Wikipedia
KKOW-FM "96.9 The Kow" is a country station licensed to Pittsburg, Kansas, owned by American Media Investments. 96.9 FM was brought on the air in 1975 as KMRJ by Jim Harbart. At its inception it was an adult contemporary station on Quincy Street in Pittsburg.
In 1982 the station was sold to John David and Richard Chegwin who turned KMRJ into an Adult Contemporary formatted station and changed the call letters to KDBQ.
Ownership changed hands again in 1984 when Tim Menowsky and Frank Bell took ownership and branded the station KQWK ("Quick Rock 97") with an Album-oriented rock format.
In 1986 the station was purchased by its current owner American Media Investments. The studios were moved to Joplin, MO.
The station continued with a Rock format until the studios were moved to their current location outside Pittsburg.
In 1989 KQWK changed its call letters, format and name to "Hot Country" 96.9 KKOW-FM. In 1992 "Hot Country" 96.9 adopted the "Kow" moniker that it still holds to this day.