  | |
| Broadcast area | Fargo-Moorhead |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 98.7MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Big 98.7 |
| Programming | |
| Format | AdultTop 40 (CHR) |
| Subchannels | HD2:Rhythmic Top 40 (CHR) "96.9 Hits FM" |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| K233CY,KBVB,KPFX,KQWB,KQWB-FM,KBMW,K245BY | |
| History | |
First air date | 1983 (as KKIB) |
Former call signs | KKIB (1983–1984) |
Former frequencies | 105.1 MHz (1983–2013) |
Call sign meaning | LiTe Rock 105 (former branding of 105.1 FM, which was formerly KLTA) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 21191 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000watts |
| HAAT | 177 meters (581 ft) |
| Translator(s) | 96.9K245BY (Moorhead, relays HD2) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live (FM/HD1) Listen Live (HD2) |
| Website | big987.com (FM/HD1) 96.9 Hits FM (HD2) |
KLTA-FM (98.7FM (MHz); "Big 98.7") is a radio station based inFargo, North Dakota, though licensed by theFederal Communications Commission (FCC) toMoorhead, Minnesota, owned by Jim Ingstad's Radio FM Media. The station carries anadult-orientedTop 40 (CHR) format. KLTA andrhythmic CHR-formattedHD2translatorK245BY ("96.9 Hits FM") compete against heritage Top 40 (CHR)KOYY.
Its studios are located on 7th Avenue South in Fargo, while its transmitter is located nearSabin, Minnesota.
The station signed on as KKIB in 1983 as theflagship station ofcontemporary hit radio (Top 40) formattedSuperstation Double K FM network, which was also broadcast onKKWS inWadena, Minnesota andKKVC inValley City, North Dakota.
In 1984, KKIB flipped to anAdult Contemporary format, changed call letters to KLTA-FM, and rebranded as "Lite Rock 105", a name and format they would keep for 20 years. Dan Michaels and Jane Alexander began doing the morning show as the station began to rise in popularity. In 2001, the morning show transitioned to "Chris, John and Jane in the Morning" with the addition of Chris Hanson and John Austin.In 1989, KLTA-FM started the Christmas Wish Program. The station asks for donations throughout the year to their Christmas Wish Charity (mainly at their "Wishburger" event in June and the Wish-a-thon in December), and then gives out $500 gifts to families in need throughout the month of December.
In the early 2000s, KLTA-FM's "Lite Rock" format was starting to turn into aHot AC format. In January 2004, the station interspersed messages in between songs saying "January 19th, 7:20 a.m., Turn off the Lite". At that time, the station thanked Fargo-Moorhead for 20 years of listening, played a package of memories from the station from 1984 to then, and changed their name to "FM 105.1" to reflect this change. ("FM" had a dual meaning on this station, not only standing forFrequencyModulation, but alsoFargo-Moorhead.) Since then, the station's focus was to be an at-work station, playing hits from the 90's and new music currently charting at the time.
In May 1999, Triad Broadcasting reached a deal to acquire KLTA-FM, along withKQWB,KQWB-FM,KVOX, andKPFX, from brothers Jim and Tom Ingstad as part of a twelve-station deal valued at a reported $37.8 million.[2]
On November 30, 2012, Triad Broadcasting signed a definitive agreement to sell all 32 of their stations to Larry Wilson's L&L Broadcasting for $21 million.[3] Upon completion of the sale on May 1, 2013, L&L in turn sold the Fargo stations to Jim Ingstad, who had just sold his competing cluster toMidwest Communications. Alocal marketing agreement was placed so Ingstad could take immediate control of the stations, and the sale became final July 2, 2013. The sale was worth $9.5 million.[4]
On August 9, 2013, it was announced that on August 16, sister station KQWB-FM would move to 105.1 and re-brand as "Q105.1."[5] The final song on "FM 105.1" was "Closing Time" bySemisonic. After the song ended, KLTA-FM went silent for about 15 seconds until KQWB-FM began a simulcast on both frequencies.
At 5:00 p.m. that evening, in the middle of "In the End" byBlack Veil Brides, 98.7 FM broke from the simulcast with KQWB-FM. At that point, 98.7 began identifying as KLTA-FM, effectively completing a call sign swap with KQWB-FM.
The new KLTA-FM, meanwhile, began stunting using a "Wheel of Formats", which was spun at the top of every hour, landing on formats including "Weird Al Radio", "Polka Radio", "Santa 98.7" and "TV Themes", and encouraging listeners to tune at 5 p.m. on August 19 for "something big". At that time, the station debuted a hybridHot AC/Top 40 (CHR) format as "Big 98.7", directly competing against heritage Top 40/CHRKOYY-FM ("Y94"). The first song as "Big" wasI Gotta Feeling byThe Black Eyed Peas. The following morning, Jesse and Amanda with Pike in the Morning debuted on their new home, after leaving then-sister stationKVOX-FM a few weeks earlier. That same day, Cori Jensen began doing the midday shift, making her the only personality to carry over from "FM 105.1".
In March 2015, KLTA began broadcasting inHD, making them the second commercial station in the Fargo-Moorhead market utilizing HD Radio after sister stationKBVB. A week later on March 15, 2015, KLTA launched arhythmic CHR-formatted HD2 sub-channel, branded as "Hits 96.9" (a reference totranslatorK245BY (96.9 FM), operating from atop the Fargo High Rise Senior Center in downtown).[6]
46°32′46″N96°37′41″W / 46.546°N 96.628°W /46.546; -96.628