KAZR
Encyclopedia
KAZR is an FM
radio station
licensed to Pella, Iowa
, with studios in Des Moines, Iowa
. It is part of the Des Moines Radio Group, along with KPSZ
, KRNT, KIOA
, KLTI-FM
, and KSTZ
. Despite being an active rock
reporter to Mediabase
, they are a mainstream rock
reporter to Nielsen BDS.
/alternative rock
, blues
, and variety shows such as "The Grateful Dead
Hour". Its owner and program director, Ron Sorenson, had previously operated a station with those call letters on 94.9 FM (now KGGO
) in the early 1970s. KFMG became KAZR in August 1996 after Sorenson sold the station to Saga Communications
.
KAZR carried the syndicated Mancow's Morning Madhouse
until March 16, 2007, when station management dropped the show due to a perceived decline in the show's quality.
known as Lazerfest
. The inaugural festival took place at Waterworks Park in Des Moines, Iowa
, but was subsequently moved to the Indianola Balloon Grounds in Indianola, Iowa
in 2003. Lazerfest 2010 was the first Lazerfest to completely sell out, selling 25,000 tickets.
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...
radio station
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...
licensed to Pella, Iowa
Pella, Iowa
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,832 at the 2000 census. Pella is the home of Central College as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company.- History :...
, with studios in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
. It is part of the Des Moines Radio Group, along with KPSZ
KPSZ
KPSZ, "Praise 940", is an Christian radio station serving the Des Moines, Iowa, area. It is located at 940 on the AM dial. The station's studios are located at 1416 Locust Street in Des Moines along with Saga Communications' other Des Moines stations .-The Independent Years: 1948-1957:KIOA signed...
, KRNT, KIOA
KIOA
KIOA, "93.3 KIOA," is a classic hits radio station serving the Des Moines, Iowa, area. It is located at 93.3 on the FM dial. The station's studios are located at 1416 Locust Street in Des Moines along with Saga Communications' other Des Moines stations .-KWDM-Part 2:The 93.3 frequency got its...
, KLTI-FM
KLTI-FM
KLTI-FM is an American radio station broadcasting an adult contemporary music format. Licensed to Ames, Iowa, USA, the station serves the Des Moines area...
, and KSTZ
KSTZ
KSTZ, known as "Star 102.5," is an FM radio station based in Des Moines, Iowa. The station plays Hot Adult Contemporary music. KSTZ is part of Saga Communications' Des Moines Radio Group, along with KPSZ, KRNT, KAZR, KIOA, and KLTI-FM.-History:...
. Despite being an 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:...
reporter to Mediabase
Mediabase
Mediabase is a music industry service that monitors radio station airplay in 180 US and Canadian markets. Mediabase publishes music charts and data based on the most played songs on terrestrial and satellite radio, and provides in-depth analytical tools for radio and record industry professionals...
, they are a mainstream rock
Mainstream rock
Mainstream rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.-Format background:...
reporter to Nielsen BDS.
History
The station signed on as KPLL in 1976. The call letters changed to KXJX in 1980, KFMD in 1986, and KDMG in 1988. KDMG, owned by Beta Broadcasting, had a "gold" format until 1989 and then followed various "classic oldies" formats until late-1990. From January 1991 to April 1992, KDMG followed a AAA (adult alternative) "Where The Music Comes First" format similar to WXRT in Chicago or KBCO in Boulder before becoming KFMG in 1992. Nighttimes during the era of 1990-1996, 103.3 tended to be harder-edged, following an alternative/modern rock/new rock format. KFMG's format consisted of modernModern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
/alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, and variety shows such as "The Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
Hour". Its owner and program director, Ron Sorenson, had previously operated a station with those call letters on 94.9 FM (now KGGO
KGGO
KGGO is a classic rock radio station based in Des Moines, Iowa. It is located at 94.9 on the FM band. The station's studios are in Urbandale, Iowa, with Cumulus Media's other Des Moines stations: KJJY, KHKI, KWQW, and KBGG...
) in the early 1970s. KFMG became KAZR in August 1996 after Sorenson sold the station to Saga Communications
Saga Communications
Saga Communications is a broadcasting company that owns and operates stations in 26 markets in the United States. The company, which is based in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, primarily operates radio stations , but it also operates 9 television stations Saga Communications is a broadcasting...
.
Personalities and programming
Current local personalities include Ryan Patrick - who in addition to hosting Mid-Days during the week between 10am and 2pm, is also the station's Program Director, Andy Hall - who hosts Afternoon Drive during the week between 2pm and 7pm, and is also the station's Assistant Program Director and Music Director, "Moose" - the morning show host, "B-Sox" - the morning show co-host and Samantha Knight - who hosts nights during the week between 7pm and Midnight. The station airs a "Local Licks" program, featuring music from Des Moines-area bands, on Sunday nights, hosted by "Suzi." KAZR also runs two syndicated shows - HardDrive, hosted by Lou Brutus, and House of Hair, hosted by Dee Snider of Twisted Sister fame. Both shows air on Sundays.KAZR carried the syndicated Mancow's Morning Madhouse
Mancow's Morning Madhouse
Mancow’s Morning Madhouse is an American radio show hosted by Erich “Mancow” Muller. The show is broadcast to a number of markets of mainly FM radio stations throughout the United States....
until March 16, 2007, when station management dropped the show due to a perceived decline in the show's quality.
Lazerfest
On August 18, 2002, KAZR created and organized a music festivalMusic festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
known as Lazerfest
Lazerfest
Lazerfest is a music festival held in Indianola, Iowa created by the KAZR radio station in Des Moines, Iowa. The festival features currently active rock artists such as Stone Sour, Seether, Three Days Grace, and Avenged Sevenfold...
. The inaugural festival took place at Waterworks Park in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, but was subsequently moved to the Indianola Balloon Grounds in Indianola, Iowa
Indianola, Iowa
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,998 people, 4,748 households, and 3,261 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,414.7 people per square mile . There were 4,981 housing units at an average density of 542.1 per square mile...
in 2003. Lazerfest 2010 was the first Lazerfest to completely sell out, selling 25,000 tickets.
See also
- WLZXWLZXWLZX is a Saga Communications Active Rock radio station in East Longmeadow, Ma, broadcasting at 99.3 FM. The station has an active rock format.- History :...
99.3 "Everything That Rocks", Saga's Northampton, MA station of the same format. - WZZPWZZPWZZP is an Active Rock radio station that serves Clarksville, Tennessee, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Owned by Saga Communications, it debuted with a Classic Hits format in 2000, switching to the active rock format in 2003...
Z97.5 "Everything That Rocks", Saga's Clarksville, TennesseeClarksville, TennesseeClarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
station of the same format. - WHQGWHQGWHQG Radio is a mainstream rock FM radio station licensed to and serving the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area. The station is owned by Saga Communications...
"102.9 The Hog, Everything That Rocks", Saga's MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
station of the same format