 | |
| Broadcast area | Seattle metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 102.5MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 102.5 KZOK |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| KBKS-FM,KHHO,KJAQ,KJEB,KJR,KJR-FM,KPTR | |
| History | |
First air date | December1964 (as KTW-FM) |
Former call signs | KTW-FM (1964–1974) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 20357 |
| Class | C |
| ERP | 73,000watts |
| HAAT | 698 meters (2,290 ft) 696 meters (2,283 ft) (APP) |
Transmitter coordinates | 47°30′16″N121°58′08″W / 47.504556°N 121.969°W /47.504556; -121.969 47°30′17″N121°58′08″W / 47.504639°N 121.968833°W /47.504639; -121.968833 (APP) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaiHeartRadio) |
| Website | kzok.iheart.com |
KZOK-FM (102.5MHz) is acommercialradio station located inSeattle, Washington. It airs aclassic rockradio format and is owned byiHeartMedia, Inc. KZOK'stransmitter is located nearIssaquah, Washington, onTiger Mountain, and operates from studios in Seattle in theBelltown neighborhood northwest ofDowntown.
In December 1964, the stationsigned on asKTW-FM.[3] It was owned by David Segal, who called his format "The Wonderful Sound of Seattle." At first, it mostlysimulcast co-owned KTW (1250 AM, nowKKDZ).
The station's formats in its early years includedTop 40 for nine months, then acountry music format called "The Nashville Sound."
KTW-FM, along with KTW (AM), was acquired by Norwood and Dawn Patterson of Central California. Nordawn, Inc. switched the stations to a "paid religion" format. In 1970, the stations were put into court-ordered receivership, administered by attorney Walter Webster, Jr. Norwood J. Patterson was sentenced to two years in federal prison for failure to pay the government employee withholding taxes. He also sabotaged both AM and FM transmitters the afternoon that the stations were placed in receivership by driving to the West Seattle transmitter site and pulling the "finals." He failed to check the engineering locker where spares were located.
In 1974, KTW-FM stopped simulcasting the AM station and changed toprogressive rock, while also changing call letters toKZOK-FM. The FM station was sold to the Sterling Recreation Organization with AM 1250 sold off to Don Dudley, owner ofKYAC. SRO would then pair KZOK withKUUU (1590 AM), which aired anoldies format.
In August 1975, KZOK moved from its free-form progressive format to a more mass-appeal and better–researchedAOR format. With the success of KZOK's rock format on FM, in 1982, the AM station switched to a different rock format,modern rock, allowing KZOK's advertisers to have two choices for their commercials aimed at Seattle's rock audience. The AM station was renamed KJET.[4]
In 1985, KZOK tried moving to a more adultsoft rock/adult album alternative format, but with a dip in the ratings, the station shifted toclassic rock in October of the following year.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
Adams Communications bought the stations in 1989. Adams would rename the AM station KZOK (AM), subscribing to the satellite-deliveredsyndicated "Z Rock Network." In November 1992, Adams Communications filed forbankruptcy, selling KZOK-AM-FM to CLG Media, asubsidiary of theChrysler Capital Corporation.
In July 1994, CLG Media sold KZOK-FM toEZ Communications, while KZOK-AM was sold toSalem Communications to carry its religious programming asKPOZ.[15][16] In July 1997, EZ was bought out byAmerican Radio Systems.Westinghouse/CBS bought American Radio Systems' stations (including KZOK) on September 19, 1997.[17] In June 1998, CBS split off the radio division under the revivedInfinity Broadcasting name, which would be renamedCBS Radio in December 2005. In 2011, KZOK-FM hired actor and radio personalityDanny Bonaduce to host its morning show. Bonaduce had been a child actor, seen in the classic TVsitcomThe Partridge Family in the 1970s.
On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge withEntercom (which locally ownsKHTP,KISW,KKWF, andKNDD).[18] On October 10, CBS announced that as part of the process of obtaining regulatory approval of the merger, KZOK would be one of sixteen stations that would be divested by Entercom, along with sister stationsKJAQ andKFNQ. (KMPS would be retained by Entercom.) On November 1, 2017,iHeartMedia announced that it will acquire KZOK-FM, KJAQ and KFNQ. To meet ownership limits set by the FCC,KFNY (formerly KFOO) andKTDD (formerly KUBE) were divested to the Ocean Stations Trust in order to be sold to a different owner.[19][20] Until the completion of the divestment of KFNY and KTDD to the trust, CBS placed KZOK, KJAQ and KFNQ into the Entercom Divestiture Trust.
The merger of CBS and Entercom was approved on November 9,[21] and was consummated on November 17.[22] The sale of KZOK to iHeart was completed on December 19, 2017.[23][24]
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