KZON
Encyclopedia
KZON is a commercial radio station
located in Phoenix, Arizona
, broadcasting on 101.5 FM
. KZON airs a Rhythmic CHR format branded as "101.5 Jamz".
By 1989, EZ Communications had taken the station completely live and local with a Hot AC format as "The All New Magic 101." In May 1990, it moved to a 60's/70's/80/s/90's AC format as "Mix 101" KMXX. It was later sold to Sundance Broadcasting in 1992 and switched to Triple-A as "The Zone", a moniker it would carry throughout its incarnations of modern rock, modern Adult Top 40, Adult Top 40 and back to modern rock in 2000 up until its flip in January 2006.
format, featuring mostly nationally-syndicated hot talk shows like The Adam Carolla Show, Frosty, Heidi & Frank and The Tom Leykis Show. The station switched from Modern Rock to the male-targeted format, with rock music played during overnights and weekends, on January 3, 2006. During its brief run it attempted to appeal towards male listeners, as CBS Radio had high hopes that this format would do well in Phoenix, even with a promotional campaign that came along with it. On January 3, 2007, KZON reduced the music content and began to add more talk shows to the weekend lineup, and a taped Tom Leykis episode airing overnights, all in an attempt to attract more listeners.
Despite growing ratings, it proved to be a failure in the market, especially when talk radio
station KTAR
moved to FM
in January 2007. On June 20, 2007, CBS Radio decided to pull the plug and change formats to "Hitz and Hip Hop" modeled after CBS' high rated WBBM-FM
/Chicago (B96). The switch occurred on June 21, 2007, when for 24 hours an unknown effeminate male demanded the release of Paris Hilton
as she was serving a brief jail sentence at this time.
KZON was the fourth station to drop the Free FM format, following sister station KSCF
in San Diego, California
, which flipped to Adult Top 40, sister station and former Free FM flagship WFNY/New York City
, who returned to Active rock
and its original call letters WXRK (K-Rock 92.3), and sister station KIFR/San Francisco, who picked up the KFRC-FM
calls and Classic Hits
format from their sister station (which is now KMVQ) after it dropped the aforementioned format several months earlier.
As with many format changes in radio, there has been a backlash from fans of Free FM who would like to see the station and its personalities return. The former Free FM website was linked to the stream of sister station KLSX
"97.1 Free FM" in Los Angeles
, where Carolla and Leykis originated until 2009, when KLSX dropped the format for Top 40.
exclusively, while starting a petition on its website to free Hilton, who was in prison at the time. The move was seen by many as a form of stunting to generate attention before a formal switch in formats. Eventually, KZON switched to a Rhythmic CHR format. The first song played after the initial announcement was "Party Like a Rockstar
" by the Shop Boyz
.
KZON's flip to Rhythmic also sent a message to KKFR
, telling them that the "Power" has been turned off (in reference to KKFR's frequency switch from 92.3 to 98.3) and "Where Hip Hop USED to Live". To add insult to injury, KZON also boast on air as playing "100,000 watts of 'Static-Free' Hip-Hop" and borrowed the "Mac Vs. PC" ad campaign in which KZON billed itself as the "Mac" to KKFR's "PC." In addition, they are also poised to take on Top 40 rival KZZP
and to a lesser extent, the former Rhythmic AC
(later top 40) station KMVA. In response to KZON's debut and full-powered signal range, KKFR's then-PD Bruce St. James wasn't worried, and in a statement with the Arizona Republic, "What are they going to do?" he asks. "Play more hip-hop than us? Really, I think we'll be OK." St. James, by the way, would end up joining KZON as its new PD in January 2010, but after almost 3 months on the job, he resigned on March 30, 2010, to pursue other opportunities. In November 2008, KZON switched its slogan to "The Valley's #1 Hit Music Station," a slogan that KKFR would also adopt the following December, giving the Phoenix area two radio stations with the same format and slogan. Since then KKFR has dropped that slogan.
As of 2010 KZON has expanded its focus to include Dance and Pop tracks, while at the same time has managed to overtake KZZP and KKFR in the Arbitron PPMs.
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...
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 101.5 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
. KZON airs a Rhythmic CHR format branded as "101.5 Jamz".
Before 101.5
In the 1960s the station signed on the air as KHEP-FM and aired a classical music format. In 1985 the station was sold to the owners of the Boston Globe and took the calls KONC 'Concert 101.' In 1986 the station abandoned classical music for satellite-delivered Soft AC as "Magic 101" KAMJ, using the Transtar 'Format 41' network with a local morning show anchored by Mike Del Rosso.By 1989, EZ Communications had taken the station completely live and local with a Hot AC format as "The All New Magic 101." In May 1990, it moved to a 60's/70's/80/s/90's AC format as "Mix 101" KMXX. It was later sold to Sundance Broadcasting in 1992 and switched to Triple-A as "The Zone", a moniker it would carry throughout its incarnations of modern rock, modern Adult Top 40, Adult Top 40 and back to modern rock in 2000 up until its flip in January 2006.
As 101.5 Free FM
On December 23, 2005, it was announced that KZON would adopt CBS Radio's Free FMFree FM
Free FM was a short-lived, mostly-talk-radio format and brand name for eleven FM CBS Radio stations in the United States, and was created because of Howard Stern's departure to Sirius Satellite Radio in January 2006. Free FM was given its name to highlight that its stations broadcast free-to-air,...
format, featuring mostly nationally-syndicated hot talk shows like The Adam Carolla Show, Frosty, Heidi & Frank and The Tom Leykis Show. The station switched from Modern Rock to the male-targeted format, with rock music played during overnights and weekends, on January 3, 2006. During its brief run it attempted to appeal towards male listeners, as CBS Radio had high hopes that this format would do well in Phoenix, even with a promotional campaign that came along with it. On January 3, 2007, KZON reduced the music content and began to add more talk shows to the weekend lineup, and a taped Tom Leykis episode airing overnights, all in an attempt to attract more listeners.
Despite growing ratings, it proved to be a failure in the market, especially when talk radio
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...
station KTAR
KTAR-FM
KTAR-FM is a radio station broadcasting a News/Talk format. Licensed to Glendale, Arizona, USA, the station serves the Phoenix area and is currently owned by Bonneville Holding Company...
moved to FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
in January 2007. On June 20, 2007, CBS Radio decided to pull the plug and change formats to "Hitz and Hip Hop" modeled after CBS' high rated WBBM-FM
WBBM-FM
WBBM-FM, known on air as "B96", is a Rhythmic Contemporary outlet in Chicago, Illinois with a Rhythmic based playlist. The station is owned by CBS Radio and broadcasts at 96.3 MHz with an ERP of 4.2 kW. WBBM's main competition is WKSC-FM "103.5 Kiss FM", as well as urban rivals WGCI-FM &...
/Chicago (B96). The switch occurred on June 21, 2007, when for 24 hours an unknown effeminate male demanded the release of Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
as she was serving a brief jail sentence at this time.
KZON was the fourth station to drop the Free FM format, following sister station KSCF
KSCF
KSCF, also known as Sophie @ 103.7, is a San Diego Hot AC radio station, owned and operated by CBS Radio. "Now. New. Next" is the tagline of this San Diego radio station. The station broadcasts in HD Radio. The HD2 broadcast a simulcast of sister station KROQ-FM/Los Angeles...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, which flipped to Adult Top 40, sister station and former Free FM flagship WFNY/New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, who returned to Active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
and its original call letters WXRK (K-Rock 92.3), and sister station KIFR/San Francisco, who picked up the KFRC-FM
KFRC-FM
KFRC-FM is a commercial radio station in San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Bay Area. It simulcasts sister station KCBS, which carries an all-news format...
calls and Classic Hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
format from their sister station (which is now KMVQ) after it dropped the aforementioned format several months earlier.
As with many format changes in radio, there has been a backlash from fans of Free FM who would like to see the station and its personalities return. The former Free FM website was linked to the stream of sister station KLSX
KLSX
KAMP-FM 97.1 FM, known on-air as 97.1 AMP Radio, is a Rhythmic Contemporary radio station in Los Angeles, California. The station is owned by CBS Radio.The station had long been known as KLSX before the call sign changed on June 30, 2009....
"97.1 Free FM" in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where Carolla and Leykis originated until 2009, when KLSX dropped the format for Top 40.
As 101.5 Jamz
Rumors of a format change came true on June 22, 2007, when the station stopped its normal broadcasts and began playing music by Paris HiltonParis Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
exclusively, while starting a petition on its website to free Hilton, who was in prison at the time. The move was seen by many as a form of stunting to generate attention before a formal switch in formats. Eventually, KZON switched to a Rhythmic CHR format. The first song played after the initial announcement was "Party Like a Rockstar
Party Like a Rockstar
"Party Like a Rockstar" is a rap song recorded by Shop Boyz. It was released as the first single from their debut album Rockstar Mentality . It reached high success during summer 2007 and was successful in the United States, peaking in the top five on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot Rap...
" by the Shop Boyz
Shop Boyz
The Shop Boyz are an Atlanta-based hip hop group, originating from the Kings Glen Trail in Decatur.They relocated to Des Plaines, Illinois during the early nineties. They are most known for their single "Party Like a Rockstar" from their debut album Rockstar Mentality...
.
KZON's flip to Rhythmic also sent a message to KKFR
KKFR
KKFR "Power 98.3" is a Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio outlet in the Phoenix, Arizona, radio market. The station broadcasts at 98.3 MHz on the FM dial with an effective radiated power of 41 kW. Its COL was Mayer, Arizona. The station is owned and operated by Riviera Broadcast Group...
, telling them that the "Power" has been turned off (in reference to KKFR's frequency switch from 92.3 to 98.3) and "Where Hip Hop USED to Live". To add insult to injury, KZON also boast on air as playing "100,000 watts of 'Static-Free' Hip-Hop" and borrowed the "Mac Vs. PC" ad campaign in which KZON billed itself as the "Mac" to KKFR's "PC." In addition, they are also poised to take on Top 40 rival KZZP
KZZP
KZZP, 104.7 KISS-FM, is a Top 40 radio outlet serving the Phoenix, Arizona area. The Clear Channel Communications station broadcasts at 104.7 MHz with an Effective radiated power of 100 kW and is licensed in Mesa, Arizona. Due to its 100 kW tower located atop South Mountain, the station can...
and to a lesser extent, the former Rhythmic AC
Rhythmic Adult Contemporary
Rhythmic adult contemporary is a format used on stations in the United States and Canada. It usually gears toward an older audience, ages 25 to 54. Stations using this format play disco from the 1970s and early 1980s, dance/pop music, adult-friendly hip hop/old school tracks, R&B, dance/freestyle...
(later top 40) station KMVA. In response to KZON's debut and full-powered signal range, KKFR's then-PD Bruce St. James wasn't worried, and in a statement with the Arizona Republic, "What are they going to do?" he asks. "Play more hip-hop than us? Really, I think we'll be OK." St. James, by the way, would end up joining KZON as its new PD in January 2010, but after almost 3 months on the job, he resigned on March 30, 2010, to pursue other opportunities. In November 2008, KZON switched its slogan to "The Valley's #1 Hit Music Station," a slogan that KKFR would also adopt the following December, giving the Phoenix area two radio stations with the same format and slogan. Since then KKFR has dropped that slogan.
As of 2010 KZON has expanded its focus to include Dance and Pop tracks, while at the same time has managed to overtake KZZP and KKFR in the Arbitron PPMs.