KPEL-FM
{{short description|Radio station in Breaux Bridge–Lafayette, Louisiana}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = KPEL-FM
| logo =
| city = Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
| area = Lafayette metropolitan area
| branding =
| frequency = 96.5 MHz
| airdate = {{Start date and age|1992|11|15|p=fy}} (as KFTE)
| erp = 42,000 watts
| haat = 163 meters
| class = C2
| facility_id = 59288
| coordinates =
| callsign_meaning = PELican State
| former_callsigns = KFTE (1992–2010)
| network = Fox News Radio
| affiliations = Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Premiere Networks
Westwood One
| owner = Townsquare Media
| licensee = Townsquare Media of Lafayette, LLC
| sister_stations = KFTE, KHXT, KMDL, KPEL, KROF, KTDY
| webcast = [https://kpel965.com/listen-live/ Listen Live]
| website = [https://www.kpel965.com kpel965.com]
| licensing_authority= FCC
}}
KPEL-FM (96.5 FM) is a commercial broadcast radio station licensed to Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. Owned by Townsquare Media, it serves the Lafayette metropolitan area with a news/talk format.{{cite web|work=Arbitron |url=http://www.arbitron.com/ |title=Station Information Profile |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301134627/http://www.arbitron.com/ |archivedate=2010-03-01 }} Its studios are located on Bertrand Road in Lafayette, and its transmitter is located in Abbeville, Louisiana.
Founded in 1992 with call sign KFTE, the station originally had music formats, including alternative rock from 1997 to 2010. The station changed to its present call sign KPEL-FM and news/talk format in 2010.
History
=As KFTE (1992–2010)=
A construction permit was first issued for station KFTE on 96.5 MHz on April 19, 1991.{{cite web|url=https://fccdata.org/?lang=en&facid=59288|title=KPEL-FM|publisher=FCC Data|access-date=February 16, 2025}} JBC Inc. (doing business as ComCorp of Lafayette License Corporation) founded KFTE.{{cite web|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/fmDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=cae5f8053166448fb70ac1b6063ebeb7&id=cae5f8053166448fb70ac1b6063ebeb7&goBack=N|title= New FM Full Power Construction Permit Application|publisher=FCC|date=March 13, 1987|access-date=February 18, 2025}} On November 15, 1992, KFTE first signed on the air with an easy listening format.{{cite book|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1994/B-All-Radio-BC-YB-1994-B&W.pdf|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1994|page=B-157|year=1994|publisher=Broadcasting Publications|access-date=February 16, 2025|via=World Radio History}}
In July 1993, Mid-Acadiana Broadcasting Corporation purchased KFTE for $517,750 plus debt cancellation from ComCorp.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1993/RR-1993-08-06.pdf|title=CBS And Cox Swap Dallas, Tampa FMs In $25 Million Double Duopoly Deal|work=Radio & Records|page=9|date=August 6, 1993|issue=1004|access-date=February 16, 2025|via=World Radio History}}
Beer wholesale company Schilling Distributing Company purchased KFTE and KMDL for a combined $1.55 million in 1994.{{cite book|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1995/B-Radio-All-YB-1995.pdf|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1995|publisher=Broadcasting Publications|year=1995|page=B-173|access-date=February 16, 2025|via=World Radio History}}{{cite news|url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AMNEWS&req_dat=0D10F2CADB4B24C0&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0EB4778E8ABADE4A|title= Lafayette firm buys 2 Breaux Bridge stations|work=The Advocate|place=Baton Rouge|date=May 3, 1994|page=1-C|access-date=February 16, 2025|via=NewsLibrary}} In 1996, Schilling changed the format of KFTE from easy listening to 1970s oldies, with the brand "Cool 96".{{cite book|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1996/B-Radio_All-BC-YB-1996.pdf|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1996|year=1996|page=B-178|access-date=February 16, 2025|via=World Radio History}}
ComCorp bought back KFTE, along with KMDL, from Schilling for a total price of nearly $4.5 million in 1996.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1996/R&R-1996-11-08.pdf|title=Emmis Now A Potent Arch Rival|page=8|work=Radio & Records|date=November 8, 1996|issue=1171|access-date=February 16, 2025|via=World Radio History}} On January 22, 1997, ComCorp reformatted KFTE to alternative rock, with the brand "Planet Radio 96.5".{{cite book|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1998/D-Radio-All-BC-YB-1998.pdf|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1998|page=D-188|publisher=Broadcasting Publications|year=1998|access-date=February 16, 2025|via=World Radio History}}{{cite web|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000518232458/http://www.metronet.com/~chipk/fm/LFT.html|archive-date=May 18, 2000|url=http://www.metronet.com/~chipk/fm/LFT.html|title=Lafayette, LA FM Radio Directory|publisher=100,000 Watts|access-date=February 16, 2025|url-status=dead}}
On August 29, 2001, Regent Communications (later Townsquare Media beginning in 2010) reached an agreement to buy KFTE and six other radio stations for over $39 million from ComCorp.{{cite news|url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AMNEWS&req_dat=0D10F2CADB4B24C0&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0F1408EE42006EE3|title=Money briefs|work=The Times-Picayune|date=August 30, 2001|access-date=February 16, 2025|page=6|via=NewsLibrary}}
=As KPEL (2010–present)=
On June 25, 2010, KFTE switched call signs and formats with 105.1 KPEL-FM, taking on KPEL's news/talk format.{{cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/netgnomes/9306/bunch-of-changes-in-lafayette-la/|title=Bunch of changes in Lafayette, LA|last=Venta|first=Lance|work=Radio Insight|date=June 25, 2010|access-date=February 16, 2025}}
Programming
On weekdays, KPEL-FM has a morning news show and local talk shows in the afternoon drive hours, along with syndicated programs including The Moon Griffon Show, The Dan Bongino Show, and The Mark Levin Show, along with hourly updates from Fox News Radio.{{cite web|url=https://kpel965.com/shows/monday/|title=On Air (Monday)|publisher=KPEL-FM|access-date=February 16, 2025}}
The station also broadcasts most Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball and baseball games.{{cite web|url=https://ragincajuns.com/sports/baseball/schedule/2024|title=2024 Baseball Schedule|publisher=University of Louisiana at Lafayette|access-date=February 16, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://ragincajuns.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/2023-24|title=2023-24 Men's Basketball Schedule|publisher=University of Louisiana at Lafayette|access-date=February 16, 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.kpel965.com KPEL-FM official website]
{{FM station data|59288|KPEL-FM}}
{{Lafayette Radio}}
{{News/Talk Radio Stations in Louisiana}}
{{Regent Communications}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kpel-Fm}}
Category:Radio stations in Louisiana
Category:News and talk radio stations in the United States
Category:Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
Category:Townsquare Media radio stations