KZCH
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| City of license | Derby, Kansas |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Wichita, Kansas |
| Branding | Channel 9-6-3 |
| Slogan | All The Hits |
| Frequency | 96.3 MHz |
| First air date | 1978 at 95.9 FM |
| Format | Top 40 |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 150 meters |
| Class | C2 |
| Facility ID | 53599 |
| Callsign meaning | K Z CHannel |
| Owner | Clear Channel Communications |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | http://www.channel963.com |
KZCH "Channel 9-6-3" is a Mainstream Top 40 station serving the Wichita area. The Clear Channel Communications outlet broadcasts at 96.3 MHz with an ERP of 50 kW and is licensed to Derby, Kansas.
History
KZCH is a successor to heritage Top 40 KKRD (See KTHR), who they replaced in June 2004. 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 would later move on to KSLZ 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 not only the lone Rhythmic CHR station in the market, but also the most listened to as well due to KDGS having placed in the top five (including the top spot) in the Wichita Nielsen Audio books.
On March 23, 2009, at 10 am, the station changed its name (temporarily) to Britney 9-6-3 in order to gain support for Britney Spears' Circus Tour concert in Kansas City on April 2nd. It reverted to Channel 9-6-3 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 of 2006 when the show was eventually cancelled. They were replaced by then KZCH 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 Portland, Oregon at KKRZ). 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. The current morning show on KZCH is "The Bobby Bones Show" which began broadcasting Monday March 26, 2007. The show syndicates from KHFI in Austin, TX.
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
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Coordinates: 37°43′05″N 97°19′05″W / 37.718°N 97.318°W