KXBZ

KXBZ
City of license Manhattan, Kansas
Broadcast area Salina-Manhattan area
Branding Hot Country B 104.7
Frequency 104.7 MHz
First air date 1990
Format New Country
ERP 50,000 watts
HAAT 148.8 meters
Class C2
Facility ID 37775
Transmitter coordinates 39°15′55″N 96°27′56″W / 39.26528°N 96.46556°W
Former callsigns KTDF (1990-1994)
Affiliations Premiere Radio Networks, Westwood One
Owner Manhattan Broadcasting Co., Inc.
Website b1047.com

Hot Country B1047 KXBZ (104.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a New Country format. Licensed to Manhattan, Kansas, USA, the station serves the Manhattan-Topeka-Salina area. The station is currently owned by Manhattan Broadcasting Co., Inc.

History

The station went on the air as KTDF on May 3, 1990. On September 30, 1994, the station changed its call sign to the current KXBZ.[1] At the time, it was the third station to be part of Manhattan Broadcasting Company.

The station's original logo featured a grinning, guitar-strumming yellow jacket, and featured the station's original positioning statement "Today's Hot New Country". In 1999, a new logo was created, featuring "B1047" and the new positioning statement was shortened to "Hot Country". B1047 has consistantly ruled the country airwaves in the Manhattan/Junction City/Wamego area, and along with sister stations KMAN, KMKF, and KACZ ranks in the Top 4 of the rankings for it's demographic.

Currently, the weekday programming schedule features:

The Morning Show with Megan and Tyler (6a-10a), Middays with Nick (10a-2p), Afternoons with Mike (2p-7p), and Nights with Heidi (7p-12p).

Bill Williams, the former night jock, left B1047 in December 2014 after more than 16 years on the air. At the time, he was the longest tenured member of the airstaff in station history. He remains at Manhattan Broadcasting as Traffic Director, as well as hosting Sunday mornings on sister station KMAN-AM.

On Saturdays, B1047 airs the "Powered by Fitz Countdown", along with a locally produced show "Red Dirt Road". In addition, B1047 also airs high school football on Friday nights during the fall. B1047 is also the hometown station for the annual Country Stampede Music festival, held every June at nearby Tuttle Creek State Park.

Manhattan Broadcasting owns 4 stations: KXBZ (B1047 - hot country), KMAN (1350 AM - news, talk, sports), KACZ (Z96.3 - Top 40, Urban), and KMKF (101.5 K-Rock - new and classic rock). MBC also has an expanding digital production department, and dominates the Arbitron rankings in Riley, Geary, and Pottawatomie counties.

The General Manager at Manhattan Broadcasting is Richard Wartell, and the Sales Manager is Andrea Besthorn. John Kurtz, a two-time winner of the Oscar Stauffer Award for Sports Broadcasting, is the Sports Director.

References

  1. ↑ "KXBZ Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.

External links