KIIM-FM (99.5

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

) is a

commercial Commercial may refer to: * (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services ** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money * a dose of advertising ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting 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 rad ...

Tucson, Arizona Tucson (; ; ) is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States, and its county seat. It is the second-most populous city in Arizona, behind Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix, with a population of 542,630 in the 2020 United States census. The Tucson ...

. It is owned by

Cumulus Media Cumulus Media, Inc. is a broadcasting company of the United States and is the second largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States ahead of Audacy and behind iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc., or CC Media Holdi ...

and airs a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...

radio format A radio format or programming format (not to be confused with broadcast programming) describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. The radio format emerged mainly in the United States in the 1950s, at a time when Radio broadcasting, ...

. Studios and offices are located on Oracle Road in North Tucson. KIIM-FM's

effective radiated power Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would ha ...

(ERP) is 90,000

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of Power (physics), power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantification (science), quantify the rate of Work ...

s (93,000 with

beam tilt Beam tilt is used in radio to aim the main lobe of the vertical plane radiation pattern of an antenna below (or above) the horizontal plane. The simplest way is mechanical beam tilt, where the antenna is physically mounted in such a manner a ...

). The

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter (often abbreviated as XMTR or TX in technical documents) is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna (radio), antenna with the purpose of sig ...

is off West Hidden Canyon Drive in Tucson. The signal extends from

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

and

Casa Grande Casa Grande ( O'odham: ''Wainom Wo:g'') is a city in Pinal County, approximately halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, in the U.S. state of Arizona. According to the 2020 census, the population of the city was 55,653. It is named after the Casa ...

to the Mexico-U.S. border.

History

KTKT-FM and KFMM

The first FM station to

sign on A sign-on (or start-up in Commonwealth countries except Canada) is the beginning of operations for a radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off (or closedown in Commonwealth countries exce ...

in Tucson was 99.5 KTKT-FM, in March 1954. Thomas J. Wallace, owned the station, along with

AM 1490 The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 1490 kHz: 1490 AM is a Regional ( Class B) outside the coterminous 48 United States (Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands), and a Local ( Class C) frequency within the cont ...

KTKT KTKT (990 AM) – branded ''La Buena 94.3FM & 990AM'' – is a commercial Spanish language adult hits radio station licensed to serve Tucson, Arizona. Owned by Lotus Communications, the covers the Tucson metropolitan area and Southern Arizona ...

(now at

AM 990 The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 990 kHz: 990 AM is a Canadian clear-channel frequency. CBW Winnipeg and CBY Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, share Class A status on 990 kHz. Because 990 kHz is a multip ...

). KTKT-FM mostly

simulcast Simulcast (a portmanteau of "simultaneous broadcast") is the broadcasting of programs or events across more than one resolution, bitrate or medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at exactly the same time (that is, simultaneously) ...

the AM station's programming. In 1958, KTKT-FM was slated to move to Mount Bigelow, the tallest peak near Tucson. That move did not materialize, but it did result in a

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 as ...

change to KFMM (FM on the Mountain). Those call letters were used for 21 years. KTKT-FM/KFMM was sold several times in its early years: to Copper State Broadcasting Corporation in 1957 and to Lee Little in 1960. During this time, the station was powered at 30,000 watts, a third of its current power. And the tower was only 73 feet tall, keeping the station's signal only within Tucson and its close-in suburbs.

Religious KFMM and KNDE Country

In 1965, KFMM was bought by the Tucson Broadcasting Company, which also owned AM 1400 KTUC. KFMM aired a

Christian radio Christian radio refers to Christian media radio formats that focus on Christian religious broadcasting or various forms of Christian music. Many such formats and programs include contemporary Christian music, gospel music, sermons, radio dramas, ...

format. In 1979, a new company calling itself KTUC, Incorporated, acquired KTUC and KFMM. It switched the FM station's call letters to KNDE, and became an automated country station calling itself Candy Country.

Country KIIM

In 1983, after a sale, KNDE changed its call letters again, this time to KIIM, switching to a live

format, and becoming the only country outlet on FM. There was one other country station, co-owned

AM 1290 The following radio stations broadcast on AM frequency 1290 kHz: 1290 AM is a Regional broadcast frequency In Argentina * Interactiva in Ciudad Madero * LRI371 Amanecer in Reconquista, Santa Fe * LRJ212 Murialdo in Guaymallén, Mendoza * ...

KCUB, which specialized in a more personality and information country format. Rex Broadcasting received a

construction permit Planning permission or building permit refers to the approval needed for construction or expansion (including significant renovation), and sometimes for demolition, in some jurisdictions. House building permits, for example, are subject to bu ...

from the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...

to boost power to 100,000

s, coupled with a sizable increase in antenna height. KIIM proved so successful, Rex Broadcasting decided to switch its AM station to the same call letters. AM 1290 became KIIM, while FM 99.5 became KIIM-FM. Several years later, KIIM switched back to the KCUB call sign, as a classic country outlet. In 2001,

Citadel Broadcasting Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company founded and developed by Larry Wilson. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the count ...

purchased both KIIM-FM and KCUB, switching the AM station to a

sports radio Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sport, sporting events. A widespread programming genre that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often-low comed ...

format, but keeping the highly rated KIIM-FM as a country outlet.Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2002-2003 page D-25
/ref> Citadel was acquired by current owner,

, in 2011. Cumulus has switched many of its country stations to the

Nash FM Nash is a media brand owned by Cumulus Media. It covers country music-related properties owned by Cumulus, including radio stations, digital properties and publications ('' Nash Country Daily''), Nash TV (a video on-demand service operated in pa ...

brand. While KIIM-FM carries some Nash FM shows, it still identifies itself as "Country Favorites KIIM-FM".

Awards

KIIM-FM DJ Buzz Jackson was a 2006

Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...

nominee for "Personality Of The Year." In 2007, KIIM-FM was nominated for "Radio Station Of The Year" by the Academy Of Country Music. In 2007, Jackson was nominated for "medium market personality of the year" by the

Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) is an American trade association with the stated aim of promoting and developing country music throughout the world. Founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee, it originally consisted of 233 members and was the f ...

. In 2010, Buzz Jackson won the "medium market personality of the year" award from the Academy Of Country Music.

References

External links

KIIM-FM official website
{{Coord, 32.249, N, 111.117, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title IIM-FM Country radio stations in the United States Cumulus Media radio stations Radio stations established in 1954