KQKS
Encyclopedia
KQKS, also known as KS107.5, is a very successful Mainstream Urban
radio station with a couple pop songs mixed into the playlist. It is owned by Lincoln Financial Group
serving the Denver
-Boulder
metropolitan area. The station, which broadcasts at 107.5 megahertz (MHz) with an ERP
of 91 kilowatts (kW), is licensed to Lakewood
. KQKS' current slogan is #1 For Today's Hottest Music, which they use to reflect its current musical mix of R&B, hip hop
and Rhythmic Pop hits.
and moved the transmitter site closer to Denver to enter the Denver Top 40 wars. At the time, the station was at 104.3 and was known as KS104. By 1989, they evolved into a Dance
-leaning rhythmic contemporary hit direction, but by 1993, they would start shifting back to a mainstream Top 40 direction again after they were left standing as the only Top 40 in the market.
However, by 1995, they would see new competition from two new stations, KHHT (K-HITS 107.5) and KALC
(Alice 105.9), going after listeners with a mainstream Top 40 direction. As a result of this, KQKS returned to rhythmic contemporary hits that year.
But by 1996, KQKS would receive a major jolt when their air staffers defected to another new rhythmic contemporary hit radio station, KJMN
(JAM'N 92.1) and began attacking them on-air and on the streets.
That would all change. In November 1996, Western Cities sold KS104 to Jefferson-Pilot
, who kept the station jock-less for 4 months. Jefferson-Pilot was also the owner of KHHT at the time. But on February 23, 1997 history would be made in the market when Jefferson-Pilot moved KQKS to 107.5 and relaunched it as KS1075, replacing KHHT's ill-fated Top 40 format and turning KQKS' former home at 104.3 into a Classic Country outlet (they are now a Sports outlet). The move would also pay off in the ratings as well, resulting in KJMN throwing in the towel on March 30, 1997. Since then KQKS has faced several competitors, but no one has even come close to toppling them since, especially in the Arbitron
PPMs, where they maintained a top 5 status in the Denver ratings. In 2009, Clear channel flipped KPTT (who had once competed against them as Top 40/CHR KFMD from 2000 to 2005) to Rhythmic Top 40, resulting in KQKS adding more rap to its playlist. While Rap and Hip-hop accounts for over 50% of KS1075's playlist, the station, like most of the other Rhythmics in the United States, has added some Rhythmic Pop/Dance tracks due to changing tastes among its listeners. As of 2011, KQKS competes against both rival KPTT and the market's only mainstream Top 40/CHR, KDHT
, both of whom have yet to beat KQKS.
The current airstaff includes Larry, Kendall and Kathie J in the morning, mid-days with Tony V, afternoons with Gina Lee Fuentez and DJ Chonz, nights with Ya Girl 'Cedes, and late nights with BuhrmGotti. A-Rich and Kingdom work weekends, and mixers DJ Chonz, DJ Dizzy D, DJ Tanastadi, DJ Baby Boy and DJ Above provide mixing duties.
In 2005 Lincoln Financial Group acquired Jefferson-Pilot, thus in turn resulted in LFG becoming KQKS' parent company due to LFG's decision to keep J-P's broadcasting properties in its portfolio despite turning down offers by other broadcasting groups to sell the stations. On April 3, 2006 KQKS and the other stations began replacing the ownership on-air liners "A Jefferson-Pilot Station" with "A Lincoln Financial Station" as LFG retired the JP name. In June 2007 Lincoln announced that would put its television and radio stations up for sale. KQKS, along with its sister stations in Denver was among the properties being shopped around by Lincoln, until the company suspended those plans in 2008 due to financial concerns.
The station was also once simulcast on 1600AM, later KCKK
and now (since January 1, 2007) KEPN
, "ESPN Radio
1600."
" by the American girl group Boy Krazy
. The song, which was produced by Stock Aitken Waterman
, was a failure when it was released in Europe in 1991 but by late 1992 it somehow wound up getting airplay on the station after one of the staffers heard a remix done by Hot Tracks. The single would go on to be a top 20 hit on Billboard
's Hot 100, Top 40 Mainstream, and Rhythmic Contemporary
charts in 1993. The group mentions KQKS in their thank-you liners, which can found on their first (and only) 1993 self-titled album.
Mainstream Urban
Mainstream Urban is a term used to describe a radio format similar to an Urban Contemporary format. The format differentiates itself due to two factors: playlist composition and target demographic...
radio station with a couple pop songs mixed into the playlist. It is owned by Lincoln Financial Group
Lincoln National Corporation
Lincoln National Corporation is a Fortune 200 American holding company, which operates multiple insurance and investment management businesses through subsidiary companies...
serving the Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
-Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
metropolitan area. The station, which broadcasts at 107.5 megahertz (MHz) with an ERP
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
of 91 kilowatts (kW), is licensed to Lakewood
Lakewood, Colorado
Lakewood is a Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous city in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Lakewood is the fifth most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 172nd most populous city in the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that in April 1, 2010...
. KQKS' current slogan is #1 For Today's Hottest Music, which they use to reflect its current musical mix of R&B, hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and Rhythmic Pop hits.
KQKS History
KQKS origins began in 1986, when Western Cities Broadcasting purchased KLMO-FM Longmont, ColoradoLongmont, Colorado
Longmont is a Home Rule Municipality in Boulder and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Longmont is located in Northern Colorado. Longmont is the 13th most populous city in the State of Colorado. The word "Longmont" comes from Longs Peak, a prominent mountain named for explorer Stephen H....
and moved the transmitter site closer to Denver to enter the Denver Top 40 wars. At the time, the station was at 104.3 and was known as KS104. By 1989, they evolved into a Dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
-leaning rhythmic contemporary hit direction, but by 1993, they would start shifting back to a mainstream Top 40 direction again after they were left standing as the only Top 40 in the market.
However, by 1995, they would see new competition from two new stations, KHHT (K-HITS 107.5) and KALC
KALC
KALC is a commercial radio station located in Denver, Colorado, USA. KALC airs an Adult Top 40 music format branded as "Alice 105.9".-History:...
(Alice 105.9), going after listeners with a mainstream Top 40 direction. As a result of this, KQKS returned to rhythmic contemporary hits that year.
But by 1996, KQKS would receive a major jolt when their air staffers defected to another new rhythmic contemporary hit radio station, KJMN
KJMN
KJMN is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish adult hits format licensed to Castle Rock, Colorado, USA, serving the Denver-Boulder area...
(JAM'N 92.1) and began attacking them on-air and on the streets.
That would all change. In November 1996, Western Cities sold KS104 to Jefferson-Pilot
Lincoln National Corporation
Lincoln National Corporation is a Fortune 200 American holding company, which operates multiple insurance and investment management businesses through subsidiary companies...
, who kept the station jock-less for 4 months. Jefferson-Pilot was also the owner of KHHT at the time. But on February 23, 1997 history would be made in the market when Jefferson-Pilot moved KQKS to 107.5 and relaunched it as KS1075, replacing KHHT's ill-fated Top 40 format and turning KQKS' former home at 104.3 into a Classic Country outlet (they are now a Sports outlet). The move would also pay off in the ratings as well, resulting in KJMN throwing in the towel on March 30, 1997. Since then KQKS has faced several competitors, but no one has even come close to toppling them since, especially in 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...
PPMs, where they maintained a top 5 status in the Denver ratings. In 2009, Clear channel flipped KPTT (who had once competed against them as Top 40/CHR KFMD from 2000 to 2005) to Rhythmic Top 40, resulting in KQKS adding more rap to its playlist. While Rap and Hip-hop accounts for over 50% of KS1075's playlist, the station, like most of the other Rhythmics in the United States, has added some Rhythmic Pop/Dance tracks due to changing tastes among its listeners. As of 2011, KQKS competes against both rival KPTT and the market's only mainstream Top 40/CHR, KDHT
KDHT-FM
KGSR is an Adult Album Alternative formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Cedar Park, Texas, serving the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area. KGSR is owned and operated by Emmis Communications and has undergone changes over time in its music selection and signal...
, both of whom have yet to beat KQKS.
The current airstaff includes Larry, Kendall and Kathie J in the morning, mid-days with Tony V, afternoons with Gina Lee Fuentez and DJ Chonz, nights with Ya Girl 'Cedes, and late nights with BuhrmGotti. A-Rich and Kingdom work weekends, and mixers DJ Chonz, DJ Dizzy D, DJ Tanastadi, DJ Baby Boy and DJ Above provide mixing duties.
In 2005 Lincoln Financial Group acquired Jefferson-Pilot, thus in turn resulted in LFG becoming KQKS' parent company due to LFG's decision to keep J-P's broadcasting properties in its portfolio despite turning down offers by other broadcasting groups to sell the stations. On April 3, 2006 KQKS and the other stations began replacing the ownership on-air liners "A Jefferson-Pilot Station" with "A Lincoln Financial Station" as LFG retired the JP name. In June 2007 Lincoln announced that would put its television and radio stations up for sale. KQKS, along with its sister stations in Denver was among the properties being shopped around by Lincoln, until the company suspended those plans in 2008 due to financial concerns.
107.5 History
In the mid-1980s, 107.5 was known as KRXY, "Y108". It was the top rated CHR station in Denver during the 1980s. The station would eventually been overtaken by KQKS (then at 104.3) in 1991. KRXY began to lean toward Adult Top 40/Hot AC and eventually dropped the Y108 moniker and became Mix 107.5. When Jefferson-Pilot brought the station the station's calls were changed to KWMX. KWMX would eventually would face competition from KALC in the mid-1990s, and changed its playlist to fit with the current Modern Pop/Rock direction that KALC, and eventually the Hot AC format, was embracing at the time. The attempt proved unsuccessful for KWMX and in 1996 changed its moniker and call letters to K-HITS 107.5 and KHHT respectively, adopting a Mainstream Top 40/CHR direction again. In 1997, after Jefferson-Pilot bought KQKS 104.3, they dropped the K-HITS format and moved the KQKS calls and its Rhythmic Format to 107.5, where it has been ever since.The station was also once simulcast on 1600AM, later KCKK
KCKK
KCKK is an American sports-talk broadcast radio station licensed in Littleton, Colorado, and serving the Denver/Boulder/Fort Collins area. KCKK is owned by NRC Broadcasting and operated by Mile High Sports under a local marketing agreement.-History:...
and now (since January 1, 2007) KEPN
KEPN
KEPN, 1600AM, is an all-sports radio station licensed to Lakewood, Colorado and serving the Denver, Colorado area. On January 1, 2007, it became the local affiliate of ESPN Radio for the Denver area and the "Front Range." It is owned by Lincoln Financial Media.Before that date, it was "16Kicks"...
, "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...
1600."
Music history
KQKS played a part in breaking an import track called "That's What Love Can DoThat's What Love Can Do
"That's What Love Can Do" is a hit song by American female pop group Boy Krazy. The song was produced by British hitmaking team Stock Aitken & Waterman, and first released in 1991 as Boy Krazy's debut single. Lead vocals were performed by group member Johnna Cummings...
" by the American girl group Boy Krazy
Boy Krazy
Boy Krazy was a New York City-based girl group that saw brief fame in 1993 with their hit single "That's What Love Can Do".-Career:The group was put together through auditions by a management company in New York. Boy Krazy featured female singers Kimberly Blake, Josselyne Jones, Johnna Lee...
. The song, which was produced by Stock Aitken Waterman
Stock Aitken Waterman
Stock Aitken Waterman, sometimes known as SAW, were a UK songwriting and record producing trio consisting of Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman. They had great success during the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s...
, was a failure when it was released in Europe in 1991 but by late 1992 it somehow wound up getting airplay on the station after one of the staffers heard a remix done by Hot Tracks. The single would go on to be a top 20 hit on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Hot 100, Top 40 Mainstream, and Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...
charts in 1993. The group mentions KQKS in their thank-you liners, which can found on their first (and only) 1993 self-titled album.