KZCH
 | |
| City | Derby, Kansas |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Wichita, Kansas |
| Branding | Channel 963 |
| Slogan | Wichita's #1 Hit Music Station |
| Frequency | 96.3 MHz |
| First air date | 1978 at 95.9 FM |
| Format | Top 40 (CHR) |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 150 meters |
| Class | C2 |
| Facility ID | 53599 |
| Callsign meaning | K Z CHannel |
| Former callsigns |
KYMG KAKZ (11/23/83-10/01/85) KRZZ (10/01/85-06/18/04) KTHR (06/18/04-06/28/04) |
| Owner |
iHeartMedia, Inc. (Capstar TX LLC) |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | http://www.channel963.com |
KZCH (96.3 FM), also known as "Channel 963", is a Mainstream Top 40 station serving the Wichita area. The iHeartMedia, Inc. outlet broadcasts at 96.3 MHz with an ERP of 50 kW and is licensed to Derby, Kansas. Its studios are located in Northeast Wichita and the transmitter is just north of downtown.
History
KZCH is a successor to heritage Top 40 KKRD (See KTHR), who they replaced in June 2004.[1] Prior to that, the 96.3 signal was Classic Rock KRZZ, which began airing in 1985.
The first personality to debut on KZCH was Wichita native "HaZe", who held down the night shift from 7PM-Midnight. He later moved on to Sinclair Broadcasting's former CHR WZNR in Norfolk, Virginia. He is currently at KNOU in St. Louis.
When the station began, the station leaned heavily on rhythmic material. In 2006, the station readjusted towards a more mainstream direction. In 2009, the station would lean rhythmic again, and also mixed in old school. The move was to counter Rhythmic Top 40 rival KDGS, who is the lone Rhythmic CHR station in the market.
On March 23, 2009, at 10 am, the station changed its name (temporarily) to Britney 963 in order to gain support for Britney Spears' Circus Tour concert in Kansas City on April 2. It reverted to Channel 963 after the concert.
HD radio
In 2006, KZCH signed on HD Radio operations. On their HD 2 channel, the station carried Club Phusion. In 2011, it was replaced with modern rock, filling the void KANR left open when that station flipped to Spanish in 2006. In November 2012, 96.3 HD2 flipped back to dance, branded as "Evolution".
Morning show shuffle
KZCH has seen several morning radio shows come and go since its inception. The stations original morning show, "The Mat Mitchell in the Morning Show" featuring Mat Mitchell and Big Head Ted ran from late 2004 until November 2006, when the show was eventually cancelled. They were replaced by then-afternoon DJ Brett Andrews; however, he too left the station shortly thereafter assuming the role of morning DJ and moved to Las Vegas (he is now in St. Louis at KSLZ). Andrews was then in turn replaced by KZCH night DJ Spoon. However, just like Brett Andrews, "Spoon" did not last long during his stint as morning DJ and he left the station to take over nights in Jacksonville, Florida. For nearly 6 years, the morning show on KZCH was "The Bobby Bones Show" which began broadcasting on March 26, 2007. The show syndicated from KHFI in Austin, TX. The Bobby Bones Show is now carried on sister station KZSN. The current morning show on KZCH is Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, syndicated from WHTZ in New York City.
References
External links
- Station website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for KZCH
- Radio-Locator information on KZCH
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for KZCH
Coordinates: 37°43′05″N 97°19′05″W / 37.718°N 97.318°W