KZLT-FM

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KZLT-FM
Image:LiteRock1043.jpg
City of license East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Broadcast area Grand Forks-East Grand Forks
Branding Lite Rock 104.3
Frequency 104.3 FM (MHz)
First air date December 3, 1979
Format Commercial; Adult contemporary
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 139.5 m
Class C1
Callsign meaning LT = Lite
Former callsigns KRAD-FM (1979-1981), KRRK (1981-1985), KZLT-FM (1985-present)
Owner Leighton Broadcasting
Sister stations KCNN, KNOX, KNOX-FM, KYCK, KZLT-FM
Website http://www.literock1043.com/

KZLT-FM (104.3 FM, "Lite Rock 104.3") is a radio station broadcasting an adult contemporary format. Licensed to East Grand Forks, Minnesota, it serves the Grand Forks, North Dakota metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1979 under the call sign KRAD-FM. The station is currently owned by Leighton Broadcasting.

[edit] History

The station signed on December 3, 1979 as a Class A on 103.9 as KRAD-FM, simulcasting KRAD AM 1590 (now KCNN), and was owned by Dave Norman.

The station flipped to album-oriented rock (predecessor to the classic rock radio format) in 1981 as KRRK "Rock 104", and KZLT in the spring of 1985 on the 104.3 frequency. Station owner Dave Norman changed the format to light Adult contemporary (AC) as "K-Lite" under the KZLT call sign, increased power to 100,000 watts from a transmitter west of Fisher, Minnesota. KZLT and KCNN were moved from the transmitter/studio complex in East Grand Forks to the Cass Gilbert designed Great Northern Railway Depot in downtown Grand Forks.

Formats of KZLT
Name (call signs) Format
KRAD-FM 103.9 News/Talk (1979-1981)
(simulcast of KRAD AM 1590)
Rock 104 (KRRK) Album-oriented rock (1981-1985)
K-Lite 104.3 (KZLT-FM) Adult contemporary (1985-1999)
Cities 104.3 Hot adult contemporary (1999-2001)
Z104 Classic rock (2001-2003)
Breeze 104.3 Adult Contemporary (2003-2005)
More Music 104.3 Hot Adult Contemporary (2005-2006)
CHR/Top 40 (2006-2007)
Lite Rock 104.3 Adult Contemporary (2007-present)

In late 1999, the station repositioned itself with a Hot AC format as "Cities 104.3". Lightning struck KZLT's transmitter on May 31, 2001, keeping the station off-air for a week. Cities 104.3 began broadcasting again at low-power until a new transmitter was completed in October 2001, when an 80's based classic rock format as "Z104" was introduced. Norman sold KZLT and KCNN to Leighton Broadcasting in 2003, and later KZLT changed back to adult contemporary format as "Breeze 104.3".

In December 2005, KZLT tweaked to a hot adult contemporary, and rebranded as "More Music 104.3".

Less than a month later, More Music 104.3 tweaked to an adult-leaning Top 40 (CHR) as "More Music 104.3" competing with Clear Channel's heritage Top 40 station KKXL-FM "XL93". The station played music from the Hot AC charts along with the CHR (Top 40 format) charts. More Music 104.3 gradually shifted to a mainstream Top 40 station by July 2006.

Due to inadequate ratings, KZLT reverted formats back to adult contemporary as "Lite Rock 104.3" on March 26, 2007, and began playing Christmas music on November 21, 2007.

[edit] External links