KMJM-FM

KMJM-FM (100.3 FM, "The Beat") is a radio station serving the area of St. Louis, Missouri, USA, with a Classic hip hop format. The iHeartMedia (previously Clear Channel Communications) outlet broadcasts at 100.3 FM MHz with an ERP of 17 kW and is licensed to Bridgeton, Missouri. Its transmitter is located in Overland, and operates from studios in St. Louis south of Forest Park.

History

Disco 100/Jazz 100/The "Original" 100.3 The Beat

100.3 FM, which signed on in September 1961 as WOKZ-FM in Alton, Illinois, originally inherited the R&B format under the call letters WZEN, "Disco 100", then later on its call letters from its AM sister in the mid 1980s. But under its original owners, it was never successful and was always behind KMJM in terms of ratings and audience, which dates back to their days as rival disco outlets in the late 1970s.

After KMJM's owners bought KATZ and became its sister station in the 1990s, they would go through a flux of formats, including Smooth jazz (which started on April 18, 1994, after a weekend stunt of all-Kenny G music) and Urban AC (as "100.3 Kiss FM"). But that all came to an end on April 1, 1999, when, after KATZ relocated from the AM position, it swapped formats with KMJM. KMJM picked up the Urban AC format of KATZ; in return, KATZ picked up the urban contemporary format from KMJM. For a while, it had performed successfully under Clear Channel ownership and had proven to be a good complement to Rhythmic-leaning Top 40 sister KSLZ. Its competitors were Urban station WHHL and Urban AC station WFUN-FM (WFUN has since changed to an urban oldies format). KATZ is now an Urban Gospel station.