KVPC

On May 31, 1967, John W. Larson, a rancher from Kiron, Iowa, with no prior radio experience,{{r|Rapi710411}} filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to build a new FM radio station in Rapid City.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104960855/fm-stations-are-approved/|date=June 16, 1967|page=14|agency=Associated Press|title=FM Stations Are Approved|newspaper=Argus-Leader|location=Sioux Falls, South Dakota|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 4, 2022}} A construction permit was issued on December 7 of that year,{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=78409 |title= History Cards for KVPC|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards) and KVSR, Rapid City's "Voice of Sacred Radio", made its debut on November 7, 1968, as the only FM outlet in Rapid City, offering sacred and classical music as well as news and Bible features.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104960987/rapid-citys-fm-station-taking-to-air-th/|date=November 6, 1968|page=36|title=Rapid City's FM Station Taking To Air Thursday|newspaper=Rapid City Journal|location=Rapid City, South Dakota|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 4, 2022}} Studios were co-located with the tower on Skyline Drive, a ridge offering good coverage of the area.{{r|Rapi710411}} Six months after signing on, Larson leased the station to Don Swanson, another Iowan who had started KTFC, a similar station in Sioux City, Iowa.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104961486/radio-station-offers-gospel-music-drama/|date=April 11, 1971|page=3|first=Kay|last=Taylor|title=Radio station offers gospel music, drama, tips, poetry, weather|newspaper=Rapid City Journal|location=Rapid City, South Dakota|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 4, 2022}} Larson sold KVSR outright to Swanson in 1973, a deal that received FCC approval the next year.{{r|hc}} The broadcast day gradually extended until 24-hour programming began in 1985.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104962266/gospel-radio-station-now-on-air-24-hours/|date=January 5, 1985|page=22|title=Gospel radio station now on air 24 hours a day|newspaper=Rapid City Journal|location=Rapid City, South Dakota|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 4, 2022}}

Swanson sold KVSR after 23 years of involvement to Fischer Broadcasting Partners, owned by a husband and wife, in 1992.{{Cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1992/BC-1992-06-22.pdf|date=June 22, 1992|work=Broadcasting|title=For the Record|page=62}} Fischer changed the call letters to KLMP. Four years later, Fischer sold the station to Bethesda Christian Broadcasting, owner of Christian station KSLT in Spearfish; upon the new owners taking control, they temporarily pulled programming and played versions of the hymn "Amazing Grace".{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104962638/how-sweet-the-sound-radio-station-to-pl/|date=July 3, 1996|page=A1|first=Dan|last=Daly|title=How sweet the sound: Radio station to play only 'Amazing Grace'|newspaper=Rapid City Journal|location=Rapid City, South Dakota|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 4, 2022}} KSLT would move its studios from Spearfish to Rapid City in 1998, joining its sister station; KLMP also moved its transmitter to its present Terry Peak site, improving coverage.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104963012/christian-station-kslt-moving-to-rapid-c/|date=June 18, 1998|page=B2|first=Dan|last=Daly|title=Christian station KSLT moving to Rapid City|newspaper=Rapid City Journal|location=Rapid City, South Dakota|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 4, 2022}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104962804/kslt-celebrates-20th-anniversary/|date=February 14, 2004|page=D3|title=KSLT celebrates 20th anniversary|newspaper=Rapid City Journal|location=Rapid City, South Dakota|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 4, 2022}}

Bethesda expanded to a third station, this time in the noncommercial reserved band, when KTPT (88.3 FM) debuted in February 2005 as a Christian contemporary hit radio station known as "The Point".{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104962919/forest-service-to-build-new-lab/|date=February 24, 2005|page=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104962902/daly-home-depot/ B7]|title=Forest Service to build new lab|newspaper=Rapid City Journal|location=Rapid City, South Dakota|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 4, 2022}} On April 28, 2007, Bethesda switched KLMP to 88.3 and KTPT to 97.9; a booster was also added to improve coverage in Rapid City proper.{{cite news|url=https://www.northpine.com/broadcast/archive/news0407.html|title=Broadcasting News|date=April 3, 2007|first=Jon|last=Ellis|work=Northpine}}

On January 4, 2016, KTPT flipped to contemporary worship music and re-branded itself as "97.9 The Breeze", in response to the rising popularity of worship music and the failure of The Point to catch on with its target audience of people 18–34.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104963262/radio-host-helps-listeners-walk-with-th/|date=January 30, 2016|page=C4, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104963299/ C5]|first=Dana|last=Slagle|title=Radio host helps listeners 'walk with the Lord'|newspaper=Rapid City Journal|location=Rapid City, South Dakota|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 4, 2022}}

Bethesda began to exit broadcasting in 2021 when it announced the sale of KLMP and KSLT, as well as two high-power repeaters of KSLT and two translators, to Northwestern Media for $249,000.{{cite news|url=https://www.northpine.com/blog/2021/10/29/bethesda-sells-2-of-its-3-rapid-city-stations-to-northwestern/|title=Bethesda Sells 2 of its 3 Rapid City Stations to Northwestern|date=October 29, 2021|first=Jon|last=Ellis|work=Northpine}} When Northwestern closed on that purchase in February 2022, Bethesda announced it would sell KTPT.{{cite news|url=https://www.northpine.com/blog/2022/02/03/northwestern-closes-on-two-rapid-city-stations-third-to-be-sold/|title=Northwestern Closes Purchase of Two Rapid City Stations, Third to be Sold|date=February 3, 2022|first=Jon|last=Ellis|work=Northpine}} In an announcement, Bethesda noted, "It was a difficult decision that was ultimately out of our control. But we know we serve a God who is never taken off guard."{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207113142/http://www.979thebreeze.com/breeze/index.php/2-uncategorised/147-big-change-coming-to-our-ministry|url=https://www.979thebreeze.com/breeze/index.php/2-uncategorised/147-big-change-coming-to-our-ministry|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 7, 2022|date=February 3, 2022|first=Tom|last=Schoenstedt|title=Big change coming to our ministry|website=979thebreeze.com}} On April 14, 2022, an equipment failure took KTPT off the air.{{cite web|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/fmDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=04fbe88974ac4472af2cc1b6063ebeb7&id=04fbe88974ac4472af2cc1b6063ebeb7&goBack=N|publisher=FCC Licensing and Management System|title=Suspension of Operations of a Full Power FM Station Application (BLSTA-20220419AAA)|date=April 19, 2022|access-date=July 4, 2022}}

Bethesda filed with the FCC on November 9, 2022, to sell KTPT to VCY America for $275,000.{{cite web|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/assignmentDraftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff383ce465f0183ecb6e3851265&id=25076ff383ce465f0183ecb6e3851265&goBack=N|title=#203356 Assignment|website=Licensing and Management System|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=November 9, 2022|access-date=November 9, 2022}} The sale was consummated on February 14, 2023, with the call sign changing simultaneously to KVPC.

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{{FM station data|21637|KVPC}}

{{Rapid City Radio}}

{{Religious Radio Stations in South Dakota}}

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VPC

Category:Radio stations established in 1969

Category:1969 establishments in South Dakota

Category:VCY America stations

Category:Christian radio stations in South Dakota