| KMDL | |
| City: | Kaplan, Louisiana |
| Area: | Lafayette metropolitan area |
| Branding: | 97.3 The Dawg |
| Format: | Country |
| Erp: | 38,000 watts |
| Haat: | 171 meters |
| Class: | C2 |
| Facility Id: | 59289 |
| Callsign Meaning: | K-Middle (original branding) |
| Owner: | Townsquare Media |
| Licensee: | Townsquare Media of Lafayette, LLC |
| Affiliations: | Compass Media Networks New Orleans Saints Radio Network |
| Sister Stations: | KFTE, KHXT, KPEL, KPEL-FM, KROF, KTDY |
| Webcast: | Listen Live |
| Website: | 973thedawg.com |
| Licensing Authority: | FCC |
The station is an affiliate of the New Orleans Saints radio network.[1]
KMDL began broadcasting August 1, 1981 with 3,000 watts at 97.7.[2] When KMDL signed on, it was a local Kaplan station with a marginal signal over the Lafayette market. In 1991, in an effort to better serve the market as a whole, KMDL upgraded to 40,000 watts and moved to 97.5. The move lasted for a short time, however, as interference forced the station to move back to 97.7 until it was found that the station could move to 97.3 interference-free.
KMDL has been in a country format since first signing on as "K-Middle," in reference to 97.7 appearing in the middle of the dial on an analog radio. After moving to 97.3, KMDL dropped the "K-Middle" branding and identified only using frequency and call letters until shifting from a traditional country format to a current hit-based country format in September 1995, at which it began identifying as "the Dawg," a reference to USL's then-Bulldog mascot.
An Ibiquity-licensed station, KMDL began broadcasting HD Radio in November 2007. Currently, KMDL does not multicast.