KESZ
 | |
| City | Phoenix, Arizona |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Branding | 99.9 KEZ |
| Slogan |
A Better Variety For A Better Work Day (General) The Valley's Home For Christmas Music! (Nov.-Dec.) |
| Frequency |
99.9 MHz (also on HD Radio) 99.9 HD2: 99 KEZ Christmas |
| First air date | 1982 (as KNNN) |
| Format |
FM/HD1: Adult contemporary Christmas music (Nov.-Dec.) HD2: Christmas music |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 519 meters (1,703 ft) |
| Class | C |
| Facility ID | 40992 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 33°20′02″N 112°03′47″W / 33.334°N 112.063°WCoordinates: 33°20′02″N 112°03′47″W / 33.334°N 112.063°W |
| Callsign meaning | EaSZ (The Z substitutes for the Y) |
| Former callsigns |
KNNN (1982-1984) KLZI (1984-1988) |
| Owner |
iHeartMedia (CC Licenses, LLC) |
| Sister stations | KFYI, KGME, KMXP, KNIX-FM, KOY, KYOT, KZZP |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kez999.iheart.com |
KESZ (99.9 FM; "KEZ") is an adult contemporary radio station based in Phoenix, Arizona. The station is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. Its studios are located in Phoenix near Sky Harbor Airport and its transmitter is in South Mountain Park.
History
The station signed on the air in 1982 as KNNN, a Spanish-language station. It exited the format with a sale to TransCOM in 1984, which changed the callsign to KLZI and the format to adult contemporary.[1] It made the evolution to its current format in 1988. In 1999, Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia) added the station to its Phoenix cluster.
The station is anchored by the successful "Beth and Bill Show," its Morning Drive Program since approximately 1990 (hosted by Beth McDonald and former KPNX meteorologist Bill Austin). The show was renamed Beth and Friends after Bill Austin retired in early 2010 due to his cancer. On June 2, 2010, Bill Austin (real name William Austin Waggoner) died of bladder cancer.[2]
Since January 2016, KEZ reimaged using Cam Brainard and Rachael Mcgrath, along with a jingle package change from RW One CHR to RW One AC and changed their positioner to a Better Variety For A Better Work Day. KEZ uses the WLTW logo melody in its jingle presentation.
Traditions
Each year after Thanksgiving, the station has a tradition of playing "Non-Stop Christmas Music". Beth and Friends still air as regularly scheduled but the songs they play are strictly Christmas music. Since 2008 the music has started prior to Thanksgiving.
Competitors
The station competes with two of its sister stations. One competitor is KMXP, which is Hot AC and excludes the 1970s' hits on KESZ. Another competitor is KYOT, which offers an adult hits format (although it was a competitor for many years with its Smooth Jazz/Smooth AC and Rhythmic AC formats).
HD Radio
KESZ's HD Radio signal is multiplexed. The main signal is a simulcast of KESZ's adult contemporary programming. The second channel initially carried KEZ's Classic Channel programmed by iHeartMedia's Format Lab classic hits format consisting of songs from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. As of April 2017, this changed to iHeart 70s. On October 1, 2017, KESZ-HD2 switched to a Christmas music format and continued to do so as of the last week of March 2018.
References
- ↑ "Valley's last Spanish FM radio station to sign off". The Arizona Republic. 28 February 1984.
- ↑ http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_phoenix_metro/central_phoenix/former-tv,-radio-personality-bill-austin-dies