 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Kansas City metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 98.9MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 98.9 The Rock! |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Mainstream rock |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | 1962; 63 years ago (1962) |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | "Rock" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 74101 |
| Class | C0 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 335 meters (1,099 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 39°01′19″N94°30′50″W / 39.022°N 94.514°W /39.022; -94.514 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (via Audacy) |
| Website | www |
KQRC-FM (98.9MHz, "98-9 The Rock") is a radio station licensed toLeavenworth, Kansas and serving theKansas City metropolitan area. Its studios are located inMission, Kansas, and its transmitter site is in South Kansas City. The station is owned byAudacy, Inc.
The 98.9MHz frequency shuffled betweenformats when it first went on the air in 1962. Licensed toLeavenworth, the station began as KCLO-FM, a religious-MOR outlet simulcasting with its AM sister station on 1410.
In 1979, it became acountry station as KTRO.
Mark and Connie Wodlinger, the former owners ofTop 40 outletKBEQ-FM, bought KTRO in late 1982. In December of that year, KTRO began targeting the larger Kansas City market by flipping to a Top 40 format as "ZZ 99", KZZC.[2] KZZC competed heavily against KBEQ by emphasizing on newer music in comparison to KBEQ's oldies lean. The station also was home to Kansas City legendary DJ Randy Miller in morning drive. During this time, the station's transmitter was relocated to a site nearBasehor inWyandotte County to improve coverage. On August 25, 1986, due to financial trouble, the station flipped to a syndicatedoldies outlet as "98.9 Gold" with the KZZC call letters still in place.[3][4] In August 1987, the station's transmitter moved again, this time to theKCTV Tower.
On September 24, 1987, at noon, "98.9 The Wave" debuted with anew age (a precursor to thesmooth jazz format) andeasy listening format, competing with a multitude of AC stations. The call letters were also changed to KCWV.[5][6] In May 1989, Wodlinger Broadcasting sold the station toJournal Broadcast Group for $6 million.[7][8]
On October 27, 1989, at 5:37 p.m., the station flipped tosoft rock as KRVK, "98.9 The River".[9][10] The station was largely automated with very low-key on-air personalities.
On April 3, 1992, at 5 p.m., after playing "The River" byGarth Brooks, the station flipped to its current format as "98.9 The Rock", which debuted with Kansas City bandShooting Star's "Hang On For Your Life".[11][12] The current KQRC call letters were adopted on April 20, 1992. The Rock has lived up to its name in the stability of its format, surviving a rock format shuffle in 1997 that claimed Kansas City's (then) longest-surviving (23 years) FM rock station,KYYS.
Journal sold KQRC toSinclair Broadcast Group in 1997, withEntercom buying the station in 2000.[13][14]
In 2002, the station's transmitter would be relocated to its current location near East 56th Street and Bennington Avenue in South Kansas City.
After sister stationKRBZ announced it would end its alternative rock format in August 2024, KQRC would pick up their former afternoon program,The Church of Lazlo, in the same timeslot; as a means of transition, the two stations would simulcast the show until KRBZ's flip to asports talk format as "The Fan" took place.[15]
For 32 years, KQRC's morning show was primarily hosted byJohnny Dare. On March 6, 2025, the station announced that the show would come to an end the following day as a result of nationwide layoffs at Audacy.[16]
For many years, KQRC hostedRockfest, the largest single-day music festival in North America.[17] Past headliners includeDisturbed,Godsmack,Staind,Seether,Stone Temple Pilots, andKorn.