KOWZ (FM)

KOWZ
Broadcast area
Owatonna-Waseca/Minneapolis-St. Paul
Frequency100.9 MHz
RDSPS: KOWZ-FM
RT: Artist - Title on KOWZ 100.9
BrandingKowz 100.9
Programming
FormatAdult contemporary
AffiliationsABC News
Ownership
Owner
KFOW, KRUE
History
First air date
1994
Former call signs
KJST (1994)
KOWZ (1994–2003)
KOWZ-FM (2003–2020)
Call sign meaning
pronounced as cows
Technical information
5874
ClassC1
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT189 meters (620 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
44°02′46″N 93°23′02″W / 44.046°N 93.384°W / 44.046; -93.384
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitekowzfm.com

KOWZ (100.9 FM) is a radio station licensed to Blooming Prairie, Minnesota and serving the Owatonna-Waseca/Minneapolis-St. Paul area. KOWZ carries a full service adult contemporary format.

KOWZ (pronounced as "cows") is owned by Linder Radio Group, which owns radio stations in Owatonna, Mankato, St. James, and Marshall

History

The 100.9 MHz facility in Blooming Prairie was in the construction permit stage by 1994. In September 1994, The M Street Journal reported that KOWZ(CP) had changed call letters to KJST, noting that the Federal Communications Commission had rescinded the KOWZ calls on August 5, 1994.[1]

In 1995, Blooming Prairie Farm Radio received approval to upgrade KOWZ from Class A to Class C1.[2] The upgrade authorized a 100,000-watt facility with a 189-meter antenna height, giving the station regional coverage across southern Minnesota.[3]

KOWZ was reported on the air testing in 1995. FMedia! reported that the station was testing formats, interviewing people at a fair about what music the new station should play, and inviting listeners to write to the station in Blooming Prairie. The test programming reportedly ranged from polka and oldies to rock, standards, and country, with IDs mentioning Austin, Albert Lea, Faribault, Waseca, Owatonna, Northfield, Mankato, "and beyond".[4] A DX log published by the Worldwide TV-FM DX Association also reported hearing KOWZ on August 3, 1995, describing the station as "new to air" and testing while seeking listener input on the format.[5]

According to a history published by the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, Lynn Ketelsen and John Linder built KOWZ-FM in Owatonna in 1996. Blooming Prairie Farm Radio later acquired KRUE and what became KFOW.[6]

In 1999, John Linder acquired a 50 percent interest in KOWZ from Lynn Ketelsen for $250,000 in stock. At the time, Broadcasting & Cable listed the station as operating on 100.9 MHz with 100,000 watts and an Oldies/AC format.[7]

KOWZ-FM's transmitter site was affected by flooding in September 2010, when NorthPine reported that 18 to 24 inches of water entered the transmitter building south of Meriden. KOWZ-FM was off the air from about midnight on September 24 until about 4 p.m. on September 25, then returned at reduced power.[8] The station again operated at reduced power following flood damage in September 2016.[9]

In 2025, the FCC granted a transfer of control of Blooming Prairie Farm Radio's KOWZ license from J. David Linder to Thomas Linder.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Call Letter Changes" (PDF). The M Street Journal. September 7, 1994. p. 5. Retrieved May 13, 2026 – via World Radio History.
  2. ↑ "For the Record" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. May 8, 1995. p. 105. Retrieved May 13, 2026 – via World Radio History.
  3. ↑ "Facilities Changes Granted" (PDF). FMedia!. March 1995. p. 3. Retrieved May 13, 2026 – via World Radio History.
  4. ↑ "Stereo—or to be Stereo" (PDF). FMedia!. September 1995. p. 3. Retrieved May 13, 2026 – via World Radio History.
  5. ↑ "Northern FM DX". VHF-UHF Digest. Worldwide TV-FM DX Association. October 1995. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Power of Local Radio – Always A Priority". Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. March 29, 1999. p. 72. Retrieved May 13, 2026 – via World Radio History.
  8. ↑ "Broadcasting News-September 2010". NorthPine. September 30, 2010. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Broadcasting News-October 2016". NorthPine. October 18, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  10. ↑ Public Notice: Actions (PDF) (Report). Federal Communications Commission. June 12, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2026.


This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.