| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Denver metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 990kHz |
| Branding | 990 AM The Word |
| Programming | |
| Format | Christian talk and teaching |
| Affiliations | SRN News |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KRKS-FM,KBJD,KNUS | |
| History | |
First air date | August 1, 1953 (1953-08-01) |
Former call signs | KLIR (1953–1970) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 58632 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 6,500watts day 4,200 wattscritical hours 390 watts night |
Transmitter coordinates | 39°47′57″N104°58′12″W / 39.79917°N 104.97000°W /39.79917; -104.97000 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | krks.com |
KRKS (990kHz "990 The Word") is acommercialAMradio stationlicensed toDenver, Colorado. The station is owned and operated bySalem Media Group and it airs aChristian talk and teachingradio format. Its studios and offices are located on South Vaughn Way inAurora, with the AMtransmitter located on East 56th Avenue inNorth Washington.[2] KRKS with co-ownedKRKS-FM; together, are known as "The Word," but carry most programs at different times of the day.
KRKS is powered at 6,500watts by day; becauseAM 990 is a Canadianclear channel frequency, KRKS must reduce power at night to only 390 watts. Duringcritical hours at sunrise and sunset, the station broadcasts at 4,200 watts.
KRKS airs updates fromSRN News at the top and bottom of each hour. Programming on KRKS-AM-FM includes "Insight for Living withChuck Swindoll," "Grace to You withJohn Macarthur," "Pathway to Victory" withRobert Jeffress, "Focus on the Family withJim Daly," "Truth for Life" withAlistair Begg, "In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley," "Leading the Way withDr. Michael Youssef," and "Haven Today" with Charles Morris. Most shows are paidbrokered programming with the hosts asking for donations to support their ministry. "TheEric Metaxas Show", syndicated by theSalem Radio Network, airs from 1:00 to 2:00pm, and from 10:00pm to midnight.
On August 1, 1953, the station firstsigned on asKLIR.[3] It was a 1,000wattdaytimer, required to be off the air at night. It was owned by George Basil Anderson during many of its early years. In 1959, Anderson put KLIR-FM on the air (nowKIMN).
In the 1970s, KLIR got a boost to 5,000 watts, but it still had tosign off at sunset. On November 1, 1970, the call sign was changed to KRKS; the station retained its religious format while KLIR-FM continued as abeautiful music station.[4][5] In the 1980s, KRKS was granted authorization by theFederal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast around the clock, but at the reduced nighttime power of 390 watts.
In 1993, Salem Communications paid $400,000 to acquire KRKS.[6] Salem owned Christian radio stations in several dozen large and medium markets around the United States, and continued KRKS's format. The following year, 94.7 FM was bought by Salem and paired up with AM 990, asKRKS-FM.
On March 17, 1997, the FCC announced that eighty-eight stations had been given permission to move to newly available "Expanded Band" transmitting frequencies, ranging from 1610 to 1700 kHz, with KRKS authorized to move from 990 to 1650 kHz.[7]
A construction permit for the expanded band station, also located in Denver, was assigned the call lettersKBJD on August 10, 1998.[8] The FCC's initial policy was that both the original station and its expanded band counterpart could operate simultaneously for up to five years, after which owners would have to turn in one of the two licenses, depending on whether they preferred the new assignment or elected to remain on the original frequency.[7] However, this deadline has been extended multiple times, and both stations remain authorized. One restriction is that the FCC has generally required paired original and expanded band stations to remain under common ownership.[9][10]