KZLT-FM
Encyclopedia
KZLT-FM is a radio station
broadcasting an adult contemporary format. Licensed
to East Grand Forks, Minnesota
, it serves the Grand Forks, North Dakota
metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1979 under the call sign KRAD-FM. The station is currently owned by Leighton Broadcasting
.
The station flipped to album-oriented rock
(predecessor to the classic rock
radio format) in 1981 as KRRK "Rock 104", and KZLT in the spring of 1985 on the 104.3 frequency. Station owner Dave Norman changed the format to light Adult contemporary (AC) as "K-Lite" under the KZLT call sign, increased power to 100,000 watt
s from a transmitter west of Fisher, Minnesota
. KZLT and KCNN were moved from the transmitter/studio complex in East Grand Forks to the Cass Gilbert designed Great Northern Railway Depot in downtown Grand Forks.
In late 1999, the station repositioned itself with a Hot AC format as "Cities 104.3". Lightning struck KZLT's transmitter on May 31, 2001, keeping the station off-air for a week. Cities 104.3 began broadcasting again at low-power until a new transmitter was completed in October 2001, when an 80's based classic rock
format as "Z104" was introduced. Norman sold KZLT and KCNN to Leighton Broadcasting
in 2003, and later KZLT changed back to adult contemporary format as "Breeze 104.3".
In December 2005, KZLT tweaked to a hot adult contemporary, and rebranded as "More Music 104.3", which later tweaked to Top 40 (CHR)
competing with Clear Channel's
heritage Top 40 station KKXL-FM
"XL93".
Due to inadequate ratings, KZLT reverted formats back to adult contemporary as "Lite Rock 104.3" on March 26, 2007, and began playing Christmas music
on November 21, 2007.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting an adult contemporary format. Licensed
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to East Grand Forks, Minnesota
East Grand Forks, Minnesota
-K-12:The East Grand Forks School District enrolls over 1,000 students and operates two elementary schools , Central Middle School, and East Grand Forks Senior High School. There are also two private Christian schools. Sacred Heart School is a Roman Catholic elementary, middle, and high school...
, it serves the Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1979 under the call sign KRAD-FM. The station is currently owned by Leighton Broadcasting
Leighton Broadcasting
Leighton Broadcasting is a radio broadcasting company based in St. Cloud, Minnesota that owns several radio stations in St. Cloud as well as in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota and Grand Forks, North Dakota.-Stations owned:...
.
History
The station signed on December 3, 1979 as a Class A on 103.9 as KRAD-FM, simulcasting KRAD AM 1590 (now KGFK), and was owned by Dave Norman.The station flipped to album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
(predecessor to the classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
radio format) in 1981 as KRRK "Rock 104", and KZLT in the spring of 1985 on the 104.3 frequency. Station owner Dave Norman changed the format to light Adult contemporary (AC) as "K-Lite" under the KZLT call sign, increased power to 100,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s from a transmitter west of Fisher, Minnesota
Fisher, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 435 people, 177 households, and 120 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,092.3 people per square mile . There were 197 housing units at an average density of 494.7 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 98.62% White, 1.15%...
. KZLT and KCNN were moved from the transmitter/studio complex in East Grand Forks to the Cass Gilbert designed Great Northern Railway Depot in downtown Grand Forks.
| Name (call signs) | Format |
|---|---|
| KRAD-FM 103.9 | News/Talk Talk radio Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live... (1979-1981) (simulcast Simulcast Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often... of KRAD AM 1590) |
| Rock 104 (KRRK) | Album-oriented rock Album-oriented rock Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles... (1981-1985) |
| K-Lite 104.3 (KZLT-FM) | Adult contemporary (1985-1999) |
| Cities 104.3 | Hot adult contemporary (1999-2001) |
| Z104 | Classic rock Classic rock Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the... (2001-2003) |
| Breeze 104.3 | Adult Contemporary (2003-2005) |
| More Music 104.3 | Hot Adult Contemporary (2005-2006) CHR/Top 40 Contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts... (2006-2007) |
| Lite Rock 104.3 | Adult Contemporary (2007-present) |
In late 1999, the station repositioned itself with a Hot AC format as "Cities 104.3". Lightning struck KZLT's transmitter on May 31, 2001, keeping the station off-air for a week. Cities 104.3 began broadcasting again at low-power until a new transmitter was completed in October 2001, when an 80's based classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
format as "Z104" was introduced. Norman sold KZLT and KCNN to Leighton Broadcasting
Leighton Broadcasting
Leighton Broadcasting is a radio broadcasting company based in St. Cloud, Minnesota that owns several radio stations in St. Cloud as well as in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota and Grand Forks, North Dakota.-Stations owned:...
in 2003, and later KZLT changed back to adult contemporary format as "Breeze 104.3".
In December 2005, KZLT tweaked to a hot adult contemporary, and rebranded as "More Music 104.3", which later tweaked to Top 40 (CHR)
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
competing with Clear Channel's
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
heritage Top 40 station KKXL-FM
KKXL-FM
KKXL-FM is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 format serving the Grand Forks, North Dakota area. It first began broadcasting in the 1970s as KKDQ. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications.-History:...
"XL93".
Due to inadequate ratings, KZLT reverted formats back to adult contemporary as "Lite Rock 104.3" on March 26, 2007, and began playing Christmas music
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
on November 21, 2007.