KZCH (96.3 FM broadcasting), also known as "Channel 963," is a Mainstream Top 40 radio station licensed to Derby, Kansas, and serving the Wichita area. The station broadcasts with an ERP of 50 kW from its transmitter just north of downtown, and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. Its studios are located on East Douglas Avenue in downtown Wichita.
History
KZCH signed on November 10, 1977, at 95.9 MHz, and initially aired a
country music format as KDRB, "K-96", which had studios located in its city of license (Derby), and a transmitter near Haysville.
["No. 13 Takes Bow: KDRB-FM Makes Its First Radio Broadcast", The Wichita Eagle, November 11, 1977.] In April 1980, KDRB changed call letters to KGCS, and rebranded as "96 Country".
[Dorothy Belden, "Rock, Country Golden Duo, Says Radio Station Exec", The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, April 15, 1980.] In December 1982, KGCS flipped to a country/adult contemporary hybrid as KYMG-FM, "Magic 96".
[Bob Curtright, "No Longer an Echo, KWKN to Get Its Own Voice Again", The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, October 21, 1982.][Bob Curtright, "Rump Moving to New Station, Regaining Old Persona", The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, December 15, 1982.] At first, the station was automated; in October 1983, the station became locally programmed, and changed call letters to KAKZ-FM.
[Bob Curtright, "DJs, Adult Contemporary Music Now Liven KYMG", The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, October 12, 1983.] A year later, the station flipped to an automated
oldies format, but would revert to adult contemporary in October 1985 as KRZZ.
[Bob Curtright, "KAKZ Stations Will Launch New Formats Today", The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, October 1, 1984.][Tom Shine, "KAKZ Offers Alternative For Critics", The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, September 20, 1985.] The station flipped to its long-running
classic rock format on August 29, 1986.
[Bob Curtright, "KRZ Goes for 'Big Chill Music' to Lure Yuppies", The Wichita Eagle-Beacon, August 29, 1986.] To improve their coverage area, in 1987, KRZZ relocated its transmitter to a location near I-235 and South Broadway in south Wichita, which would then be changed to another location near I-135 and 21st Street in north Wichita. The station would also increase its signal strength to 50,000 watts, and relocate to 96.3 MHz, on April 19, 1990.
[Bob Curtright, "Visual, audio tapes of tornado to benefit its victims", The Wichita Eagle, March 17, 1990.]["96 KRZZ radio increases power", The Wichita Eagle, April 19, 1990.]
On June 14, 2004, at midnight, KRZZ dropped its 18-year-old format and began stunting with a loop redirecting KRZZ listeners to KTHR, and to listen for the debut of a new format on 96.3 at 3 p.m. on June 16. At that time, 96.3 adopted KTHR's heritage Top 40/CHR format, and rebranded as "Channel 963".[Bob Curtright, "KKRD, KRZZ yanked off air permanently", The Wichita Eagle, June 16, 2004.][Bob Curtright, "New Wichita radio stations going on the air", The Wichita Eagle, June 17, 2004.][ "Big changes for two Wichita Clear Channel stations"- Wichita Business Journal, June 16, 2004] The current KZCH calls were adopted on June 28.
When the station began, the station leaned heavily on rhythmic material. In 2006, the station readjusted towards a more mainstream direction. In 2009, the station would lean rhythmic again, and also mixed in Retro style. The move was to counter Rhythmic Top 40 rival KDGS, who is the lone Rhythmic CHR station in the market. As of Summer 2022, the station would again lean rhythmic.
KZCH, along with other iHeartRadio stations, partner with KSNW when tornado warnings are issued in the Wichita area and simulcast KSN's severe weather coverage.
HD Radio
In 2006, KZCH signed on HD Radio operations. On their HD 2 channel, the station carried
Club Phusion. In 2011, it was replaced with
modern rock, filling the void KANR left open when that station flipped to Spanish in 2006. In November 2012, 96.3 HD2 flipped back to dance, branded as "Evolution." As of November 2022, 96.3 HD2 is now "Club Jam Christmas."
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