KEEZ-FM

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KEEZ-FM
Broadcast areaMankato, Minnesota
Frequency 99.1 MHz
BrandingMix 99.1
Programming
Language English
Format Hot adult contemporary
Affiliations Westwood One
Ownership
Owner
  • KMKO-FM
  • KRBI-FM
  • KYSM-FM
History
First air date
April 1, 1968 (as KEYC-FM)
Former call signs
KEYC-FM (1968–1978)
Call sign meaning
Z99
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 21193
Class C1
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 239 m (784 ft)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website z99mankato.com

KEEZ-FM (99.1  FM, "Mix 99.1") is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Mankato, Minnesota, and serving the Minnesota River Valley. The station broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format. The station is owned by Alpha Media, through licensee Alpha 3E Licensee LLC, along with sister stations KYSM-FM, KRBI-FM and KMKO-FM.

Contents

History

The station was granted license on May 15, 1968, as KEYC-FM. [2] The station was started by Lee Enterprises, which also owned KEYC-TV. The station was sold in 1977, to Faribault County Broadcasting Co. for $200,000, principally owned by Paul C. Hedberg and his wife. Burke B. Bartell was General manager until 1980's. [3] The station was a CHR/Top 40 station by the mid-1980s, and then shifted to a hot AC format in August 1992. Hedberg Broadcasting sold the station in 1993, to Nolan Broadcast Group.

From January 1993 to the fall of 2000, KEEZ was owned and operated by Nolan Broadcast Group. KEEZ was managed by Michael E. Nolan, who along with his father Philip E. Nolan owned KAUS-AM/KAUS-FM in Austin, Minnesota. In 2000, the station was sold to Three Eagles Communications.

KEEZ's longtime competitor, 96.7 KDOG, was a CHR station from 1984 until shifting to hot AC in 2000. KDOG returned to their CHR roots as "Hot 96.7" in September 2009.

While Z99 was a hot AC format during the daytime (playing a mix of hit music from the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and today), it took a Top 40/CHR format at night, as the station added hip-hop to their playlist, thus it could be considered an adult Top 40. By 2012, Z99 shifted to a full-fledged Top 40/CHR format.

On October 31, 2018, at midnight, KEEZ began stunting with a continuous loop of Michael Jackson's “Thriller” while branding as "Thriller 99.1". The next day, at 9 a.m., KEEZ relaunched with a hot adult contemporary format as "Mix 99.1". [4]

In May 2024, Alpha Media let go most on-air staffers in their Mankato cluster, which includes KEEZ, as part of nationwide cuts. The following month, KMKO began airing Westwood One's "Hot AC" format. [5] [6]

On November 11, 2024, at midnight, KEEZ reverted back to Top 40/CHR and the "Z99" moniker, with programming coming from Westwood One's "Hits Now!" format. [7]

With the discontinuation of "Hits Now!" by Westwood One on April 20, 2025, KEEZ revered back to hot AC and the "Mix 99.1" moniker. [8]

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for KEEZ-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ Broadcasting: 66. May 27, 1968.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ Broadcasting: 67. May 16, 1977.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ↑ "Z99 Mankato Flips To AC Mix 99.1 - RadioInsight". RadioInsight. November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  5. ↑ Alpha Media Continues to Purge Programming, On-Air Staffs in Midwest Markets
  6. ↑ https://www.keyc.com/2024/05/22/alpha-media-group-lays-off-mankato-on-air-talent/
  7. ↑ Z99 Returns to Mankato
  8. ↑ Hot AC | Westwood One

44°03′07″N94°18′00″W / 44.052°N 94.300°W / 44.052; -94.300


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