KCXM

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KCXM-FM
Broadcast area	Kansas City, Missouri COL: Lee's Summit, Missouri
Branding	ESPN Radio 97.3
First air date	January 4, 2007
Frequency	97.3 MHz
Format	Sports Talk
ERP	55,000 watts
Class	C1
Callsign meaning	Kansas City's MaX (XM backwards)
Owner	Union Broadcasting

KCXM (ESPN Radio 97.3) is a sports talk radio station serving the Kansas City metropolitan area. It dropped music programming on January 4, 2007 and is the new co-flagship station of the Kansas City Royals (along with WHB).

[edit] History

Before the current format, it was "97.3 Max FM." Competing against longtime FM rock stations KQRC, KYYS and KCFX, Overland Park, Kansas-based owner Union Broadcasting adopted the new format in September 2005 after two unsuccessful years as the Triple A KZPL "The Planet". Kansas City native Erich "Mancow" Muller's Chicago-based morning show, Mancow's Morning Madhouse, aired weekdays from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. The station added DJs in September 2006 as part of the celebration of the station being on air for one year. Murphy Wells (formerly of KQRC) did middays, Kenny Holland and Ozone did afternoons as "KAOS", and Scooter did nights. The station also added the syndicated program "Rockline" and retained "Little Steven's Underground Garage" from its AAA days.

Since signing on, "MAX-FM" used the "everything that rocks" slogan. A few days after the sign on, rival classic rocker KYYS began using the exact same slogan but has since phased it out. KCXM was registered with Arbiton to use the slogan.

On January 4, 2007, KCXM dropped the rock format and became "ESPN Radio 97.3," a full time affiliate of ESPN Radio. The station dropped all local hosts at this time, but continues to air local play by play. KCXM compliments its sister station, WHB, which carries a mostly local sports talk format. As a rock station, KCXM never garnered the ratings Union had hoped for, and also struggled to make money. Just days before the format change, program director Bryan Truta announced he was leaving for rival station KCJK.

KCXM was originally the country station KCSX in Moberly, Missouri. The station was moved into the market by First Broadcasting, who sold half of ownership of the station to locally-owned Union Broadcasting. This was a rare occasion where two companies shared programming of one radio station. In January 2003, the station signed on in the Kansas City market, introducing itself by playing nothing but songs by The Beatles for one week. Following daylong stints of non-stop music from The Rolling Stones, U2, and Metallica, The Planet debuted. For the first month, all programming was fed via satellite from Dallas. Eventually settling on adult album alternative (dubbed "World Class Rock" by The Planet), KZPL gathered a small yet devoted following. However, it sat consistently near the bottom of most ratings charts throughout its two-year existence. In Spring 2003, arguments between both ownership companies resulted in First Broadcasting taking Union Broadcasting to court, eventually leading to the full sale of the station to Union. Union pulled The Planet from the airwaves September 16, 2005, but is still available as an online stream.

The letters KCXM were first used November 2.

KCXM broadcasts Kansas City Brigade games and Kansas City Royals evening games when sister station WHB is confined to its nighttime pattern.

[edit] External links

• 97.3 MAX FM Old Web Site
• The Planet's Web site
• The Planet's online stream (requires Windows Media Player 9 or better)
• Query the FCC's FM station database for KCXM