KSPW debuted on the air on February 21, 1988, as KJLR. By July 1988, it adopted an adult contemporary format as KLTQ under the branding "Q96". KLTQ changed to a hot country music format on January 18, 1992.[2] KLTQ subsequently switched to a soft rock format and then changed to a format referred to as "maximum country" in March 1996.[3] The station changed its call sign to KMXH in 1999. On March 23, 2001, KMXH switched to a rhythmic contemporary hits format.[4] The station subsequently adopted the KSPW calls. The station patterned its rhythmic contemporary format after sister station KQCH/Omaha.
On August 29, 2012, Midwest Family Broadcasting classic hits "Star 92.9" KOSP dropped to a rhythmic CHR "92.9 The Beat". This put KSPW in direct competition with KOSP.[5]
Journal Communications and the E. W. Scripps Company announced on July 30, 2014, that the two companies would merge to create a new broadcast company under the E.W. Scripps Company name that owned the two companies' broadcast properties, including KSPW. The transaction was completed in 2015, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals.[6] Scripps exited radio in 2018; the Springfield stations went to SummitMedia in a four-market, $47 million deal completed on November 1, 2018.[7]
^Marymont, Mark (March 21, 1996). "KLTQ goes 'maximum country'". The Springfield News-Leader (Springfield, Missouri). p. 10A. Retrieved November 7, 2001 – via Newspapers.com.
^Poneleit, Sandy (March 28, 2001). "New sounds on the radio". The Springfield News-Leader (Springfield, Missouri). p. 10A. Retrieved November 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
