KBEQ-FM

Infobox Radio Station
name = KBEQ-FM
airdate = 1973
frequency = 104.3 MHz
area = Kansas City Metropolitan Area
format = Country
owner = Wilks
erp = 99,000 watts
branding = Q-104
slogan =
class = C0
website = http://www.q104kc.com/
callsign_meaning = KBE = KBEY and KBEA
Q = used in Q-104 branding

KBEQ-FM is a country radio station that broadcasts in the Kansas City media market. Prior to adopting it's "young country" format in 1993, KBEQ was Kansas City's sole Top-40 station.

Like many FM stations in the 1960s, KBEQ served as a counterpart to an AM station. Starting in 1960, KBEY (as it was called) continued to play big band and easy listening music when KBEA (at 1480 kHz) powered down at night. In 1973, with the growing popularity of FM radio, KBEQ debuted and gradually chipped at AM powerhouse WHB's longtime popularity. Many deejays would take their turn playing hits at Q-104's Country Club Plaza studios, including Bobby Ocean, Bobby Day, Chuck Nasty and Randy Miller. Fending off other FM upstarts, KBEQ achieved Top-40 dominance in Kansas City when WHB turned to an oldies format in 1985. By the end of the decade, KBEQ was Kansas City's only Top-40 outlet.

However, country music's popularity increased in Kansas City and throughout the nation. In February 1993, KBEQ made the surprise decision to adopt a country format, leaving the area without a full city-grade Top-40 station and entering a crowded country market. Today that market is still crowded, and KBEQ competes against fellow Wilks station KFKF, and Entercom's WDAF.

KBEQ's studios were a fixture in the Plaza area until November 2007, when the Wilks stations moved to Westport in Downtown Kansas City

Air Shows and Staff:

The Morning Drive: Mike, Zeke, and, Natalie

Q104 work Force: Ronnie Phillips

The Drive at 5: T.J. McEntire

Late Night Q104: Jeff Vaughn

External links

* [http://www.q104kc.com/ Young Country Q-104's Web site]
* [http://kcradio.tripod.com/1043.html Frequency history of 104.3 MHz in Kansas City]
*FMQ|KBEQ
*FML|KBEQ