 | |
| Broadcast area | Phoenix metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 92.3MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | KTAR News 92.3 FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | News/Talk |
| Subchannels | HD2:Latter-day Saints Channel |
| Network | ABC News Radio |
| Affiliations | Westwood One Compass Media Networks Radio America |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | December 19, 1970 (54 years ago) (1970-12-19) |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | Taken fromKTAR, which had been owned byThe Arizona Republic |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 65479 |
| Class | C |
| ERP | 100,000 watts |
| HAAT | 545 meters (1,788 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 33°19′58″N112°3′48″W / 33.33278°N 112.06333°W /33.33278; -112.06333 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live Listen live (via Audacy) |
| Website | www |
KTAR-FM (92.3MHz) is acommercial radio stationlicensed toGlendale, Arizona, and serving thePhoenix metropolitan area. It is owned bySalt Lake City–basedBonneville International, a profit-making division ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[2] KTAR-FM broadcasts anews/talkradio format.[3]
The studios and offices are on North 16th Street nearPiestewa Peak.[4] Thetransmitter is inSouth Mountain Park. In addition to a standard analog transmission, KTAR-FM broadcasts inHD Radio, with its HD2digital subchannel carrying theLatter-day Saints Channel. As Bonneville holds the radio broadcast rights to most major professional and college sports in Phoenix, KTAR-FM carries games in the event of scheduling conflicts on its co-owned sports stations,KMVP-FM 98.7 andKTAR 620 AM.
On December 19, 1970; 54 years ago (December 19, 1970), the station firstsigned on. The originalcall sign was KXTC, owned by the Arizona Communications Corporation.[5] It aired a mix of mainstream and contemporaryjazz music, and was anaffiliate of theABC-FM Radio Network. It initially broadcast from a transmitter atop theWestward Ho.[6]
In 1978, withdisco music gaining in popularity, KXTC switched to an all-disco format, using the name "Disco 92". Disc jockeys included Scott Tuchman and Rick Nuhn. After a couple of years, however, the disco craze faded.
The station dropped disco forcountry music in 1980, going by the moniker "KC-92". In January 1981, the station's studios moved to Shaw Butte, and three months later, the station switched itscall sign to KJJJ-FM for the first time.
In 1982, the call letters switched to KEZC, which stood for EZ Country. Easy Country played the softer hits from current and recent country music charts, designed for office listening and relaxing. In 1984, the station began tosimulcast with KJJJ (nowKGME). It returned to the call sign KJJJ-FM, moving back to mainstream country music.
On September 6, 1985, KJJJ-FM flipped to KKFR as agold-basedTop 40 outlet as "The Fire Station, Arizona's 92 Fire FM", and later as "92.3 KKFR, Your Fire Station".[7][8][9] In 1988, KKFR began calling itself "Hot Hits 92.3", but was forced to drop that by radio consultant Mike Joseph, the owner of the "Hot Hits" slogan nationally.[10]
Over the next few years, the station began shifting towards aRhythmic Contemporary format. It also adopted the name "Power 92", influenced by formersister stationKPWR in Los Angeles. During this time, KKFR heavily competedKZZP andKOY-FM for contemporary music listeners. In April 1991, however, KZZP flipped toHot AC, and in September 1993, KOY-FM dropped out of the format, flipping to a short-lived "rhythm and rock" format, and thensmooth jazz, leaving KKFR as the lone Top 40-oriented station in the market.
On December 16, 1993, despite high ratings as a rhythmic contemporary outlet, KKFR evolved to MainstreamTop 40, leaning slightly towardModern Rock. However, the station's ratings slipped. From January to March 1995, the station re-added rhythmic and dance music to theplaylist, which helped the station regain much of its lost audience. By 1997, KKFR began dropping the dance hits, transforming into anR&B/Hip-Hop approach. By the end of the year, the station was no longer Top 40 at all.
In late 1998, Chancellor Media (which later became AMFM, Inc.) purchased the station from its longtime owners The Broadcast Group.[11] When Chancellor merged withClear Channel Communications, the company had to divest the station to meetFCC ownership regulations.Emmis Communications bought the station in 2000.[12] By this time, the station began calling itself "Power 92.3".
After leaving the 92.3 frequency in 2006, KKFR went through several changes. Its intellectual property was acquired by Riviera Broadcast Group (which already owned 103.9KEDJ and two stations inLas Vegas). Shortly thereafter, KKFR moved to 98.3 FM, licensed toMayer. Sunburst Media let Riviera operate and later own the station. Riveiera created the newKKFR 98.3 FM on September 1, 2006. It continues as arimshot station in the Phoenix market, airing a rhythmic contemporary format.
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In 2006, Emmis sold the station toBonneville International. In turn, Bonneville announced it would move the news/talk format airing onKTAR (620 AM) to KKFR 92.3 FM The change would begin on September 18, 2006. That same day, KKFR became KTAR-FM. The AM station merged its programming withKMVP, the localESPN Radiosports radio station. The merger was complete by January 1, 2007.
As KTAR-FM carried all news/talk programming, KTAR AM became "Arizona Sports 620". (On September 15, 2014, KTAR AM became "ESPN Phoenix 620 AM" with the local "Arizona Sports" format moving to 98.7 FM on January 6, 2014.) 860 AM was divested to thenon-profitCesar Chavez Foundation on March 9, 2017.[13][14][15]
KTAR-FM airs a mix of local andnationally syndicated talk shows. Weekdays begin withArizona's Morning News anchored by Jim Sharpe and Jayme West. That's followed by local talk withThe Mike Broomhead Show. In afternoons,The Chris & Joe Show is heard (Chris Merrill and Joe Huizenga) followed byOutspoken with Bruce and Gaydos (Bruce St. James and Larry Gaydos). Syndicated shows includeThe Ramsey Show withDave Ramsey, heard in early afternoons and early evenings. That's followed byThe Chad Benson Show,Red Eye Radio andThis Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal.
Weekends feature specialty shows on money, health, home improvement, cars, real estate and gardening. Some weekend programs are paidbrokered programming. Syndicated weekend shows includeThe Kim Komando Show, Rosie on The House andMusic and the Spoken Word. Most hours begin with an update fromABC News Radio.
KTAR-FM broadcasts in theHD Radio hybrid format. The HD2digital subchannel carries theLatter-day Saints Channel, aimed at members ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which ownsBonneville International. Programming originates fromTemple Square inSalt Lake City. It broadcasts lifestyle and religious shows.