Kearney Proclaims August 20 as Hometown Radio Day

As National Radio Day approaches on August 20, the City of Kearney recognized the role of local radio in keeping residents informed, connected, and engaged.

Mayor Randy Pogue proclaimed August 20 as “Hometown Radio Day” in Kearney during the August 17 Aldermen Board meeting, while also recognizing 102.7FM KPGZ as Kearney’s hometown radio station.

For nearly a decade, KPGZ has served the community with local news, weather updates, community event coverage, public service announcements, and Bulldog sports broadcasts. The station has also worked with local businesses, volunteers, listeners, and community partners to promote events, support charitable efforts, and highlight the people and traditions that help define Kearney.

The proclamation notes that local radio remains an important source of information and communication for residents, especially by promoting civic involvement, celebrating community achievements, and helping people stay informed about matters that affect daily life.

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, Randy Pogue, Mayor of the City of Kearney, Missouri, do hereby proclaim 102.7FM KPGZ as Kearney’s Hometown Radio Station and August 20, as HOMETOWN RADIO DAY in the City of Kearney and encourage all residents to recognize and celebrate the important role local radio plays in informing, connecting, and strengthening our community,” reads Mayor Pogue’s proclamation.

City leaders also recognized the support of local businesses whose sponsorship helps make hometown radio possible and contributes to the economic vitality and quality of life enjoyed by Kearney residents.

National Radio Day is observed each year on August 20 to honor the lasting value and impact of radio broadcasting across the United States. In Kearney, the local observance will serve as a celebration of the station, its listeners, and the many community partners who continue to make hometown radio part of the city’s daily life.

Bulldog Softball Returns to KPGZ

102.7FM KPGZ is excited to announce radio coverage of Kearney High School home softball games is returning to the Bulldog Radio Network this fall. This will be the second season the radio station has covered softball games.

Bulldog radio network announcers Kelly Gentry and Eric Stevens will be calling the home softball games beginning at 5 pm on Wednesday, September 3, when the Bulldogs face the Blue Springs Wildcats.

“We had great success announcing Bulldog softball games last fall,” said 102.7FM general manager Brian Watts. “We are excited to have Bulldog softball to KPGZ, and that our listeners are enthusiastic to have the softball games on the radio.”

Parents and fans requested softball and baseball games to be broadcast on the radio station last year, and KPGZ was able to work on the details and produce quality game broadcasts for fans.

Bulldog sports game broadcasts bring a vast audience to the radio station. Broadcasts of high school sports bring double or triple the listening audience to 102.7FM. The station now broadcasts football, boys and girls basketball, baseball and softball to a wide audience around the world on the radio, their website 1027KearneyMO.com and the KPGZ mobile app, as well as their sister station KearneyCountry.com.

Sponsorship spaces, including shoutout messages from family and friends are still available and can be reserved now by calling Brian Watts at 816-826-1111.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Kearney Radio Announces Online Country Radio Station

On National Radio Day, August 20, Kearney Radio Station 102.7FM KPGZ announced a fitting addition to its classic hits format. Country music channel KearneyCountry.com is now broadcast through the KPGZ Mobile App.

local news and events as well as classic hits and country hits can be found on the kpgz mobile app

The idea for a second station came from a community survey KPGZ conducted in 2023, with Northland CAPS students.

“The survey found that 48% of people who responded listen to country music some or all of the time,” said General Manager Brian Watts. “Nearly 50% of our residents were listening to another genre of music, so we thought by adding an additional format we could capture another audience.”

Most of the on-air time may be spent playing 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s era country music, but like the 102.7FM side, the focus of the station is Kearney.

“This station, like 102.7FM, gives individuals, businesses, and religious and civic organizations a voice in the community,” said Watts. “We cultivate our own local news, announce local weather and events, and broadcast Kearney Bulldog Sports.”

The station plays country music 24 hours a day on a player on KearneyCountry.com as well as the KPGZ mobile app which listeners can download free to their Apple or Android mobile devices. To switch to the country stream in the app, users can tap the menu icon in the upper left corner, then tap on “Change Station”.

The mobile app also features sections for news, weather, sports and past Kearney sports broadcast replays.