KYZZ (FM)
| City of license | Salinas, California |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Monterey Bay Area |
| Branding | Z Country 97.9 |
| Frequency | 97.9 MHz |
| Translator(s) | 106.7 K294CA (Monterey, relays HD2)[1] |
| First air date | 1997 (as KLXM) |
| Format | Country HD2: Top 40/CHR "Hot Hits 106.7" |
| ERP | 4,500 watts |
| HAAT | 188 meters |
| Class | B1 |
| Facility ID | 15197 |
| Former callsigns | KLXM (1997-2000) KHMZ (2000-2001) KEBV (2001-2005) KEXA (2005-2006) KYZZ (2006-2013) KMZT-FM (2013-2014) |
| Owner | Levine Family Trust (Mount Wilson FM Broadcasters, Inc.) |
| Sister stations | KMZT, KMZT-FM, KKGO |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | z979country.com hothits1067.com (HD2) |
KYZZ (97.9 FM) is a commercial radio station in Salinas, California, broadcasting to the Santa Cruz-Monterey-Salinas, California, area.
KYZZ is owned by Mount Wilson Broadcasting.[2]
Contents
History of "KYZZ"
KYZZ call letters were assigned to 92.7 FM frequency in Wolf Point, MT, in the early 1980s. The last three letters of the call sign YZZ was used as their advertising slogan FM stereo Y-22. The station relinquished the call letters in the late 1980s to become KTYZ. In 1992 KTYZ-FM relinquished the call letters to join the 1450 AM sister station and is now called KVCK-FM.
Original calls were assigned to D.H. Carver Corporation based in San Angelo, Texas in 1995. A movement to bring a full-time "Tejano" format was realized by a local group and Dwight Carver, a radio engineering veteran. The 100.1 FM MHz station first broadcast Tejano and mainstream country beginning in August 1995 with only an 18-hour broadcast day at 3,000 watts ERP in Concho Valley. In 1998, management changed programming to strictly "Tejano", a south Texas-based blend of German Polka, cumbia and Latin rhythms. Past program directors include Gerardo Trevino, Edward Contreras, Celestino Garcia and Jason Meza.
Between 1998 and 2000, control was transferred to sister Audrey Carver Luna following the deaths of both Dwight and his wife Carolyn Carver. Subsequently, power was boosted to 35 kW. Under this direction, the station flourished in attempts to unite Hispanics in the community of Concho Valley and the large Hispanic population in the Salinas Valley and became well known for service to the public including opera broadcasts, local sports broadcasts, music festivals and community programming.
In 2004, the station was sold to Foster Communications in San Angelo, Texas under a deal that kept the station "Tejano". Studios were moved to 2824 Sherwood Way, transmitter was relocated and power boosted to 100 kW. After an unsuccessful flight of one year, the station was flipped to KCLL "Cool 100" and KYZZ was relinquished.
Notable past DJ's include: Jason "El Lobo" Meza, Farrah "La Reina", C.J.D, Juan "Candleman" Vela, Teresa Luna, B-Town Boy, Spanky, Roland Ybarra, Tony "G", Nikki B. Martinez, Jesse "G-Man" Garces, Tejano Kidd, "Fast" Eddie, "Speedy J", "Jumpin" Jerry Trevino, Mike Garcia, Abel "Tiger" Tarin, Eugenio "Reno" Garcia, Orlando "D.J. 69" Cardenas, and Eddie G.
History of 97.9 FM
97.9 FM was owned by Wolfhouse Broadcasting until late 2005. Under Wolfhouse's tenure, 97.9 had many formats. Originally, the programming was Spanish contemporary music.
In July 2002, 97.9 became "97.9 En Fuego" - a Latino-leaning CHR/Rhythmic station. Included was music by Lil' Rob, Nightowl, N.O.R.E. and other Latino hip-hop artists. Voiceovers were by Angie Martinez; the slogan was "Blazin' Hip Hop y Mas" (Blazing Hip Hop and More). The format was launched prior to the Reggaeton phenomena, and subsequently did not have enough variety or promotional power to compete with crosstown heritage CHR/Rhythmic KDON-FM.
Notable Djs/Turntablist & Radio personalities of the former 97.9 En Fuego include the (SQRATCHAHOLIX) Alias, B-Klepto, Earwax, Neato, Romezee, & Fizzle.
In 2003, the station switched back to Spanish contemporary.
In July 2005, the station switched again - this time to "EXA-FM... The Orange Station." "EXA" is short for "Exitos" or Hits in Spanish. The station featured a bilingual CHR/Rhythmic mix with Reggaeton, Mexican artists such as Fey and Moenia, and American hip-hop tracks. The format was also not very successful, and morphed into a more Raeggaeton-leaning station by Fall 2005.
In Late 2005, 97.9 FM was sold to Buckley Broadcasting, owners of crosstown KWAV-FM and KIDD-AM. Prior to the sale, all EXA-FM programming was moved to Wolfhouse's 93.9 FM frequency.
On January 3, 2006, 97.9 FM began broadcasting as CHR/Top 40 "Z-97.9" with new calls KYZZ. It became the first Mainstream Top 40 radio station in the Monterey Bay since the early 1990s. Artists included All-American Rejects, Green Day, Fort Minor, Nelly Furtado, Pussycat Dolls, James Blunt, Juelz Santana, Kelly Clarkson, Nelly, and Gwen Stefani. Also included were more Latino-based artists such as Pitbull, Frankie J, and Daddy Yankee. Programming on the station was under the direction of OM Bernie Moody and consulted by Rene Roberts, Freeze was brought in as APD/MD.
After two unsuccessful ratings books, "Z-97.9" flipped to CHR/Rhythmic "Jammin' 97.9" in Early November 2006. Freeze quit, but much of the airstaff remained. The new format is again Latino-leaning, and also includes numerous "Hyphy" songs by E-40, The Federation, The Team, and Mistah F.A.B. Current ratings show very little change from the former CHR/Top 40 format. Notable jocks of the former Jammin 97.9 include Amy, Fredo on the Radio, and the World Famous DJFM. Local disc jockeys were also included in broadcasts, such as: DJ AJ BEE, DJ Jigar, DJ Luis Aldama, and DJ A-Z.[3]
On February 1, 2010, Jammin 97.9 switched formats from CHR/Rhythmic to hits of the 60s and 70s, as Z 97.9.
In September 2012, KYZZ changed their format to sports, with programing from ESPN Radio.
In May 2013, KYZZ was purchased by Saul Levine, owner of country KKGO and classical KMZT in Los Angeles.
On July 31, 2013, sports KYZZ went silent and returned to the air with a classical music format on August 12, 2013. It is simulcast through translators on 95.1 and 106.7 in Monterey, CA. The station changed its call sign to KMZT-FM on August 29, 2013, as part of a call sign swap.
On May 20, 2014, KMZT-FM dropped classical music. The KYZZ call letters returned and the station switched to country music as "Z Country 97.9." The new format launched with 10,000 songs in a row, commercial-free.[4]
KYZZ-HD2
On September 1st, 2015 KYZZ's HD2 subchannel switched from a simulcast of KYZZ's country format to contemporary hit radio, branded as "Hot Hits 106.7". (simulcast on translator K294CA 106.7 FM Monterey).[5][6]
Previous logo
References
- ↑ https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/88960/alt-106-7-to-launch-in-monterey/
- ↑ http://www.mountwilsoninc.com/
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Z Country Launches in Monterey
- ↑ Hot Hits Debuts in Monterey
- ↑ http://www.hd-radio.com/i/pdfs/CES%202010%20Releases/HD%20Radio%20Publications/HDRadio_2009Station_Guide.pdf HD Radio Station Guide
External links
- Query the FCC's FM station database for KYZZ
- Radio-Locator information on KYZZ
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for KYZZ
- Query the FCC's FM station database for K294CA
- Radio-Locator information on K294CA
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