KDRB
Encyclopedia
KDRB, "100.3 The Bus," is an adult hits
radio station similar to Jack FM
serving the Des Moines, Iowa
, area in the USA. It broadcasts at 100.3 FM. The station's studios are located at 2141 Grand Avenue in Des Moines along with Clear Channel Communications
' other Des Moines stations (KPTL
, KKDM
, KXNO
and WHO
). Its strong 100,000 watt
s signal stretches north to Mason City, Iowa
(which is about 100 miles from Des Moines) and south to the Missouri
and Iowa
border.
. In its early years, it primarily simulcast its sister station, WHO-AM
. Studios were located at 1100 Walnut Street in downtown Des Moines and the station's tower and transmitter were located on top of the Equitable Building at 6th and Locust in Des Moines. In 1950, the transmitter was moved to a new tower at WHO's transmitter site in Mitchellville, Iowa
. The old transmitter and tower on top of the Equitable Building was sold to KCBC
for their new FM station KCBC-FM
. In 1968, WHO-FM ceased simulcasting its AM sister and started programing classical music.
In 1973, the station underwent some dramatic changes. The call letters were changed to KLYF and the station was reprogrammed with a middle of the road format. Over the years this evolved into an adult contemporary format and by the mid 1990s it was an adult top 40 station competing directly with KSTZ
. It was around this time that the station became known by its nickname "K-Life". The station's transmitter was eventually moved to the WOI-Tower
near Alleman, Iowa
.
. Jacor immediately re-branded the station as "Mix 100.3", but left the format unchanged for the most part. On June 17, 1998, the call letters changed to KMXD. Over time the station continued to lose listeners at an alarming rate. Many things were done to try to counteract this, such as rebranding the station as "Mix 100" and trying an "80s and more" format. When this failed also, the format was changed again to a traditional adult contemporary format and the station was renamed "My 100". Under this namer, 100.3 saw its worst ratings ever, sinking into the basement of the Arbitron
ratings.
. This was a short lived, transitional arrangement to get listeners of 106.3 used to "100.3 The Bus". The Bus had performed much better than anyone had expected and the decision was made to close the failing "Mix/My" formats and move "The Bus" to the much stronger signal at 100.3. On June 12, 2006, KMXD became KDRB and "The Bus" is now only heard on 100.3. The 106.3 frequency is now KPTL
"Capital 106.3". KDRB is also the flagship station for Iowa State University
sports, which was started with the 2006-2007 season, taking over from KXNO
.
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
radio station similar to Jack FM
Jack FM
JACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
serving the Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, area in the USA. It broadcasts at 100.3 FM. The station's studios are located at 2141 Grand Avenue in Des Moines along with Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
' other Des Moines stations (KPTL
KPTL
KPTL, "Capital 106.3," is a Modern Adult Contemporary radio station serving the Des Moines, Iowa, area. It is located at 106.3 on the FM dial. The station's studios are located at 2141 Grand Avenue in Des Moines along with Clear Channel Communications' other Des Moines stations .-KANY/KJJY: The...
, KKDM
KKDM
KKDM is a contemporary hit radio station based in Des Moines, Iowa. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications.-History:KKDM was established by local businessman Rich Eychaner as Midwest Radio, Inc...
, KXNO
KXNO
KXNO is a sports radio station based in Des Moines, Iowa. It is located at 1460 on the AM band.-History:KXNO's roots can be traced back to KSO , a station that first broadcast from Clarinda, Iowa, on November 2, 1925...
and WHO
WHO (AM)
WHO is a clear channel radio station broadcasting 50,000 watts on 1040 AM with a news/talk format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is located in Des Moines, Iowa. The station can be heard over most of the continental United States during nighttime hours...
). Its strong 100,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s signal stretches north to Mason City, Iowa
Mason City, Iowa
Mason City is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties....
(which is about 100 miles from Des Moines) and south to the Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
border.
The Palmer years
In 1948, WHO-FM began transmissins at 100.3 FM as the third FM station to serve the Des Moines market, after KRNT-FM and KSO-FMKHKI
KHKI is a country music radio station located in Des Moines, Iowa, broadcasting on 97.3 FM. The station's studios are in Urbandale, Iowa, with Cumulus Media's other Des Moines stations: KJJY, KGGO, KWQW, and KBGG.-Programming:...
. In its early years, it primarily simulcast its sister station, WHO-AM
WHO (AM)
WHO is a clear channel radio station broadcasting 50,000 watts on 1040 AM with a news/talk format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is located in Des Moines, Iowa. The station can be heard over most of the continental United States during nighttime hours...
. Studios were located at 1100 Walnut Street in downtown Des Moines and the station's tower and transmitter were located on top of the Equitable Building at 6th and Locust in Des Moines. In 1950, the transmitter was moved to a new tower at WHO's transmitter site in Mitchellville, Iowa
Mitchellville, Iowa
Mitchellville is a city in Polk and Jasper counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 1,715 at the 2000 census.The Polk County portion of Mitchellville is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Jasper County portion is part of the Newton...
. The old transmitter and tower on top of the Equitable Building was sold to KCBC
KBGG
KBGG , is a radio station in the Des Moines, Iowa area. It formerly broadcast a Spanish language format and was known as "La Indomable AM." The station is owned by Cumulus Media....
for their new FM station KCBC-FM
KCBC-FM
KCBC-FM was a radio station in Des Moines, Iowa from 1949-1953. Its studios were located at 2323 Grand Avenue on the near west side of Des Moines. The original transmitter and tower were also located on the property until 1950...
. In 1968, WHO-FM ceased simulcasting its AM sister and started programing classical music.
In 1973, the station underwent some dramatic changes. The call letters were changed to KLYF and the station was reprogrammed with a middle of the road format. Over the years this evolved into an adult contemporary format and by the mid 1990s it was an adult top 40 station competing directly with KSTZ
KSTZ
KSTZ, known as "Star 102.5," is an FM radio station based in Des Moines, Iowa. The station plays Hot Adult Contemporary music. KSTZ is part of Saga Communications' Des Moines Radio Group, along with KPSZ, KRNT, KAZR, KIOA, and KLTI-FM.-History:...
. It was around this time that the station became known by its nickname "K-Life". The station's transmitter was eventually moved to the WOI-Tower
WOI-Tower
The WOI Tower is a 609.6 meter high guy-wired mast located in Alleman, Iowa, north of the Des Moines urban area, at . It carries not only the signals of television stations WOI-TV , but also WHO-TV , and KDIN as well as radio station WOI-FM...
near Alleman, Iowa
Alleman, Iowa
Alleman is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 439 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Alleman was named for early settler John L. Alleman...
.
Buyout by Jacor and Clear Channel
In October 1997, Palmer Broadcasting sold its Des Moines radio stations to Jacor Broadcasting of Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Jacor immediately re-branded the station as "Mix 100.3", but left the format unchanged for the most part. On June 17, 1998, the call letters changed to KMXD. Over time the station continued to lose listeners at an alarming rate. Many things were done to try to counteract this, such as rebranding the station as "Mix 100" and trying an "80s and more" format. When this failed also, the format was changed again to a traditional adult contemporary format and the station was renamed "My 100". Under this namer, 100.3 saw its worst ratings ever, sinking into the basement of the Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings.
New life as "The Bus"
On May 25, 2006, KMXD was rebranded to "The Bus", simulcasting KDRBKPTL
KPTL, "Capital 106.3," is a Modern Adult Contemporary radio station serving the Des Moines, Iowa, area. It is located at 106.3 on the FM dial. The station's studios are located at 2141 Grand Avenue in Des Moines along with Clear Channel Communications' other Des Moines stations .-KANY/KJJY: The...
. This was a short lived, transitional arrangement to get listeners of 106.3 used to "100.3 The Bus". The Bus had performed much better than anyone had expected and the decision was made to close the failing "Mix/My" formats and move "The Bus" to the much stronger signal at 100.3. On June 12, 2006, KMXD became KDRB and "The Bus" is now only heard on 100.3. The 106.3 frequency is now KPTL
KPTL
KPTL, "Capital 106.3," is a Modern Adult Contemporary radio station serving the Des Moines, Iowa, area. It is located at 106.3 on the FM dial. The station's studios are located at 2141 Grand Avenue in Des Moines along with Clear Channel Communications' other Des Moines stations .-KANY/KJJY: The...
"Capital 106.3". KDRB is also the flagship station for Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
sports, which was started with the 2006-2007 season, taking over from KXNO
KXNO
KXNO is a sports radio station based in Des Moines, Iowa. It is located at 1460 on the AM band.-History:KXNO's roots can be traced back to KSO , a station that first broadcast from Clarinda, Iowa, on November 2, 1925...
.
External links
- The Bus' website
- 100.3 the Bus at VarietyHits.com