# KBOW

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Radio station in Butte, Montana

For the airport serving Bartow, Florida, assigned the ICAO code KBOW, see [Bartow Municipal Airport](/source/Bartow_Municipal_Airport).

KBOW KBOW and KOPR's studios in Butte Butte, Montana United States Frequency 550 kHz Branding KBOW 550AM 101.5FM Programming Format Country Affiliations CBS News Radio Ownership Owner Butte Broadcasting, Inc. Sister stations KGLM-FM KOPR History First air date February 14, 1947 (1947-02-14) Technical information[1] Licensing authority FCC Facility ID 7911 Class B Power 5,000 watts (day) 1,000 watts (night) Transmitter coordinates 45°58′12.7″N 112°34′53.1″W / 45.970194°N 112.581417°W / 45.970194; -112.581417 Translator 101.5 K268CI (Butte) Links Public license information Public file LMS Webcast Listen live Website www.kbow550.net

**KBOW** (550 [AM](/source/AM_broadcasting)) is a radio station licensed to serve [Butte, Montana](/source/Butte%2C_Montana). The station is owned by Butte Broadcasting, Inc. It airs a [country music](/source/Country_music) format.[2][3]

The main offices and studios of Butte Broadcasting are at 660 Dewey in Butte. The KBOW transmitter site is southwest of town on Beef Trail Road.

## History

KBOW officially began broadcasting on February 14, 1947, originally operating on the frequency of 1490 kHz.[4] In 1962, the station was purchased by Richard "Shag" Miller, a prominent local figure who spent the next 32 years building the station's reputation as a community hub.[5] Miller acquired the assets of KOPR in 1964,[6] leading to the station's move to its current frequency of 550 kHz.[7][8]

Under Miller's leadership, KBOW famously scooped national and international media in 1974 by securing the exclusive live broadcast of [Evel Knievel](/source/Evel_Knievel)’s attempt to jump the [Snake River Canyon](/source/Snake_River_Canyon_(Idaho)). The station is also responsible for the "I'm from Butte, America" branding; after Miller ordered an initial run of 5,000 bumper stickers with the slogan, the demand was so overwhelming that it became a permanent symbol of the city's identity.[9]

In 1994, the station was purchased by Ron and Shelly Davis under Butte Broadcasting Inc., continuing its tradition of local ownership. Ron Davis had previously served as the station's program director and assistant general manager before becoming the owner.[10]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FCC-LMS-7911_1-0)** ["Facility Technical Data for KBOW"](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityTechDetails.html?facilityId=7911). *Licensing and Management System*. [Federal Communications Commission](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-arb1_2-0)** ["Winter 2008 Station Information Profile"](http://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?srvy_id=WI08&surveyID=WI08&band=am&callLetter=KBOW). *Arbitron*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-fcc1_3-0)** ["Call Sign History"](https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=7911&Callsign=KBOW7911). *FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["First broadcast KBOW 1490 on your dial"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-butte-daily-post-first-broadcast-kbo/170932196/). *The Butte Daily Post*. Butte, Montana. February 12, 1947. p. 5. Retrieved April 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Miller, Shag (December 10, 2009). ["Shag Miller Obituary (2009)"](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/greatfallstribune/name/shag-miller-obituary?id=26232748). *Legacy*. Retrieved December 20, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["ABOUT US - KBOW"](https://www.kbow550.net/about-us/). *KBOW*. Retrieved December 20, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Hall Of Fame"](https://www.mtbroadcasters.org/awards/hall-of-fame?page=1). *Montana Broadcasters Association*. Retrieved December 20, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-rdl_8-0)** Leffingwell, Robert Down (1983). "KBOW". *Causes and Indicators of Commercial AM Radio Station Failure: 1962-1976* (Dissertation). The Ohio State University. p. 436. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [303192463](https://www.proquest.com/docview/303192463).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Miller, Shag (December 10, 2009). ["Shag Miller Obituary (2009)"](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/greatfallstribune/name/shag-miller-obituary?id=26232748). *Legacy*. Retrieved December 20, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Ron Davis - Greater Montana Foundation"](https://greatermontana.org/board/ron-davis). *Greater Montana Foundation*. Retrieved December 20, 2025.

## External links

- [FCC History Cards for KBOW](https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=32051)

- [Facility details for Facility ID 7911 (KBOW)](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=7911) in the [FCC](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission) Licensing and Management System

- [KBOW](https://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SP26&band=am&callLetter=KBOW) in [Nielsen Audio](/source/Nielsen_Audio)'s AM station database

- [Facility details for Facility ID 43560 (K268CI)](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=43560) in the [FCC](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission) Licensing and Management System

- [K268CI](https://fccdata.org/?facid=&call=K268CI&ccode=1&city=&state=&country=US&zip=&arn=&party=&lmspf=&lmspl=&party_type=LICEN&latd=&lond=&lang=en) at FCCdata.org

v t e Radio stations in Butte, Montana (Silver Bow County) By AM frequency 550 1370 By FM frequency 88.1 88.9 89.7 90.5 91.3 92.5 94.1 95.5 96.9 97.7 103.9 107.7 LPFM 98.5 102.5 Translators 94.7 101.5 By call sign K234AT K268CI KAAR KAPC KBMF-LP KBOW KFGL KFRD KGLM-FM KJLF KMBR KMSM-FM KMTZ KOPR KQLR KQOV-LP KQRV KXTL Defunct KANA (580 AM) Nearby regions Helena Missoula See also List of radio stations in Montana

v t e Country radio stations in the state of Montana Stations Jefferson County Radio KAAR – Butte KATQ – Plentywood KBCK – Columbia Falls KBLL – Helena KBOW – Butte KCGM – Scobey KCTB-LP – Lonepine KCTR-FM – Billings KDBM – Dillon KDBR – Kalispell KDXT – Lolo KDZN – Glendive KERR – Polson KEWF – Billings KFLN – Baker KGGL – Missoula KGHL – Billings KHTC - Malmstrom AFB KIKC – Forsyth KIKC-FM – Forsyth KIKF – Cascade KIMO – Townsend/Helena KLCB – Libby KLTZ – Glasgow KMON – Great Falls KMON-FM – Great Falls KOLK – Lakeside KPQX – Havre KQRK – Pablo/Kalispell KQRV – Deer Lodge KRKX – Billings KRPM – Billings KSCY – Four Corners KVCK – Wolf Point KVCK-FM – Wolf Point KWMY – Joliet KXLB – Churchill KXLO – Lewistown KYSS-FM – Missoula KZIN-FM – Shelby Defunct KBCK – Deer Lodge KCTJ-LP – Finley Point See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Montana

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