KATO-FM (93.1

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

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 ...

Mankato Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the state of Minnesota. The population was 44,488 according to the 2020 census, making it the 21st-largest city in Minnesota, and the 5th-largest outside of the Minnea ...

(

licensed A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

to New Ulm) and serving the Minnesota River Valley. The station airs a

classic hits Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes songs from the top 40 music charts from the late 1960s to the early 2000s, with music from the 1980s serving as the core of the format. Music that was popularized by MTV in the early 1980s ...

radio format. KATO is owned by

Linder Radio Group {{unreferenced, date=November 2021 Linder Radio Group is a media company based in Mankato, Minnesota, USA. It owns and operates 19 radio stations in southern Minnesota. The company is owned by the family of John Linder. The Linder Radio Group also ...

History

This station was originally KNUJ-FM, and paired with KNUJ in New Ulm. By the early 1980s, as the station increased its power, and it moved its broadcasting studios and its primary focus to the larger city of Mankato. It was run by Brennon Andrew Harris-Williams. As KXLP, they aired an

album-oriented rock Album-oriented rock (AOR, originally called album-oriented radio) is an FM radio format created in the United States in the 1970s that focuses on the full repertoire of rock albums and is currently associated with classic rock. Album-oriente ...

format on and off from 1982 to 2007. They flipped to

adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...

in 1986 as "Lite Rock 93 KXLP" amid a large outcry from loyal listeners. A few years later, they flipped back to rock, shifting toward classic rock in 1995. For many years, they were co-owned with

KYSM-FM KYSM-FM (103.5 FM, "Country 103.5") is an American radio station licensed to Mankato and serving the Minnesota River Valley. The station currently airs a country music format. Country 103.5 was purchased by Three Eagles Communications from its ...

and KYSM, first by James Ingstad (as Pro Radio Group), then

Cumulus Broadcasting 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 ...

, then

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 ...

. The station was purchased in August 2007 from Clear Channel by

, a.k.a. Minnesota Valley Broadcasting Co., which also acquired sister station KYSM. Current sister stations include KTOE,

KDOG KDOG (96.7 FM, "Hot 96.7") is a radio station serving Mankato, Minnesota. The station airs a Top 40 (CHR) format. They are licensed to North Mankato, Minnesota and serves the Mankato area and the Minnesota River Valley. KDOG is owned by Linde ...

, KXAC and a new sign-on at 94.1 FM. At 5:00 p.m. on September 21, 2007, KXLP's

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 ...

, on-air staff and format moved from 93.1 FM to the new sign-on at 94.1 FM, which made its on-air debut as the new KXLP. KXLP's former frequency changed call letters to KATO-FM, which launched a country music format three days later. On September 2, 2022, KATO-FM's country format was moved to sister station KXAC as ''Minnesota 100'', and the station began stunting with “

Macarena "Macarena" is a dance song by Spanish pop duo Los del Río, about a woman of the same name. The song uses a type of clave rhythm. Originally appearing on the 1993 album '' A mí me gusta'', a subsequent remix by Miami-based producers The Bays ...

” over the Labor Day weekend. On September 6, KATO-FM flipped to

as ''93.1 KATO Hits'' with the first song being

Never Gonna Give You Up "Never Gonna Give You Up" is the debut single recorded by English singer and songwriter Rick Astley, released on 27 July 1987. It is one of Astley's most famous songs. It was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, and was released as ...

by Rick Astley; the station primarily focuses on hits from the 1980s and 1990s. The Morning Show from KDOG (Big Hot Morning Show) moved to KATO-FM. KATO-FM competes with Alpha Media’s “105.5 The River” (KRBI-FM St. Peter), which runs a `70s to `90s playlist

References

External links

93.1 KATO Hits
Radio stations in Minnesota New Ulm, Minnesota Radio stations established in 1966 1966 establishments in Minnesota Classic hits radio stations in the United States {{Minnesota-radio-station-stub