“97.9 The Breeze” (KTPT Rapid City) has told listeners that the station will be sold and its Worship format will end now that a sale has split KTPT from its two former sister stations.
Northwestern Media closed on its purchase of KLMP/88.3 (Rapid City) and KSLT/107.1 (Spearfish-Rapid City) from Bethesda Christian Broadcasting on Jan. 31. The deal also included several translators, boosters, and satellite stations, but not KTPT.
KLMP is being switched to Northwestern’s Faith Radio network, which airs much of the same Christian teaching shows that already aired on the station but at different times. Meanwhile, KSLT’s format already matches the Adult Contemporary Christian format that airs on other Northwestern stations.
As noted here when that sale was first filed, the deal did not include KTPT and paperwork mentioned that KTPT might be sold to a different buyer.
“We appreciate your faithful contribution to growing the ministry of The Breeze with your listenership, prayers, participation, and finances. It was a difficult decision that was ultimately out of our control. But we know we serve a God who is never taken off guard,” KTPT wrote in an announcement on its website.
A buyer has not yet been announced and no deal has been filed with the FCC.
There are currently four owners of full-power commercial FM stations in the Black Hills, with four apiece owned by Riverfront Broadcasting and Homeslice Media and three apiece by Haugo Broadcasting and Bad Lands Broadcasting. It’s not known if the buyer will be a commercial or non-commercial broadcaster.
KTPT transmits from Terry Peak and has one of the largest FM coverage areas in the Upper Midwest with 100kW/579m (class C), just shy of the FCC maximum of 100kW/600m for FM stations.
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