KMRI

KMRI (1550 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format. Licensed to West Valley City, Utah, United States, the station serves the Salt Lake City area. The station is owned by KMRI LLC. KMRI LLC is owned by communications attorney Barry Wood.[1]

KMRI
CityWest Valley City, Utah
Broadcast areaSalt Lake City
Frequency1550 kHz
BrandingLa Raza
Programming
FormatSilent was Regional Mexican
Ownership
OwnerKMRI LLC
(Barry Wood)
History
First air date
1956 (as KWIC)
Former call signs
KWIC (1956-1968)
KRGO (1968-1988)
KZQQ (1988-1992)
KRGQ (1992-1997)
KRGO (1997-1998)
Technical information
Facility ID25405
ClassB
Power10,000 watts day
340 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
40°43′16″N 112°2′29″W
KMRI's tower (left) near Magna, Utah. The tower on the right is used by KIHU.

History

The station was originally built on 1570 kHz with a power of 500 watts and the transmitter located in the 'Sugarhouse' area of Salt Lake City in 1956.[2] It operated during daytime hours only.[2] In 1965, the station's frequency was changed to 1550 kHz, and its power was increased to 10,000 watts.[2] The transmitting tower was moved to 5265 West 2100 South in what is now West Valley City, Utah.[2]

On March 4, 1968, the station's callsign was changed from KWIC to KRGO.[2] As KRGO, the station aired a country music format.[3][4][5] In 1977, nighttime operation at 500 watts was added.[2] In the mid 1980s, the station's country music programming was simulcast on KRGO-FM 107.9.[6]

On January 1, 1988, the station's callsign was changed to KZQQ,[7] and the station aired the Z Rock heavy metal format.[8] By 1990, the station's format had changed to Spanish language music, and was branded "La Fabulosa".[9] The station later adopted a religious/gospel format during the day, while Spanish language programming remained on the station at night.[10]

On July 31, 1992, the station's callsign was changed to KRGQ, and the station began airing a country music format during the day, while Spanish language programming remained on the station at night.[7][10] On September 14, 1992, the station's country music programming began to be simulcast on 107.9 KZQQ-FM and 103.1 FM, and was branded "KRGO".[11] In December 1993, the station's country music programming began to be simulcast on KQOL 106.5, as well.[12]

By 1995, the station had been taken off the air.[13] In 1997, the station was rebuilt at its current transmitter location of 6211 West 2100 South in West Valley City. On March 10, 1997, the station's callsign was changed back to KRGO.[7] The station returned to the air, airing a Country Western format.[14]

On January 16, 1998, the station's callsign was changed to the current KMRI.[7] The station began airing a religious format.[15][16] The station's callsign stood for "Miracle Rock Incorporated Church", which owned the station when it was assigned.[17] In 2003-2004 the station made arrangements with the then–owner of KCPW (AM) (now KIHU), Community Wireless of Park City, to share its single tower as "Tower 2" of the other stations two tower directional array.

In 2005, the owners of the radio station made a contract with David J Velasquez, president of Radio Exitos Communications Inc and began transmitting Regional Mexican Music which also included Spanish Christian Music a program of 4 hours everyday from 2-6 p.m. Musica para tu alma played for 1 year, then two hours a day for two years. The president of Radio Exitos Communications Inc sold the contract to Victor Galindo owner of Victor's Tire. For the remainder of the contract. The contract was renew with Victor Galindo owning the new contract. Then the radio station was sold to the new corporation.

The former logo of the station

Tower Collapse

On March 18, 2020, a 5.7 magnitude earthquake happened near Magna, Utah, southwest of the station's tower. The earthquake knocked the station off the air after its tower collapsed. The earthquake's epicenter was 3.7 miles (6 km) north-northeast of the city of Magna, putting it near the Great Salt Lake or close to the towers. The collapse also affected KIHU, which was operating at reduced power. KMRI filed for special temporary authority to go silent.[18][19]

On March 26, 2020, AASAA Media LLC DBA KMRI Radio was placed into involuntary receivership by Judge Matthew Bates of the Third Judicial District Court of Salt Lake County.[20] KMRI's license was auctioned on July 17, 2020 by the court appointed receiver Jacob Hibbard,[21] with the plaintiff in the foreclosure auction acquiring KMRI's license by placing a $75,000 credit bid.[22][23]

On July 28, 2020, AASAA Media LLC DBA KMRI Radio voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 reorganization under Subchapter V and became Debtor-in-Possession [Trustee] of the FCC License and other assets; and is continuing operations of KMRI Radio via digital streaming until its antenna tower can be restored.[24] One of the members of AASAA Media LLC, Nicolas Alejandro Vicente, passed away on August 21, 2020.[25] The bankruptcy case previously filed by AASAA Media, LLC, was dismissed on October 26, 2020.[22] On October 30, 2020, Barry Wood, the owner of KMRI LLC, submitted an application to the FCC to assign KMRI's license to the newly created LLC.[22]An application for extension of the STA to remain silent was filed with the FCC on January 28, 2021 by receiver Jacob Hibbard, in order to resolve the legal disputes currently preventing KMRI from resuming broadcasting.[26]

References
  1. https://radioinsight.com/headlines/200588/station-sales-week-of-10-30-seven-mountains-expands-in-olean/
  2. History Cards for KMRI, fcc.gov. Accessed September 14, 2015
  3. Super Country KRGO Radio 1550 is Giving Away a TV Every Day in October", Deseret News, October 24, 1972, p. 16 A. Accessed September 14, 2015
  4. Bob Hamilton & Kaye Tipton, "Salt Lake City, Utah", Radio Quarterly Report '76, (1976) p. 358. Accessed September 14, 2015
  5. "Fall '82 Ratings Reports for the Top 50 Markets", Radio & Records, April 1983. p. 124. Accessed September 14, 2015
  6. "Ratings Report & Directory", Radio & Records, April 1986. p. 142. Accessed September 14, 2015
  7. "KMRI Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  8. Lynn Arave, "AM Radio. When was the last time you listened to it?", Deseret News, February 10, 1989. Accessed September 14, 2015
  9. Sheila Sanchez, "Complaint Prompts Spanish Radio Station to Drop Message About 'Hitting a Woman'", Deseret News, June 28, 1990. Accessed September 14, 2015
  10. Lynn Arave, "'Z-93' Plans State's Largest Entertainment Event", Deseret News, August 14, 1992. Accessed September 14, 2015
  11. Lynn Arave, "Hans Petersen's Return May be Just What Doctor Ordered for AM", Deseret News, September 18, 1992. Accessed September 14, 2015
  12. Lynn Arave, "KSOP Tops Rival in a 'Most Country' Analysis", Deseret News, December 8, 1993. Accessed September 14, 2015
  13. "Radio Log: Stations Available in Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah Counties", Deseret News, September 29, 1995. Accessed September 14, 2015
  14. "Radio Log", Deseret News, July 18, 1997. Accessed September 14, 2015
  15. "Radio Log", Deseret News, June 19, 1998. Accessed September 14, 2015
  16. "Radio Log", Deseret News, February 18, 2000. Accessed September 14, 2015
  17. Lynn Arave, "Meanings of station call letters, part II", Deseret News, July 24, 1998. Accessed September 14, 2015
  18. "Salt Lake Earthquake". March 18, 2020.
  19. "KMRI Special Temporary Authority". Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  20. "More problems for AASAA Media/KMRI | Talking Utah Radio". talkingutahradio.proboards.com. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  21. https://radioink.com/2020/07/02/looking-for-a-station-in-utah/
  22. https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101822828&formid=314&fac_num=25405
  23. https://talkingutahradio.proboards.com/thread/2001/barry-wood-wins-kmri
  24. United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah, Central Division, Case Number 20-24533 RKM.
  25. Cemeteries, Lindquist Mortuaries and. "Obituary for Nicolas Alejandro Vicente | Lindquist Mortuaries and Cemeteries". Obituary for Nicolas Alejandro Vicente | Lindquist Mortuaries and Cemeteries. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  26. https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101824546&formid=910&fac_num=25405
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