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 Duluth stations share the same studio location at 11 East Superior St. Suite 380, downtown Duluth. Most of KDKE's personalities are voice-tracked or syndicated.

KDKE
CitySuperior, Wisconsin
Broadcast areaDuluth-Superior
Frequency102.5 MHz
Branding102.5 Duke FM
SloganPlays the Legends of Country
Programming
FormatClassic Country
Ownership
OwnerDuey E. Wright
(Midwest Communications, Inc.)
Sister stationsKDAL, KDAL-FM, KTCO, WDSM, WDUL
History
First air date1979 (as KZIO)
Former call signsKZIO (1979-1996)
KRBR-FM (1996-2008)
KHQG (2008-2010)
KDWZ (2010-2016)
Call sign meaningK-DuKE
(branding/nickname of Midwest Communications president/CEO)
Technical information
Facility ID71355
ClassC1
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT183 m (600 ft)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewww.dukefmduluth.com

History

The station was Top 40/CHR as "102.5 KZIO" (call sign now used by 104.3/94.1) until November 1996 when it switched to modern/alternative rock as "102.5 The Bear" with the KRBR-FM call sign. The Bear transitioned to active rock in 1998, and broadened its playlist by 2002. By 2006, "The Bear" moniker was dropped as the station branded as "102.5 KRBR" and added a significant amount of Classic Rock to its playlist to become a mainstream rock station. On March 3, 2008, KRBR-FM changed its call sign to KHQG, and began branding itself as "102.5 The Hog" while remaining with a mainstream rock format. In March 2009, KHQG shifted from mainstream rock to "Classic Rock 102.5." In the classic rock arena, 102.5 more solidly targeted the market's heritage classic rock station, KQDS-FM 94.9. The previous format had fallen between KQ and its active rock sister, 94X.

Former logo

On August 30, 2010, KHQG flipped to Top 40 (CHR) as "102.5 KDWZ", the branding and callsign a nod to KDWB-FM in Minneapolis. This flip filled a void for a full-fledged Top 40 station (107.7 KBMX "Mix 108" airs a Hot AC/Top 40 hybrid format) that was left open by WWAX in 2008.[1]

On September 21, 2015 at 10 am, KDWZ flipped to Classic Country as "102.5 Duke FM". It currently airs a mix of classic country music. Many KDWZ staff members, including The Jake and Tanner Morning Show, moved to My 95.7.[2]

The KDWZ call sign was previously used with Top 40 stations in Des Moines, Iowa (was known on-air as "Z93", now oldies formatted KIOA) and Grand Forks, North Dakota (now country formatted KYCK) in the 1980s.

The station changed its call sign to the current KDKE on December 1, 2016.

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References
  1. "KHQG Flips To Top 40 KDWZ" from All Access (August 30, 2010)
  2. "Duluth's KDWZ switching from top-40 to country music format". Retrieved 2015-09-22.

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