KKAT (860 kHz) is an AM radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. KKAT is licensed to Salt Lake City, Utah, and is owned by Cumulus Media. The station's studios are located in South Salt Lake (behind the I-15/I-80 interchange).
KKAT broadcasts at 10,000 watts by day but must reduce its power to 196 watts at night because it is on a clear channel frequency reserved for CJBC Toronto, the dominant Class A station on 860 kHz. During critical hours, KKAT transmits with 3,000 watts. It uses a non-directional antenna at all times. The transmitter is off West 2590 South, near the Redwood Nature Area in West Valley City.
Programming KKAT carries mostly nationally syndicated conservative talk hosts, largely from the co-owned Westwood One Network. Shows include Armstrong & Getty, Ben Shapiro, Dan Bongino, Dave Ramsey, Mark Levin, John Batchelor, Michael Knowles, Red Eye Radio and First Light.
On weekends, shows on money, real estate, gardening, real estate, food and wine are heard, as well as Chris Plante, Daniele Lin and repeats of weekday shows. World and national news from Fox News Radio airs at the beginning of most hours.
History On November 15, 1955, the station first signed on the airBroadcasting Yearbook 1977 under the call sign KWHO.History Cards for KKAT, fcc.gov. Retrieved August 22, 2015 The station aired a classical music format."Top 50 Markets", Moore Publishing Company, (1968) p. 150"Classical Music Fills Airwaves of North America", Billboard, September 28, 1974. p. 60"Across the Dial", Broadcasting Publications, (1983) p. 107. Retrieved August 22, 2015 Initially, KWHO operated during daytime hours only with 1,000 watts of power.
In July 1985, the station became KUTR, and it began airing an "LDS Contemporary" format, which consisted of mix of music that was 50% songs by Mormon artists and 50% standard soft adult contemporary.Lynn Arave, "KUTR's Birthday Party a Blast for Utah Families", Deseret News, July 2, 1988. Retrieved August 23, 2015Lynn Arave, "Radio Logs", Deseret News, January 26, 1986. Retrieved August 23, 2015 On June 21, 1989, the station's callsign was changed to KLZX, and it began simulcasting the classic rock format of its sister station 93.3 KLZX-FM (now KUBL-FM).Lynn Arave, "KUTR Radio Signs Off", Deseret News, June 24, 1989. Retrieved August 23, 2015
On November 15, 1990, the station changed its call letters to KCNR. As KCNR, the station carried programming from CNN Headline News and was branded "News Radio 860 AM."Lynn Arave, "KCNR Owner Names News Director", Deseret News, September 6, 1991. Retrieved August 23, 2015 In 1992, KCNR's format and call sign moved to 1320 AM, and the station again simulcast its classic rock sister station 93.3 KLZX-FM "Z-93".Lynn Arave, "KCPX Will Retain Format Despite Pact", Deseret News, May 1, 1992. Retrieved August 23, 2015 On August 11, 1992, the station again changed its call sign to KLZX. On September 6, 1994, the station began airing an all-news format from Associated Press Newsworld,Lynn Arave, "All-News Format Returns to Utah", Deseret News, September 9, 1994. Retrieved August 23, 2015 and on January 23, 1995, the station's call sign was changed to KAPN. On August 20, 1996, KCNR's news/talk format moved from 1320 to 860,Lynn Arave, "KCNR Set to Switch to All-Sports Format as Early as Wednesday", Deseret News, August 23, 1996. Retrieved August 23, 2015 and on September 20, 1996, the station's call sign was changed back to KCNR.
On November 18, 1996, the station became an affiliate of Radio Disney.Lynn Arave, "New Format Will Bring Disney to the Airwaves", Deseret News, November 18, 1996. Retrieved August 23, 2015 On March 3, 1999, the station's callsign was changed to KBEE. On May 1, 2003, Radio Disney moved to AM 910,Lynn Arave, "Radio dial: A Utah radio first: separate deals on content, frequency", Deseret News, February 28, 2003. Retrieved August 23, 2015 and on May 15, 2003, the station began airing a classic country format from the Jones Radio Network.Lynn Arave, "Country's 'The Coyote' premieres on AM-860", Deseret News, May 16, 2003. Retrieved August 23, 2015 While a classic country station, the station was branded "The Coyote". On July 5, 2004, the station's callsign was changed to KKAT. In October 2007, the station changed formats from classic country to oldies, carrying Scott Shannon's The True Oldies Channel from Citadel Media.Lynn Arave, "Radio dial: The year's highs, lows in radio", Deseret News, December 21, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2015 While airing an oldies format, the station was branded "The Wolf".Lynn Arave, "Radio dial: KKAT changes format from oldies music to 'Utah's Big Talker'", Deseret News, October 9, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2015 On October 5, 2009, the station changed to a talk format branded "Utah's Big Talker".
See also KKLV - former sister station.
References
External links
FCC History Cards for KKAT