KBRU

KBRU is a commercial radio station located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, broadcasting to the Oklahoma City area on 94.7 FM. KBRU airs a Mainstream rock format branded as "94.7 The Brew". Owned by iHeartMedia, its transmitter is located in Northeast Oklahoma City, and studios are located at the 50 Penn Place building on the Northwest side.

History

The station was originally licensed as KOCY-FM as early as 1948 and also had the call letters KEFM. An interesting note about KEFM is that the owner at the time, Williams TV moved the station from its city of license without proper authority from the FCC and consequently lost the license. The station began broadcasting as KEBC (K Electronic Broadcasting Company) in 1967. For years, the slogan of the station was "Keep Every Body Country". The station started life in humble studios in E Moore, OK/ SE OKC consisting of a house with a shaky 150-foot tower next to it with antennas that arced regularly when humidity was in the air. Remote studios were also established at the Diamond Ballroom allowing KEBC to broadcast numerous famous country artists live on the air. Studios were then moved to Tyler/WeedandKiller's Ad agency facilities at 31st and S. Western. After Ralph Tyler bought out other interests of KEBC except for those of Ronnie Tutor, the transmitter site was moved to a much better tower that offered decent coverage at about 350 feet and basically established KEBC on its way to becoming an Oklahoma institution in country radio. After enjoying many years of success, KEBC suffered major setbacks when KXXY changed to country and started a very successful and aggressive prize campaign in the early 1980s. Tyler sold the station and it was sold many times until it became property of Clear Channel. The station began its first run as an alternative rock station on July 3, 1996, and it was known as "95X" with the call letters KNRX (K New Rock 95X), and began with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana.^[1][2]

The station began its sign-off with two days of repeating the song "A Change Would Do You Good" by Sheryl Crow, before switching overnight to a soft rock format on November 21, 1997 and changed calls to KQSR (K Quiet Soft Rock). The station returned to alt-rock on July 8, 2002. The station stunted beforehand with a buzzing noise played over the soft rock songs and notified listeners that their "technicians were working to get 'the Buzz' out." KQSR changed their call letters to KHBZ-FM to go with the "Buzz" branding.

On January 11, 2008, at 5 pm, the station began stunting with all-Metallica, with the announcer saying: "KHBZ-FM Oklahoma City. What's the buzz? Find out Monday morning at 10." At that time, The Buzz returned with a newly tweaked active rock playlist, kicking it off with AC/DC's Back In Black. More classic rock tunes would be added by 2009. However, the station was still described on the alternative rock panel by Radio & Records/Nielsen BDS, even though they played alternative rock artists not friendly on the active rock chart.

By the spring of 2009, KHBZ adopted the Premium Choice active rock format syndicated by Clear Channel Communications (who by then had acquired the station, and would become iHeartMedia in September 2014), becoming musically identical outside of morning drive to sister stations KIOC in Beaumont, Texas and WHRL in Albany, New York. The alternative rock format would return to OKC on KINB in November 2009, and would replace KHBZ as a competitor to existing active rock station KATT-FM. KINB has since dropped alternative rock, and after KINB's format flip, left Oklahoma City without a radio station broadcasting alternative rock.

On December 29, 2009, at 10 am Lex and Terry were cut off and 94.7 The Buzz died, and 94.7 The Brew was born, playing mainly 1980s-based rock. http://www.947thebrew.com on January 18, 2010 KHBZ-FM changed the call letters to KBRU.

In March 2010, The Brew discontinued The Buzz's tradition of its annual March Bandness competition for local artists. The Buzz had been the oldest terrestrial-radio station with such a contest, and second oldest overall.

On August 8, 2012 KBRU added back in 1990s' and early 2000s' rock which was similar to what "The Buzz" played before they flipped. 94.7 The Brew changed their slogan from "Classic Rock's Next Generation" to "94.7 The Brew ROCKS!" The Buzz had the same slogan right before they changed the format from active rock to classic rock. Sometime in 2012 they started playing a mix of Classic and New Rock, and sometime after 107.7 KRXO flipped formats they flipped back to all Classic Rock to compete with 96.9 BOB FM.

On March 20, 2015 KBRU shifted back to Mainstream Rock.

Translators

Past BUZZ DJs

• Tattoo-Rob Ruggeri, 2002–2004 Whereabouts unknown.
• Matt Garret, 2002–2005 at 104.5 KRXO
• Ryan Beam 2004-2006 Now at KOKH and KOCB DTV
• Barreda-Jimmy Barreda Former Program Director KHBZ AKA Joe Friday now at KNAH, 2002–2005
• Corbin, 2006-2007 Now at KMOD in Tulsa
• Joey, 2006-2006 Whereabouts unknown
• Callie, 2005-2005 Now doing radio in Egypt
• MO, 2005-2005 Whereabouts unknown
• "Bacon" aka Marconi, 2004–2005, moved to WKQX in Chicago, Illinois.
• Cain-David Harris, 2003–2005 Whereabouts unknown
• Crystal-2003-2007 Whereabouts unknown
• Lacey-2004-2008 now at KFOR and KAUT TV
• Jeff "JROD" Blackburn 2007-2009 Program Director
• Grant Whereabouts unknown
• Marley Now at KATT
• Jay Now at KATT
• Brian still at KBRU
• Lauren now at WKQX
• Big Rig Now At WXTB
• Moze Whereabouts unknown

Controversy

In 2005 The MO Radio Show was canceled by Clear Channel due to a phone bit that aired with a phone sex operator he was let go along with Program Director Jimmy Barreda. Ryan Beam was released from the station in June and Joey was released in December 2006. On February 2007 Corbin announced that he relinquishing his programming responsibilities. Since then Jeff Blackburn, aka JROD from KJ103, has taken over the programming responsibilities. On April 28, 2009 Program Director Jeff Blackburn was released due to the corporate wide budget cuts. Tom Travis is overseeing the Programing for KBRU from this point forward.

Monikers

• OK City's New Rock (This was used when the station first signed on but dropped a few weeks after)
• OKC's New Rock (This was used up until 2003 and was still used on the stations RDS display until 2008)
• Rock, Sex, Beer, And Sports. (used for TV promos for the MO radio show but was dropped after the firing of MO and Barreda)
• Oklahoma City's New Rock Alternative (Used from 2003–2008)
• 947 The Buzz ROCKS! (2008-2009)
• Your Rock, minus their bulls***! The slogan mocks the other rock station in the Oklahoma City region, KATT-FM/100.5. Other slogans include "They say pure Rock! We say YOUR ROCK!", or "Friends don't let friends become PUSSIES!"

Nothing But '90s Weekends

On summer holiday weekends, especially Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, starting at 5pm on Friday "The Buzz" drops the new current stuff and plays 1990s Alternative Rock. In times past "The Buzz" will usually not air "Lex and Terry" or "Loveline" and any other show that usually runs when the current format is on but, in 2007 "The Buzz" aired "Lex and Terry" and "Loveline" during a "nothing but '90s weekend". Since the switch to Active Rock The Buzz has not done a nothing but 1990s weekend since. As of October 8, 2013 according to Arbitron, 94.7 is the 4th worst station in the Oklahoma City market with a 1.4. A change is possibly coming soon.

Programming

• The Rubber Room A 2-hour show, hosted by Jay, which plays nothing but Heavy Metal and Hardcore music.
• Cock Fight Every weekday, it is a segment in which two different songs by two different bands are played, and listeners can vote for their favorite song. Whichever song gets the majority votes is the winner, and will be played until it is outvoted by another song. The segment starts with the current champion first, then is followed by the challenger. The segment is hosted by Chris Mosser.
• 5 Songs That Don't Suck Every weekday, it is a countdown of the five most requested songs of the day. It is hosted by Chris Mooser.

Former radio shows

• Complete Control An hour long show which played nothing but Punk Rock. It aired every Sunday at 9 pm CT.
• Loveline' No longer airs on The Buzz
• Out Of OrderNo longer airs on The Buzz.
• Skratch 'N Sniff'No Longer Airs On 94.7 Buzz

References

External links

• Query the FCC's FM station database for KBRU
• Radio-Locator information on KBRU
• Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for KBRU
• Query the FCC's FM station database for K253BV
• Radio-Locator information on K253BV

Coordinates: 35°35′53″N 97°29′24″W / 35.598°N 97.490°W / 35.598; -97.490