KGLO

KGLO's weekday schedule consists of nationally syndicated talk shows: The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey, Markley, Van Camp & Robbins, The Sean Hannity Show, Ground Zero with Clyde Lewis and Coast to Coast AM with George Noory.

It also carries Minnesota Twins baseball games. Most hours begin with an update from CBS News Radio.

File:KGLO logo.jpg

KGLO signed on the air on {{start date and age|1937|1|17}}, and was the first radio station legally licensed to Mason City. Originally it was assigned the frequency of 1210 kilocycles.Broadcasting Yearbook 1939, [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1939/Radio-by-State-BC-YB-1939.pdf page 112]. Retrieved October 9, 2023. It was owned by Lee Enterprises, which also owned the Globe Gazette. The call sign derives from the daily newspaper's name.{{cite web |title=Call Sign History |work=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=30114&Callsign=KGLO}}

The founding general manager of KGLO and Lee Broadcasting was Francis C. Eighmey. KGLO began operation with only 250 watts of power by day and 100 watts at night. It was the lowest wattage radio station to be an affiliate of the CBS Radio Network, but the station served what was recognized as a key market area in the Midwest.

In the early 1940s, the station moved to its present frequency of 1300 kHz, coupled with a power upgrade. On March 29, 1941, power was increased to 1,000 watts day and night with a non-directional antenna.{{cite news|title=KGLO Ups Everything Including the Rates|url=https://archive.org/stream/variety142-1941-04#page/n31/mode/1up|access-date=November 13, 2015|work=Variety|date=April 2, 1941}} The transmitter was on old Highway 18 just west of Mason City. Shortly thereafter, power was increased to 5,000 watts and two flanking towers were added to produce a directional signal at night with deep nulls to the east and west. In 1998, the transmitter was moved to six miles south of Mason City with directional pattern both day and night to provide a better signal over Mason City.

The revenue generated by KGLO radio provided for significant corporate expansion. Eighmey began this process with the acquisition of WTAD in Quincy, Illinois. Additional radio stations were later added in Wisconsin. Lee Broadcasting established KGLO-TV, the area's CBS affiliate, in 1954. That station is now KIMT-TV.{{Cite web|url= https://www.kimt.com/video/celebrating-70-years-of-kimt-a-look-a-back-through-the-archives/video_d5b84f69-2908-5b9f-b958-cd599bad2957.html|title= Celebrating 70 years of KIMT: A look a back through the archives}} Other television stations were acquired, including KGMB-TV in Honolulu and KOIN-TV in Portland, Oregon.

In the 1960s, the Lee Newspapers were merged with Lee Broadcasting, becoming Lee Enterprises. As network programming shifted from radio to television, KGLO began a full service, middle of the road format of popular adult music, news, sports and farm reports.

In August 1977, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled that one company could not own all the media outlets in a city, forcing Lee Enterprises to break up its cluster in Mason City. As a result, KGLO-TV and KGLO radio were separated with the latter's sale to B-Y Communications."Lee announces sale of KGLO Radio," The Globe-Gazette, March 11, 1977."New KGLO call letters approved," The Globe-Gazette, July 26, 1977."KGLO, KIMT staff changes are announced," The Globe-Gazette, August 5, 1977.

The station shifted to adult contemporary music in the 1980s. By the 1990s, listeners were tuning to FM radio stations for music, so KGLO made the transition to all-talk with frequent news, sports and farm reports.

James Ingstad Broadcasting bought the station in March 1990.Steve McMahon, "Minnesotan to purchase KGLO Radio," The Globe-Gazette, August 22, 1989.Steve McMahon, "KGLO sale may be effective this week," The Globe-Gazette, April 1, 1990.Steve McMahon, "KGLO, KNIQ stations sold for $2.3 million," The Globe-Gazette, April 6, 1990. Cumulus Broadcasting bought the station in 1998, then sold it to Clear Channel Communications in 2000.Kevin Baskins, "Radio Park sold," The Globe-Gazette, February 27, 1998.Public notice required under 47 C.F.R. 73.3580, The Globe-Gazette, August 11, 2000.

In 2007, Clear Channel sold the station to Three Eagles Broadcasting.Dick Johnson, "Radio stations change hands," The Globe-Gazette, April 11, 2007.Dick Johnson, "Radio stations change ownership, locations," The Globe-Gazette, September 7, 2007.Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010, [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2010/D-2010-BC-YB-7.pdf page D-222]. Retrieved October 9, 2023. In 2014, KGLO was sold to Digity, LLC. Two years later, Alpha Media acquired Digity, LLC, including KGLO, for $264 million.{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/93286/alpha-media-acquires-digity/|title=Alpha Media/Digity Sale Price & Details|date=August 12, 2015|work=RadioInsight|access-date=May 28, 2018|language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=https://radioink.com/2016/02/25/alpha-closes-digity-deal/|title=Larry Wilson's Alpha Now 4th Largest Radio Company|work=RadioInk|date=February 25, 2016|access-date=August 29, 2024}}

Longtime morning show host Tim Fleming, who had been with KGLO since 1977, was let go from the station in May 2024 due to nationwide staffing cuts initiated by Alpha Media. In addition, longtime news director Bob Fisher was also let go, and Mason City High School sports broadcasts were dropped.Robin McClelland, "Longtime radio voices silenced in North Iowa," The Globe-Gazette, June 1, 2024.[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/269522/alpha-media-continues-to-purge-programming-on-air-staffs-in-midwest-markets/ The Programming/On-Air Purges Across Alpha Media Show No Signs Of Stopping]

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.kgloam.com/}}

{{AM station data|30114|KGLO}}

{{Mason City Radio}}

{{News/Talk Radio Stations in Iowa}}

{{Alpha Media}}

Category:1938 establishments in Iowa

Category:Alpha Media radio stations

Category:Mason City, Iowa

Category:News and talk radio stations in the United States

Category:Radio stations established in 1938

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