 | |
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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | South Central Vermont |
| Frequency | 97.1MHz |
| Branding | Z97.1 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Top 40–CHR |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WDVT,WJEN,WJJR,WSYB | |
| History | |
First air date | 1974; 51 years ago (1974) |
Former call signs | WRUT (1974–1989) |
Call sign meaning | "Z97 Rutland" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 25741 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 1,150watts |
| HAAT | 790 meters (2,590 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°36′17.2″N72°49′12.3″W / 43.604778°N 72.820083°W /43.604778; -72.820083 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | z971.com |
WZRT (97.1FM) is aTop 40 (CHR)radio station. Licensed toRutland, Vermont, the station serves theLebanon-Rutland-White River Junction area of Vermont andNew Hampshire. The station is currently owned byPamal Broadcasting.
The station firstsigned on in 1974 as WRUT.[2] It was owned by Vermont Radio, Inc. and was asister station toWSYB (1380 AM). The call letters referred to itscity of license, Rutland, Vermont.
It took the WZRTcall sign in 1989. Z97 branded itself as "The Official Ski Station" and later on as "The Official Ski and Ride Station." Z97 broadcast live from restaurants and nightclubs throughoutKillington. In particular, Z97 began a long relationship with two of Killington's largest and famous nightclubs with nightly andapres-ski live broadcasts throughout ski season.
All Communications eventually sold out to H & D Media, which eventually became Excalibur Media. Z97 expanded its winter advertising base to includeOkemo,Bromley,Magic Mountain,Sugarbush,West Mountain, andStratton Mountain. During the late 1990s, Z97 would broadcast the popular "Stratton Mountain Ski and Ride Show" live every Saturday morning from Stratton Mountain from 7 to 10 am.
From 2003 until the middle of 2007, WZRT was in the process of being acquired by Catamount Radio, but never eventually came to fruition. On July 3, 2003, under the ownership ofClear Channel Communications, the station changed its identity toKISS-FM,[3] following the already popular station name from other markets. In May 2006,Albany, New York-based Pamal Broadcasting acquired KISS-FM in a swap of stations with Clear Channel.[4]
In 2007, Pamal returned WZRT to Z97.[5] In early 2008, the station rebranded as Z97.1, adding the syndicated "Bob and Sheri" morning show fromWLNK inCharlotte, North Carolina. In 2011, the show was transferred over toWJJR, co-owned by Catamount Radio. In its place,Elvis Duran and the Morning Show began broadcasting weekday mornings, syndicated fromWHTZ inNew York City.