 | |
| Broadcast area | Kalispell, Montana Whitefish, Montana |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 600kHz |
| Branding | KGEZ 600 AM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Full service |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | 1927 |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 60575 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 5,000watts (day) 1,000 watts (night) |
Transmitter coordinates | 48°9′40″N114°16′51″W / 48.16111°N 114.28083°W /48.16111; -114.28083 |
| Translator(s) | 96.5 K243CM (Kalispell) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kgez.com |
KGEZ (600AM) is an Americanbroadcastradio station licensed toKalispell, Montana and servingthe Flathead region of western Montana. KGEZ is owned and operated by John Hendricks, President and GM of Flathead Valley Wireless Association, LLC. The KGEZ frequency is600 kHz, a regional broadcast frequency.[2]
KGEZ is Montana's second–oldest station, and the oldest in the Flathead. It firstsigned on in 1927.[3] The station was assigned these call letters by theFederal Communications Commission.[4] Currently, the station airs afull service format consisting of almost entirely locally originated programming, a rarity for stations in a market this small.
From 2000 to 2009, it was owned by conservative activist John Stokes, and aired aNews/Talk format under the moniker "Z-600, The Edge."[5] Its flagship program was aconservative-oriented talk show hosted by Stokes.
On September 24, 2009; KGEZ wentsilent after being seized by theUnited States Bankruptcy Court for Montana. In the spring of 2008, John Stokes was sued by Todd and Davar Gardner, who claimed Stokes hadslandered them on his show in 2007. Stokes lost, and faced having to pay $3.8 million in damages, an amount that he claimed would have forced him out of business. To avoid paying, he filed forChapter 11 bankruptcy. In April 2009, theOffice of the U.S. Trustee asked that the filing be converted to aChapter 7, claiming that Stokes hadn't disclosed all of his assets and debts. Stokes responded with a request to withdraw the filing. On September 21, 2009 bankruptcy judgeRalph Kirscher issued an order denying Stokes' request and granting the government's request to switch to a Chapter 7.[6][7]
In his ruling, Kirscher said Stokes had failed to disclose "literally millions of dollars" in assets and had not paid taxes in several years. Stokes was in the midst of his show when federal marshals andFlathead County sheriff's deputies arrived to seize the station; he simply thanked his listeners and signed off. Stokes himself said he'd been losing $40,000 per month operating the station.[8]
In July 2010, a local bankruptcy judge awarded a partial settlement to the Gardners in which they acquired KGEZ's assets (license, broadcasting facilities, and studio property) for $875,000 in cash. That sum is part of deal reducing the amount the Gardners were owed by Stokes to $1.5 million.[7]
In October 2010, John Stokes filed an appeal, challenging the settlement that transferred KGEZ's assets to Todd and Davar Gardner in July. The appeal, filed in U.S. District Court, states that the bankruptcy court erred when it approved the settlement.
The Gardners filed a "Resumption of Operations" notice with the FCC on September 8, 2010 via licensee Flathead Broadcasting, LLC.
Shortly after the Gardners took over ownership of the station, John Hendricks took charge of KGEZ's programming and operations under alocal marketing agreement. He recruited longtime Flathead Valley broadcaster George Ostrom for on-air commentary. It returned to the air in late January 2011 with a marathon of 1950s’ and 1960s’rock hits. Regular programming resumed on February 8, 2011. Originally airingoldies, Hendricks gradually expanded the station into a community-orientedfull service station.[3] The Gardners have since sold the station to Hendricks, who formed the Flathead Valley Wireless Association to run it.
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K243CM | 96.5 FM | Kalispell, Montana | 138703 | 250 | 0 m (0 ft) | D | 48°10′33.9″N114°21′0.2″W / 48.176083°N 114.350056°W /48.176083; -114.350056 | LMS |