KXRK

{{Infobox radio station

| name = KXRK

| logo = KXRK_X96.png

| logo_size = 200px

| city = Provo, Utah

| area = Salt Lake City metropolitan area

| branding = X96

| frequency = 96.3 MHz {{HD Radio}}

| translators =

| repeaters = {{Radio Relay|96.3|KXRK-FM1|Park City}}

| airdate = {{start date|1968|2|14}} (as KFMC at 96.1)

| format = Alternative rock

| subchannels = {{ubl|HD2: X96 Classic HD2 (classic alternative)|HD3: KALL (sports)}}

| erp = 22,000 watts

| haat = {{convert|1243|m|ft|sp=us}}

| class = C

| facility_id = 406

| licensing_authority = FCC

| coordinates = {{Coord|40|39|34.8|N|112|12|7.8|W|type:landmark_region:US-UT_source:FCC|display=inline,title}}

| callsign_meaning = "X Rock"

| former_callsigns = {{ubl|KFMC (1968–1976)|KAYK-FM (1976–1981)|KFMY (1981–1986)|KFMY-FM (1986–1988)|KZOL (1988–1992)}}

| former_frequencies = 96.1 MHz (1968–1996)

| owner = Broadway Media

| licensee = Broadway Media LS, LLC

| sister_stations = KUUU, KNAH, KUDD, KYMV, KALL, KOVO

| webcast = {{ubl|[https://listen.streamon.fm/kxrk/ Listen Live]|[https://listen.streamon.fm/kxrkhd2 Listen Live (HD2)]}}

| website = {{URL|x96.com}}

}}

KXRK (96.3 FM, branded as X96) is a commercial radio station located in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, broadcasting an alternative rock music format to the Provo, Ogden, and Salt Lake City metropolitan areas. Owned by Broadway Media, the station's studios are located in Downtown Salt Lake City and its transmitter site is located southwest of the city on Farnsworth Peak in the Oquirrh Mountains.

History

=KFMC (1966–1976)=

KOVO, Inc., received the construction permit for a radio station on 96.1 MHz in Provo on May 9, 1966. The new FM outlet took the call letters KFMC and signed on February 14, 1968.{{cite web|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1970/1970-BC-YB.pdf|page=B-206 (406)|work=1970 Broadcasting Yearbook|date=1970|title=KFMC(FM)|access-date=December 22, 2019}} KOVO and KFMC were placed in receivership in 1973,{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=71726 |title= History Cards for KXRK|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards) after Glenn C. Shaw sued co-owner Ashley J. Robison asking for a financial accounting of KOVO, Inc.'s operations; when the case could not be settled, the stations were ordered into receivership and bids were accepted to buy the company. Both owners placed bids, but they were beaten out by First Media Corporation of Washington, D.C., whose principal was a former Utah resident{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40939145/|title=Washington-Based Firm Will Get KOVO Station|work=Daily Herald|page=2|date=February 22, 1974|access-date=December 22, 2019}} and which also had J.W. Marriott Jr. as an investor.{{r|changes}} However, First Media did not become the owner of KOVO-KFMC until 1976 because the other parties appealed the district court's decision all the way to the Utah Supreme Court.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40939508/|title=Licensee Changes At KOVO|access-date=December 22, 2019|date=March 7, 1976|work=Daily Herald|page=43}}

=Adult contemporary (1976–1981)=

First Media immediately made a mark on the operations of both stations, changing the call letters of KFMC to KAYK-FM on June 1, 1976. KAYK-AM-FM simulcasted as adult contemporary outlet "K-96".{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40939805/|work=Daily Herald|page=TV16|title=Provo's First Radio Station Plans Major Changes|access-date=December 22, 2019|date=May 17, 1976|first=Dan|last=Croft}}

The stations remained a simulcast until 1980, when 960 AM broke off as KDOT.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40939944/|date=September 29, 1980|page=TV10|work=Daily Herald|title=K-96 Changes AM|access-date=December 22, 2019}}

= Top 40 (1981–1988) =

The call letters were changed to KFMY in 1981 and the station moved in a contemporary hit radio direction.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40940082/|title=1983. On the airwaves,...|page=E5|work=Salt Lake Tribune|date=January 1, 1984|access-date=December 22, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.deseret.com/2006/11/27/19987242/glenn-beck-not-household-name-151-yet|work=Deseret News|date=November 27, 2006|first=Lynn|last=Arave|title=Glenn Beck not household name — yet|access-date=December 22, 2019}}

In 1987, First Media announced it would sell its 11 radio stations, including KFMY-AM-FM, to a partnership of Cook Inlet Region, Inc., a company principally owned by Alaskan Eskimos, and Whitcom Partners, a group of New York investors led by the Whitney family; this gave First Media a tax break under policies that promoted minority ownership of radio stations.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1987/RR-1987-07-17.pdf|work=Radio & Records|page=1|title=Radio Deals Go Through Roof|access-date=December 22, 2019|date=July 17, 1987}}

=Oldies (1988–1992)=

Under Cook Inlet, KFMY-FM flipped to oldies in 1988 as KZOL.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40940613/|first=Peter|last=Avlon|work=Signpost|title=KWCR dials in album-oriented rock format|date=October 17, 1988|pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40940649/ 2]|access-date=December 22, 2019}} The Great Stock Company of Vast International Import acquired KFMY-KZOL in 1990 from Cook Inlet for $972,000.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1990/RR-1990-02-09.pdf|work=Radio & Records|date=February 9, 1990|page=10|title=Transactions|access-date=December 22, 2019}}

=Alternative (1992–present)=

The slumping KZOL, however, went through a major change in 1992, precipitated as much by events at another Salt Lake City-area station as by its own poor performance. In late 1991, 23 of the 25 disc jockeys at alternative outlet KJQN-FM (95.5), known as "KJQ", quit after the station hired a new general manager, making them question the ownership's commitment to its "modern music" format.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1992/RR-1992-06-12.pdf|date=June 12, 1992|access-date=December 22, 2019|title=Chaos In Salt Lake City|page=74|first=Shawn|last=Alexander|work=Radio & Records}} The result was that on February 13, 1992, with the financial backing of concert promoter J. C. McNeil, many of the former KJQ airstaff, organizing as the Acme Broadcasting Company, started a new alternative rocker on the former KZOL as KXRK "X96".{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40875149/|title=Radio-Station Staffers Find New Home After Saying No to 'Fat, Corporate Rock'|access-date=December 20, 2019|date=February 13, 1992|work=Salt Lake Tribune|page=B9|first=Lori|last=Buttars}} The Great Stock Company said that because of KZOL's unsatisfactory ratings performance as an adult contemporary outlet, it was willing to entertain brokering the station to Acme, which retained KZOL's sales and office staff but none of its air personalities.{{r|fat}}

The result was an unusual{{r|chaos}} format war between "new rock outlets" which ended when KJQN-FM flipped to CHR in October.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40875225/|access-date=December 20, 2019|date=October 9, 1992|work=Salt Lake Tribune|title=Airwaves|page=C4}} Ex-KJQ DJs on the new X96 included Bill Allred (mornings), Dom Casual (mornings), Andrea Gappmayer (mid-day), Mike Summers (afternoon), Todd Nuke'em (evening) and Chet Tapp (overnight).{{cite news |title=Airwaves |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40941890/ |date=February 14, 1992 |work=Salt Lake Tribune |page=D7 | access-date=December 22, 2019}} Acme acquired the station from Great Stock in 1993 for $925,000; the application included a copy of a lawsuit filed by the former KJQN-FM, alleging that its former employees took equipment, including a live truck known as the "Milk Beast", when they defected, and that the ex-KJQ staffers used KJQN-owned trademarks and made defamatory remarks about their former station.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1993/RR-1993-07-30.pdf|work=Radio & Records|date=July 30, 1993|title=Transactions|page=8|access-date=December 22, 2019}}

Since fall 1995, X96 has hosted an annual all-day music festival called the Big Ass Show (BASh) featuring nationally touring alternative and punk bands, as well as providing a stage for local bands. In 1996, X96 underwent a major technical overhaul, moving to 96.3 MHz{{cite news|title=Change is the Name of the Game on Radio |first=Lynn |last=Arave |work=Deseret News |date=September 20, 1996 |url=https://www.deseret.com/1996/9/20/19266910/change-is-the-name-of-the-game-on-radio |access-date=December 22, 2019}} from a transmitter on Farnsworth Peak, increasing its coverage area (particularly in Utah County).

In April 1998, Acme sold KXRK to Simmons Media Group.{{cite news|title=Chain Will Buy Independent Radio Station X-96|first=Lori|last=Buttars|page=B7|date=January 30, 1998|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40943022/|access-date=December 22, 2019|work=Salt Lake Tribune}} Simmons moved X96 to studios located on the corner of Broadway and 2nd West in Salt Lake City. In its 2006 summer double issue, Rolling Stone named KXRK one of five "awesome rock outlets" that were thriving in their markets despite a recent contraction in rock radio stations across the United States.{{cite news |last=Serpick |first=Evan |title=Rock Radio's Last Stand |journal=Rolling Stone |volume=1 |issue=1004 and 1005 |year=2006 |page=20}}

In 2014, Broadway Media acquired Simmons Media Group for $11 million after having taken over operations the previous year.{{cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/87382/broadway-media-acquires-simmons-salt-lake-city/|work=RadioInsight|date=January 13, 2014|first=Lance|last=Venta|title=Broadway Media Acquires Simmons Salt Lake City|access-date=December 22, 2019}} Broadway moved X96 and its sister stations to new studios on 50 W. Broadway (300 S.) in downtown Salt Lake City; the company currently houses seven stations at this location.