KCKC-FM
Encyclopedia
KCKC is an adult album alternative
station based in Kansas City, Missouri
that operates at 102.1 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. The station is licensed to and operated by Wilks Broadcasting. Its transmitter is located in Independence, Missouri
. The station plays rock-based music from the 1960s through today.
. That pioneer FM station ceased operations in 1950.
The frequency was relicensed in 1961 as WDAF
. The simulcast with their AM frequency continued until 1974.
In 1974, under the call letters KYYS
, 102.1 became an album oriented rock station under the branding "KY102". The station quickly became one of the highest rated in Kansas City, and was the rock leader until the early 1990s, when KQRC signed on. By the mid 1990s, KY102 found itself near the bottom of the ratings, sandwiched between classic rock station KCFX
and hard rock station KQRC. In addition to low ratings, the station had a very high payroll due to its personality-heavy format and veteran DJs.
In September 1997, the station switched to "102.1 The Zone" with a modern adult contemporary format. Backlash from long time KY102 listeners resulted in protests and negative media toward the new format. One month after KY102 ended, a new classic rock station called "99-7 KY" was launched by a rival company. Many longtime KY personalities landed there, while a few remained at the old frequency.
"The Zone" ended in January 1999 in favor of "Star 102", which played upbeat adult contemporary music, based on mainly current and 2000s music with some 1980s and 1990s music and the occasional 1970s song.
The station's call letters changed from KSRC to KCKC in September 2006. The change was partially because of a rumored format change to hot talk as "Free FM
". This was aborted because of low ratings with the other Free FM stations. Shortly after this, CBS Radio sold the station to Wilks Broadcasting.
KCKC was among a select few stations in the United States that regularly changes to Christmas music
during the first or second day of November, as opposed to the mid-November date that the majority of Christmas stations choose to start playing holiday songs.
On December 27, 2010, KCKC began running a countdown clock on its website, telling listeners that a "new sound" was coming on January 3, 2011 at 12 Noon (CST). At that time, the station flipped to "Alice 102," with an adult album alternative
format playing music from artists such as Sheryl Crow
, Dave Matthews Band
, INXS
, Bob Marley
, The Police
, Depeche Mode
, Van Morrison
, Tom Petty
and more with a target age range of 25-54. The station competes against Cumulus Media's KCJK
, Entercom's KRBZ
and KZPT, and University of Central Missouri's KTBG
. The last song on Star 102 was Dan Fogelberg
's "Same Old Lang Syne
," while Alice 102's first song was R.E.M.
's "The One I Love
." Alice continued to air John Tesh
at night for a few months until their contract with the show expired.
Specialty shows:
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
station based in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
that operates at 102.1 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. The station is licensed to and operated by Wilks Broadcasting. Its transmitter is located in Independence, Missouri
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
. The station plays rock-based music from the 1960s through today.
History
The 102.1 frequency was first used in 1948 by Cook Paint and Varnish Company, then the owners of WHBWHB
WHB is a commercial sports radio station in Kansas City, Missouri, and is known as the first full-time Top 40 station in the country...
. That pioneer FM station ceased operations in 1950.
The frequency was relicensed in 1961 as WDAF
WDAF-FM
WDAF-FM is a country music radio station based in Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States. Its current assignment to Entercom's 100,000 Watt facility licensed to Liberty, Missouri, combines the history of both the frequency and the WDAF call letters.- The Early Days :WDAF was one of the first...
. The simulcast with their AM frequency continued until 1974.
In 1974, under the call letters KYYS
KYYS
KZPT is an American radio station broadcasting a Hot AC format. It is licensed to and serves the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1962 under the call sign KMBC-FM...
, 102.1 became an album oriented rock station under the branding "KY102". The station quickly became one of the highest rated in Kansas City, and was the rock leader until the early 1990s, when KQRC signed on. By the mid 1990s, KY102 found itself near the bottom of the ratings, sandwiched between classic rock station KCFX
KCFX
KCFX is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to the suburb of Harrisonville, Missouri, it serves the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. It first began broadcasting under the call sign KRYP...
and hard rock station KQRC. In addition to low ratings, the station had a very high payroll due to its personality-heavy format and veteran DJs.
In September 1997, the station switched to "102.1 The Zone" with a modern adult contemporary format. Backlash from long time KY102 listeners resulted in protests and negative media toward the new format. One month after KY102 ended, a new classic rock station called "99-7 KY" was launched by a rival company. Many longtime KY personalities landed there, while a few remained at the old frequency.
"The Zone" ended in January 1999 in favor of "Star 102", which played upbeat adult contemporary music, based on mainly current and 2000s music with some 1980s and 1990s music and the occasional 1970s song.
The station's call letters changed from KSRC to KCKC in September 2006. The change was partially because of a rumored format change to hot talk as "Free FM
Free FM
Free FM was a short-lived, mostly-talk-radio format and brand name for eleven FM CBS Radio stations in the United States, and was created because of Howard Stern's departure to Sirius Satellite Radio in January 2006. Free FM was given its name to highlight that its stations broadcast free-to-air,...
". This was aborted because of low ratings with the other Free FM stations. Shortly after this, CBS Radio sold the station to Wilks Broadcasting.
KCKC was among a select few stations in the United States that regularly changes to Christmas music
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
during the first or second day of November, as opposed to the mid-November date that the majority of Christmas stations choose to start playing holiday songs.
On December 27, 2010, KCKC began running a countdown clock on its website, telling listeners that a "new sound" was coming on January 3, 2011 at 12 Noon (CST). At that time, the station flipped to "Alice 102," with an adult album alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
format playing music from artists such as Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
, Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
, INXS
INXS
INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...
, Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
, Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
, Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
, Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
and more with a target age range of 25-54. The station competes against Cumulus Media's KCJK
KCJK
KCJK is a variety hits station that serves the Kansas City metropolitan area. Broadcasting at a frequency of 105.1 MHz, KCJK adopted its Jack FM format in October 2004, after flipping from their predecessor: the retro hits station E-105...
, Entercom's KRBZ
KRBZ
KRBZ, FM 96.5 in Kansas City, is an Alternative rock station. The station uses the brand name 96-5 The Buzz. It is the Kansas City market's home for the syndicated program Loveline. The station is owned by Entercom Communications, and is based in Mission, Kansas.-History:KRBZ began broadcasting in...
and KZPT, and University of Central Missouri's KTBG
KTBG
KTBG is a listener supported radio station in Warrensburg, Missouri. The station is currently owned by the University of Central Missouri...
. The last song on Star 102 was Dan Fogelberg
Dan Fogelberg
Daniel Grayling "Dan" Fogelberg was an American singer-songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, whose music was inspired by sources as diverse as folk, pop, rock, classical, jazz, and bluegrass music...
's "Same Old Lang Syne
Same Old Lang Syne
"Same Old Lang Syne" is a song sung by Dan Fogelberg released as a single in 1980. It was also included on his 1981 album The Innocent Age. The song is a narrative ballad told in the first person and tells the story of two long-ago lovers meeting by chance in a supermarket on Christmas Eve...
," while Alice 102's first song was R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
's "The One I Love
The One I Love
The One I Love may refer to:* The One I Love , a song by R.E.M.* "The One I Love" * "The One I Love" * The One I Love , a manga series by CLAMP...
." Alice continued to air John Tesh
John Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
at night for a few months until their contract with the show expired.
Current on-air lineup
Weekdays- 6 AM-10 AM: Shorty (formerly of KCHZKCHZKCHZ , known as "95.7 The Vibe", is a Contemporary Hit Radio radio station serving the Kansas City metropolitan area from Ottawa, Kansas. The Cumulus Broadcasting outlet operates at 95.7 MHz with an ERP of 96 kW. Its transmitter is located near Linwood, Kansas.-History:KCHZ began...
) - 10 AM-3 PM: JD (also on KBEQKBEQKBEQ-FM is a country radio station that broadcasts in the Kansas City media market. Prior to adopting its "young country" format in 1993, KBEQ was Kansas City's sole Top-40 station.-History:...
as Joshua James) - 3 PM-7 PM: Thom McGhinty (formerly of Entercom/Kansas City)
- 7 PM-Midnight: Alice Afterhours
- Midnight-6 AM: Alice Music
Specialty shows:
- Acoustic Storm-Sundays 7 AM-10 AM