the station in an already crowded current-based music field in Spokane: KZBD (Top 40), KZZU-FM (Adult Top 40), KEZE (Rhythmic), and KGZG-FM (Rhythmic) were the station's competitors. On September 20, 2013, KIXZ-FM rebranded as "Power 96.1"; on September 27, 2013, the station changed its call letters to KPXR-FM.[2]
On May 8, 2014, just 8 months after rebranding as "Power", KPXR-FM suddenly changed their format back to country, branded as "Kix 96.1";[3] at the same time, the call letters were changed to KIIX-FM.[4] KIIX became the second Top 40 outlet in Spokane in 2014 to exit the format within the course of a month, following KGZG's abrupt sign-off in April.
References
- ↑ https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/56152/clear-channel-brings-hits-to-spokane/
- ↑ https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/85124/hits-96-1-spokane-rebrands-with-power/
- ↑ Power Spokane Returns to Country
- ↑ "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
External links
- Kix 96.1's website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for KIIX
- Radio-Locator information on KIIX
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for KIIX
Coordinates: 47°34′12″N 117°04′59″W / 47.570°N 117.083°W