KABG
 | |
| City | Los Alamos, New Mexico |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area |
Albuquerque, New Mexico Santa Fe, New Mexico |
| Branding | Big 98.5 |
| Slogan | New Mexico's Greatest Hits |
| Frequency | 98.5 MHz |
| First air date | 1956 (as KRSN) |
| Format | Classic Hits |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 581 meters |
| Class | C |
| Facility ID | 44000 |
| Callsign meaning | KA BiG |
| Former callsigns |
KRSN (1956-1986) KKBR (1986-1990) KRBL (1990-1993) KTMN (1993-1997) |
| Owner | American General Media |
| Sister stations | KAGM, KDLW, KARS (AM), KHFM, KLVO, KSFE |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | big985.com |
KABG (98.5 MHz) is an American radio station licensed to Los Alamos, New Mexico serving the Santa Fe and Albuquerque radio markets. It is owned by American General Media and has a classic top 40 classic hits format playing hits mostly from the 1960s to the 1980s. Its studios are located in Northeast Albuquerque and the transmitter tower is located west of Los Alamos, New Mexico.
The format launched in Summer 1997 as "Big Oldies 98.5". It then went on to overcome two other long running oldies stations in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe markets, KBOM 106.7 (moved to 94.7 in 2000, both frequencies which AGM had later purchased) in Santa Fe and KZKL (later changed to KQEO) 101.7 in Albuquerque which dropped the format in 2002 making KABG the only FM oldies station in both markets until its format change in 2007.
For many years the station had been known as "Big Oldies" but in 2007 it rebranded to just "Big 98.5" phasing out the word "oldies" as it has followed most other oldies stations across the country in shifting to a more 1970s focused "classic hits" format in order to improve its audience in the 25-54 age range demographic. It has also changed its website. Despite this, the station still played a small amount of 1950s/early 1960s oldies. As of 2015 the format is mostly focused on music from the 1980s with a small amount of music from the 1990s added.
Previous formats
| Call Letters | Format | Name | Time Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| KKBR | Oldies | 98.5 bean | 1986–1990 |
| KWST | Country | Country 98.5 | 1990–1992 |
| KORE | Classic Country | 98.5 the Bull | 1992 1993 |
| KTMN | Classic Rock | 98.5 The Mountain | 1993–1996 |
| KTMN | Adult Album Alternative | 98.5 The Mountain | 1996–1997 |
| KABS | Reggae | 98.5 beauty | 1997 1999 |
| KADD | Y2K | Rad 98.5 | 1999 2005 |
| KRBL | Rock | Rock 98.5 | 2005 2007 |
| KRBL | Top 40 | Lazer 98.5 | 2007 2013 |
| KABG | Classic Hits | Big 98.5 | 2013 present |
External links
- Official Website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for KABG
- Radio-Locator information on KABG
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for KABG
Coordinates: 35°46′48″N 106°31′41″W / 35.780°N 106.528°W