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KXEN (1010 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station licensed to St. Louis, Missouri. The station is owned by Louis Eckelkamp, through licensee East Central Broadcasting, LLC, and operated by Ellis Media & Broadcasting. It simulcasts a conservative talk radio format with co-owned KRTK 93.3 FM. The studios and offices are on Hampton Avenue in St. Louis. The AM transmitter is located near the Interstate 255/Illinois Route 255/Interstate 270 intersection in Pontoon Beach, Illinois.

KXEN broadcasts in the daytime at 160 watts. Because AM 1010 is a Canadian clear-channel frequency reserved for Class A stations CFRB Toronto and CBR Calgary, KXEN must reduce power at night to 14 watts to avoid interference. KXEN uses a non-directional antenna at all times. Programming is simulcast on FM translator K264CY at 100.7 MHz.

Programming

KXEN and KRTK air conservative talk hosts around the clock. Some of the shows are nationally syndicated. From Westwood One, they run The Mark Levin Show. From the Salem Radio Network, they carry The Charlie Kirk Show. Most hours begin with an update from Townhall News.

History

KXEN is considered a "move-in" station, originally licensed to Festus, Missouri, about 25 miles south of St. Louis. On May 10, 1951, the station first signed on the air. Its call sign was KJCF, a daytimer powered at only 250 watts, owned by Jefferson County Radio and TV, Inc.

In 1959, the station was acquired by Garrett Broadcasting. The call sign was changed to KXEN and the studios and offices moved to the Congress Hotel in St. Louis, broadcasting a mix of southern gospel music and preaching programs. The signal was boosted to 50,000 watts to target the Greater St. Louis radio market, but the station still had to sign-off at sunset to avoid interfering with the Class A Canadian stations. (Another station, now KJFF, signed on in Festus at AM 1400, supplying local programming for that community, using the KJCF call letters.)

In the 1970s, the station officially changed to a "hyphenated" city of license, Festus-St. Louis, for its legal identification. In the early 1990s, KXEN got authorization for nighttime operation, at 500 watts.

In July 2002, BDJ Radio Enterprises acquired KXEN. It continued its Christian talk and teaching format. A short time later, the city of license was changed again, this time to only St. Louis, no longer needing to mention Festus in the legal identification.

On October 27, 2021, KXEN switched to a conservative talk format known as "Real Talk." It began simulcasting KRTK 93.3 FM to improve its coverage in the St. Louis City area. With the expansion of "Real Talk" to other frequencies, in November 2021, the group of stations was called "The Real Talk Radio Network".

Effective May 8, 2023, BDJ Radio Enterprises sold KXEN and translator K264CY to Louis Eckelkamp's East Central Broadcasting.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for KXEN". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. "KXEN Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
3. "FaithTalkSTL.com/advertising".
4. Broadcasting Yearbook 1955 page 192
5. Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-282
6. Broadcasting Yearbook 2005 page D-316

External links

• Facility details for Facility ID 54739 (KXEN) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• KXEN in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
• FCC History Cards for KXEN

• Conservative talk radio
• Talk radio stations in the United States
• Radio stations established in 1951
• 1951 establishments in Missouri
• Radio stations in Missouri