KIIM-FM (99.5

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one he ...

) is a

commercial Commercial may refer to: * a dose of advertising conveyed through media (such as - for example - radio or television) ** Radio advertisement ** Television advertisement * (adjective for:) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and s ...

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 ...

Tucson, Arizona , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

. It is owned by

Cumulus Media Cumulus Media, Inc. is an American broadcasting company and is the third largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States behind Audacy and iHeartMedia. As of June 2019, Cumulus lists ownership of 428 stations in 87 ...

and airs a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

radio format A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when Radio broadcasting, ...

. Studios and offices are located on Oracle Road in North Tucson. KIIM-FM's

effective radiated power Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would hav ...

(ERP) is 90,000

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wa ...

s (93,000 with

beam tilt Beam tilt is used in radio to aim the main lobe of the vertical plane radiation pattern of an antenna below (or above) the horizontal plane. The simplest way is mechanical beam tilt, where the antenna is physically mounted in such a manner a ...

). The

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which i ...

is off West Hidden Canyon Drive in Tucson. The signal extends from

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...

and

Casa Grande , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = Casa Grande-Casa Grande Union High School-1920-2.jpg , imagesize = 250px , image_caption = Historic Casa Grande Union High School which now serves as the ...

to the Mexico-U.S. border.

History

KTKT-FM and KFMM

The first FM station to

sign on A sign-on (or start-up in Commonwealth countries except Canada) is the beginning of operations for a radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off (or closedown in Commonwealth countries exce ...

in Tucson was 99.5 KTKT-FM, in March 1954. Thomas J. Wallace, owned the station, along with AM 1490

KTKT KTKT (990 AM) – branded ''La Buena 94.3'' – is a commercial Spanish language adult hits radio station licensed to serve Tucson, Arizona. Owned by Lotus Communications, the covers the Tucson metropolitan area and Southern Arizona. The ...

(now at

AM 990 AM or Am may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * A minor, a minor scale in music * ''A.M.'' (Chris Young album) * ''A.M.'' (Wilco album) * ''AM'' (Abraham Mateo album) * ''AM'' (Arctic Monkeys album) * AM (musician), American musicia ...

). KTKT-FM mostly

simulcast Simulcast (a portmanteau of simultaneous broadcast) is the broadcasting of programmes/programs or events across more than one resolution, bitrate or medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time (that is, simultane ...

the AM station's programming. In 1958, KTKT-FM was slated to move to Mount Bigelow, the tallest peak near Tucson. That move did not materialize, but it did result in a

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assigne ...

change to KFMM (FM on the Mountain). Those call letters were used for 21 years. KTKT-FM/KFMM was sold several times in its early years: to Copper State Broadcasting Corporation in 1957 and to Lee Little in 1960. During this time, the station was powered at 30,000 watts, a third of its current power. And the tower was only 73 feet tall, keeping the station's signal only within Tucson and its close-in suburbs.

Religious KFMM and KNDE Country

In 1965, KFMM was bought by the Tucson Broadcasting Company, which also owned

AM 1400 The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 1400 kHz. 1400 kHz is defined as a Class C (local) frequency in the coterminous United States and such stations on this frequency are limited to 1,000 watts. U.S. stations outside t ...

KTUC KTUC (1400 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Tucson, Arizona. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and airs an adult standards radio format, known as "Tucson's All Time Favorites." On Sunday mornings, it plays three hours of big ban ...

. KFMM aired a

Christian radio Christian radio is a Christian media radio format that focus on programming with a Christian message. Many such broadcasters play contemporary Christian music, though many programs include sermons, radio dramas, as well as news and talk progra ...

format. In 1979, a new company calling itself KTUC, Incorporated, acquired KTUC and KFMM. It switched the FM station's call letters to KNDE, and became an automated country station calling itself Candy Country.

Country KIIM

In 1983, after a sale, KNDE changed its call letters again, this time to KIIM, switching to a live

format, and becoming the only country outlet on FM. There was one other country station, co-owned

AM 1290 AM or Am may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * A minor, a minor scale in music * ''A.M.'' (Chris Young album) * ''A.M.'' (Wilco album) * ''AM'' (Abraham Mateo album) * ''AM'' (Arctic Monkeys album) * AM (musician), American musician ...

KCUB, which specialized in a more personality and information country format. Rex Broadcasting received a

construction permit Planning permission or developmental approval refers to the approval needed for construction or expansion (including significant renovation), and sometimes for demolition, in some jurisdictions. It is usually given in the form of a building perm ...

from the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...

to boost power to 100,000

s, coupled with a sizable increase in antenna height. KIIM proved so successful, Rex Broadcasting decided to switch its AM station to the same call letters. AM 1290 became KIIM, while FM 99.5 became KIIM-FM. Several years later, KIIM switched back to the KCUB call sign, as a

classic country Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country and western music hits from past decades. Repertoire The radio format specializes in hits from the 1950s through the early 1980s, and focus primarily on innov ...

outlet. In 2001,

Citadel Broadcasting Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the country. Only iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media ...

purchased both KIIM-FM and KCUB, switching the AM station to a

sports radio Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A widespread programming genre that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often- boisterous on-ai ...

format, but keeping the highly rated KIIM-FM as a country outlet.Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2002-2003 page D-25
/ref> Citadel was acquired by current owner,

, in 2011. Cumulus has switched many of its country stations to the

Nash FM Nash or NASH may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Nash, Buckinghamshire * Nash, London, a hamlet near Keston in the London Borough of Bromley *Nash, Newport, Wales *Nash, south Shropshire, a small village and parish in southern Shropshire * Nash, ...

brand. While KIIM-FM carries some Nash FM shows, it still identifies itself as "Country Favorites KIIM-FM".

Awards

KIIM-FM DJ Buzz Jackson was a 2006

Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country music ...

nominee for "Personality Of The Year." In 2007, KIIM-FM was nominated for "Radio Station Of The Year" by the Academy Of Country Music. In 2007, Jackson was nominated for "medium market personality of the year" by the

Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The objectives of the organization are to guide and enha ...

. In 2010, Buzz Jackson won the "medium market personality of the year" award from the Academy Of Country Music.

References

External links

KIIM-FM official website
{{Coord, 32.249, N, 111.117, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title IIM-FM Country radio stations in the United States Cumulus Media radio stations Radio stations established in 1954