KESZ
| City of license | Phoenix, Arizona |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Branding | 99.9 KEZ |
| Slogan | A Better Variety For A Better Work Day (General) Phoenix's Holiday Station (Nov.-Dec.) |
| Frequency | 99.9 MHz (also on HD Radio) 99.9 HD2 KEZ Classic |
| First air date | 1982 (as KNNN) |
| Format | Adult Contemporary (Christmas music Nov.-Dec.) |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 519 meters |
| Class | C |
| Facility ID | 40992 |
| Callsign meaning | EaSZ (The Z substitutes for the Y) |
| Former callsigns | KNNN (1982-1984) KLZI (1984-1988) |
| Owner | iHeartMedia, Inc. (CC Licenses, LLC) |
| Sister stations | KFYI, KGME, KMXP, KNIX, KOY, KYOT, KZZP |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | kez999.com |
KESZ (99.9 KEZ FM) is an adult contemporary radio station based in Phoenix, Arizona. Its studios are located in Phoenix near Sky Harbor Airport and its transmitter is in South Mountain Park.
History
The station signed on the air in 1982 as KNNN, a Spanish-language station. It made the evolution to its current format in 1988. In 1999, Clear Channel added the station to its Phoenix cluster.
The station is anchored by the highly successful "Beth and Bill Show," its Morning Drive Program since approximately 1990 (hosted by Beth McDonald and former KPNX meteorologist Bill Austin). The show was renamed Beth and Friends after Bill Austin retired in early 2010 due to his cancer. On June 2, 2010, Bill Austin (real name William Austin Waggoner) died of bladder cancer.[1]
Other KESZ hosts include Kevin Gossett (3pm-7pm), Robin Rock (10am-3pm), and Lori Bradley (evenings). All three also appear on radio stations owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. in other markets. Gossett is based in Phoenix, and also serves as KESZ's Program Director, while Rock is based in Chicago and Bradley in Seattle.
Traditions
Each year after Thanksgiving, the station has a tradition of playing "Non-Stop Christmas Music". Beth and Friends still air as regularly scheduled but the songs they play are strictly Christmas music.
Since 2008 the music has started prior to Thanksgiving.
Competitors
The station competes with two of its sister stations. One competitor is KMXP, which is Hot AC and excludes the 70's hits on KESZ. Another competitor is KYOT, which offers a Rhythmic AC format (although it was a competitor for many years with its Smooth Jazz/Smooth AC format).
HD Radio
KESZ's HD Radio signal is multiplexed. The main signal is a simulcast of KESZ's adult contemporary programming. The second channel carries KEZ's Classic Channel programmed by Clear Channel's Format Lab classic hits format consisting of songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s.
References
External links
- Station website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for KESZ
- Radio-Locator information on KESZ
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for KESZ
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