KADI-FM

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99 Hit FM is a Christian Rock radio station in Springfield, MO. The station features music such as Switchfoot, Reliant K, Third Day, By the Tree, Tobymac, POD, and Kutless.

99 Hit FM is part of the Vision Communications, Inc. group, along with 1340 AM KADI, Sign Pro, and Equally Yoked Christian Singles. Vision Communications is owned by RC Amer.

Contents 1 History 2 Recent Growth 3 On-air obstacles 4 Personalities

[edit] History

When 99 Hit FM (99.5 FM KADI) first went on the air in June 1990, the station employed approximately eight people; Chicago-based Snowmen Broadcasting Inc. owned it and RC Amer was a sales representative.

In the years between, Amer moved into the role of sales manager, then station manager, before purchasing KADI through Vision Communications Inc., a company Amer owns with his wife, Karen. The purchase was finalized in 2000, but Vision Communications had a management agreement with KADI since 1994, the year Amer formed the company.

Staff grew to the 20 there today, and KADI reached the top spot in Arbitron’s ratings for contemporary Christian stations in the 18- to 34-year-old women category, its target market.

[edit] Recent Growth

Some of the station’s biggest points of pride are in its community involvement. The station and its listeners have taken on causes from the Good Samaritans Boys Ranch to Ozarks Food Harvest. 99 Hit FM sponsors the annual Children’s Miracle Network Radiothon, which raised more than $30,000 in 2006. The station also sponsors Relay for Life events for the American Cancer Society. 99 Hit FM has also participated in the annual I Love America Celebration hosted by James River Assembly every Fourth of July.

99 Hit FM has helped bring some of the top names in Christian music to Springfield, including Third Day, Amy Grant, Jars of Clay, Steven Curtis Chapman, The Newsboys, and Michael W. Smith.

[edit] On-air obstacles

99 Hit FM had a few obstacles to overcome.

KADI’s target audience is between 18 and 40 years old, and the Springfield area, with its abundance of religious-based universities, a good market for Christian radio.

The station also moved against the tide when industry consolidation became prevalent following the Telecom Act of 1996, which allowed one company to own more than one radio station. 99 Hit FM is one of very few stations of the kind in the country. It's a commercial radio station that plays Christian music. They have advertisers that pay to be on the radio, rather than having listeners pay to keep them on the radio, as is the case with most Christian stations.

[edit] Personalities

On-air personalities include: Rod Kittleman, RC Amer, Andy Collins, Mark Hill, Jason Wert, Julie Berry, Kristi Capel, Ronnie Hill, and Jodi.

• 99 Hit FM - Live on the Internet
• 99 Hit FM (KADI 99.5 FM) website
• Official 99 Hit FM myspace site

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