KBNH

KBNH
City of license Burns, Oregon
Branding Real Country 1230
Frequency 1230 kHz
First air date September 28, 1957 (as KRNS)
Format Silent
Power 1,000 watts (unlimited)
Class C
Facility ID 62265
Transmitter coordinates 43°33′49″N 119°03′22″W / 43.56361°N 119.05611°W / 43.56361; -119.05611
Callsign meaning Burns N' Hines
Former callsigns KRNS (1957-1984)
KZZR (1984-2010)[1]
Owner Harney County Radio, LLC
Sister stations KORC

KBNH (1230 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Burns, Oregon, USA. The station, established in 1957, is owned by Harney County Radio, LLC. KBNH and sister station KORC are the two of only four radio stations with Burns as their community of license.[2]

Programming

KBNH broadcasts a classic country music format to Burns and much of Harney County, Oregon.[3] In addition to its usual music programming, KBNH airs a variety of local sporting events, including high school football.[4]

History

This station began broadcast operations on September 28, 1957, as KRNS with 250 watts of power on 1230 kHz under the ownership of Howard McDonald and James Ward, doing business as Radio Burns.[5] KRNS upgraded its daytime signal to 1,000 watts in 1966 while its nighttime signal remained at 250 watts.[6]

The station was sold to KRNS Radio, Inc., in 1974.[7] KRNS Radio, Inc. was owned & operated by Bill Hampton. KRNS was sold to Warren D. Evans in 1978.[8] KRNS was authorized to broadcast with 1,000 watts of power both day and night, its current authorization level, in August 1981.[9] The station was assigned new call letters "KZZR" by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on April 10, 1984.[1]

In December 1993, Warren D. Evans reached an agreement to sell KZZR to Stanley M. Swol. The deal was approved by the FCC on January 21, 1994, and, after a delay, the transaction was completed on November 3, 1994.[10] In October 2003, Stanley M. Swol applied to the FCC to transfer the broadcast license for KZZR to SS Radio, LLC, a limited liability company wholly owned by Stanley M. Swol. The transfer was approved by the FCC on November 10, 2003, and the transaction was completed on same day.[11]

In November 2004, SS Radio, LLC, reached an agreement to sell this station and FM sister station KQHC to Action Radio, LLC, for a reported $72,500.[12] The deal was approved by the FCC on March 11, 2005, and the transaction was completed on April 18, 2005.[13] At the time of the sale, KZZR broadcast a country music format.[12]

In August 2007, Action Radio, LLC, agreed to sell both KZZR and KQHC to B&H Radio, Inc., for $67,000 in cash plus the assumption of certain debts for a total reported sale price of $209,700.98. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 1, 2007, and the transaction was completed on the same day.[14]

In May 2010, B&H Radio, Inc., agreed to sell KZZR and KQHC to Harney County Radio, LLC for a reported $245,000. Harney County Radio, LLC is wholly owned by Joan M. & Leighton M. Reed-Nickerson who also own KORV in Lakeview, Oregon.[15] On June 30, 2010 the FCC approved the transfer of KZZR and KQHC to Harney County Radio, LLC.[16] On July 16, 2010, the new owners had the FCC change the station's call sign to KBNH, for "Burns N' Hines".[1] Later that month, KBNH changed its format from contemporary country to classic country. The KBNH format was changed to the Cumulus "Real Country" format on June 1, 2012.

The station went dark on October 31, 2015. In an FCC application for permission to suspend operations the managing member stated there is a lack of personnel to operate it and the owner has left the country.

Former on-air staff

There have been many professional and first time announcers employed at KRNS/KZZR. Howard McDonald and James Ward were the station's first owners and were also announcers, doing airshifts and commercial production. McDonald's "catch phrase" was "Burnzoreygon". Bill Hampton was also an owner and announcer, working morning drive. His children, Craig & Corrine did announcing duties, mostly summers and breaks from school, or after school. Craig Hampton did an afternoon show called "The Craig Connection" playing popular rock & roll music. Craig was also the voice of Burns High Highlander sports for a few seasons. In 1978, Bill turned to the KIIS broadcasting Workshop for announcers with training. John C. Frost was the first KBW graduate to work at KRNS. After being hired as an announcer, he found himself as General Manager, as the station was in the sale transition between Hampton & Evans. GM Frost called upon KBW, and found Johnny Randolph & Paul Kaye. The trio worked to improve the general sound of the station, which was outdated, to modern country & AC music. Almost a year later, Bob Murphy, with his "Bob Murphy get-together" arrived from Hollywood. News was the reason he was hired, but he also pulled a two-hour music airshift from 9-11 am. Gary Pedro came on board after Paul Kaye left KRNS. When Bob decided to head back home to Pennsylvania, Maia Carroll arrived from SoCal. Other announcers came and went in the three-and-a-half year span of KBW grads. Dean Carl was a local high school kid, always wanting to be on the air. Mike Crafford did weekend work during that time, as did Mike Corson.[17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  2. ↑ "Oregon Blue Book: Media". Oregon State Archives. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  4. ↑ Berkes, Howard (November 14, 2003). "Touchdowns vs. Taxes: Tax Aversion, Budget Crisis Threaten School Sports in Burns, Ore.". Morning Edition (National Public Radio). Tune to local radio station KZZR and you're likely to hear a broadcast of high school football, wrestling or volleyball.
  5. ↑ "Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S.". 1958 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1958. p. A-350.
  6. ↑ "Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S.". 1967 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1967. p. B-131.
  7. ↑ "Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". Broadcasting Yearbook 1975. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1975. p. C-155.
  8. ↑ "Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". Broadcasting Yearbook 1979. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1979. p. C-190.
  9. ↑ "Application Search Details (BML-19810710AL)". FCC Media Bureau. August 13, 1981.
  10. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-19931201EB)". FCC Media Bureau. November 3, 1994.
  11. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-20030926AKW)". FCC Media Bureau. November 10, 2003.
  12. 1 2 "Deals - 2004-12-13". Broadcasting & Cable. December 13, 2004.
  13. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-20041112ADE)". FCC Media Bureau. April 18, 2005.
  14. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-20070807ABH)". FCC Media Bureau. October 1, 2007.
  15. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-20100514AJD)". FCC Media Bureau.
  16. ↑ "FCC Public Notice Report # 47271" (PDF).
  17. ↑ material provided by Johnny Randolph, KRNS afternoon on-air personality, 1978 through 1981

External links

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