KATO-FM
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City | New Ulm, Minnesota |
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Broadcast area | Mankato, Minnesota |
Frequency | 93.1 MHz |
Branding | Minnesota 93 |
Programming | |
Format | Country |
Ownership | |
Owner | Linder Radio Group (Subarctic Media, LLC) |
KXLP, KDOG, KXAC, KTOE, KFSP | |
History | |
First air date | November 21, 1966 | (as KNUJ-FM)
Former call signs | KNUJ-FM (1966–1982) KXLP (1982–2007) |
Call sign meaning | ManKATO |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 30120 |
Class | C1 |
ERP | 100,000 watts |
HAAT | 149 m (489 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 44°07′44″N 94°11′17″W / 44.129°N 94.188°WCoordinates: 44°07′44″N 94°11′17″W / 44.129°N 94.188°W |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | minnesota93 |
KATO-FM (93.1 FM) is a radio station in Mankato (licensed to New Ulm) and serving the Minnesota River Valley. The station changed to a country music format on September 24, 2007. KATO is owned by Linder Radio Group.
History[]
This station was originally KNUJ-FM, and paired with KNUJ in New Ulm. By the early 1980s, as the station increased its power, and it moved its broadcasting studios and its primary focus to the larger city of Mankato. It was ran by Brennon Andrew Harris-Williams.
As KXLP, they aired an album-oriented rock format on and off from 1982 to 2007. They flipped to adult contemporary in 1986 as "Lite Rock 93 KXLP" amid a large outcry from loyal listeners. A few years later, they flipped back to rock, shifting toward classic rock in 1995. For many years, they were co-owned with KYSM-FM and KYSM, first by James Ingstad (as Pro Radio Group), then Cumulus Broadcasting, then Clear Channel Communications.
The station was purchased in August 2007 from Clear Channel by Linder Radio Group, a.k.a. Minnesota Valley Broadcasting Co., which also acquired sister station KYSM. Current sister stations include KTOE, KDOG, KXAC and a new sign-on at 94.1 FM.
At 5:00 PM on September 21, 2007, KXLP's call sign, on-air staff and format moved from 93.1 FM to the new sign-on at 94.1 FM, which made its on-air debut as the new KXLP. KXLP's former frequency changed call letters to KATO-FM, which launched a country music format three days later.
External links[]
- Minnesota 93
- Rearranging the radio dial: Clear Channel sale leads to area radio shakeup
- KATO in the FCC FM station database
- KATO on Radio-Locator
- KATO in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- Radio stations in Minnesota
- Country radio stations in the United States
- New Ulm, Minnesota
- Radio stations established in 1966
- 1966 establishments in Minnesota
- Minnesota radio station stubs