‘X’ Goes Mod, Drops Alt Format
by February 19, 2001 12:00 am 94 views
As of Jan. 15, 104.9-FM, the “X,” changed its format and call letters.
The radio station had previously billed itself as “the only alternative music station in Northwest Arkansas.” Now, station manager Margot Smith says the music is “new rock” or “modern rock.”
“The music is less esoteric and more accessible,” said Smith, who moved to the area from Michigan in October to take over as program manager.
“We started playing music that were hits, like Dave Matthews Band, Green Day, Everclear and 3 Doors Down.”
Along with the format change, the X changed its call letters from KBRS to KXNA, the last three letters of which is the FAA designation for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport in Highfill.
“We wanted to change our call letters to fit in with the area and to get an X into them,” Smith said.
The station had a little problem with that at first. The U.S. Coast Guard was assigned KXNA for a ship off the coast of Florida, but the Coast Guard was kind enough to give the call letters to the X to use instead.
The X is owned by Butler Broadcasting Co.