KAWO (104.3 FM, "Wow Country 104.3") is a commercial radio station located in Boise, Idaho. KAWO airs a country music format branded as "Wow Country 104.3". Until 2007, the station was called "My Country 104.3" and its call letters were KTMY.

History

The station started operating on July 15, 1979 with the first Album-oriented rock station in the Boise market as ''Q-104'' (KIDQ). In 1985, the station was switched to an adult contemporary format with the KUUB as the call letters branding as ''K-Lite 104 FM''. However, the call letters were short-lived and changed the call letters to KLTB to match the branding. The shift almost left Boise without an AOR station until KJOT (''J-105'') debuted less than a month later. KLTB was switched to oldies as ''Kool 104'' (later known as ''Kool Oldies 104.3'') until January 2006 when then-owner

Clear Channel Communications 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 ...

switched from oldies to a country format. The new format brought new call letters, KTMY, and new positioning as ''My Country 104.3''. On November 16, 2006,

planned to sell 448 of its radio stations outside the top 100

markets Market is a term used to describe concepts such as: * Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand * Market economy *Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market Geography *Märket, a ...

including KTMY, along with Boise's sister stations including KSAS-FM, KCIX,

KXLT-FM KXLT-FM (107.9 MHz, "107.9 Lite FM") is a commercial radio station licensed to Eagle, Idaho, and serving the Boise metropolitan area. The station is owned by Townsquare Media with the license assigned to Townsquare License, LLC. It airs an adult ...

, KIDO, and

KFXD KFXD (630 AM) is a commercial radio station, owned by Townsquare Media, which airs a Rhythmic contemporary format branded as "Power 105.5". The station is licensed to serve Boise, Idaho. History KFXD's first broadcasting station license, as ...

. In March 2007, Peak Broadcasting LLC bought the latter stations, making Boise one of the largest markets without any radio stations owned by the future

iHeartMedia 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 ...

. The station's ratings continued to decline, however, and in late May 2007 KTMY shed its "My Country" imaging to become "WOW Country 104.3"."My Country to get a jolt of WOW!"
, ''Idaho Radio News'', April 24, 2007 While this involved a change to the on-air talent lineup, imaging, nickname, jingle package, and call letters the station maintained a country music format. One notable programming feature of the station became 104-minute music sets, a nod to the station's broadcast frequency, which was abandoned upon Lisa Adams taking over the Programming duties.Deeds, Michael

''Idaho Statesman'', May 31, 2007. On August 30, 2013, a deal was announced in which Townsquare Media would purchase Peak Broadcasting's stations, including KAWO. The deal was part of Cumulus Media's acquisition of Dial Global; Townsquare swapped Peak's Fresno, California stations to Cumulus for its stations in Dubuque, Iowa and Poughkeepsie, New York, and Peak, Townsquare, and Dial Global were all controlled by Oaktree Capital Management. The sale to Townsquare was completed on November 14, 2013.

References

Previous logos

External links

KAWO official websiteRanger Rick's Web Site
{{Townsquare Media AWO Country radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1979 1979 establishments in Idaho Townsquare Media radio stations