KBOE/KMZN

What KBOE/KMZN does

KBOE/KMZN is a privately held local radio duopoly operating under JOMAST Corporation from Oskaloosa, Iowa, broadcasting on 104.9 FM (Hot Country format) and 740 AM. Founded in 1950, the stations serve Oskaloosa and surrounding Mahaska County with country music entertainment, local news and weather, school and business closings, agricultural updates via Brownfield Agribusiness, and sports coverage of the Oskaloosa Indians, William Penn University, and Iowa Hawkeyes through Westwood One national news syndication.

The company's product surface centers on the FM/AM broadcast signal, extended by native iOS and Android mobile applications, website live streaming, and a recurring sports podcast ('Sports Specs with Sam and Spence') distributed on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Supporting digital properties include a Closings & Cancellations service, a Community Calendar with Google/iCalendar/Outlook subscriptions, a Dining & Entertainment local business directory, an email newsletter, and periodic radio contests. Distribution also spans Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube for listener engagement and content redistribution.

KBOE/KMZN generates revenue through local advertising sales, executed via a sales-led go-to-market targeting small and medium-sized businesses in the Oskaloosa market for on-air airtime and digital sponsorship placements. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; advertisers must contact the station directly for packages. Operations are run by a small team led by General Manager Rick Watts (since August 2016) and News/Sports Director Sam Parsons (since July 2022), with no disclosed third-party programmatic, network, or national advertising representation.

Name

KBOE/KMZN

Legal name

KBOE-FM

Website

https://kboeradio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KBOE/KMZN is a privately held, JOMAST-owned local radio duopoly in Oskaloosa, Iowa, broadcasting country music, local news, sports, and community programming on 104.9 FM and 740 AM to Mahaska County advertisers and listeners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPABACAC

Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Local Broadcast Stations & Affiliates (TV & Radio)

SECONDARYMPABACAD

Independent Local Radio Stations

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Local Broadcast Stations & Affiliates (TV & Radio)

Keywords

• Local radio broadcasting
• Country music radio
• Community radio station
• FM AM broadcasting
• Radio advertising sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Oskaloosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Advertising Sales: Local businesses purchase radio airtime and digital advertising spots on KBOE/KMZN to reach the station's local audience

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

KBOE/KMZN operates two radio stations from Oskaloosa, Iowa — KBOE 104.9FM (Hot Country format) and KMZN 740AM — delivering country music, local and national news, sports coverage (including Oskaloosa Indians, William Penn University, and Iowa Hawkeyes), agricultural updates, weather, and community information. The group sells advertising airtime and digital ad placements to local businesses, monetizing its captive local audience across FM/AM broadcast, mobile streaming apps, live website streaming, and the 'Sports Specs with Sam and Spence' podcast.

Product overview

KBOE/KMZN is a local radio station group consisting of KBOE 104.9FM Hot Country (FM station) and KMZN 740AM (AM station), both serving Oskaloosa, Iowa and surrounding communities. The primary offering is KBOE 104.9FM, a country music formatted radio station that also delivers local news, sports coverage (including Oskaloosa Indians athletics, William Penn University sports, and Iowa Hawkeye football/basketball), national news via Westwood One, agricultural updates (Brownfield Agribusiness), and community information. Supporting digital products include a mobile app (iPhone/Android) for streaming, the 'Sports Specs with Sam and Spence' podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, a closings and cancellations service, community calendar, dining and entertainment guide, email newsletter, and periodic radio contests. The stations are owned and operated by JOMAST Corporation and managed by General Manager Rick Watts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KBOE 104.9FM Hot Country Local FM radio station broadcasting at 104.9 FM in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Format is country music with local and national news, sports coverage (Oskaloosa Indians, William Penn University, Iowa Hawkeyes), agricultural updates via Brownfield Agribusiness, and community information. Sells advertising airtime to local businesses in the Oskaloosa area.
• KMZN 740AM Companion AM radio station at 740 AM operating alongside KBOE, serving the Oskaloosa, Iowa area with programming including news, country music content, and morning show featuring on-air personality Bob Allen. Wholly owned subsidiary under the KBOE group.
• KBOE/KMZN Mobile App (iPhone and Android) Native mobile applications for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play) devices enabling listeners to stream KBOE 104.9FM and KMZN 740AM radio content on-the-go.
• Sports Specs with Sam and Spence Podcast Sports talk podcast hosted by Sam Parsons and Spence, distributed on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Covers local and national sports news including Oskaloosa Indians, William Penn University, and Iowa Hawkeyes coverage.
• Closings and Cancellations Service Real-time broadcast and online listing of school and business closings and cancellations for the Oskaloosa and surrounding Iowa communities, particularly during inclement weather events.
• Community Calendar Online event calendar for local community events, viewable in list, month, or day formats with calendar subscription options including Google Calendar, iCalendar, and Outlook.
• Dining and Entertainment Guide Local business directory showcasing restaurants, entertainment venues, and dining options in the Oskaloosa area with links to individual business websites.
• Radio Contests and Giveaways Prize-based listener engagement programs operated by JOMAST Corporation including contest rules, eligibility requirements, and prize giveaways.
• Email Newsletter Subscription Email newsletter service providing listeners with station updates, news alerts, and community information, with sign-up available on the KBOE website.

Quantifiable outcome

• School closing announcements reach entire coverage area within minutes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature2 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Zimmer Radio: Mid-Missouri based regional radio group operating small-market AM/FM stations with country and local-news formats. Comparable in market size and programming mix to KBOE/KMZN.
• Midwest Communications: Family-owned Midwest U.S. radio broadcaster operating stations in small and mid-sized markets. Highly comparable to KBOE/KMZN given shared regional focus and small-market station group structure.

Direct peers

• Forever Media: Privately held operator of local radio stations in small Midwestern and Eastern markets. Closely comparable in operating model, scale, and community-focused programming mix to KBOE/KMZN.

Broad incumbents

• iHeartMedia: Largest U.S. radio broadcaster operating stations in markets nationwide. Overlaps with KBOE in country-format and local-news radio distribution and competes for the same local advertising dollars through both broadcast and digital (iHeartRadio).
• Cumulus Media: Major U.S. radio operator with hundreds of stations including Westwood One syndication, which KBOE itself carries. Comparable business model of country and news/talk formats in regional markets.
• Audacy: Large U.S. radio broadcaster with significant local news, sports, and country programming. Comparable in offering local content plus digital streaming, though at much greater scale than KBOE/KMZN.
• Townsquare Media: Operator of numerous small- and mid-market radio stations across the U.S., including clusters in the Midwest. Comparable as a local radio group serving rural and secondary markets with similar country-format and local-news programming.
• Alpha Media: Operates a portfolio of local radio stations across small and mid-sized U.S. markets, including the Midwest. Direct functional analog to KBOE/KMZN as a multi-station local broadcaster focused on community content and advertising sales.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/kboeradio
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvVitvz5AfDu_l7Yze7fCIw
• Facebookfacebook.com/KBOE104.9FM
• Instagraminstagram.com/kboeradio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kboe-kmzn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KBOE/KMZN