KEEY-FM

KEEY-FM (102.1 FM, "K102") is a country music formatted radio station serving the Minneapolis-Saint Paul market of Minnesota. It is the most popular country station in the area, and often comes in just below area powerhouses KQRS-FM and WCCO in overall ratings. The station is owned by iHeartMedia. Its transmitter is located in Shoreview, Minnesota. Its studios are in St. Louis Park.

KEEY-FM
CitySt. Paul, Minnesota
Broadcast areaMinneapolis-St. Paul
Frequency102.1 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding102.1 FM - K102
Slogan"#1 for New Country and the Best Variety"
Programming
FormatFM/HD1: Commercial; Country
HD2: Christian Contemporary “UP!”
HD3: Soft AC “The Breeze”
Ownership
OwneriHeartMedia
(iHM Licenses, LLC)
K244FE, K273BH, KDWB-FM, KFXN-FM, KQQL, KTCZ-FM, KTLK, W227BF
History
First air date
October 1, 1967 (as WMIN-FM)
Former call signs
WMIN-FM (1967-1968)
Call sign meaning
Key (used with previous format)
Technical information
Facility ID59967
ClassC
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT315 m (1,033 ft)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitek102.iheart.com

History

KSTP-FM

The 102.1 FM frequency was originally home to KSTP-FM, which launched in 1947. The station was partnered with Hubbard Broadcasting's AM station of the same name. The station shut down in 1952 and the license cancelled,[1] but it was later re-established in 1965 on its present-day 94.5 MHz frequency.

Current license

The owners of WMIN (AM 1400) relaunched the station on October 1, 1967, with the WMIN-FM call sign. They became KEEY ("Key") in 1968, programming Drake-Chenault's automated "Hit Parade '68", an adult version of the format found on KHJ-FM in Los Angeles. Drake's promotional materials indicate it was targeted to the 18-49 age group, for "those people who may not like Top 40 as a steady diet, and those who are not particularly fond of some of the outdated MOR stations".

K102

In 1971, KEEY-FM switched to beautiful music, along with their AM sister station of the same name. The FM station was later co-owned with another AM station, WDGY. They switched to their current country music format in late 1982 as "K102", and quickly became a dominant force in the market.

K102 was named Major Market Station of the Year by the Country Music Association in 2005 while being programmed by Gregg Swedberg. In 2010, K102 was the Academy Of Country Music's Major Market Station of the year. In 2012, The K102 Wake-up Crew Donna and Muss won the CMA for the Major Market Personalities category. The station and its personalities have been nominated many times for CMA and ACM awards.

In 2007, the station was nominated for the top 25 markets Country music Radio & Records magazine station of the year award. Other nominees included WUSN Chicago, KYGO-FM Denver, WYCD Detroit, WXTU Philadelphia, and KSON-FM San Diego.[2]

HD Radio

On April 25, 2006, iHeartMedia (then known as Clear Channel Communications) announced that KEEY-FM would broadcast an HD Radio signal. KEEY-FM's HD2 signal, known as "K*102 New", carried a format focusing on new hits from today's and up-and-coming country music stars. Formerly during Christmas-time, KEEY-HD2 carried KQQL's classic hits format.

In November 2018, KEEY-FM launched an HD3 sub-channel carrying a soft adult contemporary format known as "The Breeze", as well as relaunching and rebranding KEEY-FM HD2 as "The Wolf 102.1 HD2".[3][4]

In May 2019, KEEY-FM HD2 reverted to its previous "K102 New" branding.[5]

In August 2019, KEEY-FM HD2's Country music format was replaced with Christian Contemporary music.

References
  1. http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-IDX/52-OCR/BC-1952-12-29-Page-0071.pdf%5B%5D
  2. "2007 Industry Achievement Awards". Radio and Records. September 28, 2008. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008.
  3. "iHeart Plays Country Brand Blocker In Minneapolis". radioinsight.com. November 30, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  4. "Upper Midwest Broadcasting". www.northpine.com. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  5. Twin Cities "Wolf" Population Down to One

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