KZCH, also known as "Channel 963," is a Mainstream Top 40 station serving the Wichita area. The iHeartMedia, Inc. outlet broadcasts at 96.3 MHz with an ERP of 50 kW and is licensed to Derby, Kansas. Its studios are located in Northeast Wichita and the transmitter is just north of downtown.
History
KZCH signed on in 1978 at 95.9 MHz, and initially aired a Top 40 format as KDRB, "K-96", which had studios located in its city of license, and a transmitter near Haysville. In 1980, KDRB flipped to country as KGCS. In 1983, KGCS flipped to a country/adult contemporary hybrid as KYMG-FM, "Magic 96", which would then change calls to KAKZ. A year later, the station flipped to an automated oldies format, but would revert to AC the following year as KRZZ. The station flipped to its long-running classic rock format in the summer of 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, in early 1991. On June 15, 2004, at Midnight, KRZZ dropped its 18-year-old format and began stunting with a loop redirecting KRZZ listeners to 107.3 FM, and to listen for the debut of a new format on 96.3 at 3 p.m. the following Monday, June 21. At that time, 96.3 adopted KKRD's heritage Top 40/CHR format, and rebranded as "Channel 963". The current KZCH calls were adopted on June 28. The first personality to debut on KZCH was Wichita native "HaZe," who held down the night shift from 7PM-Midnight. He later moved on to Sinclair Broadcasting's former CHRWZNR in Norfolk, Virginia. He is currently at KNOU in St. Louis. 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 old school. The move was to counter Rhythmic Top 40 rival KDGS, who is the lone Rhythmic CHR station in the market.
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 voidKANR left open when that station flipped to Spanish in 2006. In November 2012, 96.3 HD2 flipped back to dance, branded as "Evolution."
KZCH has seen several morning radio shows come and go since its inception. The stations original morning show, "The Mat Mitchell in the Morning Show," featuring Mat Mitchell and Big Head Ted, ran from late 2004 until November 2006, when the show was eventually canceled. They were replaced by then-afternoon DJ Brett Andrews; however, he too left the station shortly thereafter assuming the role of morning DJ and moved to Las Vegas. Andrews was then in turn replaced by KZCH night DJ and Wichita native, "Spoon." However, just like Brett Andrews, Spoon did not last long during his stint as morning DJ and he left the station to take-over nights in Jacksonville, Florida and is currently at KHMX-FM in Houston, Texas. For nearly 6 years, the morning show on KZCH was "The Bobby Bones Show" which began broadcasting on March 26, 2007. The show syndicated from KHFI in Austin, TX. The Bobby Bones Show is now carried on sister stationKZSN. The current morning show on KZCH is Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, syndicated from WHTZ in New York City.
