KZIA

Infobox Radio Station
name = KZIA


city = Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA
area = Cedar Rapids-Iowa City
branding = Z 102.9
slogan = "Today's Hit Music"
airdate =
frequency = 102.9 (MHz) HD Radio 102.9-2 FM Classic rock (HD) 102.9-3 FM Sports(HD)
format = Top 40 (CHR)
erp = 100,000 watts
class = C1
owner = KZIA, Inc. (Rob Norton & Elliot Keller) | callsign_meaning = K Z IowA
former_callsigns = KQCR (before 1995) KXMX (1995-1998)
website = [http://www.kzia.com/ www.kzia.com]

KZIA, known as "Z 102.9", is a radio station based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It has a Top 40 (CHR) format primarily staffed with local personalities, including morning DJ's Scott Schulte and Ric Swann, although it also carries Ryan Seacrest's "American Top 40". The station's transmitter is located in Hiawatha, Iowa, and its signal reaches most of eastern Iowa, including Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and Waterloo. [cite web|author=RadioLocator.com|title=Predicted Coverage Area for KZIA 102.9 FM, Cedar Rapids, IA|url=http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=KZIA&service=FM&status=L&hours=U|accessdate=2007-02-24]

History

KZIA was originally known as KQCR, which had a top 40 format as "Q103" for many years. In 1994, Rob Norton and Eliot Keller, owners of KRNA radio, purchased KQCR to create the Cedar Rapids market's first radio duopoly. On September 5, 1995, KQCR changed its format to country music and its call letters to KXMX, "Max 102.9". The country format lasted almost three years until Norton and Keller agreed to sell KRNA and KXMX to Texas-based Capstar Broadcasting. While the KRNA sale was successful, Capstar terminated the agreement to buy KXMX. [cite news|first=George C|last=Ford|title=KRNA buy OK'd after KXMX deal nixed|work=The Gazette|date=1998-06-09|page=8B] Norton and Keller kept the station, changing the format to contemporary hits and the call letters to KZIA on June 12, 1998. [cite web|author=Federal Communications Commission|title=Call Sign History|url=http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=35556&Callsign=KZIA|accessdate=2007-02-24] Today KZIA is the only locally-owned commercial FM station in the Cedar Rapids market, as most FM's in the area are owned by either Clear Channel Communications or Cumulus Media. [cite book|first=Jeff|last=Stein|title=Making Waves: The People and Places of Iowa Broadcasting|location=Cedar Rapids, Iowa|publisher=WDG Communications|year=2004|pages=111|id=ISBN 0-9718323-1-5]

On May 14, 2003, KZIA became the first Iowa radio station to broadcast in HD Radio. [Stein, 182.] The station also airs a Classic Rock format on HD2 and a sports format on HD3.

On October 31, 2006, KZIA acquired the former KCRG radio (1600 AM) from Gazette Communications. KZIA renamed the station KGYM and moved its studios from downtown Cedar Rapids to the KZIA studios on the city's southwest side. [cite news|first=John|last=Kenyon|title=Changing the station|url=http://www.corridorbiznews.com/aspx/NewsDetail.aspx?ItemID=877|work=Corridor Business Journal|date=2006-12-18]

References

External links

* [http://www.kzia.com KZIA website]
*
*