KBNO (AM)


KBNO is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican radio format. Licensed to Denver, Colorado, it serves the Denver metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Latino Communications, LLC. It uses the moniker "Que Bueno".
Programming is also heard in Denver and its adjacent communities on FM translator station 97.7 K249EX.

History

On May 16, 1948, the station signed on the air as KTLN on 990 kHz. It was owned by Alfred M. Landon, former governor of Kansas and one-time Republican presidential candidate. It moved to 1150 kHz in 1951. It moved to its current frequency in 1954.
In 1981, the station joined in a long-term simulcast with then-sister station KBRQ, which would last until August 1, 1996. At that time, AM 1280 flipped to a talk radio format as "Ralph 1280". On March 21, 1999, the station returned to a simulcast with now-KXKL. Two months later, 1280 became the third home of Denver's heritage classical station KVOD.
In September 2000, Latino Communications, owned by Zee Ferrufino, bought KVOD from Clear Channel for a reported $3.3 million. Ferrufino announced plans to rename the station to KBNO, and said that he planned to rehire numerous former KBNO personalities to play what he called "Mexican regional music," among other styles. The following month, Colorado Public Radio acquired the KVOD intellectual properties, call letters and music library. KVOD would cease independent operations after 43 years on December 15, 2000. CPR then moved the classical format to 90.1 FM.