KGEZ (600 AM) is an American broadcast radio station licensed to Kalispell, Montana and serving the Flathead region of western Montana. KGEZ is owned and operated by John Hendricks, President and GM of Flathead Valley Wireless Association, LLC. The KGEZ frequency is 600 kHz, a regional broadcast frequency.[2]
 | |
| Broadcast area | Kalispell, Montana Whitefish, Montana |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 600 kHz |
| Branding | KGEZ 600 AM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Full service |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | 1927 |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 60575 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 5,000 watts (day) 1,000 watts (night) |
Transmitter coordinates | 48°9′40″N 114°16′51″W / 48.16111°N 114.28083°W |
| Translator(s) | 96.5 K243CM (Kalispell) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | kgez.com |
History
editKGEZ is Montana's second–oldest station, and the oldest in the Flathead. It first signed on in 1927.[3] The station was assigned these call letters by the Federal Communications Commission.[4] Currently, the station airs a full service format consisting of almost entirely locally originated programming, a rarity for stations in a market this small.
From 2000 to 2009, it was owned by conservative activist John Stokes, and aired a News/Talk format under the moniker "Z-600, The Edge."[5] Its flagship program was a conservative-oriented talk show hosted by Stokes.
Seizure
editOn September 24, 2009; KGEZ went silent after being seized by the United States Bankruptcy Court for Montana. In the spring of 2008, John Stokes was sued by Todd and Davar Gardner, who claimed Stokes had slandered them on his show in 2007. Stokes lost, and faced having to pay $3.8 million in damages, an amount that he claimed would have forced him out of business. To avoid paying, he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In April 2009, the Office of the U.S. Trustee asked that the filing be converted to a Chapter 7, claiming that Stokes hadn't disclosed all of his assets and debts. Stokes responded with a request to withdraw the filing. On September 21, bankruptcy judge Ralph Kirscher issued an order denying Stokes' request and granting the government's request to switch to a Chapter 7.[6][7]
In his ruling, Kirscher said Stokes had failed to disclose "literally millions of dollars" in assets and had not paid taxes in several years. Stokes was in the midst of his show when federal marshals and Flathead County sheriff's deputies arrived to seize the station; he simply thanked his listeners and signed off. Stokes himself said he'd been losing $40,000 per month operating the station.[8]
Station Status
editIn July 2010, a local bankruptcy judge awarded a partial settlement to the Gardners in which they acquired KGEZ's assets (license, broadcasting facilities, and studio property) for $875,000 in cash. That sum is part of deal reducing the amount the Gardners were owed by Stokes to $1.5 million.[7]
In October 2010, John Stokes filed an appeal, challenging the settlement that transferred KGEZ's assets to Todd and Davar Gardner in July. The appeal, filed in U.S. District Court, states that the bankruptcy court erred when it approved the settlement.
The Gardners filed a "Resumption of Operations" notice with the FCC on September 8, 2010 via licensee Flathead Broadcasting, LLC.
Shortly after the Gardners took over ownership of the station, John Hendricks took charge of KGEZ's programming and operations under a local marketing agreement. He recruited longtime Flathead Valley broadcaster George Ostrom for on-air commentary. It returned to the air in late January 2011 with a marathon of 1950s’ and 1960s’ rock hits. Regular programming resumed on February 8, 2011. Originally airing oldies, Hendricks gradually expanded the station into a community-oriented full service station.[3] The Gardners have since sold the station to Hendricks, who formed the Flathead Valley Wireless Association to run it.
Translator
edit| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K243CM | 96.5 FM | Kalispell, Montana | 138703 | 250 (Vertical only) | 0 m (0 ft) | D | 48°10′34″N 114°20′57″W / 48.17611°N 114.34917°W | LMS |
References
edit- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KGEZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "AM Station Classes, and Clear, Regional, and Local Channels". 11 December 2015.
- ^ a b "Radio Station Return to its Roots". Flathead Beacon. 10 February 2011.
- ^ "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
- ^ "Winter 2008 Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
- ^ "Authorities Shut Down KGEZ". 24 September 2009.
- ^ a b http://dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_dcd91650-991d-11df-a4ad-001cc4c03286.html [dead link]
- ^ "Controversial Kalispell radio station goes silent as bankruptcy officers seize property".
External links
edit- KGEZ Facebook
- KGEZ official website
- Facility details for Facility ID 60575 (KGEZ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KGEZ in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 138703 (K243CM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- K243CM at FCCdata.org