KCMO-FM

Infobox Radio Station


name = KCMO-FM
airdate = 1989
frequency = 94.9 MHz
city = Kansas City, Missouri
area = Kansas City, MO-KS
format = Oldies
owner = Cumulus Media
sister_stations = KCHZ, KCFX, KCJK, KCMO-AM, KMJK
erp = 100,000 watts
haat = 341.4 meters
branding = 94-9 KCMO
slogan = Kansas City's Greatest Hits
class = C0
facility_id = 6385
webcast = [http://www.streamaudio.com/stations/asx/KCMO_FM.asx Listen Live]
website = [http://www.949kcmo.com/ www.949kcmo.com]
callsign_meaning = Kansas City, MissOuri

KCMO-FM, branded 94-9 KCMO, is an oldies station that serves the Kansas City metropolitan area. The station, owned by Cumulus Broadcasting, was acquired from Susquehanna Radio in 2006. Its transmitter is located in Independence, Missouri.

One of the first FM stations in Kansas City, KCMO-FM struggled to find a niche in the dense media market. Starting in 1977, KCMO (under various call letters) floated between easy listening, country, and Top-40 formats. In 1983, Meredith Corporation (which had owned KCMO-FM for years) sold both of the KCMO radio stations to Richard Fairbanks, a one-time owner of what is now WXIA-TV in Atlanta, Georgia. Fairbanks, in turn, sold both stations in 1985 to Summit Communications Group, who then sold the stations to the Gannett Company the following year. In 1989, KCMO-FM struck gold when it introduced Oldies 95 (although they broadcast at 94.9 MHz.) The last of WHB's listeners flocked from the former AM powerhouse in a matter of months, prompting that station's conversion to farm radio.

In 1993, Gannett sold KCMO-AM/FM to Bonneville International, the then-owner of KMBZ and KLTH (now KBLV). Four years later, Bonneville sold all four of its Kansas City stations together with three radio stations in Seattle, Washington to Entercom Communications. Susquehanna Radio bought both KCMO stations from Entercom in 2000, as Entercom was forced to sell the KCMO stations after its purchase of Sinclair Broadcast Group's radio stations (KQRC-FM, KXTR-FM and KCIY) left it two stations over the FCC's single-market ownership limit. Susquehanna subsequently merged with Cumulus Media in mid-2006.

KCMO-FM enjoyed strong ratings during the 1990s but in 2005 became caught up with the phobia of appealing to "too many" older listeners.

Ratings wasn't an issue, as the station was often in the [http://www.icriticus.com/archive_cat5.html Top 10] ; KCMO-FM was one of the few stations appealing to the city's older listeners. To reflect the increasing inclusion of music from the 1970s, and to further alienate its heritage Baby Boomer audience, the station dropped its Oldies moniker in April 2005.

External links

* [http://www.949kcmo.com 94-9 KCMO's Website]
* [http://www.949kcmo.com/dwc/index.asp Dick Wilson and Company's Web site]