KRQN
{{Short description|Radio station in Vinton, Iowa}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = KRQN
| logo = Cedar-Rapids-The-Rooster-KRQN-El-Gallo-107.1-FM.png
| city = Vinton, Iowa
| area = Cedar Rapids metropolitan area
| branding = El Gallo 107.1
| frequency = 107.1 MHz
| airdate = {{start date|2005}} (as KROJ)
| format = Regional Mexican
| erp = 4,700 watts
| haat = {{convert|113|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class = A
| facility_id = 89113
| coordinates = {{coord|42|8|56|N|91|52|50|W|region:US-IA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns = KROJ (2002–2006)
| affiliations =
| owner = George S. Flinn, Jr.
| operator = Gorilla Broadcasting Company
| licensee =
| sister_stations =
| webcast = {{listenlive|https://elgallo1071.com}}
| website = [https://elgallo1071.com elgallo1071.com]
| licensing_authority= FCC
}}
KRQN (107.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format.{{cite web|url=http://www.arbitron.com |date=Spring 2010 |title=Station Information Profile |publisher=Arbitron |access-date=September 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301134627/http://www.arbitron.com/ |archive-date=March 1, 2010 }} Licensed to Vinton, Iowa, United States, the station serves the Cedar Rapids area. The station is owned by George S. Flinn, Jr.,{{cite web |url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=KRQN |title=KRQN Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division |access-date=September 3, 2010}} and is programmed by Gorilla Broadcasting Company. KRQN's transmitter is located east of Vinton near Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area.
History
In June 2005, the station signed on the air under the KROJ call letters and airing a classic country format. Since its sign on, Flinn Broadcasting of Memphis has owned the station, but has outsourced programming operations to other owners via local marketing agreements.Dave Rasdal, "Vinton radio station a bittersweet listen for E. Iowan," The Cedar Rapids Gazette, July 4, 2005. The station would later flip to oldies under the KRQN call letters, and would shift to classic hits. On September 9, 2011, at 1:07 p.m., after stunting with clips of top 40 music and liners promoting that "the clock is ticking" and to "lock in a preset" and listen at said time, along with bell tolling sounds and people saying "I", KRQN flipped to Top 40/CHR as i107.1, launching with Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO. With this move, KRQN took on the market's more established Top 40/CHR, KZIA, and later, KOSY-FM upon that station's debut in August 2014.
On August 30, 2013, a deal was announced in which Townsquare Media would acquire 53 Cumulus Media stations, including the local marketing agreement for KRQN, for $238 million. The deal was part of Cumulus' acquisition of Dial Global; Townsquare and Dial Global were both controlled by Oaktree Capital Management.{{cite news|title=Official: Cumulus Buys Dial Global, Spins Some Stations To Townsquare; Peak Stations Sold To Townsquare, Fresno Spun To Cumulus|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/121835/official-cumulus-buys-dial-global-spins-some-stati|access-date=August 30, 2013|newspaper=All Access|date=August 30, 2013}}{{cite news|title=Cumulus Makes Dial Global And Townsquare Deals Official|url=https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/84851/are-these-the-markets-in-the-cumulustownsquaredial-global-deal/|access-date=August 30, 2013|newspaper=RadioInsight|date=August 30, 2013}} The sale to Townsquare was completed on November 14, 2013.{{cite news|title=Cumulus-Townsquare-Peak Deal Closes|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/124346/cumulus-townsquare-peak-deal-closes|access-date=November 16, 2013|newspaper=All Access|date=November 15, 2013}}
On May 1, 2021, KRQN dropped its top 40/CHR format and flipped to conservative talk, supplied by USA Radio Networks, as a result of its LMA with Townsquare Media ending.[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/207964/townsquare-media-ends-lma-of-krqn/ Townsquare Media Ends LMA Of KRQN] Radioinsight - May 10, 2021
On November 18, 2022, KRQN flipped to Regional Mexican, branded as "El Gallo 107.1". The change came after Gorilla Broadcasting Company (controlled by Steven Lara) began programming the station; Gorilla's other stations (WNMB in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and a local marketing agreement with WLEL in Ellaville, Georgia) also utilize this format and branding.{{Cite web |title=El Gallo Wakes Up Cedar Rapids |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/245316/el-gallo-wakes-up-cedar-rapids/ |access-date=November 18, 2022 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{FM station data|89113|KRQN}}
- [https://radiomixer.net/en/usa/usa-radio KRQN on RadioMixer]
{{Cedar Rapids Radio}}
{{Spanish Radio Stations in Iowa}}
Category:Regional Mexican radio stations in the United States
Category:Radio stations established in 2005
Category:2005 establishments in Iowa
Category:Spanish-language radio stations in the United States
Category:Non-English-language mass media in Iowa
{{Iowa-radio-station-stub}}