First two decades of KARZ as a Rock format on 107.5
KARZ's origins began as a classic rock station at 107.5 FM in 1997, gradually evolving into a mainstream rock format in the mid 2000s. On October 16, 2017, KARZ changed their call letters to KNSG, On October 30, 2017, KNSG changed their format from mainstream rock to sports, branded as "The Fan", while the KARZ call letters moved to 94.7 FM and shifted to a classic hits format.
99.7 first signed on in 1975 as KMHL-FM with a country music format, before switching to Top 40 in the 1982. KKCK debuted automated with TM Programming's "Stereo Rock" Top 40 format briefly, then converted to fully local programming in the mid-1980s. After the call letter change to KKCK in 1982, the station changed its slogan to "KK100," also known as "Double K 100." In 1988, it adopted "FM 100 KKCK" as its slogan after upgrading from 3,000 watts at 100.1 FM to 100,000 watts at 99.7 FM. The station repositioned as "99-7 KKCK" with the "Always A Better Music Mix" slogan in 1992. The station had significant listenership in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota market during the 1990s, despite its transmitter tower being located over 50 miles away, as it was the de facto Top 40/CHR for Sioux Falls until KKLS-FM flipped to "Hot 104.7" in 1997. While KKCK continues to be a minor factor in the Sioux Falls market, the station primarily focuses on Marshall, Minnesota, the surrounding southwestern Minnesota region, and the nearby Brookings, South Dakota area. Unlike most Top 40/CHR formatted stations, KKCK had flexibility to introduce new music to listeners as well as included genres such as indie, alternative, modern rock/active rock, and Hot AC/Modern AC including those genres' new music in its music mix. The station also aired The Shag, a long running alternative rock program, on Sunday nights. It shares a local news department with KMHL, and gets national news from ABC. A large amount of the broadcasting day was live, KKCK is regarded as a "heritage" Top 40/CHR station, thanks in part to its longevity in the format. A winter storm damaged KKCK's transmitter in December 2015, and the station has been broadcasting at reduced power since. In May 2017, KKCK's programming moved to 94.7 KNSG while the transmitter is being rebuilt. On April 3, 2019 KKCK and its top 40/CHR format moved to the more eastern signal of the Springfield licensed 94.7 FM, swapping frequencies with classic hits-formatted KARZ, which moved to the larger coverage area, and the more western signal, of 99.7 FM Marshall. KARZ plays many of the songs now included in the classic hits format during KKCK's early years as a top 40/CHR.
