KCHZ (95.7
FM, "95-7 The Vibe"), is a
Top 40 (CHR) radio station
Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...
licensed
A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit).
A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...
to
Ottawa, Kansas
Ottawa (pronounced ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Franklin County, Kansas, United States. It is located on both banks of the Marais des Cygnes River near the center of Franklin County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the c ...
and serving the
Kansas City metropolitan area. The
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is an American broadcasting company and is the third largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States behind Audacy and iHeartMedia. As of June 2019, Cumulus lists ownership of 428 stations in 8 ...
, Inc. outlet operates at 95.7 MHz with an ERP of 98 kW. Its transmitter is located near
Linwood, Kansas
Linwood is a city in Leavenworth County, Kansas, United States, and part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 415. It is located along K-32 highway between Lawrence and Bonner Springs.
...
, and studios are in
Overland Park, Kansas
Overland Park ( ) is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas. Located in Johnson County, Kansas, it is one of four principal cities in the Kansas City metropolitan area and the most populous suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. As ...
.
History
Early years
KCHZ first began broadcasting as KOFO-FM, an FM simulcast for sister station
KOFO (1220 AM). The station signed on March 1, 1962.
In 1978, the station stopped simulcasting its AM sister station and flipped to a mix of
Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "cont ...
and
AOR as "96X", with the call letters KKKX.
In 1986, the station flipped to
easy listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
/
adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
, branded as "96 HUM", and changed call letters to KHUM. The station relocated its transmitter from its original site near Ottawa to its current location near Linwood, upgraded its power to 100,000 watts, and relocated its studios, first to
Lawrence
Lawrence may refer to:
Education Colleges and universities
* Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States
* Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States
Preparator ...
, then to
Topeka
Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...
. In 1991, the station went silent.
In 1993, the station signed back on as
adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
KZTO, branded as "Z96." The studios were in Lawrence, near 25th and Iowa, with the tower southeast of the city. In January 1994, the station went silent again.
Channel Z/Z95.7
The 95.7 signal signed back on under the control of Radio 2000, Inc. on January 21, 1997, as KCHZ, "Channel Z95.7", a
Modern Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet sto ...
outlet, after stunting with
all-80's music and a heartbeat sound effect for about a week. This was the frequency's first attempt to target the Kansas City area. During this time, the station used the slogan "Kansas City's Superstation." KCHZ would gain a competitor in September 1997, when
KYYS
KYYS (1250 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format. The station is licensed to Kansas City, Kansas, United States. It is currently owned by Audacy, Inc. and operations are under an LMA with Reyes Media Group.
History
...
flipped to Modern AC.
By January 1998, KCHZ shifted to Top 40/CHR, then to
rhythmic contemporary by 1999. During this period, KCHZ called itself "Z95.7 - Kansas City's Hottest Hits."
The station was sold to Syncom Radio in 1999, and Syncom continued to adjust the station's image. KCHZ shifted back to Mainstream Top 40/CHR in 2000, back to Rhythmic CHR by 2002, then back to a Mainstream CHR by late 2003, when
Cumulus Broadcasting
Cumulus Media, Inc. is an American broadcasting company and is the third largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States behind Audacy and iHeartMedia. As of June 2019, Cumulus lists ownership of 428 stations in 87 ...
bought the station.
The Vibe
By November 2005, after years of confusing listeners over what direction the station was taking, Cumulus decided that 95.7 needed a complete overhaul. To bring attention to the changeover, KCHZ began
stunting with all-
Christmas music at Noon on November 1, 2005, as "Jingle 95.7", jumping the gun a week before
KUDL
KUDL (106.5 FM) is a radio station in Sacramento, California. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts a Top 40 (CHR) format branded as ''106.5 The End''. Its studios are located in Foothill Farms (with a Sacramento address) and its transmitter i ...
or
KCKC
KCKC (102.1 FM) is an adult contemporary radio station based in Kansas City, Missouri that operates with an ERP of 100 kW. The station is licensed to and operated by Steel City Media. The station's studios are located at Westport Center in ...
would even start broadcasting Christmas music. However, by the next day, the station shifted its stunting to a loop of "Swans Splashdown" by
Jean-Jacques Perrey
Jean Marcel Leroy (; 20 January 1929 – 4 November 2016), popularly known as Jean-Jacques Perrey, was a French electronic music performer, composer, producer, and promoter. He is considered a pioneer of pop electronica.[Dean Elliot
William Lorenzo Bunt (May 11, 1917 – December 31, 1999), known professionally as Dean Elliott, was an American television and film composer.
Career
Elliott was born William Lorenzo Bunt on May 11, 1917 in Sioux City, Iowa to George Leroy Bunt ...]
& His Big Band. At 5 p.m. on November 3, KCHZ shifted to Rhythmic CHR for a third time as "95-7 The Vibe, The Beat of Kansas City", with
The Black Eyed Peas
Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie, who replaced Kim Hi ...
' "
My Humps
"My Humps" is a song recorded by American group the Black Eyed Peas for their fourth studio album '' Monkey Business'' (2005). It was written and produced by group member will.i.am. Musically, it's a hip hop and dance song structured as a due ...
" being the first song played. During its tenure as a Rhythmic station, KCHZ aired a few syndicated shows, including "The Weekend Top 30 Countdown" with
Hollywood Hamilton
Sean "Hollywood" Hamilton is an American radio personality. On November 8, 2019 he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. He is the creator and host of the ''Weekend Top30 Countdown'' and the ''Remix Top30 Countdown'' heard in over 1 ...
, as well as "Sunday Night Slow Jams" with R.Dub.
On January 27, 2009, KCHZ shifted the format to feature more mainstream top 40 hits and dropped the majority of its old school and hip hop hits, but still maintained its Rhythmic format somewhat. KCHZ continued to report to
R&R/
Nielsen BDS
Broadcast Data Systems (also known as BDS or Luminate BDS), is a service that tracks radio, television and internet airplay of songs. The service, which is a unit of MRC Data, is a contributing factor to North American charts published by co-owned ...
Rhythmic Airplay panel
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...
. This kind of direction has also sparked debate from radio message boards about stations that decided to add certain Pop and Dance tracks but stay within the Rhythmic realm.
By October 2009, KCHZ fully shifted back to Mainstream Top 40. This was part of Cumulus' plan to launch Mainstream Top 40 stations in major markets across the country. With the change, morning hosts "Shorty & the Boyz", who have hosted mornings since 2005, were let go. The station currently airs the syndicated "The Bert Show" in mornings from sister station
WWWQ
WWWQ (99.7 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Atlanta, Georgia, carrying a Top 40 (CHR) format known as "Q99.7". Owned by Cumulus Media, WWWQ serves the Atlanta metropolitan area as the regional affiliate for ''The Daly Download with ...
in Atlanta. KCHZ currently competes with
KMXV
KMXV (93.3 FM "Mix 93.3") is a Top 40 (CHR) station based in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. The Steel City Media outlet operates with an ERP of 100 kW. Its current slogan is "Kansas City's #1 Hit Music Station". It is also one of tw ...
,
KPRS
KPRS is an Urban contemporary radio station that broadcasts on the 103.3 MHz frequency licensed to Kansas City. The station's playlist consists of hip-hop, R&B, and gospel music. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), it is ...
, and
KZPT
KZPT (99.7 FM broadcasting, FM) is a hot adult contemporary radio station licensed to and serving the Kansas City metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1962 under the callsign (radio), call sign KMBC-FM. The station is owned by Auda ...
.
References
External links
*
{{Cumulus Media
Contemporary hit radio stations in the United States
Franklin County, Kansas
CHZ
Cumulus Media radio stations