KRXQ
Encyclopedia
KRXQ is a commercial radio station
in Sacramento, California
, broadcasting on 98.5 FM
. The station airs an active rock
music format branded as "98 Rock". The station is owned by Entercom Communications
In the summer of 1968, KRXQ was purchased by Lee Gahagen (California Talking Wireless Company). Gahagen also owned a classical station in the South Bay area, and intended to place a Classical format on his new Sacramento frequency.
In the spring of 1968, Gahagen was approached by some students from Sacramento State University who worked at campus radio station KERS (90.7). They convinced Gahagen to run a “free form” radio station, similar to KMPX and KSAN in San Francisco. Gahagen agreed, and, on November 8, 1968, radio station KZAP made its debut, and its existence spanned 24 years (its formats ranging from free form rock to classic/album/hard rock) until 1992. In KZAP's final years, its competition was hard rock rival KRXQ, then known as "93 Rock".
KZAP's dropped to the lower 2s by late 1991. At midnight on January 20, 1992, after playing the song “Cristo Redentor” by Harvey Mandel, KZAP left the air, and the owners flipped the station to a Country format known as “Fresh Country 98.5.” Shortly thereafter, the station changed call letters to KNCI.
Eventually, the station flipped its focus to Classic Country. It also changed its call letters to KRAK-FM, and the KNCI call letters went to 105.1 FM. The station’s ratings were short of stellar. EZ Communications owned KRAK-FM at that time, and entered into an agreement with Entercom to switch the frequencies of KRXQ and KRAK in 1997.
In the spring of 1999, Entercom fired KRXQ AM drive time hosts the Rise Guys (The Phantom, Whitey Gleason & Justin Case) from their shift and hired the Rob, Arnie and Dawn Show from KDOT
(104.5) in Reno.
The station continued in this format and garnered a 12+ share (ratings) in the lower to mid 3s to lower 4s, and dominated in the target demo of 18-34 year old adults, and male listeners. The station has enjoyed market domination under the programming talents of Curtiss Johnson and currently Jim Fox from the Program Director position at WBYR
in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Fox was appointed station manager in late 2003, and recruited Joe Maumee—a charismatic, gruff-voiced "fun lover" for the night timeslot, and soon arranged the current line-up with Rob Arnie and Dawn (5–10 a.m.), long-time staff member Pat Martin (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), whose radio experience includes stations KGB-FM
in San Diego and KMET in Los Angeles, and former KUFO talent Craig "The Dog Faced Boy" and sidekick Joe Maumee as the afternoon badboys.
By the late 2000s, the station completed the shift to active rock
from mainstream rock
with Nielsen BDS going first and Mediabase
following suit later.
This weekend 98 Rock celebrated the release of Pearl Jam's new CD by spotlighting 90's Grunge bands. Over the weekend 98 Rock became "The Flannel Channel" and we played 90's bands exclusively.
Based upon the feedback we've received, flannel is OUT! ...and so is the Flannel Channel.
Jim Fox Station Manager KRXQ/ 98 Rock
On May 28, 2009, Hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States from the "The Rob, Arnie, and Dawn Show" drew media attention in reference to two news stories regarding transgendered children. States said, "God forbid if my son put on a pair of high heels, I would probably hit him with one of my shoes". Williams and States took turns referring to gender dysphoric children as "idiots" and "freaks," who were just out "for attention" and had "a mental disorder that just needs to somehow be gotten out of them," either by verbal abuse on the part of the parents, or even shock therapy. In response, several advertisers (including Snapple, Sonic, Carl's Jr, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Verizon, Chipotle Grill, AT&T, and McDonald's) temporary pulled their advertising from KRXQ. Nissan similarly declined to renew an advertising contract with the station.
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...
in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, broadcasting on 98.5 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"...
. The station airs an active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
music format branded as "98 Rock". The station is owned by Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States....
The beginning
On November 1, 1959, with a dedication by then California Governor Edmund (Pat) Brown, FM radio station KRXQ, owned and operated by Dale Flewelling, made its debut in Sacramento at 98.5 MHz. With studios and transmitter located on the 13th floor of the Elks building in downtown Sacramento, KRXQ operated daily from 7:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. with an effective radiated power of 35,000 watts. From its elevated location KRXQ enjoyed broad coverage up and down the valley. Bruce Jensen was Program Director during the first year and programmed a varied mix of popular music during the day and Jazz late at night and weekend afternoons. From 1960 until mid 1966 Paul Thompson was Program Director and the format remained basically the same with the exception that the music became more sophisticated and swinging with an easy Jazz touch during the daytime with more straight forward Jazz heard later at night. During this period KRXQ at one point became an all Jazz station for a year or two but commercial support waned and the station fell back on the swinging sound format. Following the departure of Thompson the station continued on in the same direction for a while but eventually things changed and by the spring of 1968, the station was having financial difficulties, and was only broadcasting from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.In the summer of 1968, KRXQ was purchased by Lee Gahagen (California Talking Wireless Company). Gahagen also owned a classical station in the South Bay area, and intended to place a Classical format on his new Sacramento frequency.
The KZAP years
Main article: KZAPIn the spring of 1968, Gahagen was approached by some students from Sacramento State University who worked at campus radio station KERS (90.7). They convinced Gahagen to run a “free form” radio station, similar to KMPX and KSAN in San Francisco. Gahagen agreed, and, on November 8, 1968, radio station KZAP made its debut, and its existence spanned 24 years (its formats ranging from free form rock to classic/album/hard rock) until 1992. In KZAP's final years, its competition was hard rock rival KRXQ, then known as "93 Rock".
KZAP's dropped to the lower 2s by late 1991. At midnight on January 20, 1992, after playing the song “Cristo Redentor” by Harvey Mandel, KZAP left the air, and the owners flipped the station to a Country format known as “Fresh Country 98.5.” Shortly thereafter, the station changed call letters to KNCI.
Eventually, the station flipped its focus to Classic Country. It also changed its call letters to KRAK-FM, and the KNCI call letters went to 105.1 FM. The station’s ratings were short of stellar. EZ Communications owned KRAK-FM at that time, and entered into an agreement with Entercom to switch the frequencies of KRXQ and KRAK in 1997.
KRXQ takes it casually
In August 1998, a frequency swap occurred. KRXQ, formerly known as “93 Rock” became “98 Rock” one Monday afternoon in August 1998. KRAK migrated over to 93.7 FM. The station continued its “Active Rock” approach. “Active Rock focused on the top 25 or 30 Rock singles, mixed in with recurrent and classic cuts. Generally, the station would have a running library of roughly 300 songs.In the spring of 1999, Entercom fired KRXQ AM drive time hosts the Rise Guys (The Phantom, Whitey Gleason & Justin Case) from their shift and hired the Rob, Arnie and Dawn Show from KDOT
KDOT
KDOT is a commercial radio station located in Reno, Nevada, broadcasting on 104.5 FM. KDOT airs an active rock music format.-History:KDOT-FM began its Rock programming in early April 1996. Previously it had been a moderately successful country station will the call letters "KHIT-FM". In the...
(104.5) in Reno.
The station continued in this format and garnered a 12+ share (ratings) in the lower to mid 3s to lower 4s, and dominated in the target demo of 18-34 year old adults, and male listeners. The station has enjoyed market domination under the programming talents of Curtiss Johnson and currently Jim Fox from the Program Director position at WBYR
WBYR
WBYR, branded as 98.9 The Bear, is a radio station licensed to Woodburn, Indiana with studios in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The station broadcasts an active rock format at 98.9 on the FM dial. WBYR is owned by Federated Media.-History:...
in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Fox was appointed station manager in late 2003, and recruited Joe Maumee—a charismatic, gruff-voiced "fun lover" for the night timeslot, and soon arranged the current line-up with Rob Arnie and Dawn (5–10 a.m.), long-time staff member Pat Martin (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), whose radio experience includes stations KGB-FM
KGB-FM
KGB-FM is a classic rock radio station in San Diego, California. It is owned and operated by Clear Channel Communications.-History:...
in San Diego and KMET in Los Angeles, and former KUFO talent Craig "The Dog Faced Boy" and sidekick Joe Maumee as the afternoon badboys.
By the late 2000s, the station completed the shift to active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
from mainstream rock
Mainstream rock
Mainstream rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.-Format background:...
with Nielsen BDS going first and Mediabase
Mediabase
Mediabase is a music industry service that monitors radio station airplay in 180 US and Canadian markets. Mediabase publishes music charts and data based on the most played songs on terrestrial and satellite radio, and provides in-depth analytical tools for radio and record industry professionals...
following suit later.
The Flannel years
On the weekend of April 29 and 30, 2006, KRXQ identified themselves as "The Flannel Channel" and slightly switched music formats, playing mostly rock hits from the '90s with no recent or older songs. However, on Monday they went back to identifying themselves as the usual "98 Rock". No on-air explanation has been given for the temporary name-change, however it has come to light that the switch was an un-announced publicity stunt put on by the station to celebrate the release of Pearl Jam's new self-titled record the following Tuesday and to 'scare the listeners'. Station manager Jim Fox gave the following explanation, off the air:This weekend 98 Rock celebrated the release of Pearl Jam's new CD by spotlighting 90's Grunge bands. Over the weekend 98 Rock became "The Flannel Channel" and we played 90's bands exclusively.
Based upon the feedback we've received, flannel is OUT! ...and so is the Flannel Channel.
Jim Fox Station Manager KRXQ/ 98 Rock
KRXQ-HD2
KRXQ's HD2 subcarrier offers a format that features live performances from Rock artists.Controversy
In 2004, KRXQ was fined USD 55,000 for broadcasting indecent material.On May 28, 2009, Hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States from the "The Rob, Arnie, and Dawn Show" drew media attention in reference to two news stories regarding transgendered children. States said, "God forbid if my son put on a pair of high heels, I would probably hit him with one of my shoes". Williams and States took turns referring to gender dysphoric children as "idiots" and "freaks," who were just out "for attention" and had "a mental disorder that just needs to somehow be gotten out of them," either by verbal abuse on the part of the parents, or even shock therapy. In response, several advertisers (including Snapple, Sonic, Carl's Jr, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Verizon, Chipotle Grill, AT&T, and McDonald's) temporary pulled their advertising from KRXQ. Nissan similarly declined to renew an advertising contract with the station.