KXRK
Encyclopedia
KXRK is commercial radio station
located in Salt Lake City, Utah
, United States
, broadcasting a modern rock
music format to the Provo
, Ogden
, and Salt Lake City area.
In 1978–1979, Lee Charles Kelley
-- who is now a mystery novelist living in New York City—worked the evening shift at K-96, as KXRK was then known, under the name of "Charlie Harris". In 1981, Kidd Kraddick
was hired to take over the 6-10 pm shift. W. Eugene Manning was the general manager at the time and he also hired Jim Sumpter to work at the station. K-96 was always in the top five in the ratings, and in Provo it was said that the station had 25% of all listeners, though this remains largely unverified because Arbitron did not collect ratings data for Provo until the mid-1980s. Fox News commentator Glenn Beck
also worked at K-96 in late 1982 to 1983 when he was 18. It was his second professional job in broadcasting.
The format began to drift and some say it was never the same again. In 1988, Marriott Corp sold the station to a local Native American
tribe and the station changed to a satellite oldies format as KZOL on September 1, 1988.
In 1990, the station began to add more current songs and it seemed like the format had returned to top 40. However, in February 1992 the station abruptly changed to alternative and took the present callsign KXRK.
KXRK was founded and began broadcasting in February 1992. The new station was owned by Acme Broadcasting, which had been organized by a group of DJs and managers who left KJQ
in a programming dispute.
X96 used to broadcast at frequency 96.1, but changed to 96.3 when it increased broadcast wattage in 1996. The frequency shift also allowed it to move to a more favorable transmitter location on Farnsworth Peak, which eventually also allowed KMGR 95.7 in Delta to move to 95.9 and move its transmitter to a location that would reach Utah County. KMGR has an application pending at the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to move to Humphreys Peak and serve the rest of the Salt Lake market from there, thus also benefiting from the move of KXRK from 96.1 to 96.3.
In April 1998, ownership of the station switched hands from Acme Broadcasting to Simmons Media Group
. Simmons, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, owns and operates Simmons Radio in Utah, Western Broadcasting, Simmons Lone Star Media, Simmons Outdoor Media, Simmons Ventures and the most prominent travel-related company in the Western United States, Morris Murdock Travel
.
The studios for X96 are currently located east of Trolley Square
at 5th South and 7th East in Salt Lake City in a block known as Trolley Corners. Prior to this it was located across the street from the Salt Palace
in a little building known as Arrow Press Square, adjacent to the now demolished club DV8. X96 was the first station in Utah to broadcast with a digital connection to its tower, which is located on Farnsworth Peak
.
In its 2006 summer double issue, Rolling Stone
named KXRK one of five "awesome rock outlets" that were thriving in their markets despite a recent contraction in rock radio stations across the United States.
Since fall 1995, X96 has hosted an all-day concert called the Big Ass Show (BASh) featuring nationally-touring alternative and punk bands, as well as providing a stage for local bands. In 2009, the BASh was on May 29 and featured The Airborne Toxic Event
, Alkaline Trio
, Escape the Fate
, The Offspring
, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
and Unwritten Law
among others.
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...
located in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, broadcasting a modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
music format to the Provo
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, Ogden
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
, and Salt Lake City area.
History
KXRK had a long history in the Utah market, first concentrating on Provo, as a top-40 station in the 1970s and 1980s as KAYK and later KFMY-FM.In 1978–1979, Lee Charles Kelley
Lee Charles Kelley
Lee Charles Kelley is an American novelist and dog trainer living in Manhattan.Kelley is the author of six detective novels featuring Jack Field, an NYPD homicide cop who loves dogs and hates people, so he takes early retirement, moves to Maine, and buys a boarding and training kennel, hoping to...
-- who is now a mystery novelist living in New York City—worked the evening shift at K-96, as KXRK was then known, under the name of "Charlie Harris". In 1981, Kidd Kraddick
Kidd Kraddick
Kidd Kraddick is an American radio host. His nationally-syndicated morning radio show, Kidd Kraddick in the Morning, is based in Las Colinas, Texas, in Irving, a suburb of Dallas, and airs throughout the United States, syndicated by Kraddick's company, Yea Network.-Early life:Kraddick was born on...
was hired to take over the 6-10 pm shift. W. Eugene Manning was the general manager at the time and he also hired Jim Sumpter to work at the station. K-96 was always in the top five in the ratings, and in Provo it was said that the station had 25% of all listeners, though this remains largely unverified because Arbitron did not collect ratings data for Provo until the mid-1980s. Fox News commentator Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
also worked at K-96 in late 1982 to 1983 when he was 18. It was his second professional job in broadcasting.
The format began to drift and some say it was never the same again. In 1988, Marriott Corp sold the station to a local Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
tribe and the station changed to a satellite oldies format as KZOL on September 1, 1988.
In 1990, the station began to add more current songs and it seemed like the format had returned to top 40. However, in February 1992 the station abruptly changed to alternative and took the present callsign KXRK.
KXRK was founded and began broadcasting in February 1992. The new station was owned by Acme Broadcasting, which had been organized by a group of DJs and managers who left KJQ
KJQN
KJQN is a radio station in Salt Lake City, Utah which currently plays the Jack FM radio format. It broadcasts at 103.1MHz.Previously known as Classic Alternative KJQ, the station flipped to Jack FM in January 2005....
in a programming dispute.
X96 used to broadcast at frequency 96.1, but changed to 96.3 when it increased broadcast wattage in 1996. The frequency shift also allowed it to move to a more favorable transmitter location on Farnsworth Peak, which eventually also allowed KMGR 95.7 in Delta to move to 95.9 and move its transmitter to a location that would reach Utah County. KMGR has an application pending at the Federal Communications Commission
Federal 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...
(FCC) to move to Humphreys Peak and serve the rest of the Salt Lake market from there, thus also benefiting from the move of KXRK from 96.1 to 96.3.
In April 1998, ownership of the station switched hands from Acme Broadcasting to Simmons Media Group
Simmons Media Group
The Simmons Media Group is a media company based in the United States. The company owns AM and FM radio stations, as well as outdoor advertising, a travel agency and an interactive agency.-Creation:...
. Simmons, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, owns and operates Simmons Radio in Utah, Western Broadcasting, Simmons Lone Star Media, Simmons Outdoor Media, Simmons Ventures and the most prominent travel-related company in the Western United States, Morris Murdock Travel
Morris Murdock Travel, LLC
Morris Murdock Travel, a subsidiary of Simmons Media Group, is a travel agency headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah with 6 additional offices in Utah and Montana and home-based agents located throughout Utah, Idaho and Montana...
.
The studios for X96 are currently located east of Trolley Square
Trolley Square
Trolley Square is a partially enclosed shopping center located in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It is considered to be a trendy high-end center and is the second-most-visited tourist destination within Salt Lake City proper, with 30% of its customers being from out of state...
at 5th South and 7th East in Salt Lake City in a block known as Trolley Corners. Prior to this it was located across the street from the Salt Palace
Salt Palace
This article describes a large building in Utah. A one-story building made of locally mined salt blocks in Grand Saline, Texas is also called the "Salt Palace"....
in a little building known as Arrow Press Square, adjacent to the now demolished club DV8. X96 was the first station in Utah to broadcast with a digital connection to its tower, which is located on Farnsworth Peak
Farnsworth Peak
Farnsworth Peak is a peak located on the northern end of the Oquirrh Mountain range, approximately south west of Salt Lake City, Utah. The mountain is named for Philo Farnsworth, the inventor of the first completely electronic television. It is used mainly for radio and television transmission,...
.
In its 2006 summer double issue, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
named KXRK one of five "awesome rock outlets" that were thriving in their markets despite a recent contraction in rock radio stations across the United States.
Since fall 1995, X96 has hosted an all-day concert called the Big Ass Show (BASh) featuring nationally-touring alternative and punk bands, as well as providing a stage for local bands. In 2009, the BASh was on May 29 and featured The Airborne Toxic Event
The Airborne Toxic Event
The Airborne Toxic Event is an American indie rock band from Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. It consists of Mikel Jollett , Steven Chen , Noah Harmon , Daren Taylor and Anna Bulbrook...
, Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band that formed in McHenry, Illinois, in 1996. The band's line-up consists of Matt Skiba , Dan Andriano , and Derek Grant...
, Escape the Fate
Escape the Fate
Escape the Fate is an American post-hardcore band from Las Vegas, Nevada formed in 2005 and originally from Pahrump, Nevada. They have released three EPs and three full-length studio albums. Dying Is Your Latest Fashion was the band's debut album and only album to feature vocalist Ronnie Radke...
, The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is an American rock band that formed in Middleburg, Florida.-Early years :Originating in Florida, childhood friends Ronnie Winter, Thomas Amason, and Duke Kitchens started the band while attending an AP music theory class, in 2003...
and Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour...
among others.
Current on-air staff
- Radio From HellRadio From HellRadio From Hell is an American radio program broadcast weekday mornings on Salt Lake City, Utah's KXRK 96.3FM, simulcast via a live internet audio stream, and available as an iTunes podcast or downloadable MP3...
(mornings) - Marci (mid-day)
- Todd Nuke'em (afternoon)
- Corey O'Brien (evenings)