KSZR
Encyclopedia
KSZR is an adult hits
formatted radio station
serving Tucson, Arizona
, USA. It is licensed to broadcast from Oro Valley, Arizona
, (a northern suburb of Tucson), but its reception is generally above average in most areas of Tucson. It is owned by Cumulus Media
. The station is focused on '70s and '80s rock
and adult contemporary music. KSZR plays current pop
and modern rock
as well.
station.
In 1994 KRKN's call letters were changed to KCDI. As KCDI, the station was known as "CD Country" and played satellite delivered country music.
In 1996 KCDI became KSJM, and was known as Power 97.5. Power played a mix of hip hop, Spanish, and Top 40 music, (today's Rhythmic Top 40) and received high ratings, which competed with KOHT
.http://2005.hot983.com/pages/rdubs_naybahood.html. Power was the first station in Tucson to play Rhythmic Top 40 over the FM airwaves.
After about two years, Citadel Broadcasting
purchased the station from locally owned Slone Broadcasting. In 1998, Citadel turned Power 97.5 to a smooth jazz
station. It was known as 97-5 The Oasis. The call letters became KOAZ.
Due to low ratings and a lack of interest, the smooth jazz format was scrapped for a Country
format known as "Cat Country" in 2001. This seemed to be a response to Clear Channel Communications
' addition of a country station to Tucson, 92.9 Coyote Country (KOYT)(Today's KWMT-FM
). Clear Channel's plans in creating Coyote Country were to take away enough listeners from long-dominant KIIM-FM
99.5 (who coincidentally enough is also owned by Citadel), who has consistently been number one in the Tucson Arbitron
ratings. Both Cat Country and Coyote Country failed.
The station then changed to "Star 975" in 2002, a mix of pop
, modern rock
, and adult contemporary. The call letters became KSZR, and this format went on the longest. Ratings still failed to make a considerable difference, and Star 975 failed.
In November 2004, Citadel Broadcasting Corporation changed Star to BOB FM
, an adult contemporary / variety hits format. KSZR is currently still BOB FM. But based on still lacking ratings, there are various rumors that it will change to a talk format which is more common on AM radio. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
formatted 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...
serving Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, USA. It is licensed to broadcast from Oro Valley, Arizona
Oro Valley, Arizona
Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson, Arizona, USA in Pima County. According to a July 2008 estimate, the population of the town is 43,223, an increase from 29,700 in 2000 Oro Valley, incorporated in 1974, is a suburban town located north of Tucson,...
, (a northern suburb of Tucson), but its reception is generally above average in most areas of Tucson. It is owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
. The station is focused on '70s and '80s rock
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
and adult contemporary music. KSZR plays current pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
as well.
History
KSZR has gone through a variety of format changes in the past. Its first days on the air as KRKN were as a satellite based rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
station.
In 1994 KRKN's call letters were changed to KCDI. As KCDI, the station was known as "CD Country" and played satellite delivered country music.
In 1996 KCDI became KSJM, and was known as Power 97.5. Power played a mix of hip hop, Spanish, and Top 40 music, (today's Rhythmic Top 40) and received high ratings, which competed with KOHT
KOHT
KOHT is a Rhythmic Top 40 station serving Tucson, Arizona, and is licenced to Marana, . It has been owned by Clear Channel Communications since July 30, 2001 and broadcasts at 98.3 MHz with an ERP of 6 kW. The station's playlist is primarily Rhythmic Top 40, hip hop and R&B.-History:KOHT...
.http://2005.hot983.com/pages/rdubs_naybahood.html. Power was the first station in Tucson to play Rhythmic Top 40 over the FM airwaves.
After about two years, Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the country...
purchased the station from locally owned Slone Broadcasting. In 1998, Citadel turned Power 97.5 to a 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 ....
station. It was known as 97-5 The Oasis. The call letters became KOAZ.
Due to low ratings and a lack of interest, the smooth jazz format was scrapped for a Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format known as "Cat Country" in 2001. This seemed to be a response to Clear Channel Communications
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...
' addition of a country station to Tucson, 92.9 Coyote Country (KOYT)(Today's KWMT-FM
KWMT-FM
KMIY is a Hot AC radio station that serves Tucson, Arizona. KMIY broadcasts on the frequency of 92.9 MHz, and is licensed to Tucson. KMIY is owned by Clear Channel Communications....
). Clear Channel's plans in creating Coyote Country were to take away enough listeners from long-dominant KIIM-FM
KIIM-FM
KIIM-FM is a country music formatted radio station broadcasting in Tucson, Arizona, United States. KIIM-FM broadcasts from a tower site in the Tucson Mountains, west of Tucson, with 93,000 watts of power.-Personalities:...
99.5 (who coincidentally enough is also owned by Citadel), who has consistently been number one in the Tucson Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings. Both Cat Country and Coyote Country failed.
The station then changed to "Star 975" in 2002, a mix of pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
, and adult contemporary. The call letters became KSZR, and this format went on the longest. Ratings still failed to make a considerable difference, and Star 975 failed.
In November 2004, Citadel Broadcasting Corporation changed Star to BOB FM
Bob FM
Bob FM is the on-air brand of a number of FM radio stations in Canada and the United States. The Bob FM format features a mix of classic 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles....
, an adult contemporary / variety hits format. KSZR is currently still BOB FM. But based on still lacking ratings, there are various rumors that it will change to a talk format which is more common on AM radio. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.