KQDS-FM (94.9

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 ...

, "95 KQDS") is a

classic rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...

music formatted radio station located in

Duluth, Minnesota Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...

. Established in 1976 as KAOH-FM, the station is owned by

Midwest Communications Midwest Communications, Inc. is a Wausau, Wisconsin–based radio broadcasting company. It owns 82 radio stations located primarily within the Midwest United States, in Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Il ...

, and follows a format similar to that of the well-known

KQRS-FM KQRS-FM (92.5 FM broadcasting, FM) is a radio station City of license, licensed to Golden Valley, Minnesota. Owned by Cumulus Media, it broadcasts a mainstream rock format serving the Minneapolis–Saint Paul market. Its studios are located ...

in the

Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in stat ...

. The studios are located in downtown Duluth, along with KDAL,

KDAL-FM KDAL-FM (95.7 MHz, "My 95.7") is an American radio station in Duluth, Minnesota, airing an adult contemporary format. KDAL-FM is owned by Midwest Communications, which also owns KDKE, WDSM, WDUL, KDAL, and KTCO in Duluth. All the Duluth stati ...

KDKE KDKE (102.5 FM, "Duke FM") is a classic country radio station located in Duluth, Minnesota (licensed to Superior, Wisconsin). KDKE is owned by Midwest Communications, which also owns WDSM, WDUL, KDAL, KDAL-FM and KTCO in Duluth. All the Dulu ...

KTCO KTCO (98.9 FM broadcasting, FM, "Kat Country 98.9") is a radio station in Duluth, Minnesota, airing a country music format. KTCO is owned by Midwest Communications, which also owns KDKE, WDSM, WDUL, KDAL (AM), KDAL, and KDAL-FM in Duluth. All th ...

WDSM WDSM (710 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Superior, Wisconsin, serving the Duluth-Superior area of Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin. WDSM is owned and operated by Midwest Communications and broadcasts a sports ...

, and

WDUL WDUL (970 Hertz, kHz) is a commercial broadcasting, commercial AM broadcasting, AM radio station city of license, licensed to Superior, Wisconsin. It airs a contemporary hit radio radio format, format and is owned and operated by Midwest Communi ...

. KQDS-FM is

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) ...

KQDX KQDX (106.3 MHz) is a radio station licensed to Hibbing, Minnesota. The station serves the Hibbing area as a simulcast of KQDS-FM, a classic rock station in Duluth. KQDX is owned by Midwest Communications. KQDX is part of a Midwest cluster of st ...

(106.3) in

Hibbing Hibbing is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 16,214 at the 2020 census. The city was built on mining the rich iron ore of the Mesabi Iron Range and still relies on that industry today. At the edge of ...

. Prior to Midwest selling the stations, KQDS-FM was also simulcast on WXXZ (95.3 FM, later WFNX) in Grand Marais and KAOD (106.7 FM, now KZJZ) in

Babbitt Babbitt may refer to: Fiction * ''Babbitt'' (novel), a 1922 novel by Sinclair Lewis ** ''Babbitt'' (1924 film), a 1924 silent film based on the novel ** ''Babbitt'' (1934 film), a 1934 film based on the novel *Babbit, the family name of the titl ...

. KQ 95's main competitor is Townsquare Media's WWPE (92.1 FM). KQDS-FM is probably best known for "''The KQ Morning Show''" which for the last decade has been rated first among adults 25-54 and Men 25–54. The show's longtime host, Bill Jones left the station, the broadcast industry and the city of Duluth December 15, 2009. Jones' Co-host, Jason Manning has returned to KQ with a "revamped" morning show with new co-host Frank Befera. In 2011, Befera was let go and the Morning Show switched to its current line-up of Jason Manning and longtime afternoon DJ Scott Savage.

History

The station signed on April 1, 1976, as KAOH-FM, 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 ...

station. In 1980, the station became KQDS-FM, a

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

station. The original on-air staff included Stu Taran, Big G Walters, Annie Steamer, Dan Culhane, Jonathon Hanley, Tony Jasmin, Bruce MacGregor, Marty Essen, and Lisa Barr. The general manager was Mark Alan. On August 1, 1981, the station boosted its power to 100,000 watts and became a classic rock station. On August 24, 2016, Midwest Communications announced that it was purchasing KQDS-FM, WXXZ, and KAOD from Red Rock Radio in a deal that also included sister stations

WEVE-FM WEVE-FM is a radio station on 97.9 FM in Eveleth, Minnesota. The station is programmed with an adult contemporary format targeted towards the 25-54 age group. Established in 1978, WEVE-FM is owned by Midwest Communications. Although the station ...

in Eveleth and KGPZ in Coleraine, as well as translators W221AU, W252AN, and W288AI; the sale was completed on December 31, 2016, at a purchase price of $5.625 million. Effective September 22, 2017, Midwest sold KQDS-FM's simulcast partners WXXZ and KAOD, along with translator W288AI, to Aurora Broadcasting L.L.C.

References

External links

* * {{coord, 46.794, N, 92.118, W, type:landmark_region:US-MN_source:FCC, display=title Radio stations in Duluth, Minnesota Classic rock radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1976 1976 establishments in Minnesota Midwest Communications radio stations