In early 1997, Emmis Broadcasting flipped longtime Saint Louis CHR WKBQ “Q104” to Modern AC as “Alice @ 104.1” leaving a gaping hole for Top 40 in the market. That year Jacor Communications acquired Religious formatted 104.9 WCBW in nearby Columbia, Illinois. With 104.9’s signal stronger in the areas that an Urban format would succeed in, the company moved “Majic 108” to the 104.9 signal as “Majic 105” and launched a new CHR on the 107.7 signal that had better coverage of the market as a whole. Jacor brought in Jeff Kapugi, then Program Director of flagship CHR “93.3 FLZ” in Tampa as Program Director and began simulcasting the “MJ & BJ” Morning Show from ‘FLZ as well. The sign-on of KSLZ has since become the prototype for many of Clear Channel Communications (which acquired Jacor in 1998) has launched since.
