KDRI (AM)

KDRI (830 AM) is a commercial radio station in Tucson, Arizona, broadcasting an oldies radio format, known as The Drive. It is owned by Bustos Media through licensee Bustos Media Holdings, LLC. The radio studios and offices are on South Richey Avenue.

KDRI
Broadcast areaTucson metropolitan area
Frequency830 kHz
BrandingThe Drive 101.7 FM, AM 830
Programming
FormatOldies
Ownership
Owner
KTGV, KVOI, KZLZ
History
First air date
July 19, 1986 (July 19, 1986)
Former call signs
KGLR (1982–1986)
KFLT (1986–2019)
Call sign meaning
K DRIve
Technical information
Facility ID20649
ClassB
Power50,000 watts day
1,000 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
32°26′39″N 111°5′27″W
Translator(s)101.7 K269FV (Oro Valley)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitethedrivetucson.com

By day, 830 KDRI is powered at 50,000 watts non-directional, the maximum for commercial AM stations. But because 830 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A station WCCO Minneapolis, KDRI must reduce power at night to 1,000 watts to avoid interference. At sunset, it also switches to a directional antenna with a four-tower array. The transmitter is on Sunshine Lane off North Sandra Road in Marana.[1] Programming is simulcast on 250-watt FM translator K269FV at 101.7 MHz in Oro Valley.[2] KDRI serves as a "Primary Entry Point" station to the Emergency Alert System.[3]

History

Family Life Radio

A construction permit was issued in 1983 for a new station on 830 AM in Tucson to Doylan Forney. Forney had won permission from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by proposing to construct a radio station "with an emphasis on spiritually enlightening programs."[4] It was a proceeding designed to promote ownership of radio stations by ethnic minorities.[5] Forney first took the call sign KGLY for the unbuilt station. Soon after, he switched the call letters to KGLR when KGVY 1080 AM in Green Valley objected, fearing listener confusion with the similar sounding call signs.[6]

In 1986, Forney sold the construction permit to Family Life Radio, a Christian radio network. Family Life operated religious station KFLT at 1450 AM since 1977. It intended to switch the KFLT call letters and programming to 830 AM. Family Life then sold the old 1450 frequency to another owner. The new 830 frequency signed on the air on July 19, 1986 (July 19, 1986). KFLT began broadcasting on 830 AM with its powerful 50,000-watt transmitter.[7] AM 1450 then became KKPW "Power 1450". KFLT and its Christian programming stayed on 830 AM for another 33 years.

Oldies

In 2018, Family Life Radio decided to switch its Tucson flagship station from the AM to the FM band. The network acquired KQTH 104.1 FM from Scripps Media via Lotus Communications. KQTH flipped to KFLT-FM, airing Christian programming and becoming Family Life Radio's replacement for 830 KFLT. KFLT-FM 104.1 and KFLT 830 mostly simulcast their programming for a year, as listeners were told to move to the FM station.

On August 1, 2019, KFLT 830 AM was sold to Tucson Radio, LLC, owned by local businessman Fletcher McCusker. The price was $650,000. After stunting with novelty music as The Worm, it launched a soft oldies format on August 5, 2019. It employed Tucson radio personalities targeting "boomers in cars" as The Drive KDRI. Veteran radio executive and personality Bobby Rich joined the station as president of Tucson Radio, program director, and morning host.[8][9]

Effective June 30, 2023, Portland, Oregon-based Bustos Media purchased KDRI and its 101.7 FM translator K269FV from Tucson Radio, LLC.[10] Bustos Media kept the same oldies format in place. But morning host and program director Bobby Rich decided to retire with the ownership change. “It’s been an honor and a privilege to entertain, inform and make listeners happy for over 50 years" Rich said in the announcement.[11]

References
  1. Radio-Locator.com/KDRI
  2. Radio-Locator.com/K269FV
  3. Federal Emergency Management Agency (July 2016). "FEMA Manual 211-2-1: National Warning System (NAWAS) Operations" (PDF). p. 56. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  4. Hatfield, David (June 25, 1982). "Two stations seek 'star anchorman'". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  5. "Detroit man seeks radio station here". Arizona Daily Star. March 4, 1981. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  6. Hatfield, David (December 1, 1982). "If local news is bad, we're partly at fault". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  7. Wilkinson, Bud (July 22, 1986). "'Cookin' With Rita' back on KPHO-TV's bill of fare". Arizona Republic. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  8. "Bobby Rich Drives Back To Tucson With KDRI Launch". RadioInsight. 2019-08-05. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  9. "Tucson Radio Acquires KFLT Tucson". RadioInsight. 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2019-08-03.
  10. "Bustos Media acquires popular Tucson indie station The Drive". tucson.com. 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  11. InsideRadio.com "Bobby Rich Calls It A Career" May 4, 2023. Retrieved Oct. 2, 2023.
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