KALZ (96.7 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Fowler, California, and serving the Fresno metropolitan area. It airs a talk radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are located on Shaw Avenue in North Fresno. Programming is simulcast on sister station KRZR 1400 AM in Visalia.

KALZ
Broadcast areaFresno metropolitan area
Frequency96.7 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingPowerTalk 96.7
Programming
FormatTalk
AffiliationsFox News Radio
Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
KBOS-FM, KCBL, KFBT, KFSO-FM, KHGE, KRDU, KRZR, KSOF
History
First air date
October 6, 1980; 44 years ago (1980-10-06) (as KTED)
Former call signs
KTED (1980–1986)
KEZL (1986–2005)
Call sign meaning
K ALiZe ("Alice", previous format)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID2097
ClassB1
ERP25,000 watts
HAAT100 meters (330 ft)
Repeater(s)1400 KRZR (Visalia)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitepowertalk967.iheart.com

KALZ has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 25,000 watts. The transmitter tower is on South Bliss Drive in the Roosevelt neighborhood of Fresno.[2] The station broadcasts using HD Radio technology. The HD-2 digital subchannel formerly carried a classic alternative rock format known as "Alternative Rewind Radio." The HD2 subchannel has since been turned off.[3]

Programming

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KALZ and KRZR mostly carry nationally syndicated conservative talk shows from co-owned Premiere Networks. Weekdays begin with Glenn Beck, followed by The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, Sean Hannity, Jesse Kelly, Coast to Coast AM with George Noory and Ag Life. Two local hosts are heard in late afternoons, Trevor Carey and John Girardi. Most hours start with world and national news from Fox News Radio.

Weekends feature shows on money, health and guns, some of which are paid brokered programming. Syndicated weekend shows include Bill Handel on the Law and Sunday Night Live with Bill Cunningham, as well as repeats of some weekday shows.

History

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On October 6, 1980, the station first signed on as KTED.[4] The station was originally owned by Salem Media and aired a Christian talk and teaching format. The studios were on East Kings Canyon Road.

In 1982, the station was bought by Bilmar Communications.[5] The Christian format ended and the station flipped to a beautiful music format. The call sign switched to KEZL in 1986, with the EZ representing Easy Listening music. The KEZL call sign and easy listening format had been heard on 98.9 FM for many years before that station changed to KSOF, airing a soft adult contemporary format. By the 1990s, KEZL made the transition to a smooth jazz format.

The station was acquired by San Antonio-based Clear Channel Communications in 2000.[6] Clear Channel was the forerunner to today's owner, iHeartMedia.

The station was co-owned with "Alice 102.7", which aired a mix of alternative rock and hot adult contemporary music. In 2006, management decided to swap formats and call letters, moving Alice and the KALZ call letters to 96.7, while moving the Smooth Jazz format and KEZL call letters to 102.7.

In 2012, iHeart management decided to take several of its most popular talk shows off Cumulus Media-owned KMJ, including Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh, in order to launch their own news/talk station in the Fresno radio market. KALZ flipped to "Power Talk 96.7" on January 1, 2013.[7]

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References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for KALZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ Radio-Locator.com/KALZ
  3. ^ HD Radio Guide
  4. ^ Information from the Broadcasting Yearbook 1981 page C-22]
  5. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1988 page B-28
  6. ^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 page D-86
  7. ^ "PowerTalk 96.7 Debuts in Fresno".
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36°41′42″N 119°44′00″W / 36.6949°N 119.7332°W / 36.6949; -119.7332