KFOW
 | |
| Broadcast area | South Central Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1170 kHz |
| Branding | The Fan Owatonna |
| Programming | |
| Format | Sports |
| Affiliations | KFXN-FM Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Wild |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KRUE, KOWZ | |
| History | |
First air date | December 22, 1971 (as KOWO) |
Former call signs | KOWO (1971–2003) KOWZ (2003–2012) KRUE (2012–2015) KOWZ (2015–2020) |
Call sign meaning | Faribault, and OWatonna |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 70931 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 2,500 watts day 1,000 watts critical hours 5 watts night |
Transmitter coordinates | 44°02′45″N 93°23′08″W / 44.04583°N 93.38556°W |
| Translator(s) | 106.3 K292GU (Waseca) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | thefanowatonna.com |
KFOW (1170 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Waseca, Minnesota and serving South Central Minnesota. The station is owned by the Linder Radio Group and broadcasts a sports radio format. The radio studios and offices are on Cedardale Drive in Owatonna, Minnesota.
By day, KFOW is powered at 2,500 watts non-directional. Because 1170 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A stations KOTV in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, KFOW must reduce power at night to only five watts to avoid interference. During critical hours, the station is powered at 1,000 watts.[2] Programming is also heard on 250 watt FM translator K292GU at 106.3 MHz.[3]
Former Talk Programming
Until May 1, 2023 KFOW largely broadcast nationally syndicated conservative talk shows. Weekdays began with Hugh Hewitt, followed by Brian Kilmeade, Ben Shapiro, Dave Ramsey, Dan Bongino, "Our American Stories with Lee Habeeb" and "Red Eye Radio." Local news and agriculture reports were featured during the day with local high school sports on some evenings.
On weekends, the schedule featured shows on money, health, real estate, home repair, the military, guns, barbecuing, wine, farming, the outdoors, pets, travel and old time radio shows, as well as repeats of weekday shows and NASCAR racing. Most hours began with national news from Fox News Radio.
History
On December 22, 1971, the station signed on the air as KOWO. Originally it was a daytimer, powered at 1,000 watts and required to go off the air at night. In later years, it increased its power and added limited nighttime service.
On October 7, 2020, KFOW dropped its classic hits format and began stunting with "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" by Rolf Harris, a common practice on stations owned by Linder when switching formats.[4][5] On October 12, KFOW debuted a new talk radio format. As part of the flip, the station affiliated with Fox News Radio.[6][7]
On May 1, 2023 KFOW changed their format from talk to sports, branded as "The Fan Owatonna".[8]
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KFOW". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/KFOW
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/K292GU
- ^ KFOW Ties Its Train Down Sport Radioinsight - October 8, 2020
- ^ Keith, Thelen (October 7, 2020). "KFOW Waseca. (When the Kangaroo Song starts, a new format can't be far behind...)". Twitter. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
- ^ "News Talk 1170 KFOW - Waseca, Owatonna, Faribault, Blooming Prairie". newstalk1170.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ "Owatonna Station Drops Classic Hits for Conservative Talk – Upper Midwest Broadcasting". Retrieved October 12, 2020.
- ^ KFOW Joins Minnesota's Fan Network Radioinsight - May 3, 2023
External links
- Facility details for Facility ID 70931 (KFOW) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KFOW in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 138084 (K292GU) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- K292GU at FCCdata.org