KXBZ

KXBZ (104.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a New Country format. Licensed to Manhattan, Kansas, United States, the station serves the Manhattan-Topeka-Salina area. The station is currently owned by Manhattan Broadcasting Co., Inc.

KXBZ
CityManhattan, Kansas
Broadcast areaSalina-Manhattan area
Frequency104.7 MHz
BrandingHot Country B 104.7
Programming
FormatNew Country
AffiliationsPremiere Radio Networks, Westwood One
Ownership
OwnerManhattan Broadcasting Co., Inc.
Sister stationsKACZ, KBLS, KMAN, KMKF
History
First air date1990
Former call signsKTDF (1990-1994)
Technical information
Facility ID37775
ClassC2
ERP50,000 watts
HAAT148.8 meters
Transmitter coordinates39°15′55″N 96°27′56″W
Links
Websitewww.b1047.com

History

The station went on the air as KTDF on May 3, 1990. On September 30, 1994, the station changed its call sign to the current KXBZ.[1] At the time, it was the third station to be part of Manhattan Broadcasting Company.

The station's original logo featured a grinning, guitar-strumming yellow jacket, and featured the station's original positioning statement "Today's Hot New Country". In 1999, a new logo was created, featuring "B104.7" and the new positioning statement was shortened to "Hot Country". In 2016, the station rolled out a new website and began calling itself "Today's Hit Country". B104.7 has consistently ruled the country airwaves in the Manhattan/Junction City/Wamego area, and along with sister stations KMAN, KMKF, KACZ, and KBLS makes up the Top 5 of the rankings for its demographic.

Currently, the weekday programming schedule features:

The Morning Show with Chris & Kristen (6a-10a), Middays with Bill Williams (10 am – 2 pm), Afternoons with Mike (2–7 pm), and Nights with Dave G. (7–12 pm).

On Sundays, B104.7 airs the "American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks", along with a locally produced show "Red Dirt Road". In addition, B104.7 also airs high school football on Friday nights during the fall. B104.7 is also the hometown station for the annual Country Stampede Music festival, held every June at nearby Tuttle Creek State Park.

Manhattan Broadcasting owns 5 stations: KXBZ (B104.7 – mainstream country), KMAN (1350 AM – news, talk, sports), KACZ (Z96.3 - Top 40), KMKF (101.5 K-Rock – active rock), and KBLS (Sunny 102.5 - Adult Contemporary). Sunny was purchased from Eagle Communications in February 2017, giving Manhattan Broadcasting an even wider reach and more dominance in the Salina/Manhattan market. MBC also has an expanding digital production department, and dominates the Arbitron rankings in Riley, Geary, and Pottawatomie counties.

Richard Wartell, the longtime General Manager at Manhattan Broadcasting, retired effective November 12, 2015. Operations Director Corey Reeves was promoted to succeed Wartell as GM. The Sales Manager at MBC is Andrea Besthorn. John Kurtz, a two-time winner of the Oscar Stauffer Award for Sports Broadcasting, is the Sports Director. Chris Swick serves as the station's Program Director.

References
  1. "KXBZ Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.


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