KKST
{{short description|Radio station in Alexandria, Louisiana}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = KKST
| logo = KISS 98.7(1)(2)(3).jpg
| logo_size =
| city = Oakdale, Louisiana
| country = US
| area = Alexandria-Pineville
| branding = Kiss 98.7
| frequency = 98.7 MHz {{HD Radio}}
| airdate = {{Start date and age|1972|p=fy}}
{{Start date and age|2022|p=fy}} as HD Radio
| languages = English
| format = Urban contemporary
| subchannels = HD2: Urban adult contemporary
HD3: "Rejoice" Gospel Format"
| erp = 48,000 watts
| haat = {{convert|321.0|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class = C1
| facility_id = 3423
| coordinates = {{coord|31|1|59.00|N| 92|30|8.00|W|region:US-LA_type:landmark}}
| callsign_meaning = Station branded as "Star 98.7" from 1987 to 2006
| former_callsigns = KCWR (1972–1982)
KGBM-FM (1982–1984)
KICR-FM (1984–1997)
| owner = Cenla Broadcasting
| licensee = Cenla Broadcasting Licensing Company, LLC
| sister_stations = KDBS, KQID-FM, KRRV-FM, KSYL, KZMZ
| webcast = [https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KKST Listen Live]
[https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KKSTHD2 Listen Live (HD2)]
[https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cwa/index.cfm?stationCallSign=KKSTHD3 Listen Live (HD3)]
| website = [http://www.kiss987fm.com kiss987fm.com]
| affiliations = American Urban Radio Networks
Compass Media Networks
| licensing_authority = FCC
}}
KKST (98.7 FM, "Kiss 98.7") is an American radio station broadcasting an urban contemporary format. Licensed to Oakdale, Louisiana, United States, the station serves the Alexandria area. The station is currently owned by Cenla Broadcasting Licensing Company, LLC.{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=KKST |title=KKST Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }} and the signal covers Alexandria, Natchitoches and surrounding communities. Its studios are located on Texas Avenue in Alexandria, and its transmitter is located near Forest Hill, Louisiana.
History
On June 30, 1971, Cyril W. and C. Winsett Reddoch, owners of radio station KREH (900 AM), received a construction permit to build a new 1,500-watt radio station at 104.9 MHz in Oakdale.{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=71313 |title= History Cards for KKST|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards) The station signed on with an adult contemporary format the next year.{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1974/1974-BC-YB.pdf|access-date=July 18, 2020|date=1974|work=Broadcasting Yearbook|title=KREH|page=B-92 (288)}} The Reddochs continued to own KCWR and KREH until both were sold to George Mowad, a physician and the mayor of Oakdale, for $400,000 in 1981.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55633627/|access-date=July 18, 2020|date=June 19, 1981|title=Oakdale Radio Stations Bought by Mayor Mowad|page=D-2|work=Town Talk}} On October 16, 1982, Mowad carried out a format overhaul; at that time, KCWR flipped to country as KGBM-FM.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55633880/|access-date=July 18, 2020|date=September 29, 1982|work=The Oakdale Journal|title=Oakdale Broadcasting Announces New Format|page=1}} Two years later, both stations were sold to Strother Broadcasting Company of Louisiana for $350,000.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1984/BC-1984-02-06.pdf|access-date=July 18, 2020|date=February 6, 1984|work=Broadcasting|title=Changing Hands|page=163}} KREH and KGBM-FM became KICR-AM-FM after the sale.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55634023/|access-date=July 18, 2020|date=April 8, 1984|title=Radio station changes hands|page=D-2|work=The Town Talk}}
In 1988, the FCC approved a frequency change to 98.7 MHz and class increase for KICR-FM.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1988/BC-1988-10-17.pdf|title=For the Record|work=Broadcasting|date=October 17, 1988|page=81|access-date=July 18, 2020}} The upgrade would allow the FM station to enter the Alexandria radio market.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55634204/|page=1|work=The Oakdale Journal|title=KICR to upgrade power output|date=April 27, 1989|access-date=July 18, 2020}} At the same time, both stations were sold to Bob Holladay and his B & D Communications for nearly $500,000.{{Cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-11-03a.pdf|access-date=July 18, 2020|date=November 3, 1989|work=Radio & Records|page=12|title=Transactions}} When the FM frequency change took place on May 14, 1990, the country format that had been on FM moved to the AM frequency,{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55634307/|access-date=July 18, 2020|title=To All KICR Listeners|work=The Oakdale Journal|page=10|date=May 24, 1990}} while KICR-FM relaunched as adult contemporary "Magic 98".{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68072720/|access-date=January 19, 2021|date=May 15, 1990|work=The Town Talk|page=B-5|title=New radio station plays adult contemporary}} The move-in of KICR-FM to the Alexandria market also meant that all station operations relocated there, with studios established on Bayou Rapides Road.{{r|newr}} The Magic format moved to the 93.9 frequency (then KFAD, now KMXH) in 1993, with KICR-FM switching to country music as "Hot Country 98".{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68072861/|access-date=January 19, 2021|date=February 12, 1993|title='Magic 98' now 'Hot Country 98'|first=Sidney|last=Williams|page=C-5|work=The Town Talk}}
Champion Broadcasting Corporation acquired KICR-FM in 1995 for $1.8 million,{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1995/BC-1995-12-18.pdf|access-date=January 19, 2021|date=December 18, 1985|work=Broadcasting & Cable|page=70|title=Changing Hands}} marking the start of a cluster in the market. One of the stations Champion acquired a lease on in 1996 was KRRV-FM 100.3, also in the country music format. Its ratings were so high that Champion opted to drop the country format on its KICR-FM and flip it to adult contemporary as KKST "Star 98.7" on January 1, 1997.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68073301/|access-date=January 19, 2021|date=January 1, 1997|title=KICR switching to adult contemporary|first=Gary R.|last=Pinnell|work=The Town Talk|page=B-7}}
Rapid consolidation in the radio industry saw KKST and the other Champion Alexandria stations change hands multiple times in two years in the late 1990s. The entire company, with clusters in Alexandria, Midland, Texas and Amarillo, Texas, was acquired by Capstar Broadcasting Partners for $11.3 million in 1998.{{cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1998/RR-1998-03-27.pdf|access-date=January 19, 2021|date=March 27, 1998|work=Radio & Records|title=Transactions|page=8}} Capstar was then absorbed into Clear Channel Communications at the end of the decade. The station's effective radiated power was increased again in 2006 to its present 48,000 watts at 321 meters, on a shared tower with sister stations KRRV-FM and KZMZ.{{cite web|url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=3423&Callsign=KKST |title=KKST Call Sign History |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }}{{cite web|url=http://www.recnet.com/cdbs/fmq.php?facid=&call=kkst&ccode=1&arch=Y&latd=&lond=&city=&state=&country=US&zip=&party=&party_type=LICEN&jaws=0|title= KKST power increase history}}
In 2006, Clear Channel sold its entire Alexandria cluster to Cenla Broadcasting for more than $4 million, with Cenla immediately taking programming control via a local marketing agreement.{{cite news|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/12203/clear-channel-sells-alexandria-la-cluster|access-date=January 19, 2021|title=Clear Channel Sells Alexandria, LA Cluster|work=All Access|date=July 21, 2006}} Cenla had been programming KEDG (106.9 FM), owned by Flinn Broadcasting, as hip-hop "Kiss 106.9" and moved the Kiss format to KKST as a result of the sale.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68073702/|access-date=January 19, 2021|title=Area radio station changes format|first=Tom|last=Bonnette|work=The Town Talk|date=August 10, 2006|page=B6}} (The Star moniker and format were later revived by KEDG.)
In 2022, Kiss 98.7 converted to HD Radio
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://cenlabroadcasting.com/ Cenla Broadcasting Website]
- {{FCC-LMS-Facility|3423|KKST}}
- {{FMARB|KKST}}
{{Alexandria Radio}}
{{Urban Radio Stations in Louisiana}}
{{KISS-FM radio stations}}
Category:Radio stations in Louisiana
Category:Urban contemporary radio stations in the United States
Category:Radio stations established in 1972
Category:Mass media in Alexandria, Louisiana