KWQW

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Radio station in Boone–Des Moines, Iowa

title: "KWQW" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["radio-stations-in-des-moines,-iowa", "contemporary-hit-radio-stations-in-the-united-states", "cumulus-media-radio-stations", "urbandale,-iowa", "radio-stations-established-in-1975", "1975-establishments-in-iowa"] description: "Radio station in Boone–Des Moines, Iowa" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KWQW" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Radio station in Boone–Des Moines, Iowa ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox radio station"]

Field	Value
name	KWQW
logo	KWQW logo.png
logo_size	200px
city	Boone, Iowa
area	Des Moines, Iowa
branding	98.3 The Vibe
frequency	98.3 MHz
airdate	1975 (as KWBG-FM)
format	Top 40
erp	41,000 watts
haat	165 m
class	C2
facility_id	30116
coordinates
callsign_meaning	"Wow" (previous branding)
former_callsigns	KWBG-FM (1975–1991)
KIAB (1991–1993)
KRUU (1993–1996)
KRKQ (1996–2003)
KBGG-FM (2003–2004)
affiliations	Cumulus Media Networks
owner	Cumulus Media
licensee	Radio License Holding CBC, LLC
sister_stations	KBGG, KGGO, KHKI, KJJY
webcast
website	983vibe.com
::

KWQW (98.3 FM, "The Vibe") is a top 40 radio station licensed to Boone, Iowa, and serving the Des Moines area. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media. KWQW's studios are in Urbandale, along with Cumulus' other stations: KGGO, KJJY, KHKI, and KBGG. Its transmitter is located near Big Creek Lake southwest of Sheldahl.

History

The station began as KWBG-FM in 1975, a local Boone, Iowa radio station. In 1991, the station started to target the Des Moines, Iowa area with a country music format with callsigns KIAB "K98" from 1991 to 1993. The station then became KRUU known as "The Rooster" from 1993–1996, also with a country music format before becoming KRKQ on January 12, 1996.

As KRKQ, the station took on the nickname of "98 Rock," featuring a classic rock format that competed with longtime ratings leader KGGO, as well as the syndicated "Bob & Tom Show." In 2000, the station's format was tweaked to classic hits as "Magic 98.3" after owner Barnstable Communications acquired KGGO. A short time later, the format was changed to adult contemporary as "98.3 the River."

Barnstable sold all of its Des Moines stations to Wilks Broadcasting in 2001; the stations were sold to Citadel Broadcasting in 2003. On November 11 of that year, Citadel changed KRKQ's format to talk radio as "WOW-FM, the Capital's Big Talker." The Bob & Tom Show was the only program that carried over to the new format. The station's callsign was changed to KBGG-FM shortly afterwards. On December 28, 2004, the callsigns became KWQW. The Bob & Tom Show remained on the station until December 30, 2011, when it was moved to KGGO. In 2005, Paul Harvey became part of the station's lineup after WHO dropped the show.

Citadel merged with Cumulus Media in September 2011.

In April 2014, KWQW rebranded as "98.3 The Torch" but continued with a Conservative Talk format. "The Torch" primarily carried Cumulus Media Networks' in-house offerings, including Dennis Miller, The Savage Nation, The Mark Levin Show, John Batchelor, and Red Eye Radio, all in their live time slots. (The station did not carry Imus in the Morning or Herman Cain.) A local morning show, The Morning Drive, aired (as its name indicated) in morning drive time, and the station also carried the last two hours of the Glenn Beck Program live (WHO, whose sister company Premiere Networks owns Beck's rights, does not carry Beck). The station served as an affiliate for the Kansas City Chiefs.

On October 5, 2015, at Noon, KWQW flipped to classic hip hop as "98.3 The Vibe". The first song on "The Vibe" was "2 Legit 2 Quit" by MC Hammer.

On May 28, 2021, at Midnight, KWQW flipped to Top 40/CHR, maintaining the "Vibe" branding. With the shift in format, KWQW became the third contemporary hits-based FM station in the Des Moines radio market, which is as many as the market has ever had in more than 30 years. Thus far the station has struggled in the Neilsen overall ratings, mostly staying in the 1 share range.

References

"Des Moines Station Timeline". DesMoinesBroadcasting.com.
Patrick Beach, "Station targets top dog KGGO," ''The Des Moines Register'', January 18, 1996.
"2 radio stations to be sold," ''The Des Moines Register'', March 16, 2000.
Kyle Munson, "98.3 The River flows away; station turns to talk radio," ''The Des Moines Register'', November 12, 2003.
(September 16, 2011). "Cumulus now owns Citadel Broadcasting". Atlanta Business Journal.
[http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/netgnomes/88334/cumulus-to-torch-des-moines/ Cumulus to Torch Des Moines]
[https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/94806/98-3-the-vibe-debuts-in-des-moines/ 98.3 The Vibe Debuts in Des Moines]
[http://formatchange.com/kwqw-becomes-98-3-the-vibe/ KWQW Becomes 98.3 The Vibe]
[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/208818/98-3-the-vibe-des-moines-moves-from-classic-hip-hop-to-chr/ 98.3 The Vibe Des Moines Moves From Classic Hip-Hop To CHR] Radioinsight - May 28, 2021

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