 | |
| Broadcast area | Fillmore County, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.1MHz |
| Branding | 103.1 KFIL |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Classic country |
| Affiliations | Linder Farm Network Minnesota Twins |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KFIL,KDOC-FM,KDCZ,KFNL-FM,KOLM,KROC,KROC-FM,KWWK,KYBA | |
| History | |
First air date | April1971 |
Call sign meaning | Fillmore County |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 34428 |
| Class | C3 |
| ERP | 3,500watts |
| HAAT | 159.1 meters (522 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°43′59″N92°05′08″W / 43.73306°N 92.08556°W /43.73306; -92.08556 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kfilradio.com |
KFIL-FM (103.1MHz) is an American commercialradio stationlicensed to serveChatfield, Minnesota. The station, established in 1970 by O.B. Borgen, is currently owned byTownsquare Media and thebroadcast license is held by Townsquare License, LLC.
KFIL-FM broadcasts acountry musicformat. Duringdaylight hours, this broadcast is in conjunction with itssister station,KFIL (1060AM). The station 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-FM is an affiliate of theLinder Farm Network.[5] KFIL-FM 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 and two hours ofoldies music on Sunday nights.[4] Sports programming on KFIL-FM includes localhigh school football,high school basketball, high school baseball, and high school softball games during the season,KFIL Sports Round-up with Devon Krueger each weekday, plusCoaches Corner on Saturday mornings from August through April.[6]
This station received its originalconstruction permit on September 1, 1970. It began regular broadcast operations in April 1971, with 3,000watts of power with an antenna 270 feet (82 m) inheight above average terrain.[7] The station was assigned thecall sign "KFIL-FM" by theFederal Communications Commission (FCC).[8] The station, like its AMsister 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] 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 30 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 ofKFIL, 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-FM 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]
In September 2007, Cumulus applied to the FCC to change KFIL-FM'scity of license from Preston, Minnesota, to nearbyChatfield, Minnesota. The FCC approved the change on January 8, 2008.[15]
On August 30, 2013, a deal was announced in whichTownsquare Media would acquire 53 Cumulus stations, including KFIL-FM, for $238 million. The deal was part of Cumulus' acquisition ofDial Global; Townsquare and Dial Global were both controlled byOaktree Capital Management.[16][17] The sale to Townsquare was completed on November 14, 2013.[18]In early 2024, Townsquare closed KFIL's Preston studios and the station's control point switched to the Rochester-based studios. Townsquare had intended to sell the station's AM sister (KFIL), but the deal was withdrawn. KFIL-FM was not included in the sale.[19][20]
In 1966 he established KFIL in Preston, MN. [...] Survived by his sons, Greg Borgen, Dellwood, MN, Mike and Jeff Borgen, both of Rochester, MN;