KQNK (1530

kHz 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 uni ...

) is an AM

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 ...

licensed to

Norton, Kansas Norton is a city in and the county seat of Norton County, Kansas, Norton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,747. History Norton was founded in 1872. Like the county ...

, United States. The station airs a gold-based

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 ...

format, and is currently owned by Dierking Communications, Inc.

History

KQNK was originally licensed on 6 April 1964 as KNBI. The original license was issued to Norton broadcasting, Inc. (per the FCC History cards). In 1965, the news department of KNBI reported that UFOs had been spotted in the Norton area. As of 1969, the station was affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System. In 1971, the license was transferred to Kansas-Nebraska Broadcasters, Inc. In 1973, Tim Adrian, AG director of KNBI asked to be considered as the replacement for Earl Butz as agriculture secretary, who had recently resigned. Rep. Keith Sebelius said he would pass the name onto then President

Gerald R. Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. (born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was the 38th president of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, Ford assumed the p ...

. In 1974, the license was transferred to Prairie Dog Broadcasting Company. In 1975, the station tower was hit by lightning, and knocked off the air for more than a day, according to Dave Tucker, the owner of the station. In 1978, the license returned to Norton Broadcasting Inc. and the call sign was changed to the current KQNK. By 1980, the license was controlled by Pioneer Country Broadcasting, Inc. who operated the radio station for about 20 years. In 1999, the license was transferred to Bruce Dierking, the current licensee.

Awards

In 1973, KNBI was awarded an honor certificate from the

Freedoms Foundation Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge (now Founding Forward) is an American non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian educational organization, founded in 1949. The foundation is located adjacent to the Valley Forge National Historical Park, near Val ...

for producing a 15-minute broadcast talking to people about why they are proud of Norton.

References

External links

KQNK's website FCC history cards
* * QNK Radio stations established in 1963 QNK Country radio stations in the United States QNK {{Kansas-radio-station-stub