KYOT
Encyclopedia
KYOT-FM is a commercial rhythmic oldies
music radio station located in Phoenix, Arizona
, broadcasting on 95.5 FM
Despite the station's branding, there is no affiliation of any kind with the Phoenix Coyotes
, the local National Hockey League
team. (The KYOT call letters came before the Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix and became the Coyotes in the late 1990s.)
music format. In the late-1970s, the call letters were changed to KQYT, retaining its easy listening music format.
On July 10, 1986, the format was changed to adult top 40, branded as "Y-95". The call letters were changed to KOY-FM. The station later evolved to a top 40 music format. The station gained some national attention in the late 1980s when they hired Jessica Hahn
, a central figure in the Jim Bakker
PTL
scandal, as an on-air DJ. The station also helped start the careers of Arizona DJ Tim Hattrick and Fox News host Glenn Beck
.
On September 2, 1993, the station began stunting, airing loops of quotes from famous people and figures from American pop culture and history. The format was then changed to a "Rhythm and Rock" music format branded "The Coyote". A change of call letters to KYOT followed to match its new branding.
In March 1994, the format was changed to a successful Smooth Jazz
format, but retaining its branding as "The Coyote", with actor Geoffrey Holder
providing the station's voice-over during its tenure. In 2010, the station began mixing some Soft AC music into the mix, similar to what is happening to KTWV
in Los Angeles. However, due to the presence of sister station KESZ
in the area, the station was still leaning towards Smooth Jazz. The station was owned by Colfax Communications which owned KOOL
and WBIG in Minneapolis.
By 1997, Chancellor Media was acquiring stations across the country and reached a deal to purchase KYOT and KOOL 94.5 from Colfax. In 1998, Evergreen Media merged with Chancellor to form AMFM Broadcasting.
By January 2011, KYOT, who despite doing pretty well in the ratings, began to play less Smooth Jazz and more AC-sounding Pop/R&B recurrents and classic/old school cuts. In June 2011, KYOT officially shifted to Rhythmic AC, playing mostly Rhythmic Pop/R&B hits from the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. Most of the smooth jazz product has since been phased out, as have the "Smooth Jazz" handle. The move has prompted a new battle in the Phoenix radio wars, in which another station with a similar direction, Urban AC
KAJM
, has countered with "Arizona's Number One Old School Station!" as a way to distinguish itself from KYOT's library of R&B/Pop/Dance classics.
On August 31, 2011 KYOT rebranded as "Eva 95.5", playing rhythmic oldies. KYOT is still streaming commercial-free smooth jazz from its website www.kyot.com.
format programmed by Clear Channel's "Format Lab" called "The Music Summit." http://www.ibiquity.com/hd_radio/hdradio_find_a_station/AZ
Rhythmic oldies
Rhythmic Oldies is a radio format that concentrates on the rhythmic, disco or dance genres of music. Playlists may span from the 1970s through the early 1990s...
music radio station located in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, broadcasting on 95.5 FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
Despite the station's branding, there is no affiliation of any kind with the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
, the local National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
team. (The KYOT call letters came before the Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix and became the Coyotes in the late 1990s.)
History
In 1963, KRFM signed on with an easy listeningEasy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
music format. In the late-1970s, the call letters were changed to KQYT, retaining its easy listening music format.
On July 10, 1986, the format was changed to adult top 40, branded as "Y-95". The call letters were changed to KOY-FM. The station later evolved to a top 40 music format. The station gained some national attention in the late 1980s when they hired Jessica Hahn
Jessica Hahn
Jessica Hahn is an American model and actress. She is best known for a sex scandal involving televangelist Jim Bakker while she was employed as a church secretary.-Jim Bakker scandal:...
, a central figure in the Jim Bakker
Jim Bakker
James Orsen "Jim" Bakker is an American televangelist, a former Assemblies of God minister, and a former host of The PTL Club, a popular evangelical Christian television program.A sex scandal led to his resignation from the ministry...
PTL
The PTL Club
The PTL Club , later called The Jim and Tammy Show, and in its last days PTL Today and Heritage Today, was a Christian television program first hosted by evangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, which ran from 1974 to 1989...
scandal, as an on-air DJ. The station also helped start the careers of Arizona DJ Tim Hattrick and Fox News host Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck
Glenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
.
On September 2, 1993, the station began stunting, airing loops of quotes from famous people and figures from American pop culture and history. The format was then changed to a "Rhythm and Rock" music format branded "The Coyote". A change of call letters to KYOT followed to match its new branding.
In March 1994, the format was changed to a successful Smooth Jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
format, but retaining its branding as "The Coyote", with actor Geoffrey Holder
Geoffrey Holder
Geoffrey Richard Holder is a Trinidadian actor, choreographer, director, dancer, painter, costume designer, singer and voice-over artist.-Early life:...
providing the station's voice-over during its tenure. In 2010, the station began mixing some Soft AC music into the mix, similar to what is happening to KTWV
KTWV
KTWV is a commercial radio station located in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside–San Bernardino and Ventura County areas on 94.7 FM. KTWV airs a hybrid Smooth AC radio format branded as "94.7 The Wave"...
in Los Angeles. However, due to the presence of sister station KESZ
KESZ
KESZ, 99.9KEZ-FM, is an Adult Contemporary outlet based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Clear Channel Communications station broadcasts at 99.9 MHz with an ERP of 99 kW.-History:...
in the area, the station was still leaning towards Smooth Jazz. The station was owned by Colfax Communications which owned KOOL
KOOL-FM
KOOL-FM is a commercial Classic Hits music radio station in Phoenix, Arizona, broadcasting on 94.5 FM. The station is owned by CBS Radio. The station features the hits of the late 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s and is one of the top performing stations in Phoenix...
and WBIG in Minneapolis.
By 1997, Chancellor Media was acquiring stations across the country and reached a deal to purchase KYOT and KOOL 94.5 from Colfax. In 1998, Evergreen Media merged with Chancellor to form AMFM Broadcasting.
By January 2011, KYOT, who despite doing pretty well in the ratings, began to play less Smooth Jazz and more AC-sounding Pop/R&B recurrents and classic/old school cuts. In June 2011, KYOT officially shifted to Rhythmic AC, playing mostly Rhythmic Pop/R&B hits from the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s. Most of the smooth jazz product has since been phased out, as have the "Smooth Jazz" handle. The move has prompted a new battle in the Phoenix radio wars, in which another station with a similar direction, Urban AC
Urban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast...
KAJM
KAJM
KAJM is a commercial Urban Adult Contemporary music radio station in Camp Verde, Arizona, broadcasting to Phoenix, Arizona.-History:...
, has countered with "Arizona's Number One Old School Station!" as a way to distinguish itself from KYOT's library of R&B/Pop/Dance classics.
On August 31, 2011 KYOT rebranded as "Eva 95.5", playing rhythmic oldies. KYOT is still streaming commercial-free smooth jazz from its website www.kyot.com.
KYOT HD2
KYOT's HD2 subchannel carries an adult album alternativeAdult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
format programmed by Clear Channel's "Format Lab" called "The Music Summit." http://www.ibiquity.com/hd_radio/hdradio_find_a_station/AZ