KDIZ

Infobox Radio station
name = KDIZ


city = Golden Valley, Minnesota
area = Minneapolis-St. Paul
branding =
slogan = "Radio Disney"
airdate =
frequency = 1440 kHz HD Radio
format = Children's Radio
power = 500 watts night
5,000 watts day
erp =
haat =
class = B
facility_id = 35504
coordinates = coord|44|59|20.00|N|93|21|6.00|W|region:GB_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns = KQRS, KGLD, KQRS
owner = The Walt Disney Company
licensee = Radio Disney Minneapolis Assets, LLC
sister_stations =
webcast =
website = [http://www.radiodisney.com radiodisney.com]
affiliations = Radio Disney

KDIZ (1440 AM) is a radio station serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. They are owned by The Walt Disney Company, and air the Radio Disney radio network.

History

The original call letters were KEVE and they played country music for many years. At one point, they were owned by the same company that owned KMSP-TV. When they acquired an FM station, they called it KADM (as in "Adam and Eve").

Eventually, the call letters for both stations became KQRS, and the two stations aired a beautiful music format. In 1967, they began experimenting with freeform rock music from midnight to 5 AM every night via the "Night Watch" program, playing R&B, jazz and psychedelic rock. The foray proved successful, and by the end of 1968 it became the full-time format for the two stations.

The KQRS call sign stayed with 1440 AM, and for many years they simulcast with their FM sister, though they briefly switched to an oldies format as KGLD in 1984 before returning to the simulcast.

In 1996, the AM station became one of the initial affiliates of the new Radio Disney, with a children's format that competed with WWTC, then the flagship station of "Radio Aahs."

Disney had previously been collaborating with Radio Aahs, who's flagship was WWTC, also in Minneapolis. Disney dropped out of the contract and began competing with the outlet. After a lawsuit, a settlement was made between Disney and the former Aahs owners in 2002, finally being paid in 2005. With accumulated interest, it was a $12.4 million payment.

On November 12th, 2005 the station made world news when a riot erupted at their Jingle Jam Concert featuring B5 forced the venue Brookdale Mall to be closed. Members of the group were stripped of shirts, shoes and earrings.

External links

* [http://radio.disney.go.com/mystation/Minneapolis/index.html Radio Disney AM 1440 section of RadioDisney.com]
*Radio Disney
*AMQ|KDIZ
*AML|KDIZ