KSEZ
Radio station in Sioux City, Iowa, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
KSEZ (97.9 FM, "Z98") is a radio station broadcasting an active rock format. The station serves Sioux City, Iowa and is owned by iHeartMedia. KSEZ primarily competes with Powell Broadcasting's KKMA "Classic Rock 99.5".
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| |
| Broadcast area | Sioux City, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 97.9 MHz |
| Branding | Z98 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Active rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KGLI, KMNS, KSFT-FM, KWSL | |
| History | |
First air date | February 6, 1961[1] |
Former call signs | KDVR (1960–1974) |
Call sign meaning | From easy listening format 1974–1976 |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 10777 |
| Class | C1 |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 196 meters (643 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | z98rocks |
History
Edwin C. Wolff of Sioux City filed on August 13, 1960, for a construction permit to build a new FM radio station in Sioux City. Wolff announced that his sons, John and Daniel, would be heavily involved in the new station's operation; John ran a hi-fi radio store and was a symphony concertmaster in town.[3] The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted the application on October 5, less than two months later,[4] and KDVR began broadcasting on February 6, 1961.[1] Originally operating with 3,000 watts, the station upgraded to 38,000 watts in 1964.[5]
In 1973, Stuart Enterprises, owner of KMNS (620 AM), purchased KDVR from Wolff.[6] KDVR relaunched as easy listening station KSEZ "Stereo 98" that July.[7] An increase in effective radiated power from 38,000 to 62,000 watts went into effect in November 1975, increasing KSEZ's coverage area.[8] However, the easy listening format turned out to be unable to attract significant advertiser support in the market; as a result, on February 23, 1976, the station flipped to rock.[9]
Stuart sold its two Sioux City stations to Sentry Broadcasting, a division of Wisconsin-based Sentry Insurance, for $1.8 million in 1979.[10] In 1986, a carousel of changing ownership began for KMNS and KSEZ as Sentry sold the pair to Sage Broadcasting of Stamford, Connecticut; at the same time, it sold off three of its six other broadcasting operations.[11] Sage retained the pair for three years, selling to Legend Communications in 1989;[12] the stations were then sold to Chesterman Communications in 1992 after a previous attempt by the same buyer to purchase them the year before fell through.[13][14]
After the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which relaxed limits on radio station ownership, Chesterman and the Cardinal Communications cluster of KGLI and KWSL combined operations.[15] Chesterman later purchased the other stations and changed its name to Radioworks. Clear Channel, predecessor to iHeartMedia, acquired the Sioux City cluster from Radioworks for $12 million in 2000.[16]