KATL (AM)

KATL (770 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Miles City, Montana.[1] The station is owned by the Yellowstone Newspapers Group, and managed by Don Richard.[2] It airs an Adult Contemporary music format,[3] as well as local and state news, local sports, and several other programs.

For the airport near Atlanta, Georgia, assigned ICAO code KATL, see Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
KATL
CityMiles City, Montana
Broadcast areaEastern Montana
Frequency770 kHz
Branding"770 KATL"
Slogan"Your Music, Your Station"
Programming
FormatAdult Contemporary
AffiliationsABC News, Dial Global
Ownership
OwnerYellowstone Newspapers Group
History
First air date
September 9, 1941
Former call signs
KRJF
Technical information
Facility ID62297
ClassB
Power10,000 watts (day)
1,000 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
46°23′46″N 105°46′44″W
Links
WebcastKATL Webstream
WebsiteKATL Online

Miles City is known as the "Cow Capitol of the West" and this is reflected in the KATL (pronounced "Cattle") callsign.[4] The station was assigned the KATL call letters by the Federal Communications Commission.[5]

History

KATL first aired September 9, 1941, under the call letters KRJF. At the time, they were a 1000-watt Class D station on the frequency of 1340 AM. After being purchased by Star Printing Company, the call letters were changed to KATL and they began to broadcast at 250-watts at night as well. In 1985, KATL changed its broadcasting to 10,000-watts during the daytime, and 1,000-watts at night. They also changed frequency to 770 AM at this time. KATL continues to broadcast at this frequency and power today, covering several counties in Southeastern Montana.

Many popular local personalities were on the air including Fred Hunnes, Terry Virag, Skip Walters, and more. Local programming included the popular Party Line program, an on-air call in show which usually featured regular callers discussing the issues of the day.

As of October 1961, Ian Elliott was the manager of the radio station.[6]

Programs

KATL currently airs Dial Global adult contemporary throughout the day. Wednesday mornings at 10am there is a local-interest program, KATL Live, during which Don Richard interviews guests regarding upcoming events in Miles City and the surrounding area. These interviews are available on the KATL website for 3 weeks after airing.

Throughout the day, several programs air during commercial breaks, including Kookin' With Karla (a cooking program that includes at least 3 recipes per week in a rotation), a community calendar, and local and state news with Andrew Bern, the station's news director. Bern also serves as the station's sports director, anchoring daily sportscasts as well as serving as the play-by-play broadcaster for Cowboys and Cowgirls athletics. Monday through Friday, the Clark Howard radio program airs from 3pm to 5pm.

Throughout the school year, KATL runs a 2-minute Athlete of the Week program every Thursday for high school students from Miles City and the surrounding area. At the end of the school year, one male and one female athlete are chosen from the Athletes of the Week to be the recipients of the Athlete of the Year award during a banquet held in May. These athletes are all given plaques, donated by Bozeman Trophy, and copies of the program that aired on KATL during the week in which they were honored.

KATL also holds an annual radio auction during July and a Pumpkin Chase in October, as well as several contests and giveaways throughout the year.

References
  1. Clarke, Norm (1997-11-04). "Talk of the Town". Rocky Mountain News. KATL heads the herd in Miles City, Mont.
  2. Lambert, Brian (2003-05-20). "Bucking Horse Sale A Mardi Gras For Cowboys". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Don Richards is president of the Bucking Horse Sale board of directors, and station manager of KATL-AM, the voice of Miles City.
  3. "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Archived from the original on 2010-03-01.
  4. Patterson, Caroline (1999-05-01). "Getting your buck's worth in Montana". Sunset. Drive through Miles City, Montana, built at the confluence of the Tongue and Yellowstone rivers in 1878, and you'll see why it's known as the Cow Capital of the West. Pickups and stock trucks line the streets. The radio station is KATL-AM.
  5. "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  6. "Five Trainmen, Truck Driver Die As Train/Truck Collide". Galveston Daily News. 1961-10-26. The exact death toll was not determined until all bodies had been recovered from the wreckage, which Ian Elliott manager of radio station KATL, Miles City, described as "a horrible mess."
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