KZII-FM

Infobox Radio station


name = KZII-FM
airdate = 1992
frequency = 102.5 MHz
city = Lubbock, Texas
area =
format = Top 40 (CHR)
owner = Gap Broadcasting
licensee = Gap Broadcasting Lubbock License, LLC
erp = 100,000 Watts
haat =
branding = "Z102"
slogan = "Lubbock's #1 Hit Music Station"
class = C
webcast = [http://www.z102.com/common/gap_streamer.php Listen Live!]
website = http://www.z102.com
former_callsigns = KRUX, KFYO-FM
callsign_meaning =
sister_stations = KFMX, KFYO, KKAM, KKCL, KQBR|

KZII-FM (102.5 FM), known as "Z102" is a Top 40 (CHR) formatted radio station serving Lubbock, Texas. The station is owned by Gap Broadcasting.

History

KZII went on air as KRUX in mid-March 1982. Studios were on the third floor of the Plains Bank building at 5010 50th, and the transmitter was at 98th and University (the KJTV tower). Station featured "six packs" of country music. It was owned by Rex Broadcasting Corporation of owner of KCUB (AM) and KIIM (FM) in Tucson, Az, and KROD (AM) and KLAQ (FM) in El Paso, Texas.

Rex was owned by Jim Sloane, and had filed for the station on 102.5 in 1977. A couple of other local stations (580 KDAV and 1590 KEND) also filed for the channel. The original engineering had been prepared by Guy Smith at the Ray Moran stations (Albuquerque and Roswell). Moran filed for 101.1 in 1973 and received it unopposed in 1973, went on air in 1974. Sloane delayed filing until the later seventies and ended up in a comparative hearing for the station.

KRUX was sold to the owners of crosstown 790 KFYO (AM) in mid 1985. Z102/KFYO studios were located at the KFYO transmitter site on Slide Road south of Lubbock near FM 1585. The studios were then moved to the then Gulfstar (later AM/FM, and currently Clear Channel) studios at 4413 82nd Street (82nd and Quaker) in the late 90s. By year end in 1985, the transmitter had been relocated to a temporary location in north Lubbock, and in 1985-1986 the transmitter was moved to a new tower at 82nd and Avenue P (The Lubbock Tower) shared by then 94.5 KFMX, 96.3 KLLL, 99.5 KRLB (now KQBR), and 102.5 KFYO-FM. Later 98.1 KKCL and 1340 KKAM moved in. Some studios, including KKAM have since been moved to studios near the south loop of Highway 289.

After Gulfstar's parent company Capster merged with Chancellor Broadcasting, these stations were eventually sold to one of the Hicks family controlled groups that were later rolled up into Clear Channel Communications.

In 2006, Clear Channel announced they were going private, and later announced they would sell many of their smaller market stations, including their cluster in Lubbock. GAP Broadcasting purchased these stations, including KZII-FM.

Programming

Z102's current format is Mainstream CHR which is a variant of Top 40, although the station has shifted between Mainstream CHR and Rhythmic CHR over the past 10 years, as different stations entered the Lubbock market to compete.

On air, Z102's positioning over the years has included "Hot Hitz, 102.5 Z102"; "H - I - T - Z102" (How you spell Hits); "Continuous Hit Music, 102.5 Z102"; "Your #1 Hit Music Station, 102.5 Z102"; and is currently "Lubbock's #1 Hit Music Station, Z102".

External links

*FMQ|KZII
*FML|KZII
*FMARB|KZII