KBFS
 | |
| Broadcast area | Rapid City area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1450 kHz |
| Programming | |
| Format | News Talk Information |
| Affiliations | Motor Racing Network |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KYDT Pine Haven, Wyoming | |
| History | |
First air date | 1959 |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 68739 |
| Class | C |
| Power | 1,000 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 44°40′2″N 103°51′22″W / 44.66722°N 103.85611°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | kbfs.com |
KBFS (1450 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Belle Fourche, South Dakota, United States, the station serves the Rapid City area. The station is currently owned by Andrea Wood, Matthew Wood, Ogden Driskill, and Tyler Lindholm, through licensee Tri State Communications, LLC.[2]
History
[edit]KBFS is one of the longest-running broadcast facilities in the tri-state region of South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming, having first gone on the air in 1959.[3] In March 1994, the station was purchased for approximately $95,000 by Ultimate Caps, Inc., a company owned by Karl Grimmelmann. [4] Under Grimmelmann's leadership, KBFS expanded its service through the launch of sister station KYDT (103.1 FM) in November 1997. For nearly three decades, Grimmelmann served as general manager, maintaining the station's focus on local sporting events and high-school coverage. [5] In December 2020, Grimmelmann announced his retirement and reached an agreement to sell the station cluster to Tri State Communications, LLC. The sale was finalized in 2022, transferring ownership to a group led by Moorcroft-based principals Andrea and Matthew Wood, along with state politicians Ogden Driskill and Tyler Lindholm. [6] The station’s branding was subsequently refreshed as "Dirt Road Radio" during the day and "Patriot Radio" at night to appeal to a broad tri-state audience. Tri State acquired the station along with sister station KYDT (103.1 FM) in early 2022. [7] Under this management, the stations operate from studios in Moorcroft, Wyoming, but maintain a community presence in Belle Fourche with physical local contacts.[8]
Programming
[edit]The station carries Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies, and University of Wyoming athletics, alongside local NASCAR coverage.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Facility Technical Data for KBFS". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "KBFS Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ "45th Edition NRC AM Log" (PDF). National Radio Club. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ "Transactions at a Glance: KBFS (AM) Belle Fourche" (PDF). Radio & Records. January 28, 1994. p. 8. Retrieved December 6, 2025..
- ^ "About Us". Dirt Road Radio. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ "Tri State Communications LLC Entity Detail". Wyoming Secretary of State. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ "Ownership Report for KBFS". FCC Licensing Management System. March 8, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2025..
- ^ "Tri State Communications Profile". Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ "Denver Broncos Radio Network". iHeartMedia. Retrieved December 6, 2025..
External links
[edit]- FCC History Cards for KBFS
- Facility details for Facility ID 68739 (KBFS) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- KBFS in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
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