KZEL-FM

KZEL-FM
City of license Eugene, Oregon
Broadcast area Eugene–Springfield, Oregon
Branding 96.1 KZEL
Slogan "Oregon's Quality Rock"
Frequency 96.1 MHz (also on HD Radio)
Translator(s) 96.5 K243BG (Corvallis)
96.7 K244DL (Cottage Grove)
99.3 K257EB (Riddle)
102.1 K271BL (Roseburg)
First air date 1969
Format Classic rock/AAA
ERP 100,000 watts (horiz)
43,000 watts (vert)
HAAT 333 meters
Class C
Facility ID 49822
Transmitter coordinates 44°00′05″N 123°06′48″W / 44.00139°N 123.11333°WCoordinates: 44°00′05″N 123°06′48″W / 44.00139°N 123.11333°W[1]
Callsign meaning George ZELlner, station founder[2]
Owner Cumulus Media
Sister stations KUJZ, KNRQ, KEHK, KUGN, KSCR
Webcast Listen Live
Listen Live via iHeart
Website 96kzel.com

KZEL-FM (96.1 FM) is a commercial radio station in Eugene, Oregon, in the United States. The station airs a mainstream rock/hybrid music format.[3]

It has applied for a U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) construction permit to move to a taller tower (HAAT 451.9 meters) at the same site and increase the vertically polarized ERP to 100,000 watts.

Translators

KZEL-FM programming is also carried on a series of broadcast translator stations to extend or improve the coverage area of the station.

Call sign Frequency
(MHz) 		City of license ERP
W 		Class FCC info
K243BG 96.5 Corvallis, Oregon 250 D FCC
K244DL 96.7 Cottage Grove, Oregon 250 D FCC
K257EB 99.3 Riddle, Oregon 10 D FCC
K271BL 102.1 Roseburg, Oregon 62 D FCC

History

KZEL-FM was founded and funded in 1967 by Eugene lumberman George "Tirebiter" Zellner. When he purchased the station, its call letters were KWFS.[4] Zellner changed the call letters to KZEL and sold the station to Jay and Barbara West in 1971.[5]

The Wests led KZEL for most of the 1970s as a free-format station. Its studios were located in Glenwood, near Springfield. Disc jockeys included John Napier, Gary "The Wasted Potato" Palmatier, Stan "Harry 'Til 6" Garrett, Michael Waggoner, Sleepy John (Cuthbertson), JET, Tom Krumm, Chris Kovarik, Magic Mike, and Peyton Mays. Additionally, KZEL carried "Daybreak" in the morning and "News & Information" in the afternoon. News anchors included Melinda Coates, Rosemary Reed, Cal Turlock (real name Phillip Johnson) and Bryce Zabel.

KZEL-FM belongs to Cumulus Media, a nationwide owner of radio stations. In 2006, the program director, Mark Raney, locked himself in the station's control room for 10 days to protest the management's decision to abandon KZEL's classic rock format and replace it with country music. Raney, with support from his listeners, persuaded the station's management to retain the rock format.[6]

KZEL-FM has been evolving from a classic rock format into an adult album alternative music format, adding music like Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Jack Johnson to the playlist. Weekday personalities on the station include Raney and John Frederick in the morning, Emma at mid-day, and C.Y.D. in the afternoon.

References

  1. ↑ "Radio locator: Eugene, Oregon". Theodric Technologies LLC. 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  2. ↑ Nelson, Bob (June 2, 2009). "Call Letter Origins" 238. The Broadcast Archive. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Retrieved June 21, 2009.
  4. ↑ The Register Guard, January 21, 1967
  5. ↑ The Register Guard, March 12, 1971
  6. ↑ The Register Guard, March 30, 2006

External links