KTGR (1580 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format, with programming from the ESPN Radio network. Licensed to Columbia, Missouri, United States, the station serves the Columbia, Missouri, area. The station is currently owned by Zimmer Radio Group of Mid-Missouri.
History
The station was assigned the call letters KBIA by the FCC on October 7, 1954,The Moberly Monitor, October 7, 1954 and began broadcasting in April 1955. Owner Cecil W. Roberts was a former newspaper publisher from Farmington, Mo., who eventually built a chain of a dozen radio stations in six states, all jointly owned by Roberts and his wife, Jane A. Roberts.St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 14, 1975 KBIA became the third radio station in Columbia, joining KFRU (1925) and KOWS 1240 (1937).Mid-Missouri News and Tribune, March 31, 1957
As an affiliate of the Missouri Sports Network, KBIA carried University of Missouri football games in 1960.St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 16, 1960
The station was sold in April 1961 to Barrington Broadcasting Co. for $90,000 (principals were Aubrey D. Reid and his wife, who owned WEW-AM in St. Louis, Mo., and WKYB-AM and WKYB-FM in Paducah, Ky.) In June 1961, the call letters were changed to KCGM.
In November 1966, a subsequent owner, Tiger Broadcasting Co., changed the call letters to KTGR.
The station in its early days ran a Top 40 music format until 1978, when both KTGR and KCMQ swapped formats.
Translators In addition to the main station, KTGR is relayed by an additional translator to widen its broadcast area.
References
External links
Radio Broadcasting History: KTGR