KKCV-FM, 98.5 “The Hog,” was a new country music station in the Waterloo area in the 1990s. Throughout my school years, that was my most frequently listened-to station. I even spent a job-shadow day there learning about the radio programming. (The radio industry nowadays is subject to lots of job insecurity and increased nationalization, but I ended up in the field of journalism, which is totally different.)
In 2003, the KKCV call sign and “Hog” branding was discontinued. The much-longer-lived KOEL-FM took over 98.5 while its old home, 92.3, changed formats.
Earlier this month, the quarter-century of country music on 98.5 came to an end with a direct swap of KOEL and “Q92.3”. The latter is now “Q98.5”. (Source: Radio Insight) The new place has a greater reach, which is good. However, instead of 1990s country, it’s playing 2010s country, which aside from a few exceptions I have little taste for.