WKZY

WKZY (92.9 FM) is an American radio station, licensed to Chilton, Wisconsin, and transmitting from the Lake Winnebago community of Stockbridge to provide a city-grade signal to both Oshkosh and the Fox Cities. The station is owned and operated by Woodward Communications, and has simulcasted the Top 40/CHR format of sister station WKSZ since February 15, 2016. WKZY's studios are located on College Avenue in Appleton.

WKZY
CityChilton, Wisconsin
Broadcast areaAppleton-Oshkosh and the Southern Fox River Valley of Wisconsin
Frequency92.9 MHz
Branding95-9 & 92-9 Kiss FM
SloganGreen Bay and The Valley's Hottest Hits
Programming
FormatTop 40/CHR
(simulcast of WKSZ)
Ownership
OwnerWoodward Communications, Inc.
WAPL, WKZG, WHBY, WKSZ, WSCO, WZOR
History
First air date
September 3, 2011 (as WXMM)
Former call signs
WLWB (2010-2011, prior to launch)
WXMM (2011-2013)
Call sign meaning
The KZ branding + Fox ValleY (former simulcast partner)
Technical information
Facility ID81813
ClassA
ERP6,000 watts
HAAT94.5 meters (310 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
44°04′20″N 88°15′27″W
Links
WebcastListen Live!
Website959kissfm.com

Station history

In 1996, Metro North Communications, Inc., applied to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a construction permit for a new broadcast radio station to serve New Holstein, Wisconsin. This application was renewed in 2010 and the FCC granted the requested permit on July 6, 2010, with a scheduled expiration date of July 6, 2013.[1] The new station was assigned call sign "WLWB" on July 14, 2010.[2]

Logo for "92.9 Country" (2011-2013)

In November 2010, the Metro North applied to change the station's community of license to Chilton, Wisconsin, in preparation for a planned sale.[3][4] In December 2010, Metro North Communications applied to transfer the station's construction permit to Woodward Communications, Inc., for reported sale price of $1.2 million.[4][5] The FCC approved the transfer on February 9, 2011, and the transaction was formally consummated on April 4, 2011.[6] The Commission granted the requested change in community of license on July 22, 2011.[3] This followed a requested change to the under-construction station's call sign to "WXMM" on July 19, 2011.[2] (The calls have since been re-used by Metro North's new acquisition, a station on 1530 from New Holstein.)

Woodward Communications had originally anticipated for WXMM to begin broadcasting in "mid-to-late August 2011."[7] However, technical difficulties delayed the launch, and the station began airing on September 3, 2011, when the station debuted as "92.9 Country." As a country station, WXMM featured a contemporary presentation to the format, emphasizing on younger country acts and with an on-air style similar to Top 40-formatted stations. "92.9 Country" was home to the syndicated Bobby Bones Show in morning drive time.[8]

On September 16, 2013, WXMM dropped country and, under the new call sign of WKZY, began a simulcast of its Seymour-licensed sister station WKZG, which as "KZ104.3" airs an adult hits format emphasizing songs and artists from the 1980s and 1990s.[8] The move gave "KZ104.3" coverage of the Southern Fox Valley, an area where WKZG's 104.3 FM signal may be hard to reach. "KZ104.3's" schedule includes the husband-and-wife local team of Doug Erickson and Mary Love in morning drive and the nationally syndicated Mario Lopez in evenings. The "KZ 104.3" name lasted just over 4 months, as WKZG and WKZY changed their name to "KZ Radio" in early 2014 to better show the simulcast.[9]

On February 12, 2016, Woodward announced that WKZY will switch to a simulcast of sister WKSZ on February 15. In addition, morning hosts Doug and Mary will move back to WKSZ.[10]

References

  1. "Application Search Details (BPH-19960507MW)". FCC Media Bureau. July 6, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  2. "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  3. "Application Search Details (BMPH-20101122ACG)". FCC Media Bureau. July 22, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  4. "News Archive: January 2011". Upper Midwest Broadcasting. NorthPine.com. January 9, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  5. "Acquisition of Wisconsin FM could be a taxing proposition for buyer". Radio Business Report. December 28, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  6. "Application Search Details (BAPH-20101223AAE)". FCC Media Bureau. April 4, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  7. "Woodward Radio Group Adds Seventh Station to Appleton-Green Bay Cluster" (Press release). Woodward Communications, Inc. April 7, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  8. "KZ 104.3 Expands to Appleton," from RadioInsight, 9/16/2013
  9. "KZ104.3 Debuts In Green Bay," from Radio Insight (original report 11/1/2012, updated 12/26/2012
  10. WKSZ Green Bay Adding Simulcast; Doug Mary to Return
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.