 | |
| Broadcast area | Fillmore County, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1060kHz |
| Branding | 103.1 KFIL |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Classic country |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KFIL-FM,KDOC-FM,KDCZ,KFNL-FM,KOLM,KROC,KROC-FM,KWWK,KYBA | |
| History | |
First air date | June 1966 (1966-06) |
Call sign meaning | Fillmore County |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 34429 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 1,000watts day |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°40′49″N92°08′31″W / 43.68028°N 92.14194°W /43.68028; -92.14194 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kfilradio.com |
KFIL (1060kHz) is an American commercialAMradio stationlicensed to servePreston, Minnesota. The station is licensed to broadcast only duringdaylight hours. Established in 1966 by O.B. Borgen, KFIL is currently owned byTownsquare Media and thebroadcast license is held by Townsquare License, LLC.
KFIL broadcasts acountry musicformat in conjunction with itssister station,KFIL-FM (103.1). The station is a "daytimer", licensed to broadcast from local sunrise to local sunset, to avoid interfering withclear-channel stationsKYW inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, andXECPAE inMexico City. Under a "pre-sunrise authority" granted by the FCC in 2007, the station begins its broadcast day at 6:00 a.m. year-round. KFIL servesFillmore County and the greaterRochester, Minnesota, area.[2][3]
As afull service station, non-music programming includesCNN Radio,agriculture news, market reports, and specialized weather reports.[4] KFIL is an affiliate of theLinder Farm Network.[5] KFIL also broadcasts atradio program called "Swap Shop" and a community calendar bulletin each weekday.
Weekend programming includes five hours of local church services and other Christian programming on Sunday mornings.[4] Sports programming on KFIL includes localhigh school football,high school basketball, high school baseball, and high school softball during the season,KFIL Sports Round-up with sports director Devon Krueger each weekday, andCoaches Corner on Saturday mornings from August through April.[6]
This station received its originalconstruction permit on May 21, 1966. It began regular broadcast operations in June 1966, with 500watts of power.[7] The station was assigned thecall sign "KFIL" by theFederal Communications Commission (FCC).[8] The station was originally licensed to serve thecommunity ofPreston, Minnesota.[7]
The station was originally owned and operated by KFIL, Inc., with Obed Samuel "O.B." Borgen as president of the corporation.[7][9] In October 1991, ownership of KFIL, Inc., was transferred to sons Michael S. Borgen and Jeffrey T. Borgen.[9][10] The station stayed in the Borgen family's control for more than 37 years.[11] Obed Borgen died in July 1999.[9]
In December 2003, Michael S. Borgen and Jeffrey T. Borgen sold KFIL, Inc., toCumulus Media through its Cumulus Broadcasting, LLC, subsidiary.[11][3] The published combined sale price of KFIL,KFIL-FM, andKVGO (through KVGO, Inc.)[3] was $3,000,000.[12] The deal gained FCC approval on February 5, 2004, and the transaction was consummated on March 30, 2004. Thebroadcast license for KFIL was formally transferred from KFIL, Inc., to Cumulus Licensing, LLC, on December 31, 2004.[13]
Longtime KFIL/KFIL-FM air personality Mike Sveen retired from broadcasting in 2007. The former announcer, sports reporter, andPreston, Minnesota, city council member had worked at KFIL/KFIL-FM for more than 25 years.[14]
On August 30, 2013, a deal was announced in whichTownsquare Media would acquire 53 Cumulus stations, including KFIL, for $238 million. The deal was part of Cumulus' acquisition ofDial Global; Townsquare and Dial Global were both controlled byOaktree Capital Management.[15][16] The sale to Townsquare was completed on November 14, 2013.[17]Townsquare had planned on selling the station to Bluff Country Community Radio LLC in April 2024, for $100,000, however withdrew the application to transfer the station. KFIL would've become non-commercial.[18]Townsquare had already closed KFIL's studios in Preston.KFIL-FM was not part of the sale.[19]
In 1966 he established KFIL in Preston, MN. [...] Survived by his sons, Greg Borgen, Dellwood, MN, Mike and Jeff Borgen, both of Rochester, MN;