WKZL

Infobox Radio Station
name = WKZL


area = Greensboro / Winston-Salem / High Point | branding = "107-5 KZL"
slogan = "The #1 New Music Station"
airdate = 1970s
frequency = 107.5 (MHz)
format = Top 40 Mainstream
erp = 100,000 watts
class = C
owner = Dick Broadcasting
website = [http://www.1075kzl.com 1075kzl.com]
callsign_meaning = None

WKZL (107.5KZL) is a Mainstream Top 40 station licensed to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and serves the Piedmont Triad area, which also includes Greensboro and High Point. The outlet, which is owned by Dick Broadcasting, operates at 107.5 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW.

History

In 1958, WYFS became the first Winston-Salem station to play classical music. In 1966, the station became WAAA-FM, and WFDD took over classical music. The station began stereo broadcasts in 1975 shortly before changing its call letters to WKZL circa 1976.

The station had the call letters WSGH (standing for Winston-Salem / Greensboro / High Point) during the early 1970s when its format was Easy Listening. For a short period of time in the mid 70s the station featured an eclectic blend of pop, rock and progressive rock selected at random by the hosts. The late 70s era of WKZL’s programming was a mix of Top 40 and album cuts formulated into playlists based on focus groups created under the direction of eccentric owner Bob Brown.

One popular host to emerge from this group was North Carolina’s first premier female disc jockey, Kitty Kinnin, known to most listeners at just “Kitty.” Kinnin became popular not only for her musical knowledge but for her unique low raspy voice. By the end of the 70s, Kinnin was the evening anchor for a station that included Doug Paul, Rod Davis, J.J. Hemingway, DD Thornton, and the late Chuck Holloway.

Also housed in the same building with WKZL was AM radio station WAAA. Brown eventually sold WAAA to Mutter Evans, who made history at age 25 by becoming the youngest black woman to own a commercial radio station in the US. Soon afterwards Brown sold WKZL to Nationwide Broadcasting, while maintaining ownership of the building that housed both stations.

When Nationwide took control and installed Station Manager Rick Fromme and Program Director Tom Daniels, the station changed its format to the more classic AOR (Album Oriented Rock) under the guidance of the radio consultant firm Burkhart/Abrams. By 1982, WKZL was known by its slogan as “North Carolina’s Best Rock.” The playlist was built around well-known stadium artists such as Pink Floyd, The Who, and Led Zeppelin along with Southern Rock favorites Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers, and Molly Hatchet. Heavy metal artists AC/DC, Judas Priest, Ozzy Osborne, and copycat artists also shared the spotlight with AOR pop artists REO Speedwagon and Journey.

Some of the original staff remained - including Kitty Kinnin and Chuck Holloway - but most of the new staff brought on board came from other AOR stations.

Although WKZL branded itself as a classic rock station, it also distinguished itself as a leader in a small way with a new music program launched in March 1982 called the "New Generation Show." Former WKZL DJ DD Thornton submitted a proposal for a one-hour Sunday evening show to introduce new, innovative artists to the classic rock audience. Her proposal was considered so risky WKZL had to present it to Burkhart/Abrams asking for approval. Lee Abrams granted approval to give the show a test run.

The show debuted in March 1982 on Sunday evenings from 11:00 to midnight. Among the featured artists were Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, and XTC. The show became so popular that station manager Fromme decided to expand the show from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Around the same time, local nightclub "Casablanca" asked to try a live version of the show on Monday nights. That weekly event drew large crowds and ran for several years. Eventually the "New Generation Show" was expanded to Sundays from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and was live at several clubs in Winston-Salem and Greensboro.

The popularity of many of the new artists played on "New Generation," the introduction of MTV, and the dedication of record and radio professionals who recognized the value of these new artists, prompted WKZL to open its format a bit and bring new artists such as X, the English Beat, the Psychedelic Furs, Berlin, Gary Numan, Wall of Voodoo, Duran Duran, U2, and R.E.M., into regular rotation. Because of Thornton's persistence, R.E.M.'s song "Radio Free Europe" was allowed into WKZL's playlist, making WKZL one of the first major commercial stations to play R.E.M.'s music in high rotation.

WKZL went through a series of Program Directors grappling with the emergence of pop bands gaining popularity through MTV and how to balance these modern bands with the traditional “classic rock” format. By 1984, the hard-edge sound gave way to the pop sounds of Prince, Michael Jackson, and other artists who frequented Billboard’s Top 40 charts.

While the "New Generation Show" remained popular, as the station format and management evolved towards mainstream, program creator and producer DD Thornton altered the program name to "Choice Cuts" as a way of keeping pace with WKZL's changing facade, although the show's format remained the same. Yet as WKZL's format increasingly moved away from rock and into CHR, the juxtaposition of a show featuring groundbreaking artists with formulaic hits became more incongruous. Thornton cancelled the show and eventually left WKZL.

For most of the 90s, WKZL called itself "107.5 The Eagle", playing hot adult contemporary music. For a brief time, the station was modern adult contemporary, competing directly with "98-7 The Point" (the former 98.7 Kiss FM), which later took the name "98-7 The Zone", prior to switching the name and format of the station to "98-7 Simon" (current format is called "adult hits" and resembles an ipod shuffle) in 2005. Eventually the decision was made to return to Top 40. That came in 1999, around Labor Day weekend, when the station stunted, with recorded management saying that the station was underperforming and that all the deejays were suspended until a new plan could be worked out. Current morning man, Jack Murphy (Andrew Acuff) has been with the station for about 15 years. The core of the Murphy in the Morning Show for most of the 90's was Jack, joined by Terrie Knight (Johnson) (who also did news) and Chris Kelly (Roman Kirkman) (who also produced the show). Knight and Kelly exited in 1999, when Kelly went to do the "2 Guys Named Chris" show on Dick Broadcasting's other property, Rock 92 (WKRR). Knight went to do afternoons (at KZL), where she stayed until 2005 when she left the station and radio, altogether.

Program lineup

The station's current lineup is the Murphy in the Morning show from 5:30-10 am, with Jack Murphy, Katie O'Brian, Josh, and Jared. Anderson won a jingle contest for Alka-Seltzer and appeared in their ad during the Super Bowl pre-game in 2007. The ad continued to run throughout 2007. Josie does middays and Jason Goodman holds down afternoon drive. Goodman and Paza program the station. Tripper does nights, and images both KZL and ROCK 92. Overnights are voice-tracked (recorded on computer and then sequenced) mostly by Jeff Corbett, a station and company mainstay for eight years (at one time, he produced the "2 Guys Named Chris Show" and worked in the promotions department).

External links

*fmq|WKZL
*fml|WKZL