KIQZ

KIQZ-FM Rawlins Radio

KIQZ/KRAL started using this logo in their April 2016 rebranding.
City Rawlins, Wyoming
Branding Rawlins Radio
Slogan Rawlins Rocks!
Frequency 92.7 MHz
First air date 1981
Format Active Rock
ERP 3,000 watts
HAAT 91 meters
Class A
Facility ID 46737
Transmitter coordinates 41°46′16″N 107°14′15″W / 41.77111°N 107.23750°W / 41.77111; -107.23750
Former callsigns KIAJ (1981)
Owner Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc.
Sister stations KRAL
Webcast http://rawlinsradio.caster.fm
Website http://www.rawlinsradio.com

KIQZ (92.7 FM) ia a radio station broadcasting an Active Rock format. Licensed to Rawlins, Wyoming, USA. The station is owned by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting, Inc. It previously featured programing from AP Radio and Jones Radio Network.[1] KIQZ was simulcasted on sister station KRAL also from Rawlins.

History

The station was assigned the call letters KIAJ on August 13, 1981. On November 4, 1981, the station changed its call sign to the current KIQZ.[2] In the late 2000s, the station fell silent citing financial and staffing difficulties. The station filed for resumption of operations twice, once in 2011, and a year later in 2012. Days after the resumption of operations, the stations fell silent again, similar to the situation on AM sister station KRAL.[3] The station has until June 22, 2013 to resume operations, otherwise its license may be cancelled and penalties would be issued from the FCC.[4]

The station and its sister again requested an STA, or request to go silent in early 2013 as a result of employees "unexpectedly" resigning and the difficulty finding new employees at the remote location.[5]

The station and its sister station KRAL AM returned to air status in January 2016 broadcasting a mix of the 90s/2000s/now format programmed by station staff. The stations are currently under new management , but not new ownership, and broadcasting an Active Rock format under FCC STA authority while transmission facilities are being reconstructed.

Signal

KIQZ covered most of central Carbon County, much like its sister station KRAL. It could only be heard to the Sweetwater County/Carbon County line. The station went silent in the late 2000s, citing technical limitations, however that may not have been the only reason (see next paragraph).

FCC Fines and Penalties

Since the station's change of ownership from "Elk Mountain Broadcasting" to current owner "Mount Rushmore Broadcasting", KIQZ, and its sister station, KRAL(AM 1240) have been fined by the FCC many times.[6] Past penalties include a $20,000 fine for "failing to maintain the operational readiness of the EAS (Emergency Alert{Readiness}System) equipment (see FCC Rules/11.35(a)), as well as other equipment issues and violations and failure to maintain a complete public records file."[7]

Sources connected to the FCC say that more and significantly higher fines/penalties are probable. They continue by stating that any station owned or operated by Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting will "not likely" have their licenses renewed once they expire, due to the history of "past violations and cavalier attitude(s) towards following and maintaining" rules and regulations, and that this and other M.R.B. stations could have their broadcasting rights taken away "at almost any moment". Since this is an all-but-done set of circumstances, Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting's owner, Jan Charles Gray has been operating all of M.R.B.'s stations with little or no staff, whatsoever. On or around July 10, 2010, Gray filed with the FCC documentation that stated KRAL had gone off the air due to "technical" problems. What he failed to do was inform the FCC that the station had been in a non-broadcasting mode for well over 18 months prior to this filing. Several past and current employees of M.R.B. had informed Gray of the station's failing broadcast signal as far back as 2008, with Gray responding "No one listens to A.M. radio anymore, anyway."

As far back as 1998 managers were terminating for "failing to maintain E.A.S. equipment" and "failing to inform Jan Gray or off-site managers of the problems" in the hope that their termination would appease FCC officials. The FM transmitter was non-operational from 2003 on, a replacement transmitter was eventually bought in 2006 but a long history of non-payment to broadcasting contractors meant that no one was willing to install it without payment in advance, that payment never materialized, and as a result KIQZ stayed grey (run from an exciter* only) from 2003 until October 2013, when the power company cut the power to the main transmitter site and studio for nonpayment, BLM took control of the main FM transmitter site and passed control to a new owner. The AM transmitter site has a legal filing a no trespass against all Mount Rushmore employees. On January 2016, work toward normal operation resumed, but must find a new transmitter location for both the AM and FM.

References

  1. ↑ "KIQZ Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. ↑ "KIQZ Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ↑ CDBS Correspondence Folder (FCC)
  4. ↑ KIQZ request to remain silent
  5. ↑ http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/138846/arizona-noncommercial-fm-permit-sold-for-700-000
  6. ↑ Society of Broadcast Engineers Chapter 67 Inc. April 1998
  7. ↑
    • Daily Briefing Federal Communications Commission December 10, 2008

External links

Website-http://www.rawlinsradio.com

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