KIAI
Radio station in Mason City, Iowa
43°10′04″N 93°06′05″W / 43.16778°N 93.10139°W / 43.16778; -93.10139KIAI (93.9 FM) is a commercial radio station that serves the areas of Mason City, Iowa and Austin–Albert Lea, Minnesota. The station broadcasts a Country format. KIAI is owned by Alpha Media, through licensee Alpha 3E Licensee LLC,[1] which owns several other radio stations in Iowa and Minnesota. KIAI's studios are located on Yorktown Pike in eastern Mason City.
The transmitter and broadcast tower are located four miles east of Mason City along 280th Street. According to the Antenna Structure Registration database, the tower is 244 m (801 ft) tall with the FM broadcast antenna mounted at the 229 m (751 ft) level.[2] The calculated Height Above Average Terrain is 241 m (791 ft).
The station was originally licensed as KNIQ on April 9, 1985, and initially broadcast on the 93.5 FM frequency. When KNIQ signed on in November 1985 under the ownership of B-Y Communications, it aired a Top 40/CHR format. KNIQ was sold to James Ingstad Broadcasting in March 1990.[3] On October 4, 1991, KNIQ changed callsigns to KIAI, and the station moved to its current 93.9 FM frequency in 1992. In 1993, KIAI flipped to its current country format.[4]
James Ingstad Broadcasting sold KIAI to Cumulus Broadcasting in 1998.[5] Two years later, Clear Channel Communications bought the station.[6] In 2007, Clear Channel sold the station to Three Eagles Broadcasting.[7][8][9] In 2014, KIAI was sold to Digity, LLC. Two years later, Alpha Media acquired Digity, LLC, including KIAI, for $264 million.[10][11]
In May 2024, morning show host Britt Bailey was let go from the station due to staffing cuts initiated by Alpha Media. On June 5, KIAI began airing programming from Westwood One's "Hot Country" format.[12][13] KIAI is the North Iowa affiliate of "After Midnite" with Granger Smith, Z-Max Racing Country on Sunday mornings, and Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40 on Sunday evenings.
References
- ^ FCC Ownership database
- ^ FCC Antenna Structure Registration database
- ^ Steve McMahon, "KGLO, KNIQ stations sold for $2.3 million," The Globe-Gazette, April 6, 1990.
- ^ FCC Callsign History database
- ^ Kevin Baskins, "Radio Park sold," The Globe-Gazette, February 27, 1998.
- ^ Public notice required under 47 C.F.R. 73.3580, The Globe-Gazette, August 11, 2000.
- ^ Dick Johnson, "Radio stations change hands," The Globe-Gazette, April 11, 2007.
- ^ Dick Johnson, "Radio stations change ownership, locations," The Globe-Gazette, September 7, 2007.
- ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010, page D-222
- ^ "Alpha Media/Digity Sale Price & Details". RadioInsight. 2015-08-12. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ^ "Alpha Closes Digity Deal". RadioInk. 2016-02-25. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- ^ Alpha Media Continues to Purge Programming, On-Air Staffs in Midwest Markets
- ^ Hot Country | Westwood One
External links
- KIAI website
- KIAI in the FCC FM station database
- KIAI in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
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- Nearby regions
- Austin–Albert Lea
- Fort Dodge
- Mankato–New Ulm–St. Peter
- Rochester
- Waterloo–Cedar Falls
- See also
- List of radio stations in Iowa
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