KZAP (defunct)
Encyclopedia
KZAP was an album rock formatted radio station
based in Sacramento, California
, that broadcast between 1968 and 1992 at 98.5 on the FM dial.
and KSAN in San Francisco.
Gahagen agreed, and, on November 8, 1968, radio station KZAP made its debut. After hearing a montage of the new station’s announcers and “Revolution” by the Beatles, listeners were treated to the song “Cristo Redentor” by Harvey Mandel
. The station had the slogan “K-ZAP…Free Form Stereo at 98 and a half.” Initially, the station broadcast from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday. Within a few months, the station was on 24 hours a day, six days a week. A year after the station made its debut, it was on the air 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The station was truly free form. The air talent hand picked their music, and one could conceivably hear a classical piece followed by a psychedelic rock
track followed by a jazz or blues
tune. The station’s emphasis was on the “art” of mixing music, rather than company profit.
The station continued in this mode until late 1971 or early 1972. At that time, KZAP placed a certain amount of control on the musical presentation, but not enough to make a significant difference to the average listener. The station changed hands in 1972, following the sudden death of owner Lee Gahagen. The new owners, New Day Broadcasting, were supportive of the format and the air talent working at the station.
The new owners hired radio consultant Lee Abrams
of the Burkhart-Abrams consulting group to advise the station on what direction to take. Abrams had developed the “Super Stars” format and had been very successful in delivering large ratings at the expense of musical creativity in many radio markets. His methods involved reducing the musical library to roughly 400 songs at any given time, and emphasizing the announcer talent over the music. Basically, Abrams took Top 40 principles and applied them to Album Rock radio. While his “Super Stars” format was not as tight as Top 40 radio, it was considerably more restricted than any Rock radio listener was used to hearing in Sacramento.
On the first business day of 1979, the new owners fired KZAP’s Program Director, Robert Willliams and replaced him with Chris Miller of WQDR in Raleigh, North Carolina. One by one, most of the remaining air staff quit or were fired. The new “Superstars” format was quickly installed after the station broadcast 98 hours of live rock. The station was heavily promoted in local media as “FM 98, K-Z-A-P, Sacramento’s Best Rock.”
New on-air talent came to the station from other Sacramento radio stations. Andy Rush from KROI-FM did morning's and Bryan Davis (Simmons) from KROY and KROI-FM was hired to do midday's. Eventually they were joined by Jon Russell of AM-14 KXOA in afternoon drive and Tom Cale from Earth Radio 102 KSFM. In its first “book” as a “Superstars” station, KZAP went from a 2.7 to an 8.1 share (“12+”). The station appealed to listeners from both Progressive rock
and Top 40 stations, and was aimed squarely at 18-34 year old males.
The station took such a serious chunk of KSFM
's listener-ship, that the owners of “Earth Radio” switched the format of their Progressive Rock station to CHR in September 1979. At that point, KZAP became the only Album Oriented Rock station in Sacramento. In early 1980, KZAP had a nearly 15 percent share of the entire Sacramento market (12 +).
The station continued with its extremely popular mainstream AOR format under the guise of Program Directors Chris Miller and Les Tracy in the early and mid 1980s. When KROY
(96.9) flipped to a Soft Adult Contemporary format as KSAC, the owners sought to broaden the format to include more mainstream artists in KZAP’s already tightly-formatted Superstars format; Les Tracy refused to add the softer music to the format, and subsequently went to work for KOME in San Jose.
The station continued to plod along as the undisputed king of Sacramento radio, and skewed its format to attract the upper end of its desired demographic group. By the late-middle 1980s, the station leaned towards Classic Rock programming. Roseville-based KRXQ
(93.7) picked up the younger-end of KZAP’s listener base.
.
Eventually, the station flipped its focus to Classic Country
, apparently unable to deal with the double attack of KSKK
(105.1) and KQBR
(104.3). It also changed its call letters to KRAK-FM, and the KNCI call letters went to 105.1 FM. The station’s ratings were short of stellar. EZ Communications
owned KRAK-FM at that time, and entered into an agreement with Entercom to switch the frequencies of KRXQ and KRAK in March 1998.
Today, KZAP (as we know it) is what was once its own competition, KRXQ
, at the same 98.5 frequency as its predecessor.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
based in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, that broadcast between 1968 and 1992 at 98.5 on the FM dial.
The beginning
In the spring of 1968, Lee Gahagen (California Talking Wireless Company) was approached by some students from Sacramento State University who worked at campus radio station KERS (90.7). They convinced Gahagen to run a “free form” radio station, similar to KMPXKMPX
KMPX, virtual channel 29, is a television station in Decatur, Texas, serving the Dallas/Fort Worth market as an Estrella TV affiliate broadcasting on UHF digital channel 30. KMPX is owned by José and Lenard Liberman's broadcasting firm, Liberman Broadcasting....
and KSAN in San Francisco.
Gahagen agreed, and, on November 8, 1968, radio station KZAP made its debut. After hearing a montage of the new station’s announcers and “Revolution” by the Beatles, listeners were treated to the song “Cristo Redentor” by Harvey Mandel
Harvey Mandel
Harvey Mandel is an American guitarist known for his innovative approach to electric guitar playing. A professional at twenty, he played with Charlie Musselwhite, Canned Heat, The Rolling Stones, and John Mayall before starting a solo career...
. The station had the slogan “K-ZAP…Free Form Stereo at 98 and a half.” Initially, the station broadcast from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday. Within a few months, the station was on 24 hours a day, six days a week. A year after the station made its debut, it was on the air 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The station was truly free form. The air talent hand picked their music, and one could conceivably hear a classical piece followed by a psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
track followed by a jazz or blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
tune. The station’s emphasis was on the “art” of mixing music, rather than company profit.
The station continued in this mode until late 1971 or early 1972. At that time, KZAP placed a certain amount of control on the musical presentation, but not enough to make a significant difference to the average listener. The station changed hands in 1972, following the sudden death of owner Lee Gahagen. The new owners, New Day Broadcasting, were supportive of the format and the air talent working at the station.
KZAP evolves
In 1973, KZAP became more rock-focused and established some guidelines for the announcers to follow, but there were no actual play-lists. Announcers had to play a certain number of songs from a given musical category each hour, but that was the general limit of the play-list. The station’s slogan was “FM 98, K-ZAP…..It’s all about the music.” The station more or less continued in this direction until the station was sold to a Las Vegas company (Western Cities Broadcasting) in late 1978.The new owners hired radio consultant Lee Abrams
Lee Abrams
Lee Abrams is an American media executive who has held a number of posts for large and influential companies, and is generally credited with developing the "Album Oriented Rock" format employed by hundreds of radio stations across the country.-Career:...
of the Burkhart-Abrams consulting group to advise the station on what direction to take. Abrams had developed the “Super Stars” format and had been very successful in delivering large ratings at the expense of musical creativity in many radio markets. His methods involved reducing the musical library to roughly 400 songs at any given time, and emphasizing the announcer talent over the music. Basically, Abrams took Top 40 principles and applied them to Album Rock radio. While his “Super Stars” format was not as tight as Top 40 radio, it was considerably more restricted than any Rock radio listener was used to hearing in Sacramento.
On the first business day of 1979, the new owners fired KZAP’s Program Director, Robert Willliams and replaced him with Chris Miller of WQDR in Raleigh, North Carolina. One by one, most of the remaining air staff quit or were fired. The new “Superstars” format was quickly installed after the station broadcast 98 hours of live rock. The station was heavily promoted in local media as “FM 98, K-Z-A-P, Sacramento’s Best Rock.”
New on-air talent came to the station from other Sacramento radio stations. Andy Rush from KROI-FM did morning's and Bryan Davis (Simmons) from KROY and KROI-FM was hired to do midday's. Eventually they were joined by Jon Russell of AM-14 KXOA in afternoon drive and Tom Cale from Earth Radio 102 KSFM. In its first “book” as a “Superstars” station, KZAP went from a 2.7 to an 8.1 share (“12+”). The station appealed to listeners from both Progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and Top 40 stations, and was aimed squarely at 18-34 year old males.
The station took such a serious chunk of KSFM
KSFM
KSFM is a Rhythmic Contemporary Hits formatted radio station serving the Sacramento, California, USA, area. Its city of license and transmitter are located in Woodland but their studios are based in Sacramento...
's listener-ship, that the owners of “Earth Radio” switched the format of their Progressive Rock station to CHR in September 1979. At that point, KZAP became the only Album Oriented Rock station in Sacramento. In early 1980, KZAP had a nearly 15 percent share of the entire Sacramento market (12 +).
The station continued with its extremely popular mainstream AOR format under the guise of Program Directors Chris Miller and Les Tracy in the early and mid 1980s. When KROY
KROY
KROY was a popular top 40 radio station in Sacramento, California best known for its "music power" pop/rock format and as a home for top on-air talent.-Early years:...
(96.9) flipped to a Soft Adult Contemporary format as KSAC, the owners sought to broaden the format to include more mainstream artists in KZAP’s already tightly-formatted Superstars format; Les Tracy refused to add the softer music to the format, and subsequently went to work for KOME in San Jose.
The station continued to plod along as the undisputed king of Sacramento radio, and skewed its format to attract the upper end of its desired demographic group. By the late-middle 1980s, the station leaned towards Classic Rock programming. Roseville-based KRXQ
KRXQ
KRXQ is a commercial radio station in Sacramento, California, broadcasting on 98.5 FM. The station airs an active rock music format branded as "98 Rock"...
(93.7) picked up the younger-end of KZAP’s listener base.
The K-ZAPping
In November 1990, KROY (96.9) flipped its “Churban” format to Classic Rock, and stole the majority of KZAP’s listeners from its base. The station’s ratings dropped to the lower 2s by late 1991. The station’s owners were well aware of the ratings slump. At midnight on January 20, 1992, after playing the song “Cristo Redentor” by Harvey Mandel, KZAP left the air, and the owners flipped the station to a Country format known as “Fresh Country 98.5.” Shortly thereafter, the station changed call letters to KNCIKNCI
KNCI is a commercial radio station in Sacramento, California. The station airs a country music format.The station is now owned by CBS Radio.-Station history:...
.
Eventually, the station flipped its focus to Classic Country
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
, apparently unable to deal with the double attack of KSKK
KSKK
KSKK is a adult contemporary music formatted radio station in Wadena, Minnesota and the Brainerd Lakes Area. . The Arrow is owned by De La Hunt Broadcasting...
(105.1) and KQBR
KQBR
KQBR is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Lubbock, Texas, USA and broadcasting on FM frequency 99.5 MHz, The station is currently under ownership of Townsquare Media....
(104.3). It also changed its call letters to KRAK-FM, and the KNCI call letters went to 105.1 FM. The station’s ratings were short of stellar. EZ Communications
EZ Communications
EZ Communications, Inc. was a corporation with its headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. In the 1970s, the small company was one of the pioneers of the easy listening on the FM broadcasting radio spectrum with 2 stations in Manassas and Richmond. Within 25 years, the company grew to 20 stations...
owned KRAK-FM at that time, and entered into an agreement with Entercom to switch the frequencies of KRXQ and KRAK in March 1998.
Today, KZAP (as we know it) is what was once its own competition, KRXQ
KRXQ
KRXQ is a commercial radio station in Sacramento, California, broadcasting on 98.5 FM. The station airs an active rock music format branded as "98 Rock"...
, at the same 98.5 frequency as its predecessor.