KZSN
Encyclopedia
KZSN is a radio station
broadcasting a Country music
format. Licensed to Hutchinson, Kansas
, USA, the station serves the Wichita area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications
(As Capstar Tx).
and played a Beautiful Music
format. It was owned by Margurite Sours and managed by Sam Kahalewai. The station also aired live area high school football and basketball games with Kansas sportscasting legend and Kansas Association of Broadcasters
Hall of Fame member Hod Humiston providing the play-by-play. The syndicated "Hawaii Calls
" program of Hawaiian music was also aired. In 1973 KSKU became one of a very few radio stations in America that broadcast in Quadrophonic stereo (4 channel sound).
In 1976 the station switched to a Top 40 Rock format, later onto a Mainstream Top 40 direction. In 1983-84, KSKU upgraded its signal for better coverage over Wichita to compete against then Top 40 stations KEYN (Now Oldies
) and KKRD (Now Classic rock
KTHR
) in 3-Way Top-40 battle.
In the late 1970s the station was sold to Jack Sampson and Sampson Communications. In early 1986 the station's studios were moved to Wichita and on February 14, 1986, the station call letters were changed to KZSN and it flipped to a Country
format as "Kissin' 102" to compete with longtime Wichita ratings leader KFDI AM/FM.
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...
broadcasting a Country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format. Licensed to Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson, Kansas
Hutchinson is the largest city in and the county seat of Reno County, Kansas, United States, northwest of Wichita, on the Arkansas River. It has been home to salt mines since 1887, thus its nickname of "Salt City", but locals call it "Hutch"...
, USA, the station serves the Wichita area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
(As Capstar Tx).
History
The station began in Hutchinson in 1969 as KSKUKSKU
KSKU is a radio station broadcasting a contemporary hit radio format. Licensed to Sterling, Kansas, USA, the station serves the Hutchinson, Kansas area. The station is currently owned by Ad Astra Per Aspera Broadcasting, Inc.. The KSKU call letters have been moved to 5 different frequencies...
and played a Beautiful Music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format. It was owned by Margurite Sours and managed by Sam Kahalewai. The station also aired live area high school football and basketball games with Kansas sportscasting legend and Kansas Association of Broadcasters
Kansas Association of Broadcasters
The Kansas Association of Broadcasters is a group supporting broadcasters in Kansas, United States, primarily through lobbying and coordination.-Mission:...
Hall of Fame member Hod Humiston providing the play-by-play. The syndicated "Hawaii Calls
Hawaii Calls
Hawaii Calls was a radio program that ran from 1935 through 1975 that featured live Hawaiian music conducted by Harry Owens, the composer of "Sweet Leilani"...
" program of Hawaiian music was also aired. In 1973 KSKU became one of a very few radio stations in America that broadcast in Quadrophonic stereo (4 channel sound).
In 1976 the station switched to a Top 40 Rock format, later onto a Mainstream Top 40 direction. In 1983-84, KSKU upgraded its signal for better coverage over Wichita to compete against then Top 40 stations KEYN (Now Oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
) and KKRD (Now Classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
KTHR
KTHR
KTHR is a radio station operating in Wichita, Kansas. The station runs a rock music format.-History:KTHR's format history includes Easy Listening as KARD, later evolved into an Adult Contemporary format...
) in 3-Way Top-40 battle.
In the late 1970s the station was sold to Jack Sampson and Sampson Communications. In early 1986 the station's studios were moved to Wichita and on February 14, 1986, the station call letters were changed to KZSN and it flipped to a Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format as "Kissin' 102" to compete with longtime Wichita ratings leader KFDI AM/FM.