KHIL

KHIL (1250 AM, "Classic Country") is a radio station licensed to serve Willcox, Arizona, United States. The station is owned by John Oberreuter and Mark Lucke, through licensee Willcox Radio, LLC. It airs a classic country music format using a transmitter with an output of 5,000 watts (day), and 196 watts (night).[1] The station's programming is also simulcast on repeater station K251CG (98.1 FM) in Willcox.

This article is about a radio station in Arizona. For the Russian baritone singer, see Eduard Khil.
KHIL
Frequency1250 kHz
BrandingClassic Country
Programming
FormatClassic country
Ownership
Owner
  • John Oberreuter and Mark Lucke
  • (Willcox Radio, LLC)
History
Former call signs
KWCX (1961–1963)
Call sign meaning
Hills surrounding Willcox, Arizona
Technical information
Facility ID72656
ClassD
Power5,000 watts (day)
196 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
32°16′00″N 109°49′58″W
Translator(s)98.1 K251CG (Wilcox)
Links
Websitewww.willcoxradio.com

The station was founded in 1958 by Rex Allen.[2] It was assigned its KHIL call letters by the Federal Communications Commission.[3]

In 2007, KHIL applied to relocate to Kearny, Arizona, with a change in frequency to 1260 kHz and a power upgrade 10,000 watts.[4] This application was dismissed by the FCC on April 21, 2008,[5] and KHIL remains in Willcox with a daytime power of 5,000 watts. At that time, Lucke had become the only paid employee (down from a staff of 10 in 2003).[2]

KHIL was featured in a December 2018 in a documentary published by The Atlantic, Lonesome Willcox.[6] A June 2019 report in The Guardian portrayed the station as being at the risk of closure, with Lucke keeping operations up without pay.[2]

Ownership

In April 2002, Lakeshore Media LLC completed its purchase of KHIL and KWCX-FM from Cathy Ann Enterprises LLC.[7] The sale price was reported to be $1.1 million.[8]

In March 2003, Clear Channel Communications reached a deal to acquire KHIL and KWCX-FM from Lakeshore Media LLC for $2.5 million, but that deal was contingent on the relocation of KWCX-FM to the Tucson area.[8] The FCC denied the move and the deal fell through.

In July 2007, KZLZ LLC reached an agreement to acquire KHIL and KWCX-FM from Lakeshore Media LLC for a reported sale price of $900,000.[9]

Effective November 22, 2017, KZLZ LLC sold KHIL to Willcox Radio, LLC for $150,000.

Translator
Broadcast translator for KHIL
Call signFrequencyCity of licenseFIDERP (W)ClassTransmitter coordinatesFCC info
K251CG 98.1 FMWillcox, Arizona14467850D32°16′1.27″N 109°50′2.24″WLMS

References
  1. "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Archived from the original on 2010-03-01.
  2. Weingarten, Debbie (2019-06-06). "America's rural radio stations are vanishing – and taking the country's soul with them". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
  3. "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  4. "Don't let greed take away our radio stations". Arizona Range News. 2007-08-15.
  5. "Application Search Details". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database. 2008-04-21.
  6. Wright, Zach; Maxey, Ryan. "A 'Tragic Hero' in Small-Town America". The Atlantic. The Atlantic. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  7. "Lakeshore Media Buys Arizona Stations KHIL-AM and KWCX-FM". Radio Ink. 2002-04-11. Archived from the original on 2005-05-06. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
  8. Reel, James (2004-10-07). "Media Watch: Yet More Clear Channel". Tucson Weekly.
  9. "Transactions 07-20-07". Radio Business Report. 2007-07-20. Archived from the original on 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
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