You’re driving down I-15, maybe heading toward Blackfoot or pushing north toward Rexburg, and you’re scanning the dial for something that actually sounds like Idaho. Not the generic, polished Nashville pop that’s been sanitized for suburban dentists, but something with a little more dirt on its tires.
That’s usually when you hit 105.5 or 105.9.
105.5 The Hawk (officially KTHK) has become a bit of a local titan in the Idaho Falls and Pocatello market. But honestly, most people just think of it as "that country station." There is a lot more going on under the hood of this Riverbend Media Group flagship than just a loop of the Top 40 country charts.
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Why 105.5 The Hawk Doesn't Play by the Rules
If you’ve lived in East Idaho long enough, you know the radio landscape changed significantly when Riverbend Communications—owned by Melaleuca founder Frank VanderSloot—took over these stations from Bonneville International back in 2006.
The Hawk isn't just a repeater for national syndication.
Sure, they carry The Bobby Bones Show in the morning. That’s the heavy hitter. But look at what happens in the afternoons and on their HD subchannels. While most corporate stations are scared to play anything that hasn't been tested by a focus group in Cincinnati, The Hawk leans into "New Country" in a way that includes the fringes.
They actually give airtime to:
- Red Dirt artists that usually only get love in Oklahoma or Texas.
- Outlaw tracks that feel a bit too "dangerous" for mainstream pop-country.
- Local artists who are trying to break out of the mountain west scene.
Basically, they’ve branded themselves as "Idaho’s Young Country," which is radio-speak for "we play the stuff your younger brother likes but your grandpa won't turn off."
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The Power of the "Hawk Flawk"
Radio is a dying medium? Tell that to the people in the "Hawk Flawk."
One thing most outsiders get wrong about 105.5 The Hawk Idaho Falls is thinking it’s just background noise. This station has a bizarrely loyal listener base. We’re talking about a station that has been nominated for Small Market Radio Station of the Year by the Academy of Country Music (ACM) multiple times.
In 2017, they were a finalist alongside stations from much larger markets. That doesn't happen unless you have a "street team" and a community connection that goes beyond just playing "Last Night" by Morgan Wallen every hour.
Local Personalities Matter
While many stations have moved to "voice-tracking" (where a DJ in a different state records snippets for 20 different stations), The Hawk has historically kept local boots on the ground.
Names like Don Jarrett were synonymous with the station for years before he moved over to The Wolf. Now, the torch is carried by a mix of local talent and syndicated powerhouses. The station is currently overseen by Riverbend’s heavy hitters like Jade Davis and Kevin O’Rorke, who actually live in the 208 and understand that an Idaho Falls audience cares more about the opening of the Snake River for fishing than they do about celebrity gossip in LA.
Technical Stats (The Boring but Important Stuff)
For the radio nerds out there, KTHK operates on 105.5 MHz with a massive 100,000-watt signal.
That is a "Class C1" signal. In plain English? It’s a flamethrower.
Because the transmitter is situated at a high elevation (roughly 659 feet HAAT), that 105.5 signal can reach from the southern tip of the Pocatello valley all the way up into the fringes of Montana on a clear day. For listeners in the "pockets" where 105.5 gets fuzzy due to the mountains, they utilize 105.9 K290CE, a translator that ensures the signal stays locked in.
The HD Radio Secret
Here is the thing almost nobody talks about: The subchannels.
If you have a modern car with HD Radio, you aren't just getting one station. You’re getting three.
- HD1: The main "105.5 The Hawk" feed.
- HD2: This is "Outlaw 105." It’s pure Red Dirt and gritty country. No fluff.
- HD3: "105 Legends." This is where you go when you want George Strait, Reba, and the stuff that actually makes sense for a Sunday drive.
It’s sort of a genius move. They use the main frequency to capture the 18-45 demographic that advertisers love, then use the digital subchannels to keep the purists happy.
What Really Happened with the Competition?
Idaho Falls is a weirdly competitive radio market. You have The Wolf (96.1/102.1) and The Pick (94.9/104.5) all fighting for the same ears.
When you look at the ratings, The Hawk usually stays at the top of the heap because they've embraced the "multi-platform" model. They were one of the first local stations to really push their own app and a high-quality web stream. They realized early on that people in Idaho don't just listen in their trucks; they listen on their phones while working in the fields or sitting in an office at Idaho National Laboratory.
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Actionable Next Steps for Listeners
If you’re tired of the same ten songs on repeat, here is how to actually get the most out of The Hawk:
- Download the app: Don't rely on the FM signal if you're headed into the canyons. The app stream stays solid even when the mountains try to eat the radio waves.
- Check the HD Subchannels: If you have HD Radio in your car, toggle to 105.5-2. It’s a completely different vibe and often better for long road trips where you want a break from the "Bro-Country" sound.
- Follow the Events: The Hawk is big on "ticket stops." If there is a major show coming to the Mountain America Center or the Hero Arena, they almost always have the first block of tickets or exclusive backstage passes.
- Engage with the "Flawk": Their Facebook page is surprisingly active for a local station. If you want to know which roads are closed or what the weather is doing in the Swan Valley, the comments section there is often faster than the local news.
105.5 The Hawk isn't just a frequency; it's a massive piece of the East Idaho culture. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s unapologetically local. That's why it works.