KRMG (AM)
| Company type | Commercial radio station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | December 31, 1949 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States |
| Founder | Robert S. Kerr and Dean McGee |
| Headquarters | Tulsa , United States |
Area served | Tulsa metropolitan area, much of Oklahoma, parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Texas |
Key people | Dan Potter (morning host), Skyler Cooper (evening host) |
| Products | News/talk radio programming |
| Owner | Cox Media Group |
| Website | krmg |
KRMG (740 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting from Tulsa, Oklahoma, under the ownership of Cox Media Group. It features a news/talk format that is simultaneously aired on its sister station, 102.3 KRMG-FM. The station’s studios and administrative offices are situated on South Memorial Drive, close to Interstate 44 in Tulsa.
The transmitter for KRMG is located on Tower Road in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, utilizing a six-tower array. During daylight hours, it transmits at the maximum permitted power for U.S. AM stations—50,000 watts—while at night, the output decreases to 25,000 watts using a directional antenna system to minimize interference with other broadcasters on AM 740. Its daytime signal reaches across much of Oklahoma and extends into portions of Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Texas. At night, the broadcast pattern concentrates on Tulsa and Oklahoma City to protect the Class A station CFZM based in Toronto. Additionally, KRMG-AM-FM is available on Cox’s digital cable Channel 1980. The AM frequency serves as Oklahoma’s main entry point for the Emergency Alert System.
Programming
The weekday schedule begins with The KRMG Morning News hosted by Dan Potter and concludes with The KRMG Evening News featuring Skyler Cooper during the evening commute. The daily lineup includes nationally syndicated talk programs with personalities such as Sean Hannity, Erick Erickson, Brian Kilmeade, Dana Loesch, Jimmy Failla, Mark Kaye, and the team from Markley, Van Camp & Robbins.
On weekends, programming encompasses a variety of subjects including finance, health, real estate, automotive topics, gardening, home improvement, legal advice, and technology—with some shows being brokered. Weekend hosts include Kim Komando, Bill Handel, and Chad Benson. Local news and weather coverage is shared between KRMG-AM-FM and the former sister Fox affiliate station KOKI-TV (channel 23), while national and international news is sourced from ABC News Radio.
History
KRMG began broadcasting on December 31, 1949. It was established by Robert S. Kerr and Dean McGee of Kerr-McGee Oil Company; the call letters reflect their surnames. Kerr, serving as a U.S. Senator at that time, intended for the station to have a powerful signal capable of covering both Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Initially, the station transmitted at 50,000 watts during daytime hours and reduced power to 10,000 watts at night using a six-tower directional array designed to protect other stations while reaching key urban areas.
In 1957, ownership transferred to Meredith Corporation, which aligned KRMG as a CBS Radio Network affiliate offering a full-service middle-of-the-road format through the early 1970s. Swanco Broadcasting acquired KRMG in 1961 and launched KRMG-FM at 95.5 MHz as its sister station; this FM outlet initially simulcasted AM 740 before evolving from beautiful music (under the call sign KWEN) to country music by 1982. Although KWEN changed hands over time, it remains under common ownership with KRMG.
KRMG contributed significantly to Tulsa’s civic life by organizing the "Great Raft Race" in 1973 along the Arkansas River—a community event that spurred the creation of the River Parks Authority in 1974.
By the late 1970s, KRMG had shifted to an adult contemporary music format. As FM stations increasingly dominated music broadcasting through the 1980s, KRMG incorporated NBC Talknet programming during nighttime hours. Throughout the 1990s, it fully transitioned into a news/talk station.
In 1997, Cox Media took ownership of both KRMG and KWEN. The FM station was relaunched in 2009 at 102.3 MHz to simulcast KRMG’s talk content; this move improved nighttime reception and provided audiences with both AM and FM listening options.
On July 7, 2014, KRMG-AM-FM adopted a new slogan: "Tulsa’s 24-hour News, Weather and Traffic, News 102.3 and AM 740 KRMG."
Former personalities
Among the distinguished former hosts of KRMG are John Erling, Ann Williams, Dianna Proffitt, Dick Andert, Jerry Vaughn, Watson Jelks, Johnny Martin, Trey Callaway, Rob Hough, and Wes Minter. Reporters Bob Brown from ABC and Bob Losure from CNN contributed to the KRMG newsroom during their careers. Frank Powers moved on to Jacksonville, Florida. Rand LaVonn, who served as news director in the late 1980s, went on to oversee communications for utility companies in Dallas and assumed leadership positions with both PRSA Dallas and the Press Club of Dallas. John Durkee held the position of news director for 18 years before transitioning to become Communication Director for the City of Tulsa and later working with Tulsa's NPR station KWGS. Gretchen Haas shifted from her role as KRMG anchor and reporter to become Public Relations Director at Union Public Schools. Richard Dowdell dedicated more than three decades as a reporter and anchor at KRMG.
External links
- Voices of Oklahoma interview with Ken Greenwood. An in-depth first-person interview conducted on March 5, 2009, featuring Ken Greenwood, former station manager and founder of the Great Raft Race.