City Omaha, Nebraska Branding Channel 94.1 | Broadcast area Omaha-Council Bluffs First air date 1968 | |
Slogan Omaha's #1 Hit Music Station Frequency 94.1 MHz(also on HD Radio) | ||
KQCH is the Top 40 (CHR) radio station for the Omaha, Nebraska. It is owned by E.W. Scripps Company. KQCH's studios are located on Mockingbird Drive in South Omaha, while its transmitter is located off North 72nd Avenue and Crown Point at the Omaha master antenna farm. This radio station is called "Channel 94.1".
History
KQCH's origins began on May 21, 1999, when it flipped from Adult Contemporary to Rhythmic Contemporary as "Channel 97.7". The station became a serious challenger to Top 40 Mainstream KQKQ during its three years on the 97.7 frequency.
The 94.1 frequency was originally KOAD, owned by the Omaha World-Herald, and launched on 94.3 FM in 1941. This lasted until 1949, when it moved to 94.1 and went silent. In 1960, it returned to the air as KMEO, where it had a MOR format until 1968, when it became AOR KOWH-FM. By 1979, KOWH-FM switched formats to R&B as KYNN-FM under then-new owner Great Empire Broadcasting, lasting until 1984, when it flipped to as Country-formatted WOW-FM, where it enjoyed a successful 16-year run. On October 10, 2000, WOW-FM changed its call letters and re-branded to KSSO, "Kiss Country", which prompted a cease and desist letter from Clear Channel Communications – who had previously trademarked and service-marked the "Kiss" name and had recently launched a "Kiss" station in nearby Lincoln, Nebraska. A couple of months later, they modified the call letters and became KMXM "Max Country" on January 2, 2001.
On May 3, 2002, at Noon, Journal Broadcast Group moved KQCH and its Top 40 format from 97.7 to 94.1 and was relaunched as "Channel 94.1". The station continued in its Rhythmic direction until 2004, when it shifted to a mainstream direction after KQKQ flipped to Adult Top 40. KQCH currently has competition with KOPW, who ironically happens to be a Rhythmic and KQKQ's sister station. In early September 2012, KQCH received direct competition when iHeartMedia (then Clear Channel)'s KOBW flipped to Top 40.
Journal Communications and The E.W. Scripps Company announced on July 30, 2014 that the two companies would merge to create a new broadcast company under the E.W. Scripps Company name that will own the two companies' broadcast properties, including KQCH. The transaction was completed in 2015.