KGEZ tunes into the future, ready to relocate

Fans of KGEZ radio’s powerful AM broadcast probably noticed little change when one of the Kalispell-based station’s two radio towers was torn down in July.

That’s according to John Hendricks, 69, a Flathead Valley native who has owned the station for nearly eight years and is a host of its morning show. The tower that was removed had technical issues and had to come down, Hendricks said.

The station needed an OK from the Federal Communications Commission to reduce its transmission strength until it can get two new towers sited and operating.

“We have a special temporary authority with the FCC to operate with just one tower,” Hendricks said.

KGEZ is on the cusp of moving into its new home at 315 First Ave. E. in downtown Kalispell. Hendricks said the station, located now off U.S. 93 south of Kalispell, hopes to move in the building in mid-December.

In recent years, Hendricks has tried to find a location for two new transmission towers. Several years ago, the two towers near the KGEZ building became an issue because their height and proximity to the Kalispell City Airport were deemed to be in violation of Federal Aviation Administration air-safety rules.

More than two years ago, the station thought it had nailed down a location for two towers on farmland at the corner of Farm to Market Road and Clark Drive near Kalispell. But neighbors objected and that plan bit the dust.

Hendricks said Friday he believes he has a new site for the 325-foot towers. He said he is not yet ready to disclose the location.

KGEZ’s current logistical focus is moving into its new home, he said. Renovations of the old building have been prolonged and complicated, he added. KGEZ will lease the building for the near future, he said, with the prospect of buying it.

The format for KGEZ 600 AM emphasizes local news, interviews with local newsmakers, sports and music hits from the 1950s and 1960s.

Listeners seem to respond more to the local content than to the music, Hendricks said. But he anticipates music will always be a part of KGEZ 600 AM.

Hendricks said he and fellow broadcaster Robin Mitchell are often stopped on the street by listeners who express their appreciation for the men’s work. Both Hendricks and Mitchell once worked in major radio markets in big cities and Hendricks said this sort of encounter rarely happened in those days.

“We’re having the time of our lives,” he said.

Reporter Duncan Adams may be reached at dadams@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4407.