Sunny radio
Encyclopedia
Sunny Radio is a radio station
in Brandon, South Dakota
with the Call Letters KZOY. It broadcasts an eighties format. It is currently the third most popular radio station in the Sioux Empire
.
In mid 2010, they purchased an old AM station from backyard broadcasting
, since they did not use AM 1520. The small radio station is growing rapidly with many national programs from the eighties on the weekends like Casey Kasem
's 80's show, The Amazing 80's with MG Kelly, Rick Dees Weekly Top 40
and The Rockin' 80's with Zander. The couple also uses the station's staff and their children to make their own radio shows. These include The Breakfast Club
, the morning show, the afternoon show "Mac in the Mid Day", Cheers
, the late afternoon show, and the "night ride" with kit
, the show that runs late at night. There are local announcers that are working during the week to take requests (605-582-1980)
They also recently purchased an FM frequency tower that will allow the music run all day and night, as the AM station turns off sunset. They hope to have the FM on the air soon at 92.1 FM in the Sioux Falls area.
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...
in Brandon, South Dakota
Brandon, South Dakota
There were 1,909 households out of which 53.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.0% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.6% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.3% had someone...
with the Call Letters KZOY. It broadcasts an eighties format. It is currently the third most popular radio station in the Sioux Empire
Sioux Falls metropolitan area
The Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of four counties in South Dakota, anchored by the city of Sioux Falls...
.
History and Present State
Sunny Radio was formed by John and Heidi Small. John had previous radio experience and always dreamed of owning his own station. In the summer of 2009, the couple began working on building Brandon's first local radio station. They decided on an eighties format since it was a lively time with no wars, and the music is fun and great to dance to. They went with the slogan "Sunny Radio... Where it's ALWAYS in the 80's!!"In mid 2010, they purchased an old AM station from backyard broadcasting
Backyard Broadcasting
Backyard Broadcasting is a radio broadcasting company, primarily owning radio stations in medium-sized, small and rural markets in the United States. The company is owned by the private equity firms Boston Ventures Management and Pacific Corporate Group and is headed by Barry Drake, the former head...
, since they did not use AM 1520. The small radio station is growing rapidly with many national programs from the eighties on the weekends like Casey Kasem
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
's 80's show, The Amazing 80's with MG Kelly, Rick Dees Weekly Top 40
Rick Dees Weekly Top 40
Rick Dees' Weekly Top 40 is an internationally-syndicated radio program created and hosted by American radio personality Rick Dees. It is currently heard on over 200 radio stations worldwide and the American Forces Network. It is distributed domestically by Citadel Media Networks and...
and The Rockin' 80's with Zander. The couple also uses the station's staff and their children to make their own radio shows. These include The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American teen drama film written and directed by John Hughes. The storyline follows five teenagers as they spend a Saturday in detention together and come to realize that they are all deeper than their respective stereotypes.-Plot:The plot follows five students at...
, the morning show, the afternoon show "Mac in the Mid Day", Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
, the late afternoon show, and the "night ride" with kit
Kit
-Animals:* kit, a young ferret* a short form of kitten, a young cat* Kit fox, a relatively common North American fox* Kit, a group of domestic pigeons trained to perform together in competitions-Companies and organisations:...
, the show that runs late at night. There are local announcers that are working during the week to take requests (605-582-1980)
They also recently purchased an FM frequency tower that will allow the music run all day and night, as the AM station turns off sunset. They hope to have the FM on the air soon at 92.1 FM in the Sioux Falls area.
Trivia
- The radio shows that are from the eighties the station airs play on the same day as they did on the day they originally aired.
- The station currently has only eight employees, most of them for advertisement sales.
- The LLC for the station was named cup 'o' dirt after the routine of John and Heidi's favorite comedian, Brian ReganBrian ReganBrian Regan is a stand-up comedian who uses observational, sarcastic, and self-deprecating humor. His performances are relatively "clean" as he refrains from profanity and off-color humor. Regan's material typically covers everyday events, such as shipping a package with UPS and a visit to an...
. - Ty, the co-host for Cheers goes by the nickname the Kahuna on the air, named after a business he started called Kahuna KaraokeKaraokeis a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
. - Mac, the midday personality, also voices Vinny RigotonyRigatoniRigatoni is a form of tube-shaped pasta of varying lengths and diameters. It is larger than penne and ziti and sometimes slightly curved. Rigatoni is usually ridged, and the tube's end is square-cut like ziti, not diagonal like penne....
, a high pitched Italian-American prankster who tells jokes every lunch hour. - Jamie, the other co-host for Cheers is John's younger sister.
- Throughout the station's main building is eighties memorabilia.
- Sunny's owners have met Bret MichaelsBret MichaelsBret Michaels is an American musician, actor, director, screenwriter, producer and reality television personality. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist of the glam metal band Poison. Besides his career as lead singer, he has several solo albums to his credit, as well as one chart single...
, Bad Boy TroySly FoxSly Fox is a comedic play by Larry Gelbart, based on Ben Jonson's Volpone , updating the setting from Renaissance Venice to 19th century San Francisco, and changing the tone from satire to farce....
, and Tommy TutoneTommy TutoneTommy Tutone is a New Wave band, best known for its 1982 hit "867-5309/Jenny", which peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although it is usually referred to as a San Francisco band, it was actually based in Willits, California, at the time that "Jenny" was released...
. They have seen many more in concert. - Sunny, the station's mascot, was based on the town of Brandon's mascot.
- It's official grand opening was on September 30th, 2010. There were several festivities there, such as a photo boothPhoto boothA photo booth is a vending machine or modern kiosk that contains an automated, usually coin-operated, camera and film processor. Today the vast majority of photo booths are digital. Traditionally photo booths contain a seat or bench designed to seat the one or two patrons being photographed...
, a baloon hatHatA hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
maker, a snack barSnack barthumb|A snack bar in AmsterdamA snack bar usually refers to an inexpensive food counter that is part of a permanent structure where snack foods and light meals are sold. A beach snack bar is often a small building situated high on the sand. Besides soft drinks, candies and chewing gum, some snack...
including sodaSoda- Food and beverages :* Soft drink, a beverage product* Carbonated water, also known as "soda water"* Ice cream soda, a dessert dish* Soda cracker, or saltine cracker* Soda bread, a variety of quick bread- Science, technology, and biology :...
and popcornPopcornPopcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...
machines, and Bounce houses. - Every HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
, Sunny's staff records an old creepy radio play, and does a "creepy countdownCasey's Top 40Casey's Top 40 was a CHR/Pop music countdown that was hosted by Casey Kasem and distributed by Westwood One from 1989-1998. Kasem joined Westwood One when he was unable to reach an agreement with ABC Radio Networks in 1988, who was the distributor of American Top 40 at the time.-Similarities...
" with various 80's horror movie icons. The first Countdown was hosted by Freddy Kruger. - Sunny Radio will pay for anybody who wants one to get a Sunny Radio logo tattoo.