KBOB-FM

Infobox Radio station
name = KBOB


city = DeWitt, Iowa
area = Quad Cities
branding = Rock 104.9
slogan = "The Quad City Rocker"
airdate = January 1977
frequency = 104.9 FM (MHz)
format = Active rock
power =
erp = 12,500 watts
haat = 143 meters
class = C3
facility_id = 12234
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = WRSQ, WGEN-FM, KLIQ
owner = Cumulus Broadcasting
licensee =
sister_stations = KQCS, WXLP, KBEA, KJOC
webcast =
website = [http://www.rock1049.net/ www.rock1049.net]
affiliations =

KBOB-FM is a commercial radio station located in DeWitt, Iowa, broadcasting to the Quad Cities, Iowa area on 104.9 FM. KBOB-FM airs an active rock music format branded as "Rock 104.9".

History

WGEN-FM

The Quad-Cities allocation for 104.9 mHz dates to 1977, when the city of license was Geneseo, Illinois. The station signed on as WGEN, the FM sister station of WGEN-AM (1500 kHz). The station formatted country music, along with community and farm news, local sports and St. Louis Cardinals baseball.

In 1996, both WGEN-AM and WGEN-FM were sold to Connoisseur Communications, owner of KJOC, KORB, WXLP and KBOB. For a time, the FM station was a repeater of KJOC's AM signal, while the AM signal was a simulcast of KBOB (at the time, located at 99.7 FM). By 1997, ownership of the AM and FM frequencies were split, and Connoisseur moved the city of license to DeWitt, Iowa; a new transmitter tower was built near Long Grove (about 7 miles south of DeWitt), and the studios were moved to Davenport in anticipation of its first new format under the new ownership.

Lite 104.9 FM-KQLI (1998-2000)

KQLI employed a soft rock format at 104.9 for about two years, starting in March 1998. However, the station had minimal listenership, primarily due to its small coverage area and competition from the more powerful KMXG-FM.

The Country era (2000-2007)

In March 2000, when KQLI and sister stations KBOB, WXLP (aka 97X), KORB, and KJOC were sold to Cumulus Broadcasting, plans were already being formulated to revamp several of the company's radio stations, including 104.9 FM. The plan involved scrapping KQLI's soft rock format and moving KBOB's country format from 99.7 FM to 104.9 FM.

KBOB's modern country format, in use since it began in March 1994, remained the same until November 2001, when the station adopted a classic country format under the slogan "Great Country 105." Although "Great Country 105" had a loyal audience (as it played songs from artists such as George Jones and Merle Haggard), the ratings remained low.

In March 2005, the station switched back to a modern country format, dubbing itself "New Country: The River 104.9," but listenership remained near the bottom of the Quad-City market's ratings.

ROCK 104.9 (2007-current)

When things were moved around again in 2007, Cumulus' modern rock format, which had been at WXLP for several years, moved to 104.9 FM to create "ROCK 104.9." Included with the switch was 97X's "Dave and Darren in the Morning" radio show [ [http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/03/03/news/local/doc45e914a561f16278905691.txt] Burke, David, "‘Rock’ rolls to new frequency on FM dial," "Quad-City Times", March 3, 2007.]

When things were moved around again in 2007, Cumulus' modern rock format, which had been at WXLP for several years, moved to 104.9 FM to create "ROCK 104.9." Included with the switch was 97 Rock's "Dave and Darren in the Morning" radio show. Other on-air personalities include Goose, Bill Stage, Kennedy, CJ the DJ and Sean.

In addition to its music programming, KBOB broadcasts Chicago Bears football games.

References

External links

* [http://www.rock1049.net/ Rock 104.9]
*FMQ|KBOB
*FML|KBOB
*FMARB|KBOB