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KIBM

Coordinates: 41°13′59.0″N 95°58′2.0″W / 41.233056°N 95.967222°W / 41.233056; -95.967222
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(Redirected from KOMJ)
KIBM
Broadcast areaOmaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area
Frequency1490 kHz
BrandingBoomer Radio
Programming
FormatOldies[1]
AffiliationsChicago Cubs[2]
Omaha Beef
Ownership
Owner
  • Steven Seline[3]
  • (Walnut Radio, LLC)
History
First air date
March 1942; 82 years ago (1942-03) (as KBON)[4]
Former call signs
  • KONB (1940–1941 construction permit)
  • KBON (1941–1970)
  • KLNG (1970–1977)
  • KYNN (1977–1985)
  • KEDS (1985–1987)
  • KEZO (1987–1996)
  • KOSR (1996–2005)
  • KOMJ (2005–2018)
  • KOBM (2018–2019)
Call sign meaning
"Boomer"
Technical information[5]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID74104
ClassC
Power970 watts day
900 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
41°13′59.0″N 95°58′2.0″W / 41.233056°N 95.967222°W / 41.233056; -95.967222
Translator(s)94.5 K233CO (Omaha)
104.1 K281DG (Omaha)
Repeater(s)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websitemyboomerradio.com

KIBM (1490 AM) is a commercial radio station in Omaha, Nebraska, serving the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area.[1] KIBM airs an oldies radio format known as "Boomer Radio." It is owned and operated by Steven Seline, through licensee Walnut Radio, LLC.[3] The studios and offices are on Burt Street in Omaha.

KIBM is powered at 970 watts during the day and 900 watts at night, using a non-directional antenna. The transmitter is near South 38th Street and Wright Street in the Hanscom Park neighborhood near Downtown Omaha.[6] Programming is also heard on two FM translators at 94.5 and 104.1 MHz in Omaha.

History

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Early years

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The station signed on the air in March 1942; 82 years ago (1942-03).[7] The original call sign was KBON and the power was 250 watts, a fraction of its current output. It was owned by Inland Broadcasting and was a network affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System.

After 28 years as KBON, the station changed to KLNG on July 1, 1970.[8] By early 1977, KLNG identified as "Newsradio 149". However, on June 1 of that year, KLNG became KYNN and took on a country music format. On April 9, 1985, at 6 a.m., the station flipped to oldies as KEDS. Due to poor ratings, on July 2, 1987, KEDS dropped the oldies format and began simulcasting the album rock format on KEZO-FM. The station took the call sign KEZO.

The simulcast lasted until the early 1990s, when KEZO flipped to sports radio, the first station of its kind in the Omaha market. It adopted the KOSR call sign in March 1996. The sports format continued until April 25, 2005, when then-sister station KOMJ (590 AM) swapped formats, with 1490 adopting KOMJ's adult standards format and call letters.

Cochise Radio Partners

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The Journal Broadcast Group sold the station to Cochise Radio Partners in 2007, and the intention was for KOMJ's studios to be relocated.[9] But on August 1, 2013, an FCC agent attempted to inspect the studios of KOMJ.[9] The on-file address, 10714 Mockingbird Drive, is the studio for Journal's television station, KMTV-TV and their then-radio sisters, and had never been changed, despite Cochise's full relocation of the station. Journal did not lease a studio out to Cochise as part of the sale. Less than a year later, in March 2014, the FCC fined Cochise $17,000, citing with KOMJ's failure to maintain access to their public file (which Journal also did not have on hand) as part of the studio address violation.[10]

On October 17, 2014, Cochise announced the sale of KOMJ to Walnut Radio, LLC for $450,000.[11][12] The sale between Cochise and Walnut closed on January 2, 2015.[13] Five days later, the station dropped the middle of the road music from its format for adult standards, classic hits, and oldies.[14]

Boomer Radio

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Former logo

At exactly 6:00 p.m. on January 7, "Boomer 1490" (a nod to baby boomers, its core demographic) was officially launched with a live listening party at Gorat's Steakhouse in Omaha. The first song played under the new Boomer format was "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys. In June of that year, long time radio legend Dave Wingert became the new Morning Show host. In May 2016, an FM translator was added on 104.1 FM, giving the station an AM/FM combo. The station is now known as "Boomer Radio."

The call sign was changed to KOBM on December 11, 2018. On April 1, 2019, the station changed its call sign to KIBM, with the KOBM call sign moving to 1420 AM (the former KOTK).[15][16]

Translator

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In addition to the main station, KIBM is relayed by two FM translators in the core Omaha metro and suburbs.[17][18]

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) HAAT Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info
K233CO 94.5 FM Omaha, Nebraska 146285 250 98 m (322 ft) D 41°15′12″N 96°7′8″W / 41.25333°N 96.11889°W / 41.25333; -96.11889 (K233CO) LMS
K281DG 104.1 FM Omaha, Nebraska 138708 235 120 m (394 ft) D LMS

References

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  1. ^ a b "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  2. ^ "Cubs TV and Radio Affiliates". Chicago Cubs/MLB Advanced Media, LP. Archived from the original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  3. ^ a b "KIBM Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  4. ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 (PDF). Reed Reference Publishing Company. 2010. p. D-349. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  5. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KIBM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  6. ^ Radio-Locator.com/KIBM
  7. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1945 page 120, Broadcasting & Cable
  8. ^ "KYNN (KIBM) history cards" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  9. ^ a b Hubbard, Russell (September 15, 2013). "Where's Omaha's 'Magic 1490' radio coming from? No one seems to know". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska: Berkshire Hathaway. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  10. ^ Marcucci, Carl (March 29, 2014). "FCC nails KOMJ with $17,000 fine". Streamline RBR, Inc. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  11. ^ Venta, Lance (October 17, 2014). "Walnut Radio Adds KOMJ Omaha". RadioBB Networks. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  12. ^ "Asset Purchase Agreement". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  13. ^ "Consummation Notice". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  14. ^ Venta, Lance (January 7, 2015). "Walnut Radio Launches Boomer 1490 Omaha". RadioBB Networks. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  15. ^ "Call Sign History (KIBM)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  16. ^ Legal ID for the "Boomer Radio" network
  17. ^ "K281CJ Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  18. ^ "FCCdata.org - powered by REC". REC Networks. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
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