KLRX

Infobox Radio Station
name = KLRX-FM


airdate = April 6, 1998 (as KCSX)
city = Lee's Summit, Missouri
area = Kansas City Metropolitan Area
frequency = 97.3 MHz
format = Contemporary Christian
branding = K-LOVE
erp = 55,000 watts
haat = 357 meters
class = C1
facility_id = 4933
slogan = Positive & Encouraging
former_callsigns = KCSX (1998-2003)
KZPL (2003-2005)
KCXM (2005-2007)
owner = Union Broadcasting
(pending sale to EMF Broadcasting)
webcast = [http://www.klove.com/listen/ Listen Live!]
website = http://www.klove.com/

KLRX (97.3 K-Love) is a radio station in the Kansas City, Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas area that plays contemporary Christian music (Michael W. Smith, Rebecca St. James, Delirious?, etc.) It launched in December 2007, replacing an all-sports station.

History

KCSX (1998-2003)

Originally, KCSX was a country music station based in Moberly, Missouri. In 1998, First Broadcasting moved the station's transmitter and target area to Kansas City, who sold half of ownership of the station to locally-owned Union Broadcasting. This was a rare occasion where two companies shared programming of one radio station.

KZPL The Planet (2003-2005)

In January 2003, the station dropped its country music format and stunted by playing nothing but songs by The Beatles for one week, followed by similar daylong marathons of music from The Rolling Stones, U2, and Metallica. Soon, the new station known as "The Planet" debuted. For the first month, all programming was fed via satellite from Dallas. Eventually settling on adult album alternative (dubbed "World Class Rock" by The Planet), KZPL gathered a small yet devoted following. However, it sat consistently near the bottom of most ratings charts throughout its two-year existence. In Spring 2003, arguments between both ownership companies resulted in First Broadcasting taking Union Broadcasting to court, eventually leading to the full sale of the station to Union. Union pulled The Planet from the airwaves September 16, 2005, but is still available as an online stream.

MAX-FM (2005-2007)

The letters KCXM were first used November 2, 2005. Since its sign on, "MAX-FM" used the "everything that rocks" slogan. A few days after the sign on, rival classic rocker KYYS began using the exact same slogan but has since phased it out. KCXM was registered with Arbiton to use the slogan. As a rock station, KCXM never garnered the ratings Union had hoped for, and also struggled to make money. Just days before the format change, program director Bryan Truta announced he was leaving for rival station KCJK.

Competing against longtime FM rock stations KQRC, KYYS and KCFX, Overland Park, Kansas-based owner Union Broadcasting adopted a new "Everything that Rocks" format in September 2005 after two unsuccessful years as the Triple A KZPL "The Planet". Kansas City native Erich "Mancow" Muller's Chicago-based morning show, "Mancow's Morning Madhouse", aired weekdays from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. The station added DJs in September 2006 as part of the celebration of the station being on air for one year. Murphy Wells (formerly of KQRC) did middays, Kenny Holland and Ozone did afternoons as "KAOS", and Scooter did nights. The station also added the syndicated program "Rockline" and retained "Little Steven's Underground Garage" from its AAA days.

ESPN Radio 97.3 (2007)

On January 4, 2007, KCXM dropped the rock format and became "ESPN Radio 97.3," a full time affiliate of ESPN Radio. The station dropped all local hosts at this time, but continued to air local games, play by play. KCXM complimented its sister station, WHB, which carries a mostly local sports talk format.

KCXM broadcasted Kansas City Brigade games and Kansas City Royals evening games when sister station WHB was confined to its nighttime pattern.

On November 30th, 2007 KCMX was sold to EMF Broadcasting for $16 millioncite web|url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=601364|title="ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT"|accessdate=2008-01-02] , which is currently pending FCC approval. At midnight December 1, 2007 KCXM began broadcasting K-LOVE programming. Just before the launch of K-LOVE, 97.3 reverted back to its AAA format as "The Planet" for a few hours.

KLRX

On December 20, 2007 KCXM changed its callsign to KLRX, completing the transition. However, KLRX has aired several sports events since the change: a college basketball game between Kansas State and Oklahoma and at least one UMKC basketball game. It is likely that these games were "farmed out" from WHB, due to a schedule conflict.

External links

* [http://www.kcplanetonline.com/ The Planet Online]
* [http://www.customchannels.net/Players/Planet/pop.htm The Planet's online stream] (requires Windows Media Player 9 or better)
*FMQ|KLRX
*FML|KLRX
*FMARB|KLRX

References