WZRT

Last updated
WZRT
Z97.1 Logo.jpg
Broadcast areaSouth Central Vermont
Frequency 97.1 MHz
BrandingZ97.1
Programming
Format Top 40 (CHR)
Affiliations Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
WDVT, WJEN, WJJR, WSYB
History
First air date
1974;49 years ago (1974)
Former call signs
WRUT (1974-1989)
Call sign meaning
"Z97 Rutland"
Technical information
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 25741
Class C2
ERP 1,150 watts
HAAT 790 meters (2,590 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 43°36′17.00″N72°49′14.00″W / 43.6047222°N 72.8205556°W / 43.6047222; -72.8205556
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website z971.com

WZRT (97.1 FM) is a Top 40 (CHR) radio station. Licensed to Rutland, Vermont, the station serves the Lebanon-Rutland-White River Junction area of Vermont and New Hampshire. The station is currently owned by Pamal Broadcasting.

Contents

History

The station first signed on in 1974 as WRUT. [1] It was owned by Vermont Radio, Inc. and was a sister station to AM 1380 WSYB. The call letters referred to its city of license, Rutland, Vermont. The station first signed on with a beautiful music format, but by the mid-1970s, the station changed its format to MOR and later adult contemporary by 1976. At the time, it went under the branding "WRUT Stereo 97" and later "T97" in the 1980s.

It took the WZRT call sign in the middle of 1989, became known as "Z97", and flipped its format from AC to Top 40/CHR. WZRT immediately faced Top 40 competition against crosstown WHDQ until March 1993 when WHDQ dropped its Top 40 format, leaving WZRT the only Top 40 station in the market.

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 throughout Killington. In particular, Z97 began a long relationship with two of Killington's largest and most famous nightclubs with nightly and apres-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 include Okemo, Bromley, Magic Mountain, Sugarbush, West Mountain, and Stratton Mountain. During the late 1990s, Z97 would broadcast the popular "Stratton Mountain Ski and Ride Show" live every Saturday morning from Stratton Mountain from 7:00-10:00.

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 of Clear Channel Communications, the station changed its identity to KISS-FM, [2] 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. [3]

In 2007, Pamal returned WZRT to Z97. [4] In early 2008, the station rebranded as Z97.1, adding the syndicated "Bob and Sheri" morning show from WLNK in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2011, the show was transferred over to WJJR, co-owned by Catamount Radio. In its place, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show began broadcasting weekday mornings, syndicated from WHTZ in New York City.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSNE-FM</span> Radio station in Massachusetts, United States

WSNE-FM is a commercial radio station, licensed to Taunton, Massachusetts, and serving Southeastern Massachusetts and the Providence, Rhode Island, area. It broadcasts a hot adult contemporary radio format branded as Now 93.3, and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The radio studios and offices are on Oxford Street in Providence. The station carries the syndicated On Air with Ryan Seacrest in afternoons. Several of the other shifts are voicetracked by DJs working at other iHeart stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSPK</span> Radio station in Poughkeepsie, New York

WSPK is a contemporary hit radio (CHR) station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York. Its studios are located on NY 52 Business in the town of Fishkill. It is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and transmits from a tower atop Beacon Mountain in Fishkill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBPM</span> Radio station in Saugerties, New York

WBPM is a classic hits radio station licensed to Saugerties, New York, serving the Mid-Hudson Valley and Catskills. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and broadcasts at 6,000 watts ERP from a tower in the Town of Kingston, New York, while its studios are in Beacon.

WEXP is a commercial radio station licensed to Brandon, Vermont. WEXP broadcasts an Americana music format featuring recent Americana and country music, with programming focused on Rutland County, Vermont, and surrounding areas. Branded as "Mud Radio", the station features live, daily dialog with community service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJEN</span> Radio station in Killington–Rutland, Vermont

WJEN is a commercial radio station licensed to Killington, Vermont, and broadcasting to Rutland and Southern Vermont. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and airs a country music radio format known as "105.3 Cat Country." The radio studios and offices are on Dorr Drive in Rutland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPKQ</span> Radio station in North Conway, New Hampshire

WPKQ is a commercial radio station licensed to North Conway, New Hampshire. It is owned by Townsquare Media and simulcasts the alternative rock format of 94.3 WCYY from the Portland, Maine, area. It is an affiliate of the New England Patriots Radio Network. In morning drive time, it carries the sports show Toucher and Rich from WBZ-FM in Boston. WPKQ shares its main studio with WCYY at One City Center in Portland, Maine, with its sales office and auxiliary studio located in North Conway.

Nassau Broadcasting Partners LP was a company based in Princeton, New Jersey that owned radio stations in New England and the Mid-Atlantic United States. Nassau's stations, which included both AM and FM frequencies, were located in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The company was owned and headed by Louis F. Mercatanti. Nassau was predominantly an operator of radio stations in medium and small markets. Nassau formerly owned radio station WCRB in Waltham, a Boston suburb, and located in the Boston market, the 11th largest radio market in the US, according to BIA Financial Network. However that station was sold to WGBH in 2009. Nassau operated radio stations in substantially all of the major formats. The company's most common format was classic rock/classic hits. On October 13, 2011 Nassau Broadcasting entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after their senior lenders petitioned for an involuntary Chapter 7 liquidation in September. The stations were auctioned to various bidders in May 2012 subject to bankruptcy judge and FCC approval. Nassau's last station, WPLY in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, lost its license in 2014 after having shut down in 2011.

WXZO is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Willsboro, New York. Owned by Vox AM/FM, it primarily serves the Champlain Valley, including Burlington, Vermont, and Plattsburgh, New York. Its studios are located in Colchester, Vermont. The station broadcasts a soft oldies radio format using the syndicated music service known as "MeTV FM." In morning drive time, the station carries Intelligence for Your Life with John Tesh.

WEAV is an English-language American radio station in Plattsburgh, New York, with studios in Colchester, Vermont. The station broadcasts a sports format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVTK</span> Radio station in Port Henry, New York

WVTK is an FM radio station airing a classic hits radio format, licensed to Port Henry, New York, near the New York State/Vermont border. It is owned by Vox AM/FM, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WORC-FM</span> Radio station in Webster, Massachusetts

WORC-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Webster, Massachusetts, and serving the Worcester metropolitan area. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a country radio format, mostly featuring songs from the 1990s and early 2000s. The studios are on Commercial Street in Downtown Worcester in the Winsor Building. It carries the games of the Worcester Red Sox and Worcester Railers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCVR</span> Radio station in Randolph, Vermont

WCVR is a radio station broadcasting a hybrid country music format to Randolph, Vermont, United States. Established in 1968, the station is owned by Robert and John Landry, through licensee Sugar River Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSYB</span> Radio station in Rutland, Vermont

WSYB is a commercial AM radio station in Rutland, Vermont. Established in 1930, the station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and broadcasts a classic hits radio format as "100.1 WSYB". Local high school and college sports coverage include football, basketball, and hockey. WSYB is one of the oldest affiliates on the Boston Red Sox Radio Network.

WVTQ is a radio station licensed to Sunderland, Vermont, United States. The station is owned by Vermont Public as part of its Classical network, airing classical music. WVTQ broadcasts from atop Mount Equinox in Manchester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTHK</span> Classic rock radio station in Wilmington, Vermont

WTHK is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. It is licensed to Wilmington, Vermont. The station is currently owned by Jeffrey Shapiro's Great Eastern Radio, and currently simulcasts sister station WKKN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWOD</span> Radio station in Woodstock, Vermont

WWOD is an adult album alternative broadcasting radio station. Licensed to Woodstock, Vermont, United States, the station serves the Lebanon-Rutland-White River Junction area. Established in 1989 as WMXR, the station is owned by Great Eastern Radio, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHDQ</span> Radio station in Claremont, New Hampshire

WHDQ is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Claremont, New Hampshire, United States, the station serves the Lebanon-Rutland-White River Junction area. The station is owned by Jeffrey Shapiro's Great Eastern Radio. The station's transmitter is located atop Mount Ascutney in Vermont. WHDQ's signal is also broadcast over a translator—W294AB in Hanover, New Hampshire—and a booster—WHDQ-FM1 in Rutland, Vermont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRNX</span> Radio station in Amherst, Massachusetts

WRNX is an American radio station licensed to serve the community of Amherst, Massachusetts. The station is owned by iHeartMedia and the broadcast license is held by iHM Licenses, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFYX</span> Radio station in Walpole, New Hampshire

WFYX is a radio station broadcasting an oldies music format. Licensed to Walpole, New Hampshire, United States, it serves the Monadnock Region in Southwestern New Hampshire and Southeastern Vermont. It first began broadcasting in 2001 under the call sign WLPL. The station is owned by Great Eastern Radio. Programming is simulcast with the third HD Radio channel of WHDQ in Claremont and translator W294AB in Hanover, which serve the Lebanon-Rutland-White River Junction area.

WINU is a commercial radio station licensed to Altamont and serving New York's Capital District. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and airs a classic country radio format.

References

  1. ↑ "Broadcasting Yearbook 1974 page C-195" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com.
  2. ↑ "NorthEast Radio Watch by Scott Fybush". www.fybush.com.
  3. ↑ "NorthEast Radio Watch by Scott Fybush". www.fybush.com.
  4. ↑ "NorthEast Radio Watch by Scott Fybush". www.fybush.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.