KQCH's origins began on May 21, 1999, when it flipped from Adult Contemporary to Rhythmic Contemporary as "Channel 97.7". The station became a serious challenger to Top 40 MainstreamKQKQ-FM during its three years on the 97.7 frequency. The 94.1 frequency was originally KOAD, owned by the Omaha World-Herald, and launched on 94.3 FM in 1941. This lasted until 1949, when it moved to 94.1 and went silent. In 1959, it returned to the air as KMEO, where it had a MOR format until 1968, when it became AOR KOWH-FM. By 1979, KOWH-FM switched formats to R&B as KYNN-FM under then-new owner Great Empire Broadcasting, lasting until 1982, when it flipped to country. In September 1983, it became WOW-FM and retained the country format, where it enjoyed a successful 17-year run. Journal Broadcasting would buy out Great Empire in 1999. On October 10, 2000, WOW-FM changed its call letters and re-branded to KSSO, "Kiss Country", which prompted a cease and desist letter from Clear Channel Communications – who had previously trademarked and service-marked the "Kiss" name and had recently launched a "Kiss" station in nearby Lincoln, Nebraska. A couple of months later, they modified the call letters and became KMXM "Max Country" on January 2, 2001. On May 3, 2002, at Noon, Journal Broadcasting moved KQCH and its rhythmic-leaning Top 40 format from 97.7 to 94.1 and was relaunched as "Channel 94.1". The station continued in a Rhythmic direction until 2004, when it shifted to a more mainstream direction after KQKQ flipped to Adult Top 40. KQCH currently has competition with KOPW, who ironically happens to be a Rhythmic and KQKQ's sister station. In early September 2012, KQCH received direct competition when iHeartMedia 's KQBW flipped to Top 40. 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 KQCH. The transaction was completed in 2015. Scripps exited radio in 2018; the Omaha stations went to SummitMedia in a four-market, $47 million deal completed on November 1, 2018.
