KOHU
Broadcast areaUmatilla County, Oregon
Morrow County, Oregon
Frequency1360 kHz
BrandingReal Country
Programming
FormatClassic Country
AffiliationsCitadel Media
Ownership
OwnerWest End Radio, LLC
KQFM
History
First air date
February 6, 1956
Technical information
Facility ID27077
ClassB
Power4,300 watts (day)
500 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
45°51′57″N 119°18′45″W / 45.86583°N 119.31250°W / 45.86583; -119.31250
Links
Websitegohermiston.com

KOHU (1360 AM, "Real Country") is a radio station licensed to serve Hermiston, Oregon, United States. The station, which began broadcasting in 1956, is owned by West End Radio, LLC, and serves Umatilla County and Morrow County, Oregon.

Programming

KOHU broadcasts a classic country music format relying in large part on the "Real Country" satellite-fed programming service from Citadel Media.[1] In addition to its music programming, KOHU broadcasts local news, agricultural news, high school sports, and a community affairs program called "The Odds n Ends Show".[2] Syndicated programming includes shows hosted by Mike Huckabee and Dr. James Dobson. These programs run every weekday on the "Morning Update."

The Morning Update is a morning show that's hosted by "Jeff Walker" and "Erick Olson". Also included in "The Morning Update" is "The Odds n Ends Show" and the "Flea Market", a show where listeners can call in and buy, sell, or trade items. "The Morning Update" runs an hour longer during the summer for "The Lawn and Garden Show". "The Lawn and Garden Show" is a show when two extension agents, from the OSU Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center give expert advice to listeners about their lawn or garden.[3] The show was discontinued at the end of the 2010 growing season.

History

Launch on 1570

Original owners Carl F. & Sarah Knierim were issued a construction permit in 1955 by the Federal Communications Commission for a new AM radio station broadcasting with 250 watts of power, daytime-only, on a frequency of 1570 kHz.[4] The station, assigned the KOHU call sign by the FCC, began regular broadcast operations on February 6, 1956.[4][5] In 1959, the station was authorized to increase its daytime signal power to 1,000 watts.[6]

The Hermiston Broadcasting Company purchased KOHU from Carl F. & Sarah Knierim in a transaction that was consummated on June 9, 1966.[7] Robert Chopping was president of the company and Harmon Springer was named the station's general manager.[7]

In 1968, the station was airing 12 hours of country & western music each week in addition to its previous middle of the road music format.[8] By 1970, the format was an even split between country and MOR music.[9]

The FCC granted KOHU authorization to add nighttime service at the same 1,000 watt power level as its daytime broadcasts, albeit with a directional antenna array to minimize interference with other stations on the same frequency.[9]

Move to 1360

KOHU changed frequencies to 1360 kHz in 1974 which allowed the station to cover a larger area with the same power output and also allowed the station to use a non-directional antenna during the daytime.[10] The station began to experiment by adding some rock music to the format.[10] However, by 1978 the station was airing the pure country music format that it would air in one form or another for the next three decades.[11]

In February 1997, the Hermiston Broadcasting Company reached an agreement to sell KOHU to the Capps Broadcast Group through their West End Radio, LLC, subsidiary.[12] The deal was approved by the FCC on April 16, 1997, and the transaction was consummated on May 1, 1997.[13]

KOHU today

In January 2003, the Capps Family, co-owners of KOHU licensee West End Radio, LLC, announced an agreement to transfer control of the company to Ronald L. Hughes and Gloria Hughes. The deal was approved by the FCC on February 14, 2003, and the transaction was consummated on June 4, 2003.[14] In March 2004, Ronald L. Hughes and Gloria Hughes applied to the FCC to transfer the broadcast license for KOHU to the Ronald L. Hughes and Gloria Hughes Living Trust. The transfer was approved by the FCC on April 7, 2004, and the transaction was consummated on April 12, 2004.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  2. ↑ "Station Info". Real Country 1360 KOHU. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2009.
  3. ↑ "The Lawn and Garden Show". OSU Extension Service. Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2010-09-06.
  4. 1 2 "Directory of AM and FM Stations and Market Data for the United States". 1956 Broadcasting Yearbook-Marketbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1956. p. 255.
  5. ↑ "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S.". 1960 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1960. p. A-213.
  7. 1 2 "Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S.". 1967 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1967. p. B-131.
  8. ↑ "The Facilities of Radio". Broadcasting Yearbook 1969. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1969. p. B-139.
  9. 1 2 "Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S.". Broadcasting Yearbook 1972. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1972. p. B-172.
  10. 1 2 "Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". Broadcasting Yearbook 1975. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1975. p. C-156.
  11. ↑ "Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". Broadcasting Yearbook 1979. Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1979. p. C-181.
  12. ↑ "Business Briefs". East Oregonian. July 20, 2003. Dave Capps and Hughes purchased the Hermiston stations from Harmon Springer and Bob Chopping in 1997.
  13. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-19970226ED)". FCC Media Bureau. May 1, 1997.
  14. ↑ "Application Search Details: File number: BTC-20030103ACD". FCC Media Bureau. June 4, 2003. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
  15. ↑ "Application Search Details: File number: BTC-20040316AJH". FCC Media Bureau. April 12, 2004. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
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