KIHR
Encyclopedia
KIHR is a radio station
licensed
to serve Hood River, Oregon
, USA. The station, which began broadcasting in 1950, is currently owned by Bicoastal Media and the broadcast license
is held by Bicoastal Media Licenses IV, LLC.
format. In addition to its usual music programming, KIHR broadcasts National Basketball Association
games as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers
radio network. Other sports programming on KIHR includes select Hood River Valley High School
events, Major League Baseball
from ESPN Radio
, and University of Oregon
Ducks football
.
s of power on a frequency of 1340 kHz. The station's licensee, Oregon-Washington Broadcasters, Inc., was owned by C.H. Fisher and C.O. Fisher.
to increased the strength of its daytime signal to 1,000 watt
s beginning in 1970. Nighttime power remained at the previous 250 watt
level. Walden added an FM sister station
, KCGB-FM
(105.5 FM
), in 1978. On April 1, 1986, 19 years to the day after he acquired KIHR, Paul Walden sold Columbia Gorge Broadcasters, Inc., and control of both KIHR and KCGB-FM to his son Greg Walden
and Greg's wife Mylene.
Greg Walden began his career in broadcasting as a teenager when he started work as a janitor at KIHR, then owned by his father, before moving on to on-air work and, eventually, ownership of the station. In 1998, Greg Walden ran for and was elected to the United States House of Representatives
as a Republican
from Oregon's 2nd congressional district
. During his tenure, until he sold his station group in 2007, Walden was the only broadcast license
holder serving in the United States Congress
.
format.
As part of an internal corporate reorganization, Bicoastal Columbia River, LLC, applied to the FCC in to transfer the broadcast license
for this station to Bicoastal Media Licenses IV, LLC. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 29, 2007, and this transaction was also consummated on December 1, 2007. In July 2010 KIHR begin broadcasting on the FM dial at 98.3. This was due to a change at the FCC to allow AM stations to rebroadcast on FM translators. KIHR still broadcasts on AM 1340.
presented by the National Association of Broadcasters
.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to serve Hood River, Oregon
Hood River, Oregon
The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
, USA. The station, which began broadcasting in 1950, is currently owned by Bicoastal Media and the broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
is held by Bicoastal Media Licenses IV, LLC.
Programming
KIHR broadcasts a country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format. In addition to its usual music programming, KIHR broadcasts National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
games as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
radio network. Other sports programming on KIHR includes select Hood River Valley High School
Hood River Valley High School
Hood River Valley High School is a public high school in Hood River, Oregon, United States. HRVHS was the result of the consolidation of two smaller high schools at the time of its founding.-School:...
events, Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
, and University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
Ducks football
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
.
The beginning
KIHR began regular broadcasting on October 17, 1950, with 250 wattWatt
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 of power on a frequency of 1340 kHz. The station's licensee, Oregon-Washington Broadcasters, Inc., was owned by C.H. Fisher and C.O. Fisher.
Walden family ownership
On April 1, 1967, Paul Walden acquired KIHR through his newly-formed Columbia Gorge Broadcasters, Inc. The station received authorization from the Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
to increased the strength of its daytime signal to 1,000 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 beginning in 1970. Nighttime power remained at the previous 250 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:...
level. Walden added an FM sister station
Sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio and/or television stations operated by the same ownership....
, KCGB-FM
KCGB-FM
KCGB-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Hood River, Oregon, USA. The station is owned by Bicoastal Media and the broadcast license is held by Bicoastal Media Licenses IV, LLC...
(105.5 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
), in 1978. On April 1, 1986, 19 years to the day after he acquired KIHR, Paul Walden sold Columbia Gorge Broadcasters, Inc., and control of both KIHR and KCGB-FM to his son Greg Walden
Greg Walden
Gregory Paul Walden is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district covers more than two-thirds of the state . He is the son of Paul E...
and Greg's wife Mylene.
Greg Walden began his career in broadcasting as a teenager when he started work as a janitor at KIHR, then owned by his father, before moving on to on-air work and, eventually, ownership of the station. In 1998, Greg Walden ran for and was elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
from Oregon's 2nd congressional district
Oregon's 2nd congressional district
Oregon's 2nd congressional district is the largest of Oregon's five districts, and is the seventh largest district in the nation. The district covers roughly two-thirds of the state, east of the Willamette Valley...
. During his tenure, until he sold his station group in 2007, Walden was the only broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
holder serving in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
.
KIHR today
In February 2007, Columbia Gorge Broadcasters, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Bicoastal Columbia River, LLC, as part of a 5-station deal valued at $2.78 million. The deal was approved by the FCC on September 13, 2007, and the transaction was consummated on December 1, 2007. At the time of the sale, KIHR broadcast a country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format.
As part of an internal corporate reorganization, Bicoastal Columbia River, LLC, applied to the FCC in to transfer the broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
for this station to Bicoastal Media Licenses IV, LLC. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 29, 2007, and this transaction was also consummated on December 1, 2007. In July 2010 KIHR begin broadcasting on the FM dial at 98.3. This was due to a change at the FCC to allow AM stations to rebroadcast on FM translators. KIHR still broadcasts on AM 1340.
Awards and honors
KIHR morning show Mid-Columbia Today was named "best public affairs program" for 2002 by the Oregon Association of Broadcasters. KIHR won the Oregon Associated Press Broadcasters Association Division II award for "overall excellence in news coverage" for its work in both 2002 and 2003. KIHR was named the 2004 Small Market Station of the Year at the Marconi AwardsNAB Marconi Radio Awards
The Marconi Radio Awards are presented annually by the National Association of Broadcasters to the top radio stations and on-air personalities in the United States. The awards are named in honor of Guglielmo Marconi, the man generally credited as the "Father of Wireless Telegraphy." NAB member...
presented by the National Association of Broadcasters
National Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association, workers union, and lobby group representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States...
.