KTMB (102.1

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 ...

, "Classic Hits 102.1") is a commercial FM

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 in

Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the List of cities in Alaska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of ...

, United States. The station is owned by Ohana Media and broadcasts a classic hits format. KTMB's studios are located in

Downtown Anchorage Downtown Anchorage is a neighborhood in the U.S. city of Anchorage, Alaska. Considered the central business district of Anchorage, Downtown has many office buildings, cultural points of interest, shopping areas, as well as dining and nightlife ...

and its transmitter is in the city's Bayshore district. It is unique among Anchorage radio stations in that it has no live

disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music fes ...

s and guarantees to tell listeners the name and artist of every song played.

History

The station first signed on November 6, 1961, as KBYR-FM. The station went silent for a time after the

1964 Alaska earthquake The 1964 Alaska earthquake, also known as the Great Alaska earthquake and Good Friday earthquake, occurred at 5:36 PM Alaska Standard Time, AKST on Good Friday, March 27, 1964.

; it became KAMU in 1966 and KWKO in 1969. From 1967 to 1973, KAMU/KWKO broadcast an

easy listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit s ...

format. During this period, the station's main program was ''Night Flight''. As Anchorage was a major stopover point for various airlines' intercontinental routes, the show featured a unique opening simulating a jet in takeoff mode. Station owner Joe O'Hearn welcomed listeners as the "captain" of the program, and

flight attendant A flight attendant is a member of the aircrew whose primary responsibility is ensure the safety of passengers in the cabin of an aircraft across all stages of flight. Their secondary duty is to see to the comfort of passengers. Flight attenda ...

s representing various international airlines recited safety procedures in their native languages as well as in English. The station changed its

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 ...

to KJZZ in 1973, then to KRKN in 1986. From 1986 to 1994, the station held the call letters KPXR. In March 1994, the station became KKRO, broadcasting classic rock as "Arrow (radio format), Arrow" until 2002. In 1997, Ingstad AK Broadcasting, Inc. sold KKRO to Williams Broadcasting, Inc. for $850,000. On September 7, 2011, at 12:01 a.m., the then-KDBZ changed its format from hot adult contemporary (branded as "102.1 The Buzz") to adult album alternative (AAA), branded as "102.1 The Peak". On March 7, 2014 KDBZ flipped to classic hits and rebranded as "Oldies 102.1". The station also changed its call sign to KTMB.

References

External links

* {{Coord, 61.119, N, 149.897, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title 1961 establishments in Alaska Ohana Broadcast Company, LLC stations Classic hits radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1961 Radio stations in Anchorage, Alaska, TMB