KEII

Summary

KEII (690 AM) is a commercial radio station in Blackfoot, Idaho, broadcasting to the Idaho Falls-Pocatello, Idaho area. The station airs a variety hits format branded as Cannonball 101.

KEII
Simulcasts KNBL, Idaho Falls
Broadcast areaIdaho Falls-Pocatello, Idaho
Frequency690 kHz
BrandingCannonball 101
Programming
FormatVariety hits
Ownership
OwnerRiverbend Communications
KCVI, KNBL, KFTZ, KLCE, KTHK
History
First air date
1951
Former call signs
KBLI (1951-1991)
KECN (1991-2001)
KZNR (2001-2004)
KSLJ (2004-2006)
KBLI (2006-2014)
Technical information
Facility ID71780
ClassD
Power1,000 watts day
42.9 watts night
Translator(s)
  • 92.7 K224EL (Pocatello)
  • 101.1 K266BY (Pocatello)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitecannonball101.com

KEII is a division of Riverbend Communications LLC., which is owned by Frank L. VanderSloot.

History edit

KTII was first licensed, as KBLI, in 1951, to the Blackfoot Broadcasting Company, with 250 watts on 1490 kHz. In 1957 the station moved to 690 kHz, and in 1991 the call letters were changed to KECN.[1]

Expanded Band assignment edit

On March 17, 1997, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that eighty-eight stations had been given permission to move to newly available "Expanded Band" transmitting frequencies, ranging from 1610 to 1700 kHz, with KECN authorized to move from 690 to 1620 kHz.[2] The expanded band station was assigned the call letters KBLI on November 10, 1997.[3]

The FCC's initial policy was that both the original station and its expanded band counterpart could operate simultaneously for up to five years, after which owners would have to turn in one of the two licenses, depending on whether they preferred the new assignment or elected to remain on the original frequency,[2] although this deadline was extended multiple times. It was ultimately decided to remain on the original frequency, and the license for KBLI on 1620 kHz was cancelled on February 7, 2006.[4]

Later history edit

The call letters of the original station on 690 kHz were changed to KZNR in 2001, and KSLJ in 2004. Following the deletion of the expanded band operation on 1620 kHz in 2006, the KBLI call sign was returned to 690 kHz. On October 21, 2014, the call letters became KEII.[1]

On September 10, 2018 KEII and simulcaster KEIR 1260 Idaho Falls (under new KNBL calls) changed their format from religious to variety hits, branded as "Cannonball 101".[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Call Letter History for KEII (Facility ID: 71780)
  2. ^ a b "FCC Public Notice: Mass Media Bureau Announces Revised AM Expanded Band Allotment Plan and Filing Window for Eligible Stations" (FCC DA 97-537), March 17, 1997.
  3. ^ Call Letter History for DKBLI (Facility ID: 87152)
  4. ^ FCC Station Search Details: DKBLI (Facility ID: 87152)
  5. ^ Cannonball 101 Explodes Into East Idaho Radioinsight - September 10, 2018

External links edit

  • KEII in the FCC AM station database
  • KEII in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
  • FCC History Cards for KEII (covering 1950-1980 as KBLI)
  • K224EL in the FCC FM station database
  • K224EL at FCCdata.org
  • K266BY in the FCC FM station database
  • K266BY at FCCdata.org

43°10′07″N 112°22′10″W / 43.16861°N 112.36944°W / 43.16861; -112.36944