Cape Girardeau's KGKS Radio undergoes format change

Cape's KGKS undergoes format change

KGKS-FM 93.9 "The River," a classic hits radio station, got a new identity Sunday.

The station, part of the River Radio chain in Cape Girardeau, is keeping its call letters and its frequency but is now known as "Mike FM."

"In recent years, there's been a trend in the radio industry to move from classic hits to adult hits, which is basically a hybrid for the listener to hear newer stuff yet keeping some of the classic format. You kind of get a little bit of it all," said KGKS program director Rachel Cook, who arrived in Cape in late May after four years working promotions and programming for St. Louis country outlet WIL-FM.

"We're giving the station a fresh coat of paint. We're adding some more excitement into it and a little more life."

Listeners, Cook said, should expect to hear artists as varied as Matchbox 20, Aerosmith, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, and Gwen Stefani.

Cook said River Radio has a key demographic in mind for Mike FM.

"We're kind of shooting for younger, female listeners, like 35-year-olds. That's our real pinpoint target, plus we want in-office listening too," she said.

Mike FM kicked off the new format with a weeklong event intended to grab the listening public.

"We're doing a 9,300-minute music marathon and it all will be commercial free," Cook said.

Giving the station a first name identity is intentional, she said.

"There are stations across the country known as Charlie FM or Bob FM. We chose a name to give the station a bit of a persona of its own. It's kind of a personality we're introducing here in launching Mike FM."

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