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KYAT
CountryUS
CityGallup, New Mexico
BrandingYa'a'te'eh Diné
FormatCountry
LanguageNavajo
OwnerMillennium Media
LicenseeMillennium Media, Inc.
Sister stationsKXXI, KYVA, KYVA-FM
AirdateOctober 19, 1974
Former callsigns
  • KGLP (1974–1977)
  • KOVO (1977–1986)
  • KKOR (1986–2010)
Licensing authorityFCC
Facility id35028
ClassC0
Erp100 kW
TranslatorK235BR (94.9 FM) Gallup East
Haat420 metres (1,380 ft)
Coordinates35°36′22.08″N 108°41′28.31″W
Websitegallupradio.com

KYAT is a radio station on 94.5 FM in Gallup, New Mexico, United States. Owned and operated by Millennium Media, the station broadcasts a country music format in the Navajo language known as Ya'a'te'eh Diné (Navajo Country).

History

94.5 FM was launched as KGLP on October 19, 1974, airing a country format.[1] It was co-owned with KYVA (1230 AM),[2] which had previously mixed Top 40 and country tunes, much to the chagrin of its air staff; the new country outlet allowed the two formats to be split.[3] Both stations were sold to Road Runner Radio, Inc., owned by Russell Carpenter and George Malti,[4] for $500,000 in 1977, and the FM's call letters were changed to KOVO on October 24.[5] The station flipped to adult contemporary in 1986 and adopted the call letters KKOR.[6]

In 2010, the call letters were changed to KYAT as the station began broadcasting full-time in the Navajo language, the first FM station to do so.[7] Some program features remained in English, including news bulletins three times a day from the Navajo Times newspaper.[7] Coverage was extended to Navajo-language play-by-play of high school basketball games in January 2017.[8]

George Malti died in 2016 after owning KYVA and KYAT for 39 years.[9]

References

  1. ^ "KGLP Will Begin This Saturday". Gallup Independent. October 16, 1974. p. 11. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  2. ^ "KGLP(FM)". Broadcasting Yearbook. 1976. p. C-128 (382). Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  3. ^ "Gallup's four radio stations informative". Navajo Times. October 5, 1978. pp. B-13, B-14. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  4. ^ "Changing Hands". Broadcasting. April 4, 1977. p. 61. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  5. ^ "History Cards for KYAT". Federal Communications Commission (Guide to reading History Cards)
  6. ^ "KKOR(FM)". Broadcasting Yearbook. 1987. p. B-188. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  7. ^ Zah, Erny (October 17, 2011). "KYAT-FM offers 24-hour Navajo language". Navajo Times. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  8. ^ Velasco, Dee (January 20, 2017). "KYAT launches local sports coverage program". Gallup Sun. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  9. ^ Dotson, Bernie (May 20, 2016). "Media mogul George Malti dies in Sedona, Ariz.". Gallup Sun. Retrieved August 2, 2020.