KEGL

Infobox Radio station
name = KEGL


city = Fort Worth, Texas
area = Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
branding = "The Eagle"
slogan =
airdate = 1959 as KFJZ
frequency = 97.1 MHz HD Radio 97.1 HD-2 for Classic Rock
format = Active Rock
power =
erp = 100,000 watts
haat = 508 meters
class = C
facility_id = 18114
callsign_meaning = The EaGLe
former_callsigns = KWXI (1969-1976) KFJZ (1957-1969 and 1976-1984)
owner = Clear Channel Communications
licensee = Citicasters Licenses, L.P.
sister_stations = KDGE, KDMX, KFXR, KHKS, KZPS
webcast = [http://www.kegl.com/cc-common/streaming_new/index.html?refreshed=yes Listen Live]
website = [http://www.kegl.com/ www.kegl.com]
affiliations =

KEGL, branded as "The Eagle", is an active rock radio station transmitting on 97.1 FM, serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. It is owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications.

History

Formerly KWXI, then KFJZ of Ft. Worth (Z97), KEGL was the premier rock and roll station in the Metroplex throughout most of the 1980's. In 1981, Randy Brown, also known as "Christopher Haze," became the program director of 97.1 and changed the call letters and imaging of the station. The Eagle 97 KEGL was created. Within a short period of time, the station possessed a hybrid rock and top 40 format known as Rock/40. Stevens and Prewitt was the morning show of that time period. Later, Robbins, Kinney & Cowan replaced Stevens and Prewitt. Moby was added to the lineup as the afternoon drive jock.

Kidd Kraddick, (now at 106.1 Kiss FM), started his career as the night disc jockey, then moved to afternoon drive when Moby in the Morning replaced RKC, who left to do mornings in Sacramento. Another well-known Metroplex jock that worked at The Eagle in the 80s is Russ Martin (now on Live 105.3). Moby in the Morning was later removed from KEGL because of FCC alleged violations of content. Kraddick was moved to mornings. Though most of the 80s, the station was owned by Sandusky, a newspaper company. The studios were located in the Xerox tower in Las Colinas, a commercial district in the Dallas suburb of Irving.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Eagle began playing more dance/top 40 songs under the direction of Joel Folger; later in 1992 going more rock-based. Eventually, KEGL went to a harder rock sound. KEGL was a Howard Stern affiliate for several years in the 90s, until he verbally attacked the new ownership, Nationwide, an insurance company. Another controversial show that aired on KEGL in the 90s was Kramer and Twitch at night. In 2001, a prank was aired on the show stating that Britney Spears was dead in an accident, to the horror of her fans. The phony report also falsely stated that her then-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake, was critically injured in the wreck. Trouble followed, including hundreds of calls to local law enforcement agencies [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1388131.stm] , and Kramer and Twitch were fired from The Eagle.

One week later, motorists in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex were outraged over a billboard promoting the station that was entitled "Highway to Hell", a reference to the AC/DC song of the same name. The billboard, which was erected on a major Dallas thoroughfare, featured Satan giving a lethal injection to Oklahoma City Bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh, who was executed just days before the billboard went up. [http://www.amarillo.com/stories/061701/tex_mcveigh.shtml] Under Nationwide, KEGL's ratings were stagnated. Later under Clear Channel, the ratings and revenue fell.

A decision was made to eliminate the rock format on KEGL as CC also owned The Edge. The Eagle was flipped in 2004 to make way for "Sunny 97.1", a 1960s to 1980s-based A/C format. The last song that played on the frequency as 97.1 the Eagle was "When Eagles Fly" by Sammy Hagar. The first song for "Sunny" 97.1 was "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles. Competing head-on with KVIL and sharing audience with KLUV, "Sunny" lasted about a year. From 1992-1996, the "Sunny" branding was once used on KSNN-FM (now KWRD-FM) as a Classic country station. In 2005, KEGL became La Preciosa, a Spanish oldies music station, not to be confused with KDFT-AM's "La Poderosa" station.

Recently, La Preciosa dropped its Spanish format and started playing commercial-free Christmas music. Clear Channel announced that KEGL would return to an English format after the holiday season, and opted to bring the active rock format back to the air the morning of December 18, 2007. The station has reverted to its original branding of The Eagle. On Jan 7, 2008 through Jan 8, 2008 The Eagle simulcasted The Lex And Terry Show From KDGE. On Jan 9, 2008 The Lex And Terry Show moved its Flagship from KDGE to KEGL.

=Former logos=

External links

* [http://www.kegl.com Official Website]
* [http://www.dfwradioarchives.com DFW Radio Archives]

*FMQ|KEGL
*FML|KEGL
*FMARB|KEGL