KTHI
Radio station in Caldwell, Idaho, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
KTHI (107.1 FM, "107.1 Hank FM") is a commercial radio station licensed to Caldwell, Idaho, and serving the Boise metropolitan area. KTHI airs a classic country format and is owned by Lotus Communications. The studios are on Fairview Avenue in Boise near Interstate 184.[2]
| |
| Broadcast area | Boise metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 107.1 MHz |
| Branding | 107.1 Hank FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic Country |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | December 1, 1983 (as KCID-FM) |
Former call signs | KCID-FM (1983–2002) |
Call sign meaning | K T HIts (previous format) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 68589 |
| Class | C |
| ERP | 52,000 watts |
| HAAT | 786 meters (2,579 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | crankthehankboise.com |
KTHI is a Class C FM station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 52,000 watts. The transmitter tower is off Shafer Butte Road in Robie Creek.[3]
History
The station signed on the air on December 1, 1983.[4] It began as a country station branded as "C-107". Its original call sign was KCID-FM, as the sister station to KCID 1490 AM, both owned by Twin Cities Broadcasting. At first, KCID-FM was powered at 3,000 watts, a fraction of its current output. It only served the city of Caldwell and adjacent communities.
In 1997, the station flipped to a Modern AC format and was rebranded as "107.1 CID". In 1998, KCID-AM-FM were acquired by Journal Communications.[5] On May 4, 1999, KCID-FM segued to mainstream adult contemporary music and was rebranded as "Star 107.1".
In the early 2000s, KCID-FM got a big boost in power to 52,000 watts and an increase in antenna height, allowing it to be heard all around the Boise metropolitan area. In 2002, KCID-FM changed its call sign to KTHI and switched to a classic hits format. It rebranded as "107.1 K-Hits".
On May 2, 2024, as part of a series of layoffs at Lotus' Boise stations, midday host Barry Lewis and afternoon host Bridget Bonde left the station. On May 6 at 9 a.m., after playing "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" by R.E.M., KTHI dropped the classic hits format after 22 years. It began stunting, looping a playlist of songs themed around change and declaring it was "time for a change" for the station.
At 10 a.m., KTHI flipped to classic country as "107.1 Hank FM", joining a series of stations nationwide launching the format that year. "Hank" is a reference to legendary county artist Hank Williams. The first song on "Hank" was "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett. KTHI joined a crowded country music field in the Boise market, competing with three other stations - 92.3 KIZN, 101.9 KQBL and 104.3 KAWO.[6]
Ownership Changes
Journal Communications (KTHI's former owner) 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 KTHI. The transaction was completed in 2015, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals.[7]
In January 2018, Scripps announced that it would sell all of its radio stations.[8] In August 2018, Lotus Communications announced that it would acquire Scripps' Boise & Tucson clusters for $8 million.[9] The sale was completed on December 12.[10]