KCHA-FM

KCHA-FM
Broadcast area
Floyd County, Iowa
Frequency95.9 MHz
Branding95-9 KCHA
Programming
FormatVariety
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerAchen Becker Media, LLC
History
First air date
1971 (1971)
Former frequencies
104.9 MHz (1971–1976)
Call sign meaning
Charles City
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
41100
ClassA
ERP6,000 watts
HAAT91 meters (299 ft)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websitekchanews.com

KCHA-FM (95.9 MHz) is a full service—formatted radio station in Charles City, Iowa, United States. KCHA-FM is owned and operated by Achen Becker Media, LLC, and operates from studios on Main Street and a transmitter on Stoney Point Road.

History

KCHA-FM was launched in 1971 on 104.9 MHz. The station was required to move to 95.9 in 1976 as a result of a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) docket to allow additional radio stations in the region. In 1980, FCC approval was obtained to raise the KCHA tower from 187 feet (57 m) to 387 feet (118 m) in order to expand the FM station's coverage area.

Luverne Bromberg and family sold the KCHA stations in 1986 to James B. Hebel, a former radio announcer in Chicago. Hebel sold the two outlets, plus KCZE in New Hampton and KCZY in Osage, to the Ingstad family of North Dakota in 1995; these stations and others were then sold to Cumulus Media in 1998 and Clear Channel Communications in 2000. They were bought in 2007 by Three Eagles Communications, which immediately resold five of the stations including KCHA-AM-FM and KCZE to Coloff Media of Cedar Falls.

Achen Becker Media acquired KCHA-AM-FM and KCZE from Coloff Media for $1.15 million in 2026.

References

  1. 1 2 "Facility Technical Data for KCHA-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "KCHA-FM Is Moving to Stereo 96". Hawk Eye (Advertisement). April 14, 1976. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  3. ↑ "History Cards for KCHA-FM". Federal Communications Commission. (Guide to reading History Cards)
  4. ↑ "Charles City radio tower taller". The Courier. October 19, 1980. p. 49. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Changing Hands". Broadcasting. Vol. 110, no. 13. March 31, 1986. p. 80. ISSN 0007-2028. ProQuest 1285773632.
  6. ↑ "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. Vol. 125, no. 31. July 31, 1995. p. 38. ISSN 1068-6827. ProQuest 1016942750.
  7. ↑ "Big Deals". Broadcasting & Cable. Vol. 128, no. 12. March 23, 1998. p. 80. ISSN 1068-6827. ProQuest 1014765801.
  8. ↑ "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. Vol. 130, no. 32. July 31, 2000. p. 55. ISSN 1068-6827. ProQuest 1014784770.
  9. ↑ Johnson, Dick (April 11, 2007). "Radio stations change hands". Globe Gazette. p. A3. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Station Sales Week Of 1/30". RadioInsight. January 30, 2026. Retrieved October 1, 2026.
  11. ↑ Ellis, Jon (April 13, 2026). "FCC Monitor: Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska Radio Sales Close". NorthPine. Retrieved October 1, 2026.

29°16′30″N 98°15′54″W / 29.275°N 98.265°W / 29.275; -98.265