About Us
BIG81 – KBHB is South Dakota’s most powerful radio station at 25,000 watts. Western South Dakota’s ONLY ranch station features extensive coverage of livestock, commodity, and financial markets. KBHB also broadcasts local and world news, with ABC News at the top of the hour, and breaking news as it happens.
KBHB also features great country music from the 1980’s to the big hits of today.
KBHB is now owned by locally-owned Homeslice Media Group, who acquired the station, along with KKLS, in July of 2014. Homeslice grew larger as it acquired Rushmore Radio in Rapid City in early 2016. Sations acquired in the deal include KKMK, KFXS, KOUT and KRCS.
The Station
Founded:
KBHB was founded in 1962 by legendary South Dakota Broadcaster Les Kleven. The KBHB studios were originally located in downtown Sturgis, but moved east of town to the transmitter site until 2005, when KBHB returned its offices and studios into the City limits of Sturgis. KBHB was sold to CD Broadcasting in 1989, to Tom Ingstad Broadcasting in 1996 and to Triad Broadcasting in 1999. The station became a Schurz Communications property in the fall of 2006, and was sold to locally-owned Homeslice Media Group in July of 2014. Throughout its 45-year history, the station has had just three General Managers: Mr. Kleven until 1989, Dana Caldwell from 1989 to 2001 and Dean Kinney from 2001 to present.
Distinction:
KBHB is the single most powerful radio station in South Dakota. Broadcasting at 25,000 watts and from 810 on the AM dial. The signal strength of the station is paramount to KBHB’s longtime position as the voice of agriculture, the number one industry in South Dakota.
The KBHB Radio Auction, possibly the longest running radio promotion in South Dakota, debuted more than 35 years ago. Each Saturday listeners from across the region buy mostly new, and some pre-owned items, that merchants have given to KBHB in trade for advertising. Not only is the auction a major source of revenue for the station, but it is also a huge listener attraction.
Located in one of the most cattle-rich areas of the country, KBHB enjoys a heritage reputation as the voice of the farmer and rancher. Never resting on its laurels, the station has daily livestock reports from more than a dozen live sources including features from Ag Market Expert Clint Ridley, who hosts the Ridley Report three times during the day.
KBHB is strongly committed to local news. Acclaimed News Director Gary Matthews produces no fewer than four major news blocks every day. Francie Ganje works closely with Gary as news development director, putting together special newscasts regularly. In addition, the station has numerous local news breaks throughout the day, regional network news and hourly national news from ABC Radio.
Philanthropy:
Philanthropy: KBHB has a history and culture of local philanthropy. Beginning in the 1960′s, and continuing today, KBHB has conducted scores of radiothon broadcasts, raising millions of dollars. Most recently, on September 30, 2006, KBHB conducted a morning-long radiothon for rural fire departments that had been devastated by a particularly harsh drought and fire season. Listeners pledged more than $140,000 during the six-hour broadcast, eclipsing the goals set by the organizers. Broadcast Area: KBHB’s powerhouse signal reaches into five states including North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska and nearly two-thirds of South Dakota.
The Market
Business Statistics: (Source: Governor’s Office of Economic Development)
Per Capita State Tax Collections 1 2006 U.S. Census Bureau
Best Corporate Business Climate 3 2006 Pollina Corporate Real Estate
Average Consumer Credit Score 1 2005 Home Improvement Web
Entrepreneurial Friendliness 1 2006 Small Bus. Survival Found.
Safest State 2 2005 FBI
State Business Tax Climate 2 2006 Tax Foundation
Health Care Costs for Business 5 2006 Expansion Mgmt Magazine
Student per Instructional Computer 1 2006 Technology Counts, 2006
Students per high-speed Connection 1 2006 Technology Counts, 2
The Community
The small town of Sturgis, South Dakota is known throughout the United States as the home of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the single largest gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts in world. While the population of Sturgis-proper hovers at just over 6,000 residents, between 600,000 and 1,000,000 tourists faithfully visit the Sturgis-area each August. The fabled event was started by Sturgis businessman J.C. ìPappyî Hoel, and the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club, back in 1938. The community of Sturgis was founded in 1876, largely as the result of Ft. Meade, the nearby Cavalry outpost that serves today as one of South Dakotaís major Veteranís Hospitals. The community was named after Colonel Samuel D. Sturgis whose son, Lt. JG Sturgis was killed with George A. Custer in the Battle of the Little Big Horn earlier that same year.
Area Statistics: (Source: U.S. Census Bureau / USDA)
Median Household Income: $43,318
Median Age (South Dakota): 36.5 yrs
Homeownership Rate: 68.2%
Education: High School Graduates 84.6%, Bachelor Degree or Higher 21.5%
The Executives
Management:
General Manager – Dean Kinney, [email protected]
Operations Manager – Toni Kinney, [email protected]
News & Programming Director – Gary Matthews, [email protected]
