KIBT (96.1 FM) is a

rhythmic contemporary Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...

formatted

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

serving the

Colorado Springs Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...

area as well as nearby

Pueblo, Colorado Pueblo () is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality that is the county seat and the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality of Pueblo County, Colorado, Pueblo County, Colorado ...

. The

iHeartMedia, Inc. iHeartMedia, Inc., formerly CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc.), a company fou ...

station's

community of license In American, Canadian, and Mexican broadcasting, a city of license or community of license is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator. In North American broad ...

Fountain, Colorado The City of Fountain is a home rule municipality located in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 29,802 at the 2020 United States Census, a +15.31% increase since the 2010 United States Census. Fountain is a part of ...

, United States.

History

The 96.1 signal signed on in 1993 as

Christian AC Christian adult contemporary, also known as Christian AC or CAC, is a radio format. In the United States, Christian adult contemporary radio stations cater to a mostly adult audience and are similar to mainstream adult contemporary stations in that ...

KBIQ KBIQ (102.7 FM), known as "Q102.7", is a Christian adult contemporary radio station in Manitou Springs, Colorado, serving the Colorado Springs, Colorado, area of the United States. The station is owned by the Salem Media Group. 102.7 history ...

, and was originally owned by The Word in Music Inc. which is now known today as Bethesda Christian Broadcasting. TWIM was a

non-profit corporation A nonprofit corporation is any legal entity which has been Incorporation (business), incorporated under the law of its jurisdiction for purposes other than making profits for its owners or shareholders. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, a ...

which did on-air

fundraisers Fundraising or fund-raising is the process of seeking and gathering voluntary financial contributions by engaging individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies. Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gathe ...

for the station but sold commercial air time. In 1996,

Salem Communications Salem Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SALM; formerly Salem Communications Corporation) is an American radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher formerly based in Camarillo, California (moved most operations to Ir ...

brought

and continued the Christian AC format. During the same year, Salem brought crosstown KIKX 102.7 FM and moved the Christian AC format and call letters to that respected frequency. Salem then adopted the call letters KPRZ for 96.1 and flipped it to a Praise & Worship format and adopting the moniker "Praise 96." In 1999, Salem entered an agreement with AMFM Inc. (which would be absorbed into Clear Channel) to swap stations. As part of the deal, Salem would acquire

KSKY KSKY (660 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Balch Springs, Texas, and serving the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. It is owned by the Salem Media Group and broadcasts a talk radio format. KSKY broadcasts by day at 20,000 watts. B ...

in Dallas-Fort Worth while AMFM would acquire KPRZ-FM. After the station swap, KPRZ-FM flipped to a classic rock format as KMOM (Mother 96-1). KMOM started as a classic rock format adopting the moniker "Classic Rock That Really Rocks," competing with cross-town competitors

KKFM KKFM (98.1 FM) is a radio station out of Colorado Springs and Pueblo, Colorado. It plays a classic rock format and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. KKFM originally broadcast at 96.5 FM. In 1986, 96.5 KKFM changed from playing contemporary ...

and KYZX. They also added the syndicated ''

Bob & Tom Show ''The Bob & Tom Show'' is a syndicated US radio program established by Bob Kevoian and Tom Griswold at radio station WFBQ in Indianapolis, Indiana, March 7, 1983, and syndicated nationally since January 6, 1995. Originally syndicated by Premier ...

'' to the morning lineup. Clear Channel later altered the format of KMOM to combine classic rock with more newer rock titles to compete with competitor

KILO KILO (94.3 FM broadcasting, FM, 94.3 KILO) is a radio station broadcasting in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Colorado Springs and Pueblo, Colorado, Pueblo, Colorado. It also streams online. History KLST and KPIK-FM The 94.3 signal signed on th ...

, adopting the moniker "Rock That Really Rocks", and added

Tom Leykis Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

afternoons for a short time in 2004. The station never really took off ratings or revenue wise, and Clear Channel remained committed to the format until October 2004 when it flipped to its current Rhythmic format as KIBT. Bob & Tom, which gained popularity in the Colorado Springs market, was quickly picked up by

after the format flip.

External links

KIBT official website
{{coord, 38.74555, N, 104.86219, W, type:landmark_region:US, display=title IBT Rhythmic contemporary radio stations in the United States Fountain, Colorado Radio stations established in 1993 1993 establishments in Colorado IHeartMedia radio stations